New Year, New You! 20 Things to Declutter in 2020
Start 2020 on the right note.
For this blog post in video form, please head to my YouTube channel or check the bottom of this post.
As we enter a new year, it’s a great time to reflect on your organizing goals.
So many people ask me for concrete rules to help them figure out if they have too much stuff. The truth is, this can differ for everyone, but there are some guidelines that anyone can use.
How to Know If You Have Too Much Stuff
Take some time to sit with yourself and ask the following questions to help you determine if it’s time to declutter:
Are you constantly misplacing things? When you are wasting time looking for items, whether its keys, blouses or wrenches, this could be a sign you have too much clutter.
Do you have piles of stuff? Clothing is a major culprit when it comes to stuff piling up, but this applies to the garage, the playroom—anywhere in your house.
Are you replacing stuff you have lost and can’t find? This is one of the most significant signs of having too much stuff and needing to declutter.
Are you purchasing items and then realizing you already had them? When you start to have doubles and even triples of most things, chances are you have too much stuff. Two copies of the same book? Five pairs of similar shoes? Twenty boxes of crackers? Let’s get decluttering.
Are you always worrying about stuff? If you are worrying about stuff, your stuff owns you, and not the other way around. Do you stress about having people over as they will have to walk through your overstuffed, cluttered entranceway?
Do you have a difficult time knowing where to start? This is common. You are so overwhelmed with the clutter in many areas of your life that you can’t even choose one spot to begin the decluttering process.
Don’t worry—I’m here to help. Let’s look at how we can better let go of our things.
How To let Go Of Things
Here are some of my favourite tips on how to let go of things.
Commit to regularly evaluating your sentimental items. If you own a box of concert shirts that are tucked away but you never look them, then why keep them? After regularly committing to evaluating your sentimental items, you might be ready to part with them.
Repurpose sentimental items. Your favourite concert shirts could be framed so that it can be visible all the time, and then you can feel more free to discard the rest. This will bring you more joy and reduce clutter!
Keep only a small dedicated space for sentimental items. Have a piece of precious real estate in your home that you dedicate to your sentimental items. This will help you be more conscious of what resides there.
Envision the joy of being able to actually enjoy the true sentimental items you do keep. If you are genuinely having trouble starting the process, begin with a simple visualization. It’s a step in the right direction.
Watch the video to see the full list of 20 things to declutter in 2020. You’ll love it!
Read more: Organizing and Decluttering Your Phone
