Decluttering Tips and Support Weekly Newsletter Vol. 11

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Dear Reader,

My parents and aunt are coming in less than 24 hours to visit for Easter, and I'm having a bad case of hostess neurosis!

Luckily we are in week two of our Spring Decluttering Series on the podcast, so at least I know my home isn't overrun by a bunch of extra stuff!

Since I LOVE acronyms, I have your 6-step spring decluttering plan right here, using each of the letters of the word SPRING! Let's dive in:

Schedule a weekly pickup (or drop off). The best way to keep yourself accountable for decluttering your home is to schedule a weekly pickup and make sure you've decluttered through the week in advance of that pickup date! Check out GreenDrop, PickUp Please, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity and others to see what's closest to you!

Pick the space that has been stressing you out the most! Normally I recommend starting your decluttering journey in your car - the most unsentimental, unemotional place for a quick and easy win! But when it comes to spring cleaning, a lot of us have what Kendra Adachi calls "big black trash bag energy" and it might be best to focus on that area that's been nagging at your for months!

Remove items from your surfaces first and then move them to another space to process. If you are decluttering a space, you probably don't have a lot of room to work and can get easily distracted. Move things to another area of your home where you can look at everything easily - like a dining room table or a kitchen counter (of course, they have to be cleared off first!)
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I recommend six bags/bins when you declutter your space:

➡️ Trash

➡️ Recycling

➡️ Donation or given to a specific person

➡️ "Go back" bin to go to a different floor - or a different room on the same floor

➡️ Out-of-sight, out-of-mind bin ​

➡️ Items to be reviewed by someone else in your household

Intentionally decide what goes back, where, and why. Remember to make sure that everything has a home and ask yourself some key questions before putting things back.

Notice how you feel when the space is clear, and celebrate that feeling. Isn't it nice to be able to breathe deep and enjoy the peace that uncluttered spaces bring?

Gather data so you can create a system to keep the space clutter-free. Over the next 1-2 weeks, notice if the surfaces are getting cluttered again. Why? Do you need a better system for stuff coming into your home, or for how things are put away? Pay attention to what's working - and what's not - so you can tweak accordingly.

In Case You Missed It...

I am thrilled that my article Minimalism's Missing Piece was featured on Becoming Minimalist yesterday. If you haven't had the chance, please give it a read! Living within our capacity is SO important!

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On this journey with you,

Emily

P.S. Scrolled to the end? No problem. This week on the podcast I shared my simple S.P.R.I.N.G. decluttering plan and spoke to NYT bestselling author Stephanie O'Dea about opting out of mom guilt and "either/or" thinking.