Modern living room with green sofa and potted plants.

Unclutter Your Life

Temperatures are rising in Parker and surrounds — which may give you the (mistaken) impression that winter is waning. Don’t be fooled. There’s more snow and cold brewing in a future front so don’t put your snowblower in storage just yet. 

But what you can do, while the weather provides near-spring like inspiration, is take stock of your beloved Looking Glass home and cut the clutter. No really – attack it like you’re killing rattlesnakes. Then when it’s actually time for spring cleaning, you’ll be waaaay ahead of the game. 

Advice for Normal People 

We’ve been looking through the latest advice books like How to Keep House While Drowning  – which also has a workbook and study guide!), plus columns and blogs like (UnF**K Your Habitat) about organization and cleaning and have reached this conclusion: we are what we keep. Maybe we can’t be minimalists, but we don’t have to be hoarders! 

So here are the most helpful tips – for normal people — that we might actually try:

(By the way, a word of warning before visiting the UfYH site; Rachel uses the Un-f  AND the f-word liberally so if that is offensive, stick with Tidy Dad!!)

Things a Professional Would Toss

A basement can become a catchall storage space, especially if part of it is unfinished. If a professional came to your house what are the things that would go to the dump or the local thrift store? 

  • Old or broken electronics
  • Cans of Paint (paint stores will dispose of for you)
  • Kitchen Gadgets (rarely used? Duplicates?)
  • Exercise equipment
  • Old Luggage
  • Appliance boxes (just in case you move again in 20 years)
UfYH Fundamentals by Rachel Hoffman

We smile a lot when reading Rachel’s commentary and advice. She is us so knows how to bust our foibles.

20/10s – Declutter for 20 minutes/Break for 10. Twenty minutes may sound like it’s a long time, it’s not. You might have time for one drawer. One cabinet. Possibly the shoes in your closet – depending on the quantity. But we decided 20 minutes is doable and not overwhelming.

Draws or Cabinets’ Challenge: Pick one drawer or cabinet remove all items, throw away anything unnecessary, wipe down surfaces and items, and replace items neatly. We tried this with one junk drawer. It took 30 minutes. Just sayin’. We didn’t stop at 20, just powered through!

Closet Challenge: Rachel doesn’t sugarcoat a clutterbug’s habits. We’re going to quote her directly: “Shirt you haven’t worn in six years? Bye-bye. Jeans that fit sixteen-year-old you perfectly, but that mmblfrrgh-year-old you will never be able to zip again? See ya. Be honest, and be brutal here. It’s really hard to be confronted with how much money you’ve spent on things that no longer serve any purpose for you, but by getting them out of your space, you’re freeing up room for pieces you love and wear, and putting the things you no longer use in the hands of someone who could use them.”

We concur.

From Tidy Dad

The math teacher from Queens, Tyler Moore, had a clutter-induced breakdown on a New York street (there’s a theme here…). After which he planned extensively to create a space for his wife and three children where everything had a place. With only 750 square feet to work with, it sort of helped that he’s a whiz at geometry. 

In Tidy Up Your Life he shares his approach to organization.

Understand the emotion behind the mess

To declutter effectively, start by sifting through non-sentimental items and move to sentimental (more difficult) categories. Moore’s book explains the what and why behind messy possessions, and Tidy Dad’s posts focus on practical steps.

Reassess the Hypothetical “Someday”

“Someday I’ll make something with that leftover yarn.” No, you’ve waited long enough – be ruthless. “Someday I might throw a dinner party and need three extra casserole dishes.” Borrow them — donate the surplus. 

Now fill in the blank, “Someday I will fix that ____ or find the mate to this _____ .” Get clear on why you have so much stuff and what you REALLY need.

Make a Decluttering Calendar

Don’t clear out your coat closet this spring, wait till October or November when the thrift stores want coats. This month tackle papers, mail, years’ old irrelevant files. In March dispose of unwanted travel gear and bags. In early August, school supplies. 

Etsy Helps (?) 

You’ll find loads of downloads on Etsy if you’re a check-it-off, draw-a-Sharpie-through-it kind of person. Everything from planners, checklists, tips, toolkits and challenges. Now if that’s overwhelming no need to add more paper to the piles!

Looking Glass: Love Where You Live

You’ll love living in the master-planned community of Looking Glass. These close-knit Parker neighborhoods give you access to trails, walking paths and parks, nearby recreation, entertainment and shopping. Stop by the beautiful model homes from D.R. Horton, Taylor Morrison, Dream Finders Homes from the $600s and coming soon, Richmond American Homes, from the $500s.