DOES THIS STUFF MAKE MY HOUSE LOOK FAT?

It’s said that inside every fat person is a thin person struggling to get out. I’ve found the same is true for people’s homes. Inside every overly-cluttered house is a calm, organized space waiting to be discovered. But how do you find your peaceful place when it’s buried under all that stuff?

• Start with a vision. Take some time to think about how much easier your life would be if you could always find something when you wanted it. How nice it would be if it were easy to keep things straight; and if there was a place for everything, with everything in its place. Hold on to that vision, and use it to help you identify things that you can imagine living just as well without.
• Get inspiration from Tiny House dwellers. Millennials are finding delight in living in spaces their grandparents would use as as walk-in closets. You don’t have to move to  a tiny house to gain valuable information and inspiration from their experience. Read some tiny house blogs and find out what people love about living small. Their insights could change the way you think about your home, and what’s in it.
• Look for the things that bring you joy. By now, you’ve certainly heard someone talk about Marie Kondo’s book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. “Only keep things that bring you joy,” Marie advises. Walk through your house and put a small sticker on those things you truly love. When you’re done, start thinking about people you know who might find joy where you no longer do.
• Get out of the storage business. Did your kids leave home, and leave their stuff with you? Let them know you’re no longer in the storage business, and that their things need to find a new home. Now.
• Eliminate duplicates. You may not be sure exactly what you want to keep, but with a few exceptions, you probably don’t need more than one of the same thing. If you only have one of something and you make sure to always return it to the same place, you’ll know exactly where to find it!