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Decluttering - My approach.

How I am 'Marie-Kondoing' my belongings

By Madison BrookePublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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I always take moving as a chance to exercise my ability to throw just about anything away. There is something quite scary about owning too many things. It's potentially my fear of commitment, my fear of being tied down to things, or to a place. Or maybe it's just the mess. More stuff means more mess, at least for me. You think if I was so scared of owning so many things I'd stop buying shit.

Anyways, here's my appraoch. Follow it. Don't follow it. Whatever you want.

Don’t throw things out (or donate them) just to replace them at a later date.

Decluttering should be a step towards generally owning less stuff. If you’re looking at decluttering as a way to make room for new stuff. Leave. No, I’m kidding. Just reassess why you’re decluttering in the first place. Are you downsizing? Are you hoping to move towards a minimalist lifestyle? Decluttering should be a challenge to mainstream capitalism. It should let us recognize that we don’t need all the shit the world tells us we need.

Tackle your bathroom first.

It's the same thing I suggest when adopting a low-waste lifestyle. The bathroom is the place to start. It's so easy to go through makeup and realize half your shit is out of date or that you haven't touched that pink eyeshadow since Halloween. Get rid of it.

Just recently I wondered why I owned 4 moisturizers but I don’t even moisturize. Guess what? They are all in the appropriate bin now.

Do like Marie Kondo does and categorize.

My clothing takes up the most space and I don't even have that much. I moved to the U.K. nearly 3 years ago with 2 suitcases but somehow I've accumulated an entirely new (thrifted) wardrobe. I began tackling my wardrobe a few months ago in hopes of justifying buying a few more pieces.I've adopted a method of removing the clothes from sight and placing them somewhere else in the house. Then a few weeks later I go back through that bag and see if I need anything. If not, it all goes.

Decluttering & Mental Health

It's been difficult to get rid of things, especially things that don't fit. They please my eating disorder as a motivation to lose weight. Fuck that. I still haven't donated two dresses I love that obviously don't fit in the hopes that one day they will. But, I'm slowly gaining the willpower to do it. On that note, donate the things that don't fit you. They are taking up too much physical and emotional space.

Just do it.

If you don’t need it and if you can live without it and you really only want it just say goodbye. Lol, this is not a song lyric - I promise.

It’s a serious piece of advice. Some items are hard to get rid of. You don’t have a need for them, only a want. You can try and make up a need for them on the spot but you’re only fooling yourself. You and I both know it’s going to sit in the same drawer for another few months until you declutter again and repeat this same cycle. So just throw it the fuck away. You won’t even remember that item in a few weeks.

Ok. I’m only saying throw it away for the effect.

Please. Please. Please consider the environment as you declutter. Can something be donated? Then donate it. Can something be recycled? Recycle it. This may piss a lot of people off - but sometimes we get into the habit of saying we will fix something - mend something - repurpose something and we NEVER get around to doing it. I allow myself a limit for these types of items. I try to keep it to about 5 things. So in that case, everything else, - attempt to sell, attempt to donate, or attempt to give it to someone who actually will actually reuse it.

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