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GreaterUpperValley.com

Simplify Your Life

Mar 15, 2011 09:02PM ● By Erin Frisch

Spring Cleaning

Declutter. Although the cliché of “spring cleaning” is as common as cutting your hair after a breakup, think seriously about simplifying your life this spring. Reevaluate your things and discard, or recycle, the items you never use: the clothes you haven’t worn for years, the trinkets collecting dust. While being a packrat can be comforting, it is more liberating to simplify. Here are some tips for clearing out and feeling better about your living space.

Start with your closet. Do you really need that shirt you haven’t worn since 15 pounds ago? After you’ve thinned out your drawers and your closet, no doubt resulting in a pile of giveaways, find the nearest Goodwill or other charitable organization. By donating your gently worn clothes, you can be assured that they are going to someone in need.

Next, take a look at all your knick-knacks and decorative items—there’s a reason they’re called “dust collectors.” These things that idly occupy places on your desk, on shelves, or in cupboards take up valuable tabletop, counter, and storage space and can make your home look messy. If any of these hold sentimental value, or represent a memory that you’re not willing to let go of, keep them. The ones that you have acquired over the years and are merely taking up space can go. Thin out and pare down. Uncluttering your personal space is challenging because it means letting go. Think of it as a cleansing process: simplifying is also purifying.  By the end, take a look at your space and relish the openness that you have created.

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