Decluttering Your Home For The New Year

Now that we’ve all settled into the new year, it’s a good idea to bid goodbye to all things material which have served their purpose, have fallen into grave disrepair, or have no space, physically or emotionally, in our future. Of course, this is better said than done. Indeed, at one of the 100% Whole Mom workshops, interior stylist Marilen Montenegro says, “It can be hard to get rid of things, especially those which we have formed an emotional attachment with.”
A mom of two, Montenegro is one of the founders of 100% Whole Mom, an organization which seeks to inspire moms to make happy homes, embrace their beauty, and nurture their hearts.

Spring cleaning offers a world of benefits. Getting rid of old or useless things will not only give us more space in our closets, it will also contribute to our overall health and well-being. After all, these thingamajigs are dust gatherers which tend to attract all sorts of pests, from ants to moths. Plus, psychologically, bidding farewell to items which conjure in us not-so-good feelings will do as well too. It will allow us to let go of negative vibes and energy, making space for only good memories.

Montenegro encourages us moms to discard, sell, or share with others items which we no longer have any use for. Here, she gives a couple of suggestions on how we could go about decluttering and cleaning our homes this year.

Spring cleaning is a process, says Montenegro. Don’t expect to finish in one hour or even one day. Letting go may not be such an easy task, especially if it concerns things of great sentimental value. She says, “Go through your house one room at a time. It’s a process. Start with your bedroom. Once you’ve finished, you would be inspired to go through the entire house.”

“Dispose of anything you have not used in the past year,” says Montenegro. If you were not able to use the item for one year, the likelihood of you using it again in the next or ever again is slim. Montenegro asks, Why keep something that you don’t see yourself using anytime soon?

Avoid forming an attachment with material belongings, says Montenegro. But if you do find yourself attached to certain items, how about taking a photo of them and turning the photograph into an artwork? If you have a collection of old bottles, for example, take a photo of the bottles and then have it framed. The actual bottles you could then sell in specialty shops.

Discard broken items or those beyond repair. Some people, Montenegro says, keep random items like old phones or old cords thinking they could be used for something someday. Let those go. You would not find any future use for them.

If you have too much of one item, dispose of them or share them with others, she says. Ask yourself, how many pairs of shoes or shorts or jeans do you actually need? Rethink your wardrobe, making sure it has room for versatility and variety without you having to own an inordinate amount of clothing items.

Refrain from acquiring new things. Montenegro says, “If you have no space to store toys, for example, then you probably don’t need it.”

Letting go of items which we have worked hard for to acquire is difficult. But as you go through each item, Montenegro encourages you to ask yourself these questions: Does it make me happy? Can I do without it? What’s the worst thing that can happen if I throw it out? Your answers would determine your next step.

100% Whole Mom is a collaboration between Montenegro, Chesca Garcia Kramer and Rica Peralejo Bonifacio. 100% Whole Mom not only provides an avenue for moms to gain practical advice about matters of the home and heart, it also gives them an opportunity to take a break from their daily routine in a friendly, inspiring environment.

Image courtesy of phaendin at FreeDigitalPhotos.net