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Eliminate & Evict the Extras!

21 Jan 2019 2:05 PM | Deleted user

Extra stuff is not your friend.

Extra stuff does not serve you well.

Extra stuff will take over your home.

Most people tolerate having extra stuff. They passively allow mail, papers, receipts, books, magazines, newspapers, shoes, clothes, toys, craft supplies, and the like to accumulate and multiply on any available surface. The stacks and piles become an expected part of the décor.

But you don’t have to be like most people!

You can decide to eliminate and evict the extras!

Open any drawer, closet, or cupboard in your home. I expect that you will see extra stuff that you do not use, do not like, or do not want. Perhaps you will even see things you don’t even remember owning!

I spent the better part of New Year’s Day eliminating & evicting several small areas of my home. It was my way of welcoming the New Year with a fresh start. There was no pressure to radically make over my entire house—just to focus on the small spots that often get overlooked. I had delightful music playing in the background and an appetizing assortment of snacks and treats to reward my progress along the way! It was not a burdensome task—it was actually fun.

With each area, I followed the same procedure:

  • 1.       REMOVE all the items from a particular space.
  • 2.       REDUCE by sorting and choosing to keep only the best.
  • 3.       RECYCLE as much as possible and trash what is unusable.
  • 4.       REPURPOSE by donating, sharing, or relocating.
  • 5.       REARRANGE what you kept in the particular space.
  • 6.       REJOICE that you can easily find & easily put away things.
  • 7.       REWARD yourself for making these decisions!
  • 8.       REPEAT in the next area. J

What areas received this special touch?

  • 1.       Kitchen Island drawers
  • 2.       Desk drawers
  • 3.       Bathroom cabinet
  • 4.       Pantry shelves
  • 5.       Garage book bins
  • 6.       Garage holiday bins

I was especially pleased with the bathroom cabinet—adjusting the shelf & rearranging made quite a difference! It holds exactly what I use each day and everything is easy to find and easy to put away.

Regarding the holiday decorations, I realized that I tend to use fewer decorations each year. Just because I had various items didn’t automatically mean they had great sentimental value to me or my family.  I kept the favorite ones, but gave myself permission to pass along the extras. Then I put things away in a manner that will make it easier to get the decorations out next year. You can do that too!

It wasn’t a dramatic change--but making those small changes in areas that are used every day amplified the effect.  The extra space, the empty bins, and the donation boxes are evidence that my progress was well worth the effort.

Most of us don’t live in remote places like Antarctica! We really don’t need all the extra stuff for “just in case.” Try living on the wild side by living with less. It will help you to thrive! I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised!!


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NAPO Ohio is a legal entity separate and distinct from NAPO, Inc. (the National Assoc of Productivity & Organizing Profs) and is not entitled to act on behalf of or to bind NAPO, Inc. contractually or otherwise.  NAPO Ohio Chapter Members are a legal entity separate and distinct from NAPO Ohio and are not entitled to act on behalf of or to bind NAPO Ohio, contractually or otherwise.

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