How to Stay Clutter-free

How to Stay Clutter-free
~Becky Edwards, Founder of Organization StationSimplify your life ~

Make time for what matters most ~ Streamline your home family, time and papers

Why De-clutter your home?

• Sift out the debris to find the gold.
• Less is more. Less clutter is more self-esteem, time, peace and mental clarity, productivity, freedom, money, use and safety.
• We use 20 percent of our things 80 percent of the time. The value of something is in its use.Because God said to de-clutter our lives
• Because God said to de-clutter our lives:
  Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Is a golden calf the only way to have other gods?
  Matthew 6:19 Lay not up treasure on earth, where moth and rust corrupts, where thieves steal.
  Luke 12:15 Beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consists not in the abundance of things, which he possesses.
  D&C 121:34
  Mormon 8:35-39
  How does the devil get to good people? Distraction and Discouragement.How does he do this? Clutter, Materialisms and Media

How to De-clutter your Home? The Four Box Method

1. Trash
2. DI
3. Another Room
4. Withdrawal Box

What to De-clutter? Read these Questions before sorting your stuff

1. Have I used this item in the last year?
2. Do I really need more than 1 of this? Set limits.
· Set a number limit (like 10 outfits, 1spare set of sheets per bed, 2 dozen drinking glasses.
· Set a size limit (like a container for empty grocery bags or little girl’s hair accessories, a game cupboard).
· Set a one in – one out limit. When I buy a new sweater which sweater will I give away?
3. If this is sentimental how can I save the memory without saving every item? Miniaturize the item, or put the item in use, or both.
· Am I saving this as evidence that I did something worthwhile?
4. Does this item make me feel guilty, overwhelmed, bad about myself, or any other negative feeling?
· If I haven’t finished this project, or fixed this broken item in the last year, chances are I never will.
5. Is this really worth the price tag? Every item has four price tags: (1) money (2) space (3) time (4) mental clutter.
6. Do I have to keep the whole set?
7. Does it work?
8. Do I even like it? Is it me? Am I tired of it?
9. Do I have to keep it if it was a gift? Keep the love without saving item.
10. Do I have room for it? Would I like more room for things like food storage or emergency kits,
11. Do I have another item that will do the same thing as this?
12. What’s the worst thing that would happen if I got rid of this?
13. If I moved across the country, would I pay by the pound to move this item?
14. Could someone else use this item more than me?
15. Is this item gold or debris to me?