Let it Go!

For many of us getting organized and getting rid of excess stuff go hand in hand. But if you've got an I love stuff personal style, that second part can be a little bit intimidating. So many things that seem insignificant to other people are wrapped in a cocoon of memories for I love stuff folks.

Even those of us who wouldn't put ourselves into the I love stuff category can become overwhelmed sorting through things and figuring out what to do with them. All of the things we've collected were, at some point, important to us, serving a useful purpose or imbued with some meaning. This, coupled with the fact that we might have scrimped and saved for (or spent months paying off) the items in question can lend an exaggerated value to our things, convincing us that our trash is someone else's treasure.

It usually isn't.

And therein lies the painful part. Sometimes, we simply have to put them out with the trash.

I must admit to cringing at this option, arguing that surely someone, somewhere can use this! Convinced of this fact, some of us spend hours pricing things and sitting out in the sun (we hope) at a yard sale, hoping to recoup some of our investment. I used to belong to this group, but after the money earned at the last very hot, very long yard sale I hosted disappeared in about a tenth of the time it took to earn it, I crossed this option off my list. 

If you, like me, long to reduce, declutter and recycle but don't want to go the yard sale route, you might benefit from setting some boundaries. First, corral three boxes and separate your disposables into categories: trash (if I'm brutally honest with myself, no one else will want this stuff), recycle and resell/donate.

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At the end of the sorting session, take out the trash and recycling. Then, set a decision date for the resell/donate items, based on how long you think it will take to find a place that might be interested in them. Write that date on the box and on your calendar.

When you figure out where you're taking the things in that pile, write the drop-off date in your planner and put the items in the car. If the deadline comes and goes and the items are still in your car, they become trash.

Can you cut yourself some slack, donating the items a week after deadline? That's entirely up to you. But, if you're serious about letting things go, that means letting them go completely, not simply moving them from the basement to the mudroom to the car, where they take up an indefinite period of residence. (Not that I've ever done that).

Let it go! is probably the toughest part of the STYLE process but, without it, we quickly overrun our living space, making organizing far more complicated than it needs to be. Luckily, unless you're relocating, letting it go is not something that has to be done all at once; in fact, it's often most productive when done in stages.

Look around. What can you let go of?

Decluttering

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Last week, just in time for our weekend at the beach, I got a check in the mail. It was a small check—perhaps just big enough for breakfast at the diner—but the payoff it represented was substantial. 

The check was from Decluttr, an app that paid me for the CDs and DVDs I no longer wanted. Not only did I get rid of stuff that was just taking up space, but I got paid for it.

If you’ve been reading this column for a while you know I usually don’t write about apps because no matter how I do it, it always sounds like a sales pitch. But there's definitely a place in the STYLE strategy arsenal for anything that makes it easier to get rid of things that are just taking up space.

For Type A organizers, this task is easy. The trash can works every time.

I love stuff folks, on the other hand, need a nudge to part with things. And sometimes, cold, hard cash is just that nudge. Similarly, for cram and jammers and I know I put it somewhere organizers, cash for stuff might be just the ticket to tackling that junk drawer or overstuffed bin.

If you can use the self-scanner at the grocery checkout, you can use Decluttr. Download the app onto your phone and scan the barcodes of the items you want to get rid of. As you scan each item, the app gives you a price for it. When you’re finished, check out, box it up and send it to them. There are no shipping charges, and Decluttr promises to pay the full amount they quote or you get your stuff back for free.

Before you get too excited, I should warn you that unless you have some big ticket tech items to get rid of, you’ll probably earn less than you spend in one trip to the grocery store. Some of my CDs earned a whopping 17¢, but into the box they went because that meant they were going out of my house.

Have some non-tech/audio things you want to get rid of, but can't bear to toss into the trash? Less is More Organizers has compiled a list of places that accept stuff from bras to computer monitors. 

For more on reusing, repurposing and recycling, check out my post, "New Life for Old Things." And, by all means, share your successes in the comments below!

If You (Don't) Love it, Set it Free

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At the heart of any organization project is a decision -- to keep, or not to keep. Finding systems, shortcuts and containers that complement your styles is important, but even the best of these containers is neither bottomless nor infinitely expandable. Like it or not, going through the "stuff" and determining what to keep and what to toss (or dispose of otherwise) is an important step toward getting organized.

And for many people, this is the most difficult part of organizing -- just ask an I love stuff person. The mere mention of getting rid of anything is painful to those who love stuff because each item holds a memory or significance, endowing it with a life of its own. 

Cram and jammers and I know I put it somewhere organizers, on the other hand, are usually able to be more heartless about this task (unless, of course, their personal style is I love stuff!) They may not like the labor involved, but their "out of sight out of mind" outlook makes it easier for them to separate trash from treasure. I love to be busy folks and drop and run organizers may also have little difficulty making the "keep or toss" decision, as their organizational struggles arise more from a lack of time than from an attachment to their things. And we I need to see it people are often delighted to get rid of things because it reduces the pile and, along with it, the feeling of being overwhelmed by how much we have to do.

That's not to say this is a simple task. Even for those who may find it easy (or even cathartic) to de-clutter, the task can be time intensive. If getting rid of things is hard for you, begin by taking stock of what you've accomplished over the past two months. If you've been reading along and chipping away, you've probably already let things go -- containers that weren't earning their keep, things you came across during a Give it Five! session, items that had no home -- and so you've already passed go and are well on your way. 

Photo: jdurham via Morguefile

Next week, we'll dig in (no pun intended) a bit more deeply, but for now, let's start with a list of expendable items. All of these can be thrown away or recycled relatively painlessly:

• Things that are torn or broken , or missing pieces
• Half a pair of anything
• Things that are outdated (e.g back issues of magazines)
• Things  you no longer use or need

So far, so good? If so, and if you've recently been working on the large, rectangular spaces in your bedroom, you might want to add "clothing that no longer fits or is out of style" to your list. Unless you really do want to throw it away or have a destination in mind, set it aside for now -- just for now.

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If this is really hard, do what you can and congratulate yourself. Throwing things away is the most traumatic way for some of us to divest ourselves of our extras. If you find any of the above categories to be more magnetic than expendable, try choosing just one category or even just a few things you think you can manage; then, celebrate your successes. Or, set a goal for yourself -- say, ten items -- and see if  you can meet or surpass it. Every little bit helps.

Next week, we'll talk about finding new homes for the things that no longer belong in our homes. Meanwhile, if you've got a great suggestion for a way to give your old stuff new life, please share it in the comments below.