Helpful How-To: The Purge

I don't know why spring fever didn't hit me in the spring time.

But it didn't.

And here it is, almost fall, and suddenly, I have the idea to PURGE EVERYTHING.

It's been about 2 weeks, and I haven't been able to shake it.

This morning when I pulled out of my driveway, my trashcan looked like this:

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And this has led me to thinking....

What is the easiest way to purge your home?

But then I think, Are there really easy ways to purge your home????

I don't really think so...

But here are the methods that have worked for me:

1.  Room by room. 

Because I may have superhero tendencies, but even I get overwhelmed at times...

I started in my guest bedroom.

Because it's the least lived in room in our house.

And it was easy to separate necessities from clutter.  (AKA. CRAP)

But halfway through, I was still screaming, "Go, Go Gadget CRAP-TAKER"

To no avail....

Sufficed to say that by the time, I was done in there, I was more prepared to take on the heavier - more lived in spaces. 

2.  Arm yourself with a box (maybe 2) of trash bags.

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I find the more eXtra large they are and the more heavy duty they are, the more crap they hold.

And be ready to toss in wild abandon.

The second you take one of these bad boys in hand, you may find your crap tossing shifting into overload.

Just be prepared. 

3.  Separate, Pile and Box.

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I always start by sorting things into 3 categories - Save, Toss, or Sell/Donate.

I am a piler, too.

Have you ever known a piler?

As in someone who always has piles paper here, craft supplies there, magazines from 2002 in the corner?

That's me!

It's such a nasty habit!

But for this project, it works to my advantage!

I stack and pile with wild abandon, until I have worked through the entire contents of a room.

All the saved items get boxed.

All the toss items get bagged.

And all the sell/donate items get sent to the garage, for yardsale placement and labelling.

4.  Sell It!

I think we all know that I am a huge believer in the power of Craigslist, but with as much purging as is going on at my place, we have no choice but to...

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Is the theme song for Sanford & Son going through anyone else's head?

No?

How 'bout now...



But I digress....

I could do a whole post just on yard/garage saling properly.

But my best tip is to advertise.

Post it on Craigslist every day of the week prior listing out all of your big ticket items.

Make signs. 

LEGIT signs.

Make up flyers for your local grocery store/convenience store notification boards.

Believe it or not, people really do read this stuff. 

Especially if you are selling an antique hutch for $10.

5.  Donate it!

I know it's shocking to think, but there is probably a chance that you may have stuff leftover from your yardsale....

And although there's always the option of shipping them off to the Island of Misfit Toys....



I hear their qualification guidelines are extremely exclusive...

Which is why I heart Goodwill!

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It's silly to throw something away when there could be someone out there to get benefit from it - even if they didn't make it to your yardsale!

So please, for anything that remains, head to your local Goodwill and enjoy being greeted by the friendly people who will help you donate the remains of your former stuff.

And then drive back home...and enjoy your decluttered home....

Only, I think I have WEEKS before I actually get to that point....