Reach your spring de-cluttering goals with these tips 

Spring’s flowers, budding trees and warmer days signal a new season. The gray days of winter are over and everyone has a new sense of energy and purpose. Why not use that drive to clean, de-clutter and donate? 

 Looking to downsize this spring? WayForth’s experts can help you downsize your home for a move, or for comfort. Contact us today to get a home organizer to help you declutter! 

Start with a plan 

Getting started is sometimes the hardest step, so having a plan will help you focus. Decide what’s most important and start with that. Would you like the garage to be tidier? Or have more room in your closet? Are you getting ready to downsize to a smaller home? By choosing your purpose, you can figure out the steps to take to get the job done. 

Organize donations 

Do a little research ahead of time and make a list of charities, organizations, and other outlets that would appreciate the items you choose to pass along. Some of our favorites are listed below: 

• Habitat For Humanity – Appreciates donations of gently used furniture, appliances, housewares, building materials and more. 
• Global Literacy Project – Accepts donated books in order to foster community-based literacy initiatives throughout the world. 
• Project Smile – Donated baby and children’s items are provided to emergency responders to help ease the pain and fear of children in their care. 
• For those who are giving away items for free in their own towns and neighborhoods, Freecycle is all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. We love that! 
• Dress for Success – Provides interview suits, confidence boosts, and career development to low-income women in over 75 cities worldwide. 
• Lions Clubs Eyeglass Recycling – Recycled glasses are distributed to people in need in low- and middle-income communities. 
• Cell Phones for Soldiers – This non-profit helps connect our troops around the world with their families. 
• Browse the internet for your local animal shelter. They are always in need of blankets, towels, sheets, and soft bedding to provide their rescues with warmth and a comfortable place to sleep during their stay. 

Use the 4 boxes method 

No matter which part of the house you’re working on, you can sort by using four boxes: Keep, Donate, Toss, and Sell. This is a great way to help you make decisions in the area you’re working on currently. 

You can also sort things by using the “like with like” method. If you’re purging books, look in every room and collect all the books together to see how many you really have. Or put all your t-shirts on the bed and sort them where you can see them. This method gives you clarity for the number of things you have and helps you figure out what stays and what should go. 

Take your time 

Give yourself enough time to get your spring de-cluttering done. Not everything will get finished in a weekend. Spread your project into small, manageable blocks of time over a week or two. Make appointments with yourself to tackle it and honor these appointments. A couple of hours at a time will ensure you don’t get discouraged. 

You can also ask for assistance. Engage a family member, friend or even a neighborhood teenager to lend a hand. Projects always move faster with an extra pair of hands. 

Keep your eye on the goal 

During the sorting, don’t let indecision derail your progress. Avoid “decision-fatigue” by creating an “I-don’t-have-a-clue” box. Put these iffy items in this box, and revisit them another day. Things may be clearer the second go-around. 

Once you have filled a box, let it go. Move it to the porch, garage, or your car and set a time to bring it to its destination. Do not second guess. Tape the box shut and say goodbye. 

At WayForth, we help people with moving solutions such as downsizing, space planning, packing and moving into their new space. If you would like to talk to us about our services for seniors and families, contact us today.