Many think of spring cleaning as the time to open the windows, throw things out, and vacuum out physical and metaphorical cobwebs of winter.
But why wait until spring and for more things to pile up? Bari Prince is a decluttering coach whose virtual service Breatkthrough Decluttering aims to help “reclaim your space and your life.”
“Winter is the perfect time to declutter because we’re in the house more during the lousy weather,” Prince said.
She describes clutter as “things that are not serving you, aren’t being used, but also things you’ve accumulated that are meaningful but are taking up too much space.”
While getting rid of piles of newspapers, magazines and clothes you’re no longer wearing seems doable, “what’s harder to deal with are sentimental things, like a grandparent’s china,” she said.
Prince said the benefits of decluttering are varied and powerful.
“Freeing up space really frees up energy, and frees people up to do what’s really important to them,” Prince said. “Clutter tends to nag — people are looking at it and thinking, ‘I really need to get rid of this.'”
How to start decluttering — and what to do with it
“Start with a small, important, doable project,” Prince said. “Instead of saying, ‘I need to declutter my home,’ which is a completely overwhelming prospect, start with a closet.”
That first project usually leads to more, she said.
“Once they’ve done that, first of all, they feel great. They feel a huge sense of accomplishment, and it builds momentum,” Prince said. “If I can do this dresser successfully, I think maybe now I can do the closet,” her clients tell her.
And clutter does not mean something that should be thrown out. Prince said her goal is to put as little into the trash as possible.
“Can this item be repurposed, donated or given to someone else who can use it? I think it makes it easier to give them up, knowing that they’re going to good use out in the world,” Prince said, adding that remaining clutter-free is an ongoing project.
“If I buy any clothing, something has to get donated — I’m not just accumulating,” she said.
When straightening up your home, “Putting it in a pile and saying you’ll get to it later is a recipe for clutter,” Prince said.
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