preparing a place :: decluttering

it’s October 23; there are now 22 posts (and and introduction!) in this series.  the ideas are, for the most part, simple.  but there still is a bit of preparation involved.  the next few posts will address our physical space and calendars.  the baby is coming, and it’s time to nest!

before Advent starts, it might be a good idea to declutter a bit.  the school areas that have been seeing extra use since Fall; the children’s rooms that could use a bit of organization, the kitchen cupboards that work so much better when a bit neater, the landing that has become a catch-all.  that’s my list!  what does yours include?

clearing out a bit of our physical space–recycling or donating what you can, letting go of what you can’t–really does seem to clear out a bit of mental space too.   instead of just worrying over the lingering projects, space and energy are freed up to complete them.  Christmas usually means new gifts, things that will need a place to be.  if your bookshelves are already packed, will there be space for the new?

this has certainly been a journey for me.  being tidy does not come naturally.  but the benefits, the calm that comes from a home that works well, has been a boon.  here are my best tricks and resources:

• a place for everything….and everything in it’s place.  just making sure that things have a home (and that they make it back there occasionally!) makes it easier by far to clean up.  it’s not just moving piles around anymore.  it’s also been helpful to have a temporary box to hold things that don’t have a permanent home.
• creating morning and evening routines.  when i don’t have to decide if i’ll put the dishes in the dishwasher, when the table is cleared after dinner and dishes started most every night, the kitchen and table are ready for the next day and i am much more at peace.
• during the month of October, Mystie from Simply Convivial is giving away pdf copies of her series from last year called GTD for Homemakers.  that’s  Getting Things Done.  sounds good to me!  maybe working through this series in November would make greeting Advent with an open heart and clear counters easier.
• Joshua Becker posted a wonderful article called Staging Your House for Living.  these are big ideas that will take some doing, but the vision he casts is life changing.
• maybe Apartment Therapy or FlyLady might help…or maybe the more inspirational Keeping House: The Litany of Everyday Life by Margaret Kim Peterson