My First Step In My Quest To Declutter My Home

Summary

The author begins a personal journey to declutter their home by starting with small, manageable tasks such as cleaning out the refrigerator, pantry, and bathroom cabinet, and finds the process liberating and motivating.

Abstract

The author embarks on the first step of decluttering their home, which is filled with accumulated items. They take advantage of trash day to dispose of expired food and old condiments, then move on to sorting through and properly disposing of expired medication. Despite the short time spent, the author feels a significant sense of accomplishment and freedom, which inspires them to continue decluttering. The process has already led to a tangible reduction in household waste, and the author expresses determination to maintain this progress and share their journey, inviting readers to join in with their own decluttering tips and experiences.

Opinions

The author acknowledges a tendency to collect unnecessary items, leading to a cluttered home environment.
They believe that by removing a few unnecessary items from each room, the home will feel more positive and freeing.
The author feels that decluttering, even in small increments, can have a significant psychological impact, likening it to a weight being lifted off their shoulders.
They recognize the importance of proper disposal for expired medication, highlighting the FDA's guidelines and the local pharmacy's take-back program.
The author is motivated by the initial results of their decluttering efforts and is eager to continue the process, viewing it as a quest for a more organized and pleasant living space.
They are open to sharing and learning from others' experiences with decluttering, suggesting a sense of community and shared struggle in the process of decluttering one's home.

My First Step In My Quest To Declutter My Home

“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” Confucius

Okay, for the record, my house does not look like the photo above. I’m not a hoarder, just a collector with so much extra stuff. I have a closet full of clothes I don’t wear anymore. I have multiple boxes of paper in my office that I need to sort. Well, actually, I have a few extra boxes in every room I need to sort. If I removed a few extras in each room, my home would have a less cluttered and more freeing look. I hope removing unwanted junk in each room will give my home a more positive and freeing vibe.

I brought my trash can to the curb this morning because today is trash day. I noticed that there was still a lot of space available inside. This is a rare event; my trash is usually stacked to the top. So I went to the kitchen and cleaned the fridge throwing away many old bottles of condiments. Then I went to the pantry and threw away some expired goods. That took about 10 minutes, and I was able to add an extra bag to my trash can.

My next target was something I had been putting off for two months, and that was expired prescription medicine. I went through my bathroom cabinet and drawers and grabbed all the expired medication. It turned out to be the equivalent of a small bag. For these expired meds, I actually won’t be throwing this in the usual trash, I will drop them off at the pharmacy, where they have a medicine take back, and they properly dispose of expired medications. The FDA has some helpful tips for properly disposing of expired prescription drugs.

This all took 20 minutes, and my house still looks the same. But I do feel different.

I feel freer and accomplished, like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I’m hoping that in the future, a more clutter-free home will give me that feeling daily.

And the big win today? My home has 1.5 bags less of unused and unnecessary trash.

This is the first small step in my quest to declutter and clean my home. It’s hard to throw away things cause I think I might sell or use them later. But after this 20-minute exercise, I’m motivated to do more.

I’m debating what I will tackle next. Lots to choose from. I’ll let you know how I progress.

How about you? Is there clutter you are holding on to that you need to tackle? What are your tips for decluttering your home?