Monday, April 23, 2012

What Now?

This is the last in a series about the "One Year Attic Rule" (scroll down to previous posts).


Step 4: Remove everything you just took out of your attic from your premises immediately! You've made your decisions. Don't second guess yourself. And don't let any other family members dig through it and pull things back out either.


Take it all (RIGHT NOW!!!!!) to one of the following places:
  • dump, dumpster or curb
  • charity thrift shop (YMCA Thrift ShopGoodwill)
  • consignment shop (may require an appointment, see Yellow Pages to find one)
  • Once Upon a Child or Plato's Closet for cash payment
  • Craigslist listing (don't keep it if it doesn't sell, and don't shop while you're there...) 
  • (insert any other place you can think of besides your attic, house, porch, yard or car here) 
It doesn't matter where you take it. Just take it. RIGHT NOW!!!!!  (Yes, I do know that typing in bold caps is considered yelling.)

Step 5: Repeat steps 1 through 4 until your attic is as clean as you want it to be. It might take a while, but you'll get there. If you do this a year from now, you have a reference point for the "One Year Attic Rule". If it's still there the next time, right where you left it, then it's been there a year without being used. Bite the bullet and get rid of it!

If you're wondering what's left in my attic, here's the list:
  • Christmas decorations, wrappings and artificial tree 
  • a few decorations for other holidays
  • 25 years of business files (you have to keep those but I'm not worried about deterioration)
  • a few of my daughter's toys
  • a dollhouse (currently listed on Craigslist) 
  • 2 leaves for my dining room table (shouldn't be there- could get damaged)
  • luggage
  • metal filing cabinet (can't remember what's in it)
  • 3 American Girl doll boxes
  • rocking chair from my childhood (should be somewhere else but just doesn't fit in)
  • 2 humidifiers (used only in winter months)
How long did it take my husband and me to get to this point? It probably involved somewhere around five years of difficult decisions, but we got there. And I don't regret any of it. Freedom from junk is so liberating! Try it...


Oh, I forgot to mention this technique works anywhere in your house that you might have a growing collection of unused (or useless) items. Give them to someone who will appreciate them. You'll both be happier. 

Good luck! Let me know how it goes. 

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