Reducing Clutter in the Home

[WandererInGray]

*scratches head*
I'm not sure if this is the right place to do this...but there wasn't just a general home section and it's kind of a combination of things.

I'm a packrat. I think it's partly genetic, partly evironment (live in the same house for 18 years you accumulate a lot of stuff), and partly an automatic response to the changing seasons.

Anyhow I've got a LOT of stuff...and lately I've been feeling really tied down by it. So I've started going through things and tossing/giving away/donating/selling things with a vengence.

I went through my closet and removed clothes that hadn't fit me in years....and I know there's still stuff in there. I've gone through my CD collection and removed CD I never listen to. And I'm painstakingly going through my book collections and trying (goddess it's painful) to see what I can live without.

I live with two other people, one of whom is moving out in June, and the other one and I will stay in this house for a little while before finding a bigger place to live. We've already got some plans for spreading things out....including moving my bed into the extra room. I have so much clutter in my bedroom right now that it's extremely distracting.

*rolls eyes* I had a point here somewhere.....*digs*...ah there it is!

Does anyone have any recommendations or suggestions for a ritual to reduce the clutter in the house on a magickal level. (since we're working on the physical level already) I'd love to do something other than just a simple cleansing, though we'll probably do that too.

And goddess, please....some other suggestions for "parting" with things. I'm working on this material attachment thing I've got...but it's slow progress.

[Myst]

Well you can magically charge cleaning tools. I'm not sure if you've ever done a reiving (magical cleansing) but you can do that too. I have basic ideas at http://willowraven.com/bos/practices/reiv.php that you can use with your own wording etc.

[maya]

Well... I can't say much for ritual but I'm quite the opposite of a pack rat. Every few months I'll start going around throwing things away. Here are some things I do to help me keep the clutter in my life to a minimum.

1) I bought paper trays. These hold things like bills, notes, and records that should be filed away and then I can sort through them when I'm ready but it gives all this 'stuff' that's usually the bulk of what's lying around in my house a place. Mine are pretty neon blue and purple. I think they were 3 dollars for the set at Wal-Mart

2) I bought two clear plastic tubs. Mine are medium sized but you may want to pick what's best for you. In these two tubs I put things that I love, want to keep forever, but don't want out. These are things like letters, photographs,small toys, my cords from graduation etc. This way you've prioritized these things as "Things I want to hold on to but don't want laying around" The thubs I bought have sturdy lids and are built for stacking. Also, by limiting the space you're allowing for things you'll really prioritize them. It might help to say this draw is ONLY for things or I'll keep ONLY what I can fit on this shelf. If you limit the space where you're willing to let clutter gather then you'll run out of places to put things and be forced to start getting rid of what's not important.

3) Next I would pick a room to start in. What you want to do is examine each thing there and ask yourself:

a. Does this object have a monetary/sentimental value worth the space it takes up?

b. If A is no then ask "Have I used this thing in six months?"

This way you can sort out things that have real value and things which are used often. If it's a crockpot you've never used donate it. If it's a magazine you haven't read since you got it or read in awhile, toss it. If it's a book then donate it. Never feel that you should keep anything because you should. If it's worthless then it's trash and doesn't belong in your space. If it's broken, throw it away.

4) Buy plastic tubs and baskets for things. I have three plastic baskest (88 cents a peice) in my bathroom closet to hold toiletries. It's still a mess in there but it feels organized because the mess is contained. Having more than one basket allows me to sort stuff (medicines in one, makeup in another, extra soaps and cleansers in the third). By my desk I also have a basket which hold things like paper for the printer or to write on, computer disks and manuals etc.

Once you have gotten rid of the unimportant things you can start organizing those things that are important. For example, I only keep enough bowls/plates/flatware to use for one week, about what I can fit in one load in the dishwasher. If there's only the two of you I'd suggest cutting down in this area. If you have 40 plastic cups there's a good chance you'll use all 40 before you get them washed. Another good way to watch for incoming clutter is mail. As soon as I bring the mail in I sort it. All junk mail goes directly in the trash. For my bills, I open each one and throw away the inserts and outer envelope and place the bill inside it's return envelope in the paper tray.

As far as books go, whenever I'm ready for new books I collect all the books I've read and don't want to keep or haven't read at all and take them to a used book store, then I take the money I get from that and buy books with it. This keeps me from having more books than I read and also makes buying books more economical.

The really key, to getting rid of clutter is in these questions "Have I used this in six months? Is it broken? Does it have any value to me?" The last question may be the hardest but if you think of it like this "How would I feel if I didn't have this anymore?" then you'll know what your feelings are about it. Remember that things that make you unhappy because of clutter won't make you happy if you keep them. I hope this helps!

~Maya

[kblackthorne]

Well, there's the whole ritual-sweeping thing.

Cunningham discusses it as a way to "cleanse" an area before casting a Circle in it, but we've never used it that way: Only to "cleanse" living-space of all the stuff that builds up in corners, etc. (Usually before moving in.)

[was]

what you do not want sell at a yard sale or give away as a gift for b days or x mas.