Rules to live by

I mentioned my apartment-cleaning efforts in my last post, but I've realized over the last few weeks and months that I need to massively de-clutter and THEN organize. So many of my problems with keeping my apartment organized revolve around the unnecessary stuff that I've accumulated. And this is the stuff that's left over after I did one massive de-cluttering effort when I moved out of my parents' house, and another as I was unpacking here.

Anyway, these three items sum up the entirety of my purging/organization efforts:

1. A place for everything, and everything in its place.
If an item doesn't have a permanent place to live, it will always be out of place. Without a designated box, bin, or nook, shoes will be in the center of the living room floor, lost in the recesses under your child's bed, or in a cluttered pile at the bottom of your closet enticing your dog to come and have a bite. Even the smallest of items, like paper clips and spare batteries, need a place to live.

2. One in, one out.
If you bring something new into your home, take something old out. If you're just starting your uncluttering project, you can substitute one in, two out ... or maybe even three, four, or five out. This is especially a good rule to follow in regards to clothing.

3. Ask yourself, "Does this represent the remarkable life I desire?" If not, get rid of it.
I'll admit, this one doesn't have the same catchy nature as the others, but it's just as important. If an object in your home isn't being used regularly, needs to be replaced, you hate, or simply doesn't represent what matters most to you, then it's clutter. Get rid of the clutter and keep the things that are valuable to you.

(As an aside, if you have any interest whatsoever about trying to become more "uncluttered," I highly recommend this blog. I'm never going to live an entirely minimalist lifestyle, but it gives really useful tips about how to start big organization projects, storage solutions, and what to do with those sentimental items that you just can't bear to part with.)