The New Black: Uncluttering

This is not for the faint of heart! Arm yourself! You’ll need the ironclad strength of utmost inner fortitude. Clearing out all of those extra things that you’ve never (or rarely) used begins here and now. You’ve seen it done on TV. Couples literally brought to tears when asked to bid adieu to their unused, useless treasures.

Are you in denial about all of your clutter? Do you have pack rat tendencies?

Most people allow themselves at least one room or closet that is a catchall for every little item they don’t want to think about just yet. This area might also be the immediate dumping ground for an unexpected guest’s clothes and luggage—or anything else that arrives suddenly at your house. Compounding the problem may be the Christmas décor that’s still sitting in there, waiting to be packed up in the attic. The space can now officially be called a source of chaos.

Chances are, if you have clutter in one place, you have other areas of clutter throughout the rest of your pad. And nothing drains your energy more than living with clutter. On the other hand, true peace of mind results from having your home exactly the way you want it—which only happens when you are in control of your stuff, not the other way around.

If you’ve mentally prepared yourself by now to transform into the organized diva you were meant to be, let’s get started!

Work on one room at a time. Why not start with the guest bedroom? The room hasn’t seen a guest in years—you think you remember a bed in there, somewhere.

Before beginning, place several bins just outside the door of the room where you’ll be working. One of the bins will hold recyclable items—things that someone else can still use—for donating to charity. Use another bin for garbage, and a final bin for storing keepsakes and items you feel certain of using in the future.

Dive in! Work your way from the door to one of the room’s corners. While sifting through all of the stuff, ask yourself a few, simple, very important questions about every item you encounter: when was the last time you looked at it? used it? read it? or even thought about it? If you don’t remember, place the item in one of the bins.

In the words of the great designer William Morris, “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” This principle is certainly a great rule to live by, and doing so will help you bring a greater sense of harmony and order into your home.

If you live in a messy space crammed full of junk (and if you’re lucky) your friends may not have said anything to you about it. But the fact is, clutter will inevitably detract from both your personal and professional lives. If your home is ordered, you’ll experience a great sense of satisfaction, and your emotional state will be more serene and happy, attracting others and engendering the same feelings in them.

But if your space is chaotic and overburdened, with heaps of stuff everywhere, you may find yourself not just embarrassed about it, but downright depressed. A ripple effect can begin this way: you berate yourself for not keeping your things organized, which in turn contributes to growing feelings of negativity and resentment that may, in turn, destroy your self-esteem.

Deep, I know, but seriously true! Use uncluttering to give your home a new look—it’s the “new black” for the new year.