Decluttering your life in 13 weeks (10 minutes at a time): weeks 1 & 2

I’m guessing that at some point in your life you’ve had a friend who’s been really, really organized. Not only does organization come naturally to that person, their room is always picked up, their clothes are clean and neat, and they know how to find something right away if you ask for it. If you’re like me, you think of these people primarily as miracle-workers, and maybe they make you feel bad, disorganized, sloppy and cluttered. After all, you see what could be, but you just don’t seem to be able to do it for yourself. The thought of getting your life in order seems overwhelming. You already know you won’t be able to do it perfectly. So really, why should you bother?

Well, first of all, the point of organization isn’t to be perfect. It’s to help you manage your life so there is less you have to think about. Getting a handle on your belongings will help you worry less when things are chaotic, stressful, and just plain weird. You’ll already have a system in place. And you know that as a teenager, your life has had a tendency to get progressively more complicated the older you get. So it’s a good idea to get a handle on what you have, and make it a habit now.

The other thing to know is that the vast majority of us own a whole lot of things we never use. They’re broken, forgotten, outdated, or otherwise unusable. If you watch organizing shows on TV, almost everyone says “I need to get organized.” But what they really need to say is “I need to get rid of the stuff that’s weighing me down.” That’s the point of this article—how to get rid of what you aren’t using anymore, because you’ll use the things you do have more effectively and have less junk to worry about.

For the next few months we’re going to look at your life in two areas, the stuff you own and the stuff you do. Before you get overwhelmed, know that I’m only going to give you 13 steps to get you started. Each step should take about 10 minutes. You can do what you want with them. You can do them all at once, or one week at a time. That’s up to you. This will require a fair bit of self-motivation on your part, and also some honesty, but just plow ahead as much as you can.

We’re going to do this two steps at a time. So work on these two things and in a couple weeks I’ll be back with more you can do to get the clutter out of your life!

Week 1: Talk to your parents. Tell them you’re thinking of getting rid of some of the stuff you don’t use anymore. You want to do your best to sell, give away, or donate those things. Is that OK with them? If it isn’t, ask them if you can have a couple of boxes to store the things you aren’t using in the basement or attic. But don’t go around throwing out stuff without talking to them first.

Then spend a few minutes getting used to the idea of getting rid of what you don’t or can’t use anymore. Remember that your stuff won’t miraculously improve in condition. What’s broken will probably stay broken. You’re going to have to be a little less emotional and a little more ruthless about getting rid of stuff.

Week 2: Clean up your junk in the bathroom. You’re going to trash stuff in here, not give it away, because you shouldn’t share personal items. Get a music playlist you like going and take 10 minutes to go through your toiletries. Sort through everything you use on a daily basis and throw out what is no good anymore. Don’t forget to look under the sink and in the shower. Throw out empty bottles. If it’s something you’re going to replace, take a picture of the bottle before you toss it.

Guys: junk your old razors, shaving cream, cologne, hair stuff, or deodorant you don’t use any more, wash your comb in the sink with hand soap, and replace your toothbrush.

Girls: get rid of makeup you don’t wear anymore and anything that’s broken, smelly, has separated, changed form, or doesn’t look right to you. Wash your makeup and hair brushes in the sink with hand soap. Clean the icky crud off your flatiron with a wet paper towel (make sure it’s unplugged!). Get rid of dirty or broken hair accessories. Replace your toothbrush.

Now look around the bathroom...hopefully you can tell a difference! And try to get in the habit of keeping your stuff picked up and put-together, or at least wipe the counter off after you get ready. Your parents will love you...we promise. :)