Call it a goal, not a New Year’s resolution, but January is a popular month to get organized.  Do you wish to downsize your living space?  Are you tired of clutter?  Does having too much stuff around you make you a bit anxious, or just make you not feel like yourself?  Is the task so daunting you have no idea how to start?

Raising 3 kids with a large attic in my house was a blessing, but now it is more of a curse.  Because if we ever thought we may need something later, it just went to the attic.  We kept all sorts of things, such as old clothes and furniture, because who knows?  One of our kids may want it at some point.  Keep old baby books and toys?  Save them for the grandkids.  Too many holiday decorations?  Guess where they went.

Perhaps your issue is something on a larger scale, such as clearing out a loved one’s home that has either moved, or passed away.  It can be daunting, without a clear way to start.  Thankfully, my wife is an organizational guru, and she was forced into dealing with her parent’s belongings when the need arose.

Here are a few basic tips:

• First, you need to just start!  But tell yourself you will give it an hour.  That way, if you spend more than an hour, you will hopefully feel good about it.  But then you will not feel disappointed if you do not take the entire day.
• If it will be needed, rent a dumpster.  Contact your local garbage company, or even try a local company called Gorilla Bags.  I used them for a family member, and the price was reasonable.
• Go through one room at a time before you move on to the next.
• Organize piles in each room, or maybe put a different color sticky note on each item.  One color for items to be given to family, a different color for items to be thrown away, and another color for items to be donated.
• There are several local organizations that accept clothing, household items, and even furniture.  Goodwill, Savers, and Hope Gospel Mission are good local bets, and the proceeds from your donation stays in the local community.  Garage and/or estate sales are an option, but not for me.

Trust me when I say this is not often an easy task.  The aforementioned attic has been on my radar for a few years now, and it is still there.  Not as full as two years ago, but still full of stuff.

Need help from the library?  There are several books on the subject of cleaning up, organizing, and decluttering.  These books will help guide you, in not only the physical aspects, but also assist with the mental anguish that can arise.

Questions?  Ideas?  Anything we can assist you with?  Call the Reference Team at 715-839-5004, or email at reference@eauclaire.lib.wi.us.