out with the stuff!

as i begin to go through all my clothing and furniture to lighten my load for the move, i'm using all the great tips i've learned in the past about de-cluttering and getting rid of things. very refreshing to let go!

1. grab a friend: i find that when i pack alone, i tend to easily convince myself that i need that 3rd pair of jeans for my weekend trip, or maybe i will go out somewhere nice so i need that cute dress (on a rafting trip??). a good decision-making friend is just what i need. someone to hang out with me while i go through items, telling me "yes, you'll want to keep that" or "no, i've never once seen you wear that shirt...goodwill pile."

2. start a 'keep pile', a 'goodwill pile', a 'sell pile' and a 'trash pile': as you go through your things, you will quickly discover items fit into a few categories--thing you'll keep, things you should give away (clothes you don't wear/things you don't use and aren't worth investing the time to try to sell), things you should sell (items worth making a few $$ on) and a trash bin (totally ragged items that really aren't worth anything to anyone). 

3. if you haven't worn it in a year, you probably won't ever: this is hard for most people, but if you really want to shed some unwanted goods, stick to this rule. in one year, you'll go through every season. if you haven't worn an article of clothing during the entire year, you most likely will not use it the following year. just bite the bullet and get rid of it (pile 2, 3 or 4). i can promise you, once it's out of your closet, you won't even miss it. 

4. try! try! try!: when i did a purging of the clothes several months ago (i got ride of 3 huuuge shopping bags yet still have a busting closet and dresser drawers!), it was very easy to go through and find things i thought were cute, hadn't worn in a long time, but i'll keep them anyways. no. for things you haven't worn recently, try them on! you might remember loving this dress from two years ago but once you try it on, you remember that the bust was a little small and that button is (still) missing. done. goodwill. goodbye. 

5. list giveaway items room by room: when getting rid of furniture and other household items, i find it very effective to make a list, organized by room, and write down each thing that you plan to give away/sell/toss.

living room: couch + throw pillows, yellow lamp, side table, book shelf, rug.

not only does it help you to see what all you have and what you truly want to keep, but it also helps to get you in the mindset that you are indeed going to get rid of things. over the next several weeks or months before you move, you will begin to create only a temporary bond with these items, making the actual giving-away part that much easier.

if you're in the avl area, i'm going to have a huge tag sale, selling most of the things in my house: couches and chairs, lamps, rugs, shelves, some art work, books, mirrors, a bike, my dresser (tear!), desk, cedar chest (mega tear!), bed, ect.

{photos via pinterest 1, 2, 3}