If you have bought a home recently, I hope you have found some time
for fun and relaxation now that you are settled in your new home.
As a longtime homeowner I have had to deal
with my #1 enemy-the monster that lurks under every bed and in every closet-CLUTTER!
Nothing will interfere with your enjoyment
of your home as much as disorganization and clutter.
Since you have only been in your
new home a short time, I imagine you were forced to deal with most of that
clutter at moving time. So, for the
moment at least, your closets should be pretty orderly and your garage should
actually have room for the cars. But
this blissful scenario won't last beyond the first year if you don't take a
firm stand right now against the clutter monster! And heaven help you if you committed the act of mindlessly boxing
up your clutter and bringing it with you to the new house!!!!
In this three part series: "Winning
the Clutter Wars" I will be sharing some tips on how to simplify your
household and get organized. But first,
let's look at some ways to prevent the clutter in the first place. You can call this your Homeowner's
Declaration of Independence.
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Garage sales are events you stage,
not events you attend. Unless you are a
professional junk or antique dealer, there is no reason for you to ever attend
a garage sale. Think of them as the
entry level drugs offered by the clutter “drug lord” to get you hooked.
Discover the joys of
borrowing. Let's be honest. There are some things you might only use two
or three times a year (fondue set, espresso maker, sewing machine, Super Dooper
Foot Spa, etc.). You don't need to buy
these things! Your friends will be
happy to dig them out from under their beds and loan them to you upon request.
Throw away those full-color store
ad inserts in your newspaper and the mailbox-do not browse them first. I'm talking about the good ones from
Walmart, Kmart, Target, Kohl's, etc.
Those ads exist for one reason only-to make you think you need more
stuff. I know, you think you are just
window shopping, but that is the first step to buying a juicer with ten
attachments, a second George Foreman Grill, or a desktop fountain like the one
in your attic.
Treat eBay (and other internet
shopping sites) like disaster sites-steer clear of them. You will not escape unscathed. Clutter will leap into your shopping cart of
its own volition!
Finally, if you absolutely must
buy something, do it only to replace something you already have. It's OK to replace your grill, the
refrigerator, your coffee table-just don't multiply them!
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I look forward to sharing more
Clutter Fighting Tips with you in part 2 & 3 of this series. Don't forget to email me with your real
estate questions and concerns!
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