By Keeva Stratton
Who’d have thought that the key to happiness could be found in the humble garbage bag? If extra baggage is weighing you down, it’s time to lighten the load with these simple solutions:
The Wardrobe
We’ve all got things lurking in our closet – and they’re not all pretty. If your nostalgic need to hoard is cramping your style, it’s time for an overhaul.
The process requires discipline, honesty, and a full length mirror; and can be achieved by dividing your unwanted clothes into three piles: one to sell, one to give to charity, and one to be thrown away.
For the clothes that you’re undecided about, try them on and take a long hard look in the mirror. If you still can’t decide, it’s time to phone a trusted friend.
If you love it, but it doesn’t love you, ease the pain with a little payment. You may even find that a new, more suitable owner, is prepared to offer reasonable cash for your castoffs, but you’ll never know unless you give eBay a go.
For those practical pieces that are still in good condition, a charity bin offers a great way of giving back. As it can cost charities, like the Salvos, many labour-hours sorting through clothes that are in poor condition, before you donate, so make sure it’s still wearable.
The great news is that with less clothes occupying your racks, your much loved items will be easier to find, and with room to be properly stored, you can enjoy them for years to come.
The Bathroom
If your bathroom resembles a graveyard of half-used products, it’s hardly the place to pamper.
Why not create a spa-like experience at home by giving your bathroom a cleanse! And, you may find it has several health benefits as well.
If your fave lipgloss from high-school is lurking in the back of the cupboard, you might find you’re also housing a colony of bacteria.
While different make-up has various shelf lives, the general rule is that nothing should be kept longer than 2 years, and products such as mascara, which comes in close contact with your precious eyes, should be discarded after just 3 months.
Read this article on How to know when it’s time to throw away your make-up for more info.
The same applies to bath and body products – look for their use-by date and remember that your loofah, toothbrush and sponges are key to keeping you clean, so practice good hygiene and replace them frequently.
When you’ve cleared the old, enjoy buying a few new candles, body gels and a bright new loofah to create a sanctuary for the senses.
The Study
Do you daydream about evenings curled up on a coach, hanging on each page of a locked-room mystery, but the only fright you ever seem to get is facing the mess that is your study? As an easy site for congestion, it’s time to get brutal with your books and pillage your paperwork.
We live in a digital age, so when it comes to paper, ask yourself, are there alternatives to printing? Set up your general correspondence, bank statements and bills to arrive online and both your storage and the environment will benefit.
Books should be treated with love. Invest in good shelving or, if space isn’t an option, why not cull your collection and get a little cash by selling them to your local secondhand bookstore.
And when it comes to magazines, if Brad and Jen are still together, just like their relationship, it’s time to recycle!
Finally, with your new found space, don’t fall back into old habits. Get stylishly sorted by investing in stationary and organisers that take the work out of maintaining a clear workspace.
