Unclutter.
It’s Friday, which means that you can probably find one hour tomorrow to follow these steps:
- Get a big bag.
- Open your wardrobe. Pick out one item of clothing that you haven’t worn for twelve months. Put it in the bag.
- Go to kitchen. Identify something – an apple-corer, a juice-maker, one of your six corkscrews, a chipped plate, a teapot, a pie-dish. If you haven’t used it in twelve months, put it in the bag. Just one thing.
- Do the same with your shoes.
- Do the same with your books, only this pick a book you just know you’re not going to read, or have read and it was rubbish.
- One other thing – look under the stairs, look in the utility cupboard. Do you have a “junk room”? Look there.
You now have five things in the bag. An accumulation of stuff you don’t need that is taking up space in your house.
Dust collectors.
Now, repeat steps 2 to 6, and get that bag out of the house. Do whatever you want – dump it on a friend, throw it away, give it to charity.
DON’T put it in your car to “deal with later”. GET BAG OUT OF HOUSE.
BANG!
You now own less. You’re getting the upper hand on your possessions.
You rock. Get a grip this weekend.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Thats a great tip but in these times… might as well take advantage of your junk! seal it up in a box put it in the corner of your garage and craigslist every item! You might as well make some money for your junk
Brilliant. And for my next trick … make your possessions work for you by trading them for cash!
Don’t throw them out! The whole experience would be much more fulfilling if you give it away to someone who wants it. As the saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
Good post nonetheless!
You’re right, Steven. And you bump up the karma points. In any case, the key is to get the stuff out of your own house asap. Thanks for your comment.
I do the same thing but for things I haven’t used for 1 month (most items). Im trying to cut down to only owning 100 items in preparation for a more nomadic lifestyle.
You should definitely look at this video.
“I have fewer possessions than my parents have blankets”.
I saw this first on Tim Ferriss’ blog: http://bit.ly/87GkE5
Thanks for the comment, Anthony. I picked up a copy of Flipped just yesterday!
Thats a really inspiring video. And thanks Matt for picking up a copy of Flipped!
haha.
good tips.
quick & super fuckin easy!
Even better, put it up for Amazon/Craigslist for sale and make some $$$. Have been doing that with lots of old electronics I no longer use. It’s amazing what people will buy out there!!!!
I’m with Steven – give to people who need it on freecycle, take to charity shop or your local homeless hostel. Then you’ll feel lighter AND better about yo’self.
Sasha @ The Happiness Project London
Heya Matt!
Awesome! Thanks for linking to my post!
Hope all is well
Diggy
There is a big recycling box that is used to collect old items for charity in my neighbourhood and that is great for dumping all my unused items or recyclable items.