Carpets & Flooring
CRI Articles
IEHA Articles
IICRC Articles
Features
Just what are the costs of clutter? Clutter makes us feel hopeless and depressed. Clutter makes us fight all the time. Clutter wastes our time, makes us inefficient and makes everything cumbersome. It takes our space, costs us money and shows on us.
The Rewards of Uncluttering
Dejunking will mean you never have to dig! Dejunking will instantly improve your time management. Why else to dejunk? To feel better. To get more enjoyment out of life. To be able to travel light. To think more clearly. For space. To save money. For safety’s sake. For aesthetics.
Remember: It always comes back to your personal decision. It is going to be a bigger courtyard or less clutter. It is going to be a bitter headache or more headroom.
One weekend will get you a long way. Let’s look at the time you have available for dejunking — it’s more than you think ...
Time off: Plan a junk-free vacation. Whenever you’re weather bound. Time fragments (little stretches of fifteen minutes here, ten minutes there).
The longer something is there, the less we see it.
Consider the common clutter collectors:
Kitchen: Top of refrigerator, inside refrigerator, freezer, back of the stove, spice racks, counters, whatnot drawer, upper cupboards, lower cupboards, hutch or china cabinet, lower shelves of microwave stand or other stands, bulletin board, crevices between countertop and stove; walls or ceiling.
Living Room: Shelves, mantels, shadowboxes; bookcases, end tables, walls, audio and video clutter, magazine rack, china closet or hutch.
Remember the difference between wants and needs.
Think: Why are you buying this? Consider obsolescence and that new may be better, but is it necessary? Beware of gadgets. Forget “sale” and the word “save” — a real seducer. Forget “deals.” Don’t be afraid to go without.
There are hundreds of rewards for removal of the “too much.” Here’s a reminder about the big three: You’ll have more room. You’ll have more time for the things you really care about. You’ll feel better and be treated better by everyone!
Prevent all that clutter from creeping back in.
Keep yourself and your place, space and possessions clean and orderly — uncluttered with no excess. Spend less. Work hard — be eagerly engaged in a good cause. Know the difference between a standard of living and a standard of luxury. Create minimum waste. Stay home more.
Dig in with this makeover classic on Friday night — and by Monday morning, a saner, simpler way of life will be a reality!
(c) 2005, Don Aslett. Used by permission of Marsh Creek Press. All rights reserved.
Excerpted, adapted and condensed from Don Aslett's book, Weekend Makeover.
