Hubby: What are the plans for the weekend? (READ: Saan tayo gagala?)
Me: I don't know about you, but I'm planning to organize some stuff in the house.
Hubby: What?! Na naman?
I understand my husband's reaction since I've been doing this for months. Well, not exactly every week, but on most weekends I choose to stay at home to organize and declutter. And after all these time, would you believe I still find lots of things that I need to throw away?
Why do I choose to do this?, my husband asks. Well, here's why:
1. Less clutter, less stress.
I don't know about you, but clutter can affect my work. I noticed that whenever I have been remiss in cleaning my stuff at home (and even in my own desk at the office), I would most likely get distracted from my work. At some point it got so bad that I found myself thinking about the items that I need to throw away instead of the bugs that I need to fix.
For an introvert like me, my home is my refuge. At the end of the day, I look forward to coming home to sit back and watch TV or read a book. So for me to be able to enjoy my stay at home, I have learned to embrace the art of organizing.
2. Free up space.
My husband and I currently rent a tiny two bedroom apartment. Because of this, we need to be conscious of the things that we buy. For instance, one consideration when buying a sofa set is: will this fit in the small living room? We needed space to move around the house.
The need to free up space became more apparent when our baby arrived. In order to make room for the baby's stuff, we had to let go of some stuff (mainly small appliances and furniture)- and throw away more trash!
It's also quite easy to sneak in small items, but once it gets accumulated, I had to become the lean mean purging machine!
3. No more embarassing moments!
My husband likes to invite people to our tiny abode. In the early part of our marriage, I wasn't that strict when it comes to cleaning the house. So more often than not, I'd be caught off guard when my husband comes home with his friends. Or when relatives would make a surprise visit. Mortified by the clutter, I would force myself to ignore it and carry on with entertaining the guests. More than a year later, I'm happy to say that those embarrassing moments were becoming rare.
4. Save. Save. Save.
Save time and effort. Can't find your passport? Or the cellphone charger? In an organized household, it's easy to find things because you know exactly where to find them. Whenever possible, I also put labels on cabinets and storage items, you know, to lessen the number of times I get asked the question: Nasaan yung...?
Save money. Do you buy something even though you know you probably own one but can’t find it? Do you overstock on some items because your pantry is not well organized? Case in point, I found out recently that over the years, my husband has accumulated a number of cellphone and gadget holders- and none of them are being used. I told my husband about this and he seemed to be genuinely surprised. Quite reasonable reaction since these items were just stored in some box. If I haven't unearthed these, he would most likely buy another if he decides he needed one.
5. Find hidden treasures.
Those old toys or clothes and bags might no longer mean something to you, but it might still be valuable to others- bargain hunters in particular. If they're still in good (or usable condition), you might be able to sell it online. Ebay, multiply and sulit.com.ph are just some of the popular sites where you can sell your pre-loved items. I have an account on ebay.ph and there I sell used books and other pre-owned items.
In a few hours, I'll be busy with two organizing projects: family documents binder and
work space make over. Will let you know how it goes. Meanwhile, happy organizing! :)
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