How to Create a Time for Purging
One of the hardest parts of a big purge is finding the motivation and making the time to do it. When a task feels insurmountable and frankly not fun, the best way to get it done is to make it smaller and make it fun. These tips will help you do just that.
My friend Erin had me over to help organize her daughter’s room
Pick one area to focus on, like one closet or one small room.
Ask a trusted friend if she can come help you for three hours and then write it on your calendar.
Give yourself a goal and name the goal: “We will work on the pantry for two hours.” Don’t get distracted by other rooms.
Prep your kids and family by laying out appropriate expectations (you’ll need to be on your own, you need to babysit, you may watch Netflix, you will get a prize when I am finished if you haven’t interrupted, etc.).
Make that purging session sacred. Don’t switch out laundry or answer a quick email. I’d even encourage you to put your phone on Do Not Disturb for that time.
Between you and your friend, you’ll have six labor hours. Make it fun -- drink special coffees, light a candle, play some tunes!
Ideally, you’ll want to empty the space, then categorize like with like. Make sure you have trash bags on hand. Maybe black bags for trash, white bags for donate. Then sort and purge like crazy!
Reload into your baskets and shelves.
What felt overwhelming to her ended up being a fun day for us
If you and a friend plan a “purging party,” I hope you take a picture and tag me (@house.peace) - I’d love to see you putting these tips into practice!
- Tara