Awhile back, I provided my system of streamlining stuff - aka declutter, downsize -- and I've had lots of nice feedback on how this system really works for others. So, I'm providing the info again, in its own streamlined form:
Reba's 10 Step Declutter System for Stripping Away the Excess Stuff in Your Life That Really Works
Preliminary Advice: Be patient with yourself. Task by task, step by step, you'll get it all done. The Queen of England is NOT visiting this weekend.
1. Buy four large laundry baskets (different colors is great, but not absolutely necessary) - the bigger the better, I found some huge ones at Dollar Tree back in 2005 that I'm still using. Baskets? Yes. Their handles can be very useful, so I don't recommend boxes or bags here.
2. Take your laundry baskets and label them (yep, somehow this is important) KEEP, TOSS, GIVE, and PUT-AWAY. I find masking tape wrapped around the basket handles with Sharpie marker labelling works just fine. No matter how full the basket, you can see its label on the handles.
3. Give yourself a time limit. You can be sentimental later, you're just sorting right now. And if you only have ten minutes today, that's okay. Sort for ten minutes then.
4. Start with a room, or a section of a room.
