‘Tis the Season for Decluttering: Why and How To Do It
There is No Better Time to Declutter
You've been putting it off for months, maybe years. But there is no better time of year to get rid of clutter than right at the end of the year. Here are five reasons why:
Time
You have a few days, maybe a week, maybe more to go through everything and take your time while you do it. One of the biggest procrastination reasons to not declutter is that you just don't have the time to do it. Right now is one of the few times you just might!
Weather
If you live in a northern climate (or even California these days), you're stuck in the house to avoid cold and precipitation.
Tax Considerations
You should end up donating a large portion of what you get rid of. And in order for it to count towards your itemized 2010 tax deduction, you'll need to donate and get a receipt before the end of the year.
More Stuff
It's the holiday season, after all, so you're likely to end up with a slew of new things around the house that you didn't really need. Out with the old and in with the new.
Start the Year Off Fresh
It's the end of the calendar year, and there is no better way to start 2011 than to eliminate all the physical and psychological mess from your life. Get a head start on your resolutions so that your 2011 can be a healthy one.
Hopefully that is enough motivation for you to get off the couch and put away the egg nog. But now that you're up, where should you focus your efforts? And how?
How to Eliminate Physical Clutter
Go room-by-room and put every item into one of four piles: trash, sell, donate, or keep. If you can't find a compelling reason to keep something or can't see a need for it in the future, force yourself to put it in one of ...
