Guest Author - Emily Wilska
Even when we’re surrounded by what we know is too much stuff, it can be hard to find the motivation to get organized, and to know where or how to start attacking the piles. That’s why pretending that you’re moving is one of my favorite organizing tricks, hands down. It doesn't require pulling out the boxes or padding, or emptying out your fridge and pantry as you would if you were actually moving. Rather, it's a simple and useful exercise to help you get rid of things you're not using and don't need.
When you pretend you're moving, you go through your things with an eye to what you'd be willing to pay a moving crew to pack up and transport to another location. To make this even more effective, imagine you're moving somewhere far from your current home, that you're being charged dearly for every box you take with you, and that you’re on a strict budget.
Would you pay someone to move that collection of old golfing trophies? How about those stacks of magazines you haven't read in years? The boxes of old LPs you're sure will be worth something someday? The shelves of books you keep intending to read?
Starting in the room that has the most stuff in it, and that you know would be the biggest headache to pack up if you were really moving, separate out the things you're sure you would not be willing to go to the expense and trouble of moving, and get rid of them.
If there are things you’re undecided about—stuff you don’t use regularly, might not take with you if you were truly moving, or don’t have a very strong attachment to—consider stashing it in a box, then writing the date on the outside of the box. If you don’t retrieve any of the undecideds within six months, make a deal with yourself that you’ll get rid of them.
Follow this process in each room in the house until you’ve gotten down to the things you’d definitely go to the trouble and expense of moving. With your excess stuff gone, you'll find you have more space to enjoy in your current home, no move required. And the next time you do move, you’ll save yourself the hassle and the cost of transporting stuff that would be better left behind.
