SPRING CLEANUP… HOW TO CLEAN OUT YOUR JUNK
It’s time people! Like a car needs a tune-up, your house needs a spring cleaning. So, I thought I’d give you a little encouragement to GET THE JUNK OUT of the house. This means everything in a box. Everything shoved underneath your bed. Everything in the attic. Come clean, people!
Here’s my RULE OF FINGER: if you haven’t used it in the last year—figure out a way to use it in the next day or point it toward the door.
Here's a HELPFUL HINT: While you’re cleaning out, if you’re storing something in a box, label it! If you still have your neighbor’s saw, return it. If you have the old coffee maker hogging space in the kitchen cabinet, it (and all of its ilk) needs to move on.
The CHALLENGE: If you’re really hardcore take every thing out of a room and rebuild from the floor up, from rug to chairs to art to tchotchkes. Believe me, this is the single best way to get a “designer look” to your home. If you haven’t moved in a while, try it sometime. It’s both excruciatingly painful and delightfully rewarding. You’ll find things you always wondered what happened to, and things that you never knew you had. Only put back the things that have a place, biggest pieces first. If you have a “collection,” display only your best 1/3. Definitely let go of the bottom 1/3. The middle 1/3 could be saved for rotation or sold for profit.
Next time, how to make money off your stuff when you decide to finally let it go.
March 25, 2008 02:18 AM
Comments
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Bruce
Good luck Marilyn & Jamie! nothing is as cathartic as a good clean. thanks marilyn for loving Garage Sale America. I so enjoyed the adventure of writing it!
Jamie Sherman
I am spring cleaning and attempting to make money off my stuff at the same time by turning my collection of ephemera into NEW art!!! and i will toss it on ebay more for fun than money - i need to LET GO!! if anyone wants to see the creations - post a comment !
marilyn
Bruce, Talk about a timely post. I'm organizing a city wide yard sale in Avoca, Pa. ( about 2 hours from NYC )and I will pass these ideas on to our participants. The yard sale is being held May 17th. I've never done this before so wish me luck. By the way, I LOVED the BOOK. It was hilarious. I hated to come to the end.
