Just Planting Daisies

I have to admit, I have always been one to hold onto things. “I might need this” or “I can reuse that for something” or “I can fix this.”

It might be an inherited trait, as I love old things, antiques, things that have meaning, or things that belonged to past family members.

But, In the past, I have also collected other, possibly unuseful, random things. Although I have decluttered my life and home quite a bit over the past several years, I still struggle with a few needless things such as jars, plastic containers, or cute boxes. My husband calls me the plastic horder.

Anyhow, decluttering doesn’t mean you have to get rid of things that you love, bring you joy, that have meaning, or hold a memory for you. It means getting rid of the things that clutter your life and do not bring you joy. 

My motto is “If it doesn’t hold a place in your HEART, it doesn’t hold a place in your HOME” ~Mandy Anderson

Truth is, it’s never gonna get fixed, I will never need it, and I’m never going to reuse it. UNTIL I get rid of it, then is when I need it!!!!

BUT, what I have learned is the money it takes to replace it if I ever do need it, is minimal compared to the amount of physical space and mental peace it takes up when I hang on to it. I have also learned how FREEING it feels to get rid of a box of stuff or take out a trash bag of broken, torn, or unusable things. 

Now, I am not perfect at decluttering at all! There are still times when I will put something back in a drawer or a closet and think “I might wear this” or “they might wear this” but because I do this every year, sometimes multiple times a year, and I find myself doing it random times throughout the year, it has gotten much easier to let things go. 

Some advantages of decluttering…

• Reduces Stress: Clutter causes stress, but an organized home has a calming effect.
• Improves Focus: Clutter is a visual distraction, an organized space allows better concentration and mental clarity. 
• Boosts Self-Esteem: An organized home can promote feelings of control, competence, and pride.
• Saves Time & Energy: Less clutter makes cleaning faster & finding things easier. Also, you have more time for family or things you enjoy instead of managing stuff. 
• Healthier Environment: Decluttering reduces dust, mold, and pests, improving the air quality in your home and potentially reducing allergies.
• Encourages Better Spending Habits: Decluttering causes you to be more thoughtful of your purchases & conscientious about what you bring into your home. 

How to get started…

1. Get the trashcan and 1 or 2 boxes. Label the boxes donate or consign. 

1. Just start. It is easy to get overwhelmed and not really know where to begin. Just pick a room, a corner, a single spot or surface in your home and just start.

CAUTION ⚠️ Sometimes the mess gets bigger before it gets better. Don’t bite off more than you can chew, and be sure that you can finish the task you started within the amount of time that you have allotted.

1. I have created a 30 day calendar that may help. See attached calendar. 

Let’s fill our year and home with things we love, bring us joy, and peace and declutter that which don’t. HAPPY NEW YEAR 🎉

💚Mandy Anderson