Is your Collection/Hobby out of Control?!!

deeclutter.caHobbies and collecting can be a lot of fun.  People collect all kinds of things: stamps (ok, I sounded mega old when I said that!  You see there used to be this thing called mailing a letter and you had to put a stamp on it.), records (OMG, I just did it again...so back in the day there used to be these turntables that played records in order to hear music through a stereo), books (um, I just realized that this is a very hard blog to write...so before the internet people used to READ and we had these things called BOOKS that had WORDS in them).  Maybe I should rethink this!!!

Whatever your collection/hobby is; you need to think about how much space you have/need for the items.

If your collection is starting to creep into all different areas of your home, maybe its time to think about why you started to collect the items in the first place and what it is you get from your collection.  A good example is VHS tapes.  I have worked with quite a few seniors who have very large VHS movie collections and yet, they no longer own a VCR!  However, when I would discuss with them why they were holding on to their collections, inevitably the response was, "Well I spent a lot of money on them and I can always sell them".

You need to keep up with the valuation of your collection, if that is why you started to collect a particular item.  Things go out of favour, become obsolete, and are just taking up space in your home.  If on the other hand you started collecting an item just because you really like them - think about where you can display it without it taking over the entire house.  Unfortunately, the fact is none of us is going to live forever, and while you may really enjoy your collection of 500 Cabbage Patch kids, doesn't mean anyone in your family wants to deal with it when your gone.

Collecting can be fun and you can get real enjoyment from discovering a new piece to add to your collection, but think about limiting your collection to a certain space within your house so it is not intruding on your being able to comfortably enjoy your home as well.

DEE CLUTTER - Hmmm. I have no where to put this!!!

deeclutter.caLast week I discussed in order to keep your home clutter free - EVERYTHING NEEDS A HOME.
But what to do if you find an item and it has no home, there is no where to put this item away in your house, there is no room for this item with other things, it just isn't fitting, your finding yourself shoving it in a closet because you don't know what else to do with it!

DO YOU NEED IT!? IS IT GOING TO BE USED ANYTIME SOON!?  DO YOU EVEN LIKE IT!?

I don't care what the item is...the previous questions need to be answered and if the answer is NO - GET RID OF IT!!! Donate the item to charity, give it to family, sell it or if need be...throw it out!

Here are some examples that everyone should be able to relate to:

1.  Baby clothes - if your child or children is walking- why oh why do you have baby clothes in your house??
2.  Paperwork - old bills, old warranties, old bank statements, etc...if these are out of date, been paid, you have reviewed them...guess what, YOU DON"T NEED THEM!! they are simply taking up space in your home.
3. Ugly knick knacks/gifts - everyone has these.  they are items that Aunt Mary gave you, items that you don't even like but for some reason they are decorating your home...Give them away for someone else to deal with!!!  Why oh why would you want them in your home.
4. Think about this...how many pens, pencils, scissors, elastics, take-out menus, little broken items that you don't even know what they are and tacks do you need in the junk drawer!!!!  CLEAR OUT THE JUNK DRAWER!!!!!

You all know that each one of you has items in your home that you don't use, you don't like, and you don't need...Take a deep breathe and GET THEM OUT OF YOUR HOME!!!

CLUTTER - Top Tip - Everything needs a Home.

Everything needs a home.  Now this may sound simple enough but think about your home and what that means to you.
deeclutter.ca

Do not plunk items down on any surface and then walk away!!

Everything needs a home does not mean: plunked on a counter or table, stuffed in a closet, shoved under your bed, behind the closed door of the spare room...It means everything has a home that makes sense for the items and keeps your home clutter free and organized.  Some examples are:

• Paperwork - get yourself a file folder, or inbox tray for paperwork that you still have to deal with and pick one day a week that you go through it and take care of business.  Have a filing cabinet or file folder for papers that you need to save and USE IT.
• Kid's Toys - pick up some large bins, baskets, totes with lids, and or shelving and have your children learn to put their belongings away at the end of the day.
• Craft Items - go to a dollar store and pick up some smaller containers for the variety of items within your craft/art supplies and have them contained within a 3 or 5 drawer rolling tote or a book shelf.  It will make it much easier to find what you need and at the same time will keep items contained instead of throughout the house.

These are just a few examples of everything having a home, but you can apply the same principals throughout your house.  

Dee CLUTTERS next blog will be about if  items don't have a home...what should you do.

Introduction to Dee CLUTTER

Hi I'm Denise from www.deeclutter.ca with services available in the Greater Vancouver BC area.  Dee CLUTTER offers a variety of services including Organizing, Downsizing, Clutter Clearing and more.

deeclutter.caThis blog will be an opportunity for people to obtain some tips and tricks to organize their home, stories of some of the some of the work Dee CLUTTER has done for various clients, storage solutions, and fun ways to get your children involved in keeping their spaces organized.

I hope that readers enjoy and learn from Dee CLUTTER. I'm planning on updating this blog weekly and I am looking forward to hearing from readers.

Please check out our website www.deeclutter.ca, check us out on Pinterest  www.pinterest.com/deeclutter0093/ and subscribe to Dee CLUTTER on Youtube.www.deeclutter.ca

Dee Clutter Video

deeclutter.ca