The weeks ahead may be too cold to venture out - offering the opportunity for those indoor tasks to move their way up on your to-do list. Since Marie Kondo brightened the world with KonMari in her best-selling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, I’ve been inspired to find ways to help clients see decluttering as beautiful “weight loss” for the home. The feeling of a fresh and tidy room, closet or even drawer can help bring a sunny disposition on the cloudiest of days.
Kondo is known for advocating ridding your home of things that do not bring you “joy.” Sarcastically, one could wonder if a broom actually elicits joy but the rebuttal would be to imagine how much joy would dissipate if we couldn’t sweep up a mess with our broom?
Houzz Magazine offers further insight to the joy determination dilemma. (See here) When decluttering, ponder how you would feel if an item in question just up and disappeared without your intervention. If you secretly wouldn’t miss it, let it be gone.
Do you feel an obligation to keep certain items because you inherited them or because they may have been gifts? These, too, may bring more joy to someone else if you can let them go.
I love this one: Will you be able to find that thing you are saving just in case you may need it one day? If I’m being honest, the answer is probably no, not as fast as I would need to in order to prevent me from repurchasing the item.
Some of the items we keep for future use won’t even be usable when the need arises. For instance, I have envelopes from past mailings stock piled on my office supply shelves. When I have gone to use some of them, the flaps will no longer seal shut.
If you have plenty for the next, say... year of demand, discard or donate the surplus.
What about items that fit a previous season but now are just taking space? Blow up mattresses for sleepovers, movies from when the kids were younger, printers that utilize ink cartridges more expensive than the machine and light bulbs designed to fit a fixture you have replaced are great examples.
Are you guilty of keeping some things because they were expensive? Gifting more expensive items to people you know is a win-win. After all, real estate is expensive and being choosy about what you allow to take up residence in your home is empowering!
If you are pondering a move this year, there’s no time better than right now to get started on your decluttering projects! For more tips on how to make your home ready to market, please give me a call; I’d be honored to help!
Venture 727 Real Estate is always aiming to exceed your expectations. This blog features home and lifestyle tips, tricks and stories to inspire, motivate and entertain. We love helping our clients buy and sell property whenever you may be so inclined but our desire to be of value extends long before and long after contracts and closings!
Patti Tupper, Broker/Owner 970-776-0117
ptupper@venture727.com