Always be Editing

We’re gearing up for the New Year and although it’s the perfect time to set up New Year’s Resolutions, it’s always a great time to be editing out the items that no longer serve us. 

Simple? Yes. Easy? Not so much. It will take time. Depending on your timeline, you could do as much or as little as you want. Given that I’ve moved 7 times in 7 years, I have this down to a science now and continually go through my things (clothing, shoes, outerwear, junk drawer, pantry cabinet, etc.) to remove what I no longer need.

My last move came very quickly and I had started the process a few months before, thank God. If any of you are remotely thinking of selling your home, the faster you can get on the bandwagon of editing, decluttering, cleaning and organizing your remaining items, the better off you are. If the pressure is off, tackling one thing a week can feel good and help you keep up the momentum.

Here are a few guidelines to help you get started. 

Is it necessary?

Is this item an essential? Something you use often and can’t imagine living without (like my MagicBullet)? Or a recent Shark floor steamer I had to have to clean my marble kitchen, foyer and bathroom floors. It has a place to be stored, but it’s a tight one. 

Is it in working condition?

Items that are broken or in need of repair should either be fixed or repaired, replaced or simply tossed. I had so many more “gadgets” that I thought made my life easier when I had a larger home. Today, I can honestly say that I haven’t missed them. Less is more in most cases.

Has it expired?

As in food, medicine, etc. Check the refrigerator, medicine cabinets, pantry cabinets and any other place you might find the above items. Toss what has expired. Donate unwanted items to a local food pantry or shelter. 

Is it functional and useful?

By functional, I mean does it work for you, your family, your lifestyle any more? What may have worked well for us not that many years ago might seem to not be working for us now. If you’ve hated your sofa for ions, maybe it’s time to bite the bullet and invest in something you love. Do you need a larger piece, smaller, sectional, etc. Think about what will make the room more useful and work better before buying large purchases. You can sell, donate or give away the sofa that you did love and worked well for you in the past. 

Is it beautiful?

Some items can play double duty. Example. My set of four Asian trunks I purchased at a thrift store in Falmouth, MA. Timing was everything with this purchase. I decided to run in on a Friday afternoon and immediately saw them. They were selling them individually and I couldn’t get over what a shame that was. They belonged together. Not only do I think these are beautiful, unique, interesting and something I doubt ever seeing in someone else’s home, they are also useful. I store holiday decorations, important papers I don’t need frequent access to, etc. 

If something brings you happiness to look at please keep it. Isn’t it nice to look at things in your home and just love them. 

Editing your items or decluttering is a process. Start small with 20 minutes to organize a junk drawer. Move onto bigger projects later like a basement, etc.. Carve out a manageable amount of time to accomplish a goal. As you go along and see the difference, it inspires further action. That’s when you can see real changes in your home environment. Remember to go through sentimental items last. They are too emotionally charged to keep your momentum going. That’s last on the list!

Are you decluttering for the new year? I hope this blog post helps. Send me an email at nancy@nancymichaelsinteriors.com. I’d love to hear from you.