Don't like it? Then get rid!

This time of year signifies the run up to Christmas and all the excitement of what that brings. When I was little, my mum would use this time of year to have a clear out and would get me and my sister to tidy out our bedrooms and get rid of some things. She used to say we had to make room for anything Santa might bring at Christmas and explained that some boys and girls weren't as lucky as us and might not get many presents from Santa. This was how she got us to clear out old clothes and toys and we would happily take them to the charity shops, knowing that some other children would get the nice toys we liked so much.

This has kind of stuck with me and when I'm having a clear out, I try to find the items a new home. I don't like throwing things in the bin (especially as they end up in the landfill) particularly when they have nothing wrong with them. I might not want it anymore but someone else would probably want it. That's my theory anyway!

After reading A Thrifty Mrs's recent decluttering post, it has spurred me on to have a clear out and get rid of some things. Although I haven't committed to the 90 items that she's ditching, I have found myself getting rid of a a lot of things. I've cleared out my wardrobe, my desk drawers and office and there's now a large selection of items in the charity shops that previously belonged to me. There are also some things that went to the recycling bin or which have been stored away in the 'to be upcycled into something else' pile. I've been slowly decluttering for a few weeks now and it feels liberating to get rid of the stuff that's been dragging me down. This decluttering has also transferred to my email inboxes (all 3 of them), my Facebook and Twitter feeds and even the blogs I'm subscribed to. I've deleted/unfollowed people and organisations that I'm no longer in touch with or interested in or which plain annoy me, which makes way for new additions. I feel like I've shifted some dead weight which was dragging me down and making my social media dull and uninteresting.

There are still things that need gotten rid off but I'm being careful not to take too much more on in the run up to Christmas. I've already earmarked January as the month to get rid of the utter crap that's in the loft. Our house is not the biggest and we do have a storage issue so we cannot afford to hoard stuff that no longer has a place in our lives. It's rather addictive once you get started! For me, decluttering means freeing up space not just in my home but in my mind too. It makes me feel lighter.

I recommend ruthless decluttering on a fairly regular basis in order to keep on top of it. Here's a few questions I ask myself in order to speed up the process:
What is is?
Do I like it?
When did I last use it?
Will I use it again?
Will I miss it?
How can I get rid of it?

Go on, spend ten minutes decluttering and see how much better you'll feel!