The hardest part of keeping the house clean and streamlined for me is choosing not to bring new things in. Wouldn't it be easy if you could declutter once, and you'd be set forever?
Unfortunately, that's just not how it works. Things wear out and need to be replaced, there's general home upkeep, shopping when you don't really need something new, and the things that show up from work/friends/family. Add to that, shopping can be fun. It's a cycle. BUT, you can take steps to avoid causing more work for yourself.
For me, that means being very conscious about what comes into the house. I try not to shop without a list, and really consider the value of things that I have the urge to add to it:
* Does this food align with my goals of healthy eating and buying organic and local?
* Do I really need this article of clothing? If I do, does it fit perfectly or would the cost of taking it to a tailor be prohibitive? Is it made durably? Are the care instructions reasonable?
* Do I really need a decorative accent for that spot? Is there something I already own that could substitute?
* Is this a project I'm really excited about and will follow through to completion? Or will the supplies get in my way for the next 6 months?
* Am I shopping out of boredom or need?
* Am I sure that there isn't something in the house that could be substituted for the purchase?
Another way I've seen people deal with this is to institute a no buy month. I've tried this, and think it's a great idea if you can get behind it, but found that it made me fixate on what I couldn't have (kind of like being on a diet). For me, it's more realistic to allow items to come in, but set the bar high for whether or not they're good enough.
What do you do to keep clutter from coming in?
No comments:
Post a Comment