It seems like everywhere these days there are articles, blog posts, books, and Pinterest pages galore dedicated to de-cluttering, organizing, and purging. My co-FCMB contributor, Michelle, even recently wrote about her experience reading and implementing the KonMari method, which is set out in New York Times bestseller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. While there is nothing more satisfying to me than dropping off a bag for donation at our local Goodwill or shelter, all of this got me to thinking of why we all have so much stuff in the first place and how to treat clutter like the uninvited guest that it is. That is, not how do we de-clutter but how do we prevent clutter from appearing in the first place.
So…over the past several months I have been trying to implement several changes to curb my and my family’s accumulation and consumption of “stuff” (that’s a highly technical and scientific word right there) to avoid later having to de-clutter. Here are some tips:
- Always Ask: Do I really need it? Do I really love it? – To some degree, the ubiquity of discount warehouse stores (ala BJ’s, Costco, Sam’s Club) and discount retailers such as Old Navy, Target, and, my personal favorite (no sarcasm here), Amazon Prime have made it easier to actually consume, and in some instances consume lower quality, goods in larger quantities. Who doesn’t love popping into Old Navy and snagging seven t-shirts, a pair of jeans, and some flip flops for $73? These days, however, I’m starting to think more critically about my purchases and to base my purchases on need rather than ease.
- BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) – Keep or collect a small handful of plastic bags that you might need for select purposes, but otherwise prevent the plastic accumulation and either skip the bag all together or bring your own reusable bag. I referenced a few of my favorites in a recent post.
- Cancel Catalogs and Circulars – Why let all of those unwanted catalogs (or even magazines) pile up? There are so many apps these days that allow you to easily cancel subscriptions, remove your name from mailing lists, or even change the frequency with which you receive things. Do it…your mailbox will thank you!
- Digitally Document – I dislike paper accumulation (my husband is an avid chit collector) even more than I dislike plastic bags. Most retailers are now offering electronic rather than paper receipts; Pinterest allows you to save (or pin) recipes, ideas, or photographs that you want to refer to some day; and there are a number of apps that allow you to take a photo of things (think magazine articles, ads) and save it to a note for later reference.
- Eliminate Excessive non-Essentials – We love family trips to Costco, but stick to buying things that you really need and use in bulk. If you aren’t sure that your family is going to eat or use something, don’t find out after you have bought a box of 36 of them (I’m looking at you dry-roasted edamame!).
- Forgo the Freebies – I get it! I really do! It’s free! You might need it some day…or never…but, who cares, because it is free! Now is the time to exercise more self-control than you ever thought possible and back away from the water bottles, key chains, samples, etc. UNLESS, in asking yourselves the two questions in my first point, you really need it and you really love/want it!
Do you have any other tips for preventing clutter before it starts?
