Clearing the Clutter

I'm a clutter-hater. There, I said it. Nothing makes me as squeamish as an overloaded bookshelf with knick-knacks oozing out of every crevice. Why, oh why must we hoard? I also admit that I've been known to sell, donate, or dispose of items and regret it later. So is the life of a desperate wanna-be minimalist. Yes, I dream of minimalism, but I am realistic and know that it's not on the plate of every occupant of my household.

Some of you, however, have the dream but not the know-how. So, let me give you the first big step. You need to be able to either 1. break sentimental attachments to objects or 2. have a great storage space! A little of both goes a long way. Now, go into each room of your home and one at a time, put every decorative item in a place where you can review them. Every.single.one. Ready? Pick five. Your five favorites… the ones that you absolutely cannot live without. Put the rest in a box, no matter how much you love them- just do it. Now, put those five items on your shelves or your table. Oh my gosh, look at you, you little minimalist! You may pull out one or two items NEXT WEEK after you've had some time to decide if it is 1. too sparse or 2. depressing without your favorite ceramic cat (ouch). But, really take some time before pulling those trinkets out again.

I find it is good to repeat this action every six months or so.