Tag: declutter

Buy Only What You Need During Cyber Week

Posted on by Jordank

The holiday season is in full swing, and retailers eager to end the year on a profitable note are publicizing deals by the boatload for Cyber Week — the busiest online shopping days of the year.

The deals are tantalizing. How could you not buy that toy/game/gadget when the price is so low? But if you let yourself get carried away with the perceived savings, you may just run out of money altogether — and the space to put those things.

As a busy consumer shopping for gifts and other goods, you should make every attempt to spend only what you need to spend during the holidays. Some of the deals online and in stores this week are truly once-in-a-lifetime, but you and your giftees may not really need whatever it is.

There are things to consider buying during Cyber Week, of course. First, Buzzfeed says, you should look for great deals on household items you already use, appliances you’ve held off on buying, electronics, shoes and more.

But approach your shopping with a focus on what you (and the people you buy for) can really use and appreciate. “Ask yourself whether you would buy it if it weren’t on sale,” Apartment Therapy advises. “Is it on your list? Do you need it? What makes it a ‘good deal’?”

Buy or receive too many things, and you may not have enough space for all of the junk (er, merchandise) changing hands during the holidays. If you’re a longtime reader of the Organizing Blog, you may have some room for new stuff, but keeping your life clear of clutter is an ongoing process.

Try the “one in, two out” rule as you accumulate things this season: For every new item you allow into your home, donate or trash two to make room. Even if you try to cheat the rule by balancing large items with small ones, you will eventually slash your levels of stuff.

Alternatively, try to buy yourself and others only “uncluttered gifts” that get used up fast, such as candy, wine or dinners out. Also good are gift certificates and event tickets; they show you care while creating memories instead of clutter.

Finally, today is Giving Tuesday — the annual event that encourages donations of money and time to nonprofit organizations and causes. Participate in it, and not only will you keep unnecessary stuff out of your life, you’ll get a warm feeling that lasts all season long.

Now’s the Time for a Great Garage Sale

Posted on by Jordank

Most people stage garage sales in the spring — right after they do their spring cleaning and neighbors start to emerge from their houses to enjoy the warmer weather. But the end of summer and beginning of autumn can be an equally favorable time for your effort to declutter and make a few bucks off the things you no longer need.

So, with the autumnal equinox coming up on Friday, Sept. 22, and the weather still warm in many parts of the country, now’s the time to plan a late-season yard, garage or tag sale!

The more temperate the climate, the longer the garage sale season, says Household Tips Guide blogger Lynnette Walczak, who had her most successful sale in late October in Tennessee. Warmer areas also favor Friday sale hours, she adds, but no matter which days one chooses to hold a sale, the “early bird” hours of the morning will be busiest.

To take the hassles out of having a late-season sale, you should have a garage-sale “stash” at the ready by decluttering continuously throughout the year, says the Money Saving Mom. Set aside unwanted stuff on a regular basis and designate containers and a place to collect it all — maybe in the garage itself. When you’re ready to have a sale, it will be near-ready to sell.

You may still have stuff left over from a spring garage sale that’s still saleable, too, and some of these items — sweaters, blankets, skis, etc. — may have added appeal ahead of the cold winter months. A late-season sale will also benefit from a new set of customers, since many people won’t have seen your fliers and signs on the first go-round.

Older shoppers are out looking for deals in the fall, says My Divine Concierge. “Those kept inside by the heat of summer now find cooler days to go garage-sale shopping. And don’t forget the snowbirds who are preparing to leave for their annual migration south in a few weeks. They are out looking for a few last-minute items they need for their winter homes.”

To attract bigger crowds, enlist a few friends or neighbors to contribute items to your sale, or enlist the whole block or neighborhood and make it a multifamily sale. Multifamily sales attract an estimated 50 percent more customers, according to tips appearing in the Duluth News-Tribune, and more traffic means more sales.

Our Organizing Blog has many more tips on staging, pricing, and advertising a successful garage sale that apply throughout the year. And don’t forget: If you need to get rid of any unsold items following a sale (or just don’t have the time or energy to devote to staging a sale, but still want to declutter), contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a pickup. It’s easy, tax-deductible and helps veterans programs nationwide!

Things You Can Trash Immediately

Posted on by Jordank

The decision to trash things carries with it a blissful immediacy. There’s lots of stuff people shove into a drawer and keep that’s of little use to anyone. So, throw out or recycle the old magazines, orphaned socks, takeout menus, plastic cutlery, mystery keys, half-used cosmetics and other items that are only cluttering up your home immediately. If something is unopened, in good shape and could be useful to a new owner, however, donate it to ClothingDonations.org, and you will help fund valuable veterans’ programs.

Set Aside the ‘Maybes’ When Decluttering

Posted on by Jordank

When considering what to keep, donate or trash, you will come across stuff that isn’t useful right now, but you think you might need or use one day. These in-between items can slow down the decision-making in your decluttering process, or derail it altogether. The solution? Create a “Maybe” box, the Zen Habits blog suggests, put the questionable items inside and store it in an out-of-the-way place for six months. Then, revisit the box. Most people find a box full of stuff they never needed, and can donate immediately.

Go Beyond Decluttering by De-Owning

Posted on by Jordank

The Becoming Minimalist blog says it isn’t enough to declutter; for a lasting effect, you must “de-own” the things you don’t use. Why? Because only improving organization won’t encourage you to make tough decisions or decrease your desire for new things; often, it will just sort them into a place where they are temporarily out of sight. “Carry a trash bag from room-to-room,” the blog says. “See how big of a donation pile you can make. It doesn’t matter so much how you remove [these items], as long as you do.”