Start Small
I am fully invested in The Life-Changing
Magic of Tidying Up, but if the idea
of gathering ALL of your clothing and sorting it in one go is too daunting,
start with your socks.
Perfection Paralysis
Sometimes, it isn't feeling overwhelmed that stops us in our tracks, but perfectionism. Do not allow
the desire for perfection to paralyze you and to keep you from starting the
process. Seeking perfection is an exercise in frustration, and it immobilizes
you. It keeps you from trying something new or from starting on a new path.
Crush Compromise
While you don't want to be a perfectionist, you don't want to abandon your ideals and desires completely.If you have a very specific idea of the type of bookshelf that you want to buy, wait for it. The books can remain boxed up for another month or two. Just don't let those boxes hang around forever.
Stop Storage
How many areas of your home serve as a storage unit? Attic? Garage? Basement?
Do you know or need what is in those boxes? What binds you to the
contents? If it's guilt or fear that you'll need it someday, forget it. I've been
donating and de-cluttering for 20 years, and in
that time, I've regretted purging ONE item. One.
Is your house a home, or is it a
storage unit for you, your kids, or your friends? If so, give them the incentive to remove their
possessions: a deadline to retrieve or an invoice. Assuming that it is wanted, saving
grandma's vintage vanity until your child finds her/his first home is fine, but storing 15,000 albums for a child is another story.
Double Duty
Recently, I
read Skin Cleanse, and it made me
re-think my relatively streamlined skin care regime. Why not use extra virgin olive oil to remove my mascara? One product, two uses! Think about
secondary and tertiary uses for products that you already own. Use an expired lip balm to soften your cuticles and to polish leather shoes and handbags.
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