A few weeks ago, I wrote about preparing for our tag sale. Having a specific deadline motivated my family and me to declutter and get rid of a lot of things. The event was a success, and we felt great! While scheduling the tag sale was a terrific motivator, there are other types of events that can make us evaluate our “stuff,” declutter, and let go. What has your experience been like with event-inspired decluttering?

5 Events To Motivate Decluttering

1. Entertaining—Throwing a party of any size (from an intimate dinner to a large BBQ) can motivate us to declutter and organize. Spending time with the people we love rather than accumulating more “stuff” brings positive energy into our lives. Use happiness-producing events to keep clutter in check.

2. Life Event—Marriage, birth, job change, medical emergency, empty nest, divorce, or death are times of transition. These life events make us rethink our possessions and spaces to accommodate major changes. Things that were once relevant aren’t anymore. In our search for clarity and the new normal, letting go and decluttering become crucial.

3. Moving—Whether we are increasing or decreasing our living space in a move, there will be things that won’t be needed. Moving motivates us to evaluate the “stuff” and release the extraneous. The more decluttering you do before a move, the easier it will be to set up your new home. In a recent post, one of our readers (Rosemary) shared that as she was preparing for her move, she posted a sign in her triage area that helped her evaluate what to keep. It read, “All you need is less.”

4. Renovating—A renovation is stressful. However, it’s also a fabulous opportunity to ask lots of questions, release clutter, and create room for the things you treasure most. Rooms are emptied to prepare for construction and then reorganized when the building is done. This is a natural opportunity to be ruthless and only restore what you really want.

5. Tag Sale—Bringing us full circle to the beginning of this post, having a tag sale gives you a specific deadline to work towards, increases your motivation for letting go, is an enjoyable social event, and lets you make a few bucks. It’s also fun to meet the buyers of your “stuff” and know that your possessions will be useful and enjoyed by others.

What events have motivated you to declutter? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation. 

Homes are being combed through. Drawers, closets, bookshelves, garages, basements, and attics are being emptied. The “stuff” of life that was once treasured or collected is getting ready to exit. Have you noticed? We’re in the season of decluttering and tag sales. The spring blooms have arrived along with the volume of tag sale announcements.

My family has been preparing for such an event, which will happen this weekend. It’s been a fascinating experience to go through my “stuff” having a specific deadline and goal. What’s most interesting is that I’ve got good, fun, and useful things. Here’s the bottom line: I don’t need or want all of it.

As I evaluated each item with a more critical eye than usual, I was faced with a yes/no decision. Does it stay or go? There were the obvious keepers, the obvious giveaways, and the not-so-obvious items. Making the decision for the first two categories was simple. The third category was trickier, and required more questions like:

• Is the space it occupies worth the real estate and emotional energy?

• Is it still relevant in my current life?

• When was the last time I needed, used, or wanted it?

• Is not using “x” for the last 5 years, 10 years, 15 years an indicator that it’s time to let go?

Something else which provided me with some comic relief and helped in the letting go and clutter releasing process were various sounds and action calls I said like:

“OUT!”

“It’s time!”

“Going...NOW!”

“Linda, come on. You know you don’t need that anymore.”

We’ve got temporary clutter, as the “going” items are being piled and prepared.  This purposeful clutter doesn’t bother me because I know it will exit soon. When it does, the space will open up, I’ll feel lighter, and a new, clearer chapter will begin. I can visualize how this will look and feel with less.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What helps you make decisions? What becomes possible when you let go of clutter? Come join the conversation.