Five Clutter Creating Things To Eliminate

Simplify the task of getting organized by minimizing what needs to be managed and organized. Eliminate these five things and you’ll significantly decrease the input of stuff into your life. 

Junk mail.  The average American gets 42 pounds of junk mail every year. That’s a lot of clutter that comes with the additional price of deforestation.  Even if you never open it, sorting out 42 pounds of junk mail from important mail takes time.  Reduce the amount of junk mail and take back your time with the following online services.

StopTheJunkMail.com costs about $20 a year, but it gives you the option of receiving specific catalogs from specific retailers. Eliminate other types of junk mail such as non-profit solicitations.

OptOutPreScreen.com is a free service of the credit bureaus and is focused on eliminating credit card and insurance offers.

CatalogChoice.org is a free service that selectively eliminates catalogs, coupons, credit card offers and more.

Note that it may take a few months for the opt-out to take effect.

Bulk buying and “gift with purchase.” We all like a good deal. But if you have more stuff than what can be comfortably stored, the overflow displaces other things and it’s difficult to know what is where.  The typical overflow stack of stuff is pretty unsightly too.  Bulk buying of items of items that expire – like food – is especially problematic because the bulk may not be used up by the expiration date.

Another seemly good deal is the “gift with purchase.” However, the “gift” is often something that you do not need.  You may have a higher quality version of the “gift” already or the “gift” may be something you would never purchase in the first place. In fact do you even need the item or the quantity of the item that is the prerequisite for the “gift?” If the answer is “no” save your money and preserve your space.

Although bulk buying and the “gift with purchase” seem like they are a good deal, they costly in the clutter they create.

Shopping as a hobby. Shopping does not enrich our lives like a real hobby does. Buying things that aren’t needed creates clutter. Buying things that aren’t needed depletes the bank account.  At worst, over shopping wreaks relationships and lives. If you think that you over shop there is help to be found on the ShopAholicnomore.com website.

Prizes, giveaways, and party favors. When decluttering, these are the items people often have an easy time eliminating. They are usually cheap useless trinkets. Make a preemptive strike by not bringing them into your house in the first place.

Saying “yes” without reviewing your current commitments. Being overcommitted takes the fun out of life and can hamper getting other things done.  Always check your planner before saying “yes.” This is especially true if it is an ongoing commitment. Consider what the impact of the commitment is on your time.

Reducing the amount of input in your life makes it easier to be organized. After all, it is easier to drink from a garden hose than a fire hose.

Call Clear Spaces today to see how we can help you eliminate the excess so you can live the life you want to live. Our intervention plan gives you six hours of organizing planning and services for $390 – that’s a savings of $75.