Decluttering Tips and Support Weekly Newsletter Vol. 8

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Dear Reader,

I remember after we had our oldest son Andrew and he started growing out of his newborn clothes.

It had been a struggle conceiving Andrew, and after in-vitro fertilization my husband and I weren't sure when we'd have another baby - if at all.

I started stacking bins in my closet with labels - newborn, 3-6 months, 6-9 months, 12 months...

As a minimalist, the stack of bins made me a bit...twitchy. 😂

If you're planning to have another baby - or if you have a closet full of bins for seasonal clothing change-outs or "just-in-case" items (like the cocktail dress that you'd totally wear if you had the "perfect" event to wear it to) - here are my top tips for what to keep - and what to declutter.

1. Define What Matters. When it comes to clothing - whether for a new baby or for you - you need to know how much storage space you have, how much you want to devote to each category of stuff, and your capacity to manage it.

2. Set Your Artificial Boundaries. Once you have decided on your storage space, you want to pick an artificial boundary around that category. Perhaps that's one bin for winter clothing and one for summer, or one bin for each size of kids' stuff. Play my favorite game - Love, Like, Maybe, No - to figure out what to keep and what to donate.
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​3. Be Realistic About What You (or Your Baby) Will Actually Use. It is likely that if you're keeping clothing for a new baby, that baby will not be the same size in the same season as the child(ren) you have now. No need to keep 50 short-sleeved onesies if your baby is born when it's snowing outside!
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Similarly for your own stuff, think about what you actually wore in the season that's ending and declutter BEFORE you put something in the seasonal bin to store away until next year. The shorts that didn't fit me this summer likely won't fit me next summer. It's OK to just keep the clothes that you love and wear often.

4. Be Flexible! Keep the best of the best, and remember you likely can replace something easily (using The Minimalists 20/20 rule) if you let it go and end up needing it later.
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Before You Go...

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If you need help figuring out how much baby stuff to keep, how to cut down on what you're storing in your home, or just how to keep a clutter-free home without snapping at your kids all the time - I invite you to book at 1:1 decluttering coaching session with me. For $47USD I can help you create a customized decluttering plan and then support you in implementing over a 2-week period. I also have in-person services for those in the greater Washington D.C. metro area.
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​You are worth more than the clutter holding you back. Let's tackle it together.

On this journey with you,

Emily

P.S. Scrolled to the end? No problem. This week on the podcast I spoke about how much baby stuff to hold onto if you're planning to have more kids and chatted with life coach Natalie Hixson about recognizing destructive anger, taming your triggers, and overcoming the negative thought spiral. ​