Too Much Winter

If you are anything like me, you are getting pretty sick and tired of all this snow and cold weather. This week in my area we're getting warm- I swear it's gonna be a heatwave with temps in the 50's and 60's! Summer here we come! Okay not quite yet, but you get my point. Let's think warmth! I was going through my inbox and found an issue of Healthy Living that focuses on dumping the junk. I'm gonna help you feel the warmth with this article on spring cleaning. Maybe if we get a head start we'll start getting warm weather? Hey it's a thought.

What is clutter? It's anything you own but no longer use, need, or love. It's everything from unread magazines to clothes that don't fit anymore to gifts you received but feel guilty about throwing out. And most of our homes are filled with this stuff!

Here are some simple steps to help you banish the clutter in your life:

1. Ask yourself, "Do I really need this [fill in the blank]?"
Do I use it/read it/wear it/listen to it? Will I ever use it again?" If the answers to these questions are no, it's clutter.

Put it in a box.

You can donate the items you dispose of to charity, give them away, recycle them, or sell them. Just as long as you get them out of your home as soon as possible — otherwise they'll end up back where they were.

Go step-by-step.

You can't declutter your entire home in a weekend. Start off small — your desk or underwear drawer, for example — and go on from there. Build your momentum with smaller jobs before you tackle the garage, basement, or attic.

Cut yourself some slack.

If your heart breaks at the thought of losing something, keep it. But if it's a sweater that you detest, why not lighten your load and get rid of it?

2. Tackle one "clearing clutter" project.
Choose an area of your home that needs it — the junk drawer in your kitchen, or your linen closet — and give yourself 30 minutes to do as much as you can. You'll be amazed at how much progress you can make in a short time.

For more tips, click here.