It’s time to make room for 2022 and leave things that don’t serve you behind. Yeah, every year it can feel the same, but this isn’t a post about how you can achieve your New Year’s resolutions or be a better person. I’m talking about sustainable solutions to declutter your life and make space for the future. If you have sentimental tendencies like me, you’ve likely accumulated a lot of items over the years, and now your space is invaded by your own personal museum of the past. It’s difficult to welcome a New Year when almost everything you have is a reminder of back then, so here’s a breakdown of a few things you can do to take control of your future and make space!
1. Channel Marie Kondo and ask yourself, “Does this bring me joy?”
Plants, books, pictures, posters. Is there a way you can compress some of these items in a memory box or scrapbook? Often we don’t need to get rid of things that are a happy reminder, we just need a nice way to display them well. This past year I got started on a scrapbook for all of my polaroid photos and postcards from the past and made it a task to document my life so far in images. But I’ve been especially discriminating and only chose the items which were positive and made me feel good. Letters from an ex? No thanks.
2. Make it a New Year’s resolution to clear out anything living in storage
Often the best places to check for things you already want to leave behind is literally the what’s equivalent to a basement or storage closet. You thought you’d do some tidying at one point and the best idea at the time was to put unsightly items there, only to forget about them until you need to store something else at another point. Suddenly a mountain of random items is in one single space and the feeling is overwhelming. It’s hard to find anything and you fear rummaging will lead to an avalanche of your own belongings. Take action for your future and make time to clear out anything that’s been living in storage for years and you feel that you likely won’t be using it anytime soon.
3. Remind yourself how often you use it. Can someone else take better care of it?
As we get older, we naturally accumulate items without meaning to. Whether it’s a keepsake from your relatives or a gift from a friend, sometimes the best thing to do is find a better home for it. I recently gave away a few items which didn’t have a place with me on Freecycle and the feeling has been wonderful. Giving away something to someone else who will appreciate it better is a kind thing to do and benefits the space in your home.
4. Does it have some value? Put it up for sale
One of the benefits of clearing out anything is the extra cash you can make. Depending on the time of things you’re clearing out, it’s best to do some research before abruptly trashing some things away. It can take some time, but it’s a great way to adopt a new hobby, test your business acumen and keep the January Blues away. Online businesses like eBay no longer have a monopoly on selling unwanted items either, so keep an eye for specialist business who will buy what you’re willing to give away!. If you’re selling clothes, check out Vinted, Depop, or ASOS Marketplace. Books can vary in value depending on the age and copy, but you might be able to fetch a good deal in an independent or vintage shop looking for iconic classics. The same can be said for vinyl records, videogames, DVDs, and even designer brands.
5. Repurpose it
Similar to the scrapbooking idea, sometimes there are things you just don’t want to throw away. If that’s the case, you can be creative and consider ways you can make something old, new again. Collages are perfect for newspaper clippings and cut-outs. I recently invested in a new portfolio case to house all of my drawings and paintings over the years so that I’m able to enjoy looking back on all of them in one place.
Nadia Cheung 