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Community Corner

DE-CLUTTER ANYTHING IN 5 STEPS

Clutter is a constant “to do” list, says Tracy McCubbin, owner of Los Angeles-based dClutterfly. During an educational seminar hosted by The Samarkand, a faith-based, not-for-profit continuing care retirement community operated by Covenant Retirement Communities, she told area seniors how to get to the bottom of the list.

“During her seminar ‘Livable Organization: Managing that Clutter,’ Tracy talked about the practical and emotional effects of clutter,” says Tim Ficker, executive director at The Samarkand. “Her practical tips offer a good way to get started, whether you just want to enjoy a clutter-free desk or want to de-clutter before downsizing.”

McCubbin notes that there are many reasons we hold onto our stuff, and sentimental value is at the top of the list. “It’s not the things we want, it’s the memories that go with them,” she says. “We’re afraid that if we let the items go we’ll lose the feelings as well.”

Other reasons for keeping what you may not need include guilt, self-perception, frugality and misperception. “People feel guilty about getting rid of something they were given. They may keep books because they make them feel smart. They may think that because they paid good money for something, they should keep it, even if they no longer use it. Or they may be under the illusion that something is valuable,” she says.

A plan for dispatching discards with dignity will ease the process. “Be open and honest with family members,” she counsels. If they hesitate to take an item, she suggests telling them, “I’m not planning to use it, and it would make me happy to have you enjoy it.” That way, she says, you’ll find out if they want it or not. If they don’t, you’re free to dispatch it in another way.

Before you start to de-clutter, McCubbin says you have to acknowledge that it is a difficult process — both emotionally and physically. “You can’t donate a lifetime of memories on a Saturday afternoon,” she says.

Starting small and chipping away at the project works for many folks. McCubbin recalls one client who successfully de-cluttered a room by working on it two hours a week.

The daughter of a lifelong hoarder, McCubbin says that there are five Ps in the de-cluttering process:

• Pull out:  Start with a slice of an area, a dresser drawer or a closet shelf — something you know you can do in the time you have. Pull everything out and put it on a flat surface.

• Put together: Put like with like. That allows you to see what you have and if you have duplicates.

• Purge: Identity items you’ll let go. Then let go of some more.

• Put back:  Make sure everything has a place. If it doesn’t, let it go. If you create more clutter, the process isn’t working.

• Peace of Mind:  Sit back and enjoy the space and freedom you’ve created.

The process balances on the purge step in the middle, and McCubbin suggests five questions to ask yourself when you’re undecided about keeping an item.

Do you use it more than once a year?

Can you borrow it or reasonably buy it again?

Does it make you money/do you use it in your work?

Do you have a place to store it?

Do you love love love love it?

If you answer yes to one of the questions, McCubbin says to keep the item. She urges clients who are downsizing to consider the storage question carefully.

“It’s a simple math equation,” she notes. “We can’t fit a 4,000-square-foot house into a two-bedroom apartment.”

Neuroscience researchers at Princeton University found that clutter competes for attention and makes it difficult to focus and process information. McCubbin says the reward of eliminating clutter is peace of mind.

“There’s a reason spas seem very serene. The décor is very simple,” she observes. Using her de-clutter tactics, you can capture some of that spa serenity at home — one drawer at a time.
  
About The Samarkand
The Samarkand, a faith-based, nationally accredited, not-for-profit continuing care retirement community, is located at 2550 Treasure Dr., Santa Barbara, Calif. It is administered by Covenant Retirement Communities, one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit senior services providers. Covenant Retirement Communities serves 5,000 residents at 15 retirement communities nationwide and is a ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church.  For more information on The Samarkand, call 877–231-6284 or visit www.TheSamarkand.org.
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