I admit it. I have a problem to address. I love stuff. It may stem psychologically from my childhood, but everywhere I’d ever venture, I would come home with a bag of whatnot. It’s something we are truly working on. And now that we have a toddler, we realize exactly how much we accrue.

This word, “Simplify.” It is easier said than done. But, there are ways to rid your life of excess stuff, if you so choose. By letting go, a sense of calm and peace follow. Here are a few tips I am going to implement in the new year tohelp rid the hoard.

Pick a few favorites. Out of the million things in your closet/cupboards, there are always things you gravitate towards– like a certain cup you always use. There is a reason you always choose this one thing. It brings you joy. It reminds you of a happy time. Someone dear gave it to you. Whatever the reason, you use it; you keep it; you love it! The rest is just meh.

Themed things. I have over 10 (count it– 1.0.) storage bins filled with just Christmas stuff. And it seems each year I put out less and less, yet I acquire more and more. The pick a few process might help us get rid of some of the clutter (here’s hoping). I even have a Thanksgiving glass. I love that glass. That is my yearly November glass. Haha. We’ll be keeping her.

Trip trinkets. We’ve all went nuts and purchased souvenirs at our most coveted destinations. And then what? We have a plethora of Mickey Mouse stuff we can’t wear (or use) all at once like we did at Disney. I now try to purchase things I can use. For example, Vermont seasoning and maple syrup. In my opinion, it has more impact than the magnet on the fridge. It took me a year to use it all. I find that spending more on something that can plant an experience or memory is far greater than an item. Chances are you took a million photos to prove you were there.

Time. Sometimes it’s easier to just buy something and then put it in a bin. For our daughter’s first birthday, I tried ridiculously hard to purchase and make things that were mostly made out of paper so I could feel less guilty about throwing it away. I knew I wouldn’t want to keep any of it and I didn’t want it going into a landfill (we’re freaks), but, it’s taxing. The dollar store is full of fun things. They trick you into coming home with bags and bags of stuff you will only use one time. Haha. At least, that’s what I’v come to believe.

Inventory. With a smaller amount of stuff, it would be so much easier to not lose or forget something and to create an inventory of what you have. I tried doing this with a closet app once and realized, I still need to continue to do a closet overhaul. I started selling some of the items on ebay and I have made about $250 bucks, which isn’t too shabby, in my opinion. Especially because I am no longer going to continue to wear that drunk shopping Mary Poppins sweatshirt nearly enough. It can be anything. How many pairs of gardening gloves do you need? Spades? Seeds? Tools? Old nails that you can’t use? Scarves? I have too many, still.

Quality. I have started investing in quality pieces. Boots made of real leather so I don’t have to toss them when they start to get scuffed up and crack like the pleather ones do. I also upgraded certain seasonal things like a witch hat to one of better quality. Every year for Halloween, I dress like a witch at least once. I got rid of the cheap dollar store had and upgraded to a nice felt one. Whatever the item, if you are investing in it, you might think differently about how much you actually need it, want it, or will use it.

Donate. Ask yourself, “will someone else love or enjoy this more?” Chances are, they will. Be charitable. You’ll feel great about it and you can write it off on your taxes, in some cases. It’s a win for all!

Overall, this is a slooooow process for us, but we will eventually get there. Afterall, we have an entire year to see where this purging (of stuff) will take us.

Happy 2018!