Got Too Much Stuff At Home? Here’s What You Can Do With It.
Published March 5, 2020
Do you ever feel like you’re drowning in things? Or perhaps you’re having a hard time locating things around your house? These could be signs that you have too much stuff at home.
But “too much” can vary for each person. Having more clothes than what they can wear in a week or two can be too much for some. But it can be just right for others. If you want to know whether you have too much stuff or not, here are some good indicators:
- You have a hard time navigating your house from all the things cluttered on the floor.
- You barely have enough space to sit or sleep.
- You always have to buy replacements as you can’t find the original.
- You and other people at home don’t know where things are most of the time.
- Some of your stuff has to be stored outside your house.
- You’re embarrassed by the appearance of your house.
- People at home are ashamed of inviting company over.
- You’re always saving the good stuff for later.
If you can relate to most of the above, don’t fret just yet. Here are some tips on what you can do with all that extra stuff.
Throw Away Those That Can’t Be Salvaged
If you take a quick survey of the stuff you own, you’ll notice that a significant part of it is beyond salvage. That can include a broken phone, dried-out pens or even moldy old bread that’s been sitting at the back of your pantry. Throwing all those away can be a good starting point to declutter your home.
Sort Items According to Frequency of Use
After getting rid of things that are not anymore useful, sort the remaining items on their frequency of use. Put the things you frequently use in easily accessible storage spaces. While stuff which you only use once a year, like your winter clothing or Christmas decor, should be safely stored away.
Evaluate The Sentimental Value
How many of your stuff are you keeping because you’re used to it and how many have actual sentimental value? Most of the time, we hold on to a thing because it’s always been there. But what we don’t notice is it’s taking up the space that’s supposed to be for the things with real sentimental value.
Set Your Priorities
If you have limited space, setting your priorities is essential. Always take into consideration the amount of storage space you have when sorting out which stuff to keep. Decide if things like that sweater you impulsively bought a few years ago and have never yet worn are still worth keeping. If you have no plans to wear it in the future, then better save that closet space and get rid of it.
Get Rid of Things That Don’t Bring You Happiness
According to tidying expert Marie Kondo, if a thing doesn’t spark joy, then you need to get rid of it. Sometimes, we just keep things because we are guilt-tripped into keeping it (like that hideous Christmas sweater gifted to you). Discarding them will not only free up space but also sets you free from the distress, anxiety, and frustration it’s causing you.
Donate to Charity
If things aren’t useful to you, it doesn’t necessarily mean that no one else would want it. So instead of throwing old clothes into the trash, better donate them to charity. There are a lot of less fortunate people who would be very happy to receive it.
If you’re in South Florida, you can bring those old clothes to use here at Our Father’s House Soup Kitchen. Aside from serving hot lunches, we’ve also been giving clothes and hygiene items to the homeless and poor for over 30 years.
(Interested In Donating To Us? Here’s A Quick Word From Our Staff: While we encourage donations, we find that we must be particular about what is donated. We get many old clothes which were at one time sentimental or very expensive but this does not translate to our needs and are often a burden to store and maintain. We would like to stress the things we really need which are hygiene items, sneakers, socks, jeans, shorts, t-shirts, polo shirts, hats/caps, blankets, jackets, sweatshirts, underwear, baby items, and all clothing should be clean and unwrinkled. Men’s suits, women’s nice dresses, and shoes are rarely needed except for special events such as a professional job interview and we maintain a pretty good selection. Nicer clothes might be better served at a Goodwill or Salvation Army where they could be resold and the money used to keep the workers employed. Also, food donations must be unexpired and in non-breakable containers.)
Get Creative
With a little bit of creativity, you can always turn your trash into something useful or even a stunning work of art. If you’re lacking for ideas, there are a lot of DIY videos you can find on the internet to help you get started.
Assign a Permanent Place for Each Item
When you’re sorting out the things that you’re keeping, see to it that you assign a permanent place for each item. This will help you easily locate them when you need them. Not to mention you won’t have a hard time looking for a place to store it after you’re done using it.
Donate To The Poor & Homeless Of South Florida
Our Father’s House Soup Kitchen has fed the poor and homeless in South Florida over 900,000 hot meals since 1993. Our tax deductible non profit organization also accepts and distributes donations such as clothing, toiletries, shoes, bicycles, and more. You can donate to help the poor and homeless through our website.
Reviewed For Factual Accuracy
Our team meticulously fact-checks all website content before publishing. Discover more about our website’s editorial standard here and the dedication we uphold.
About The Author
Judy Ponio is a professional writer and devoted Christian. She has a passion for writing about topics related to morality and helping the poor and homeless. She is the lead author for the Our Father’s House Soup Kitchen blog.
Correct Digital, Inc is paid by private donors to provide website digital marketing services to this non-profit organization.
