Simplifying vs. and tidying up

A garage is not serving you well if it’s not serving its purpose, which is to house your car.

That’s not to say that there’s anything wrong with using a garage for storage, but it’s possible to go too far with it—and a lot of us do.

You calm a space when you minimize distractions. 

Choose a favorite chair and declutter everything around it. Remove anything from the floor that isn’t furniture. Clear the surface of side tables or a coffee table by removing or storing remotes, pet toys, kid toys, hobby items, old newspapers/magazines, mail, books, etc.

... that no longer inspire you. Just because something made you happy in the past doesn’t mean you have to keep it forever.

Your life has moved on—maybe it’s time for the decoration to do the same. Keeping just the items that mean the most to you will help them to shine.

• Empty out the cabinets and drawers.
• Separate beauty tools (hairdryer, styling iron, savers, etc.) from beauty supplies (make-up, lotion, aftershave, etc.).
• Eliminate duplicates, throw out anything that’s broken or old, and get rid of items you no longer use. 
• Wash your storage containers and organize what you’re going to keep.

It can be hard to get rid of things you spent a lot of money on. 

But keeping things you no longer wear, use or love also has a cost—every object carries a burden as well as a benefit. The burden or “clutter cost” is the money, time, energy, and space an object demands of you. 

Take out old electronic components, cords you don’t need, and discs and games nobody uses. Get rid of them by recycling responsibly, arrange the devices you do use in an eye-pleasing display, and hide their cords as much as possible.

One of the easiest things you can do to make quick progress. 

Good candidates for eliminating duplicates include extra pillows, sheets, and towels, cleaning supplies, gardening tools, fashion accessories, home office supplies, toys, books, and kitchen items. Keep your favorite in each category—the ones you actually use—and get rid of the rest.

If you’ve been thinking that you need bigger closets, maybe all you need to do is right-size your wardrobe—and your closet will feel bigger overnight.

Plus, donating unused clothing to a local charity is a simple but meaningful way to help others.

There are certain places in our homes we tend to leave items out for convenience. By leaving these things out, we think we’re saving time and simplifying our lives. That’s the convenience fallacy. 

W might save a couple of seconds, but the other 99.9 percent of the time, those items just sit there creating a visual distraction. 

If your dining room table a depository for mail, backpacks, keys, and other things that are in the process of going from one place to another, using it for a meal may seem like more work than it’s worth. Put the items away where they belong. Make your tabletop a clean, open and inviting space.

Clear a little extra space between your personal tasks and obligations.

Take a break to stretch, take a short walk outside, drink a glass of water, perhaps do some simple deep breathing exercises. Enjoy the (emotional and physical) space you’ve created for yourself in your home, and breathe.

It’s the default resting place for small items that have no better place to be. Or for things we think might have some use but we can no longer remember what it is. 

Chances are good you can toss out most of what’s in there and never miss it.