Part four of our list of fifty ways to help you de-clutter literally every part of your life. Postconsumers doesn’t believe that clutter is just about bad organization or too much “stuff.” It’s an intricate connection between mental, emotional and media factors as well as just the noise and business of contemporary society. Today we’ll tackle tips thirty-one through forty. If you missed our first ten tips, you can find them here and begin your journey through the entire first thirty.
31. Step Away from the Media Machine!
We’ve talked a lot so far about the role of the “media machine” in promoting and even causing mass consumerism. There isn’t ample space or time here to go into a full explanation of the workings of the global media machine, but suffice it to say that if it’s got a screen and you’re looking at it then it’s finding ways to put ideas into your head about what you need to buy and what that says about the person you are. We have lots and lots of tips on how to go on a media diet and distance yourself from the media machine. Start slowly. Take the time to figure out where you’re being exposed to messages about consumerism and then just start to make different decisions about how you spend your time and what you’re allowing into your brain.
32. Be Aware of Consumer Season. Yes, That’s a Real Thing.
There are certain times of year when you are going to be more pressured to purchase things – especially things that you don’t need. Consumer season starts with back-to-school season and ends around Valentine’s Day. During the summer, marketers are aware that you’re away from the computer and the television more, often spending time outside or with friends and family. Sure, you’re still marketed to, but not with the fervor that starts with back-to-school, picks up steam through the fall, reaches its pinnacle with holiday shopping and then dovetails into Valentine’s Day via post-holiday sales. If you’re aware that you’re being “targeted” during this season, you may just find that you have an easier time saying no.
33. Just Because It’s on Sale…
Learning to recognize that “good price” doesn’t equate to “need to buy” is one of the most important steps that you’ll take on the way to learning to de-clutter. A sale is not a reason to buy something if you don’t have the space for it or the need for it. Sales are designed to do one thing – motivate you to purchase items. One trick to remember is that the sale price is still a profit price for the retailer. They’re not losing money on it. So just because the red tag says fifty percent off, it doesn’t mean that you’re really getting an amazing discount. For many of us, a sign that says “sale” triggers an immediate reaction to buy. Fierce congratulations to marketers for conditioning us that way. Now it’s our turn to take back the power and decondition the response.
34. The Memory Box. The ONLY Place You Store, Store, Store.
Do you have a memory box? It’s a darling thing, really. A box where you put items that have sentimental meaning to you that you don’t want to get rid of. Cards, jewelry, dried roses from your high school prom, your wedding shoes. These are all items that can go into a memory box. The problem is that for most of America, the memory box has turned into memory basement or storage unit or entire home. When it comes to memories and keepsakes, less is more. When you have fewer, you can take out your memory box and walk down memory lane. When you have too many, you’ll really never experience a “moment” with any of them. Whittle your collection down to the one box that means the most. You’ll reduce clutter and increase sentimental moments.
35. Identify Clutter Creep. Stop It In Its Tracks.
In the business world, there’s a term called “project creep.” That’s when a project that started out small turns into a huge project because, along the way, people continued to add small “one more things” and “just a little addition.” By the time it was done, a one day project was a one year project. Clutter can be the same way. You start by just leaving your keys on the table. The next day it’s your keys and an empty coffee cup. By day three, your kitchen counter has all of the items from your purse on it and by the end of the week it’s covered. When the counter is entirely covered, it’s overwhelming to clean. However, if you’d taken care of it when it was just starting to creep from keys to coffee mug, it would have been manageable. And cleared!
36. Do a Trial Run of Minimalism. You May Be Ready to Go Big.
We’ve mentioned before that, for some people, it may be better to go big. If you think that’s you, there’s nothing wrong with doing a minimalist trial run early on. Strip down to just the essentials that you absolutely have to have in your life. Take everything else – and we mean everything – and put it in one room. Then spend a week living without it. You may find that you LOVE a more minimalist lifestyle. Or you may find that you need just a few of your items back. You may also find that you’re not designed to be a minimalist at all. And that’s ok, you’re a postconsumer! You can still reduce clutter, stuff and spend without stripping down to only the basics. But a minimalism test is a good place to start and set your baseline.
37. Keep a Budget. Stick To It.
It may seem as though a budget is more of a financial tool than a de-cluttering tool, but when you think about how much clutter is created because you spent money that you didn’t have on things that you didn’t need, you can start to see why setting a budget is an important thing. If you set a budget and you are realistic with yourself about how much you should spend on items that you need, then you’ll find that you’re probably over-spending as you purchase items that you don’t need. Stick to the budget, and that means not buying things that aren’t accounted for in the budget (which doesn’t mean that you can’t allow yourself a little slush fund to have some shopping fun with). Not only will you reduce clutter, you’re likely to increase your overall savings.
38. Be More Active (Without Being Overscheduled).
We talked earlier about the risk of being too busy, but there’s a risk to not being busy enough as well. When your life doesn’t have enough activities – be they social, athletic or intellectual – you look for other ways to fulfill yourself. For many people, “stuff” is a way to find fulfillment. The problem, of course, is that “stuff” does not fulfill you. It might provide a temporary high that may make you feel satisfied with life, but it will wear off and eventually you’ll only be able to be filled with more stuff. How do you stop this cycle? Keep yourself active! Get involved in local groups and organizations, go to the gym, see movies (just ignore the pre movie ads), host family dinner. There’s a whole range of ways to get active. The equation is simple. More activity = less clutter.
39. Think Rental. And We Mean for Some Surprising Things.
If you’re not going to use it more than once, rent it instead of buying it. Some items that you can use this technique for are obvious. Power tools, for example. Chances are you’re not going to use that industrial floor sander more than once even if you love the idea of having one handy. Head on down to your local tool rental service and rent it instead. But there are a whole host of other scenarios that you can use rental options for. Wedding dresses and formal dresses of any type as well as designer accessories and handbags are some of our favorite options. You reduce clutter, keep the closet clear and always look fantastic. You also most likely save money in the long run (depending on how often you need to rent a new piece).
40. Allow Yourself One Messy Space.
There’s a reason that most diet plans allow you a cheat day – it’s because nothing that you do in life will succeed if it always feels like a penalty or a loss. The same is true of going clutter free. There’s a degree to which you like your clutter and your stuff. You wouldn’t have gotten to the point where you’re online researching ways to go clutter free if you didn’t. So don’t take something that matters to you away. Designate a space in your house where you can be messy. Our advice is that you pick a space that you won’t have to see all of the time. The more that you can see clutter, the more likely you are to go back to your old habits in other parts of the house. Pick an area that can be closed off, like a room with a door that shuts or your garage. Having some mess is natural. Letting it take over is when problems arise.
Those are our fourth ten tips on how to de-clutter your entire life, but we have ten more! Continue on, and if you think we missed one be sure to share it with us using the social media channels below.
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Related Information
Talking Yourself Through a Stuff Purge
Tips for Staying Decluttered After a Stuff Purge
Twenty Ways to Reduce Noise in Your Life
The Relationship Between “Stuff” and Memories
Understanding the Consumer Media Machine
Photo Credit: Thomas Heyman via Flickr
