Strollerderby

3 Ways to Clear Out Space for the Baby

Posted by Madeline Holler

So, we've established that your stuff won't make you happy. Especially if you stop appreciating it. And no matter what you said in your post-baby shower thank you notes, I know you don't appreciate alllllll that crap that seems to have come along with a baby (no, not the emotional crap, the plastic, over-priced, single-use baby crap). 

But what are you going to do about it?

This guy, who admits he has a wildly emotional attachment to accumulating stuff, has some ideas. You can follow his struggle to clear out a home office to make room for his pretty new baby, who, thanks to his fortitude, no longer has to sleep atop USB cable. (The indulgence!)

He's reading a book on it, but his website is enough to give you a nudge. Here are 3 tips:

Never organize what you can discard. (I love this one. In other words, quit buying containers, storage space, etc.)

Establish a dump zone -- throw anything in there that you might consider getting rid of (you can edit it later for the stuff you really can't live without). 

Just freaking start getting rid of stuff. 

Please add your own tips in feedback. Clutter is kind of an American shame so, you know, any extra tips would be appreciated. I'll start: throw out last month's magazine when you get this months. Also, get rid of your CDs (that's what computers are for) and all those shelves/towers/boxes you store them in.

 

Photo: livingthewellorderedlife.com

[via coochicoos.com] 


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Comments

 

Lisa G. said:

Have you used it in the past six months? If not, you could probably get rid of it.

Freecycle!

May 3, 2008 5:15 PM
 

Sheri said:

Flylady saved my house.  

May 3, 2008 5:39 PM
 

bookmama said:

Don't buy so much crap.

Clean out everyone's closets at the end of each season and if it's stained, ugly, didn't get worn, or too small, give it away.

If you keep things in big opaque plastic bins (like baby clothes), label each bin by writing what's in it with black marker on a piece of transparent tape. Then you won't be tempted to stick the wrong stuff in there, you won't have to open all the lids, and you'll be able to reorganize without crossing out permanently making a mess on the side of the container.

May 4, 2008 12:41 AM
 

Doppelganger said:

Don't kid yourself that you'll get around to having a yard sale someday. Craigslist your bigger, more expensive stuff, then freecycle the rest.

May 4, 2008 12:48 AM
 

Doppelganger said:

Don't kid yourself that you'll get around to having a yard sale someday. Craigslist your bigger, more expensive stuff, then freecycle the rest.

May 4, 2008 12:50 AM
 

xine said:

Peter Walsh had a good one for kitchens that I am thinking about using for our closets: Put all of your gadgets into a box on the counter. If you take it out of the box to use it, put it back in its drawer. At the end of a month, throw out the box and its contents- those are the gadgets you don't need.

May 4, 2008 8:50 AM
 

nic said:

I love Flylady too!  nothing beats a shiny sink in the morning!

May 5, 2008 2:20 PM

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