De-Clutter Your Life

Finding a job blues getting you down? Are you feeling discouraged and overwhelmed? Sometimes something as simple as a change in your space can give you the jump start you need to feel energized and more focused. Now that it is early late spring, the idea of spring cleaning can be overwhelming. After a day full of job searching, child wrangling and taking care of my family, the only thing I want to organize is the wine into my glass. Fortunately, there is hope and many resources to help get started.

The first thing you will want to do is to take a look around and assess how much stuff you have that you need to get rid of. We all have those closets and attics that are filled with things that we don't use, don't need and have been meaning to get rid of for some time. This might be the perfect time to have a yard sale. Summer is a great time for yard sales, and you can let your junk earn you a few bucks to invest in something to help you on your job search, like a new interview outfit or a computer upgrade. Check with your city or county to see if you will need a yard sale permit, and contact your local paper to place an ad once you have decided on a time. Some great resources for having a successful yard sale are Yard Sale Queen, FrugalMom and of course Ehow.

Now that you have decided what to do with the clutter, the next step is to get started separating the things that you want to keep, the things that need to be thrown out and the items that you are planning to sell or donate to charity. The most effective way to do this is to get some boxes and mark them “keep” “give away” and “trash”. As you go through your rooms, make sure that everything gets put into one of these bins. It can be hard to part with things that have sentimental value or that you have had for a long time. Make sure that the things that you keep are items that you actually need, will use and have meaning to you. Don't look at it as losing stuff, but rather making room for new things in your life. Sometimes it can mean letting go of clothes that you don't fit into, and accepting that you may never wear that size again, or letting go of an expensive item that just doesn't fit into your life or home. The letting go process can be difficult, but it is healing and helps to make room for new and better things.

After you have gotten all of your things sorted into categories, you should have plenty of room to start cleaning up. Knowing where to start can be a challenge. One of the best cleaning motivation sites is FlyLady. FlyLady is a free service with step by step, and even baby step, instructions that can help even the most cleaning challenged person get motivated and get clean. You can even try using natural products that you probably already have in your pantry. Natural products make cleaning safer for kids and pets, and can save you quite a bit of money. You can find some great tips for using things like baking soda and vinegar to get your home squeaky clean.

Now that you are all cleaned up, take a look around and enjoy the new space. Put away the things in your “keep” boxes and give yourself a pat on the back. After working through the clutter you can come back to your job search with a clear mind, an organized space and a new outlook. If you are still feeling ambitious, take a look at Jennifer's recent post on how to de-clutter your job search.

 

-by Melisssa Kennedy- Melissa is a freelance writer having contributed to various blogs and news sites, a volunteer, full time mom and active job seeker.