Part 1: Selling? What to Keep and What to Toss

This is part one in a multi-part series.  Number of parts to be determined by my desire to write more parts.

Now, on to the disclaimer:  This post assumes you have already decided to yes, definitely sell your house.  This post also assumes you don't have gobs of money to throw at it in order to get the highest sales price.  I mean, c'mon, you are selling it because you want to move, or get out from under a mortgage, or a neighborhood, or the snow.  Whatever.  You need to sell.

Picture this:  you are standing in the middle of your kitchen, taking a moment to look around and are wondering "How the (bleep) am I gonna get this place in shape so someone will pay me money for it.  I mean, I have a job and all."

You then say to yourself "This is a full time job for someone.  It can't be done."

The thought bubble above applies to the teensiest condo owner as well as the megahouse more-bathrooms-than-bedrooms -land-forever seller.  Same principle.  Lots of stuff, little motivation to wade through it.

Enter THE TIDYING EVENT.

Stick with me for a moment.  This is not what you think.  Instead of immediately jumping in and putting stuff away, let's think for a moment why there is so much stuff around to begin with.

There's no place to put it, you say?  I need more storage!  These kids never put away their stuff. Something like that.  Well, perhaps the real reason is because there actually isn't a predetermined place to put the stuff-thing-junk to begin with.

But I do have places for storing things, you wail.  When this place is clean, it is really something man.  But soon after, because of my husband/kids/father-in-law/dogs/ferret, it's a mess again.

Before you think I've gone and gotten all woo-woo on you, hear me out.  We spend a good amount of the finite time we have on earth tidying, straightening, fussing and cleaning.  Why do we do that?  Is there honor in spending countless hours moving things from one place to another, over and over and over again?  I, dear reader, would like to propose a solution that frees you from this cycle once and for all.  As in for.eh.ver.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing is a book that is sweeping the nation.  No, actually the world.  Well, let's just say people are really getting into it.  It puts all of the other organizers, cleaners, storage experts in another category, and says "Yeah, we are extreme.  But the magic part is, once you do it, you'll never have to tidy up again."

What?

This approach is based on the idea that you must ask yourself whether each and every object you have is achieving a purpose.  Is it moving you forward towards happiness and contentment or holding you back?"

Extreme? Yes.  Life changing for the better?  Maybe.

Join with me.  I'm doing it.  All the kids are doing it. Don't be afraid.
Next in our series:  What to fix and what to leave alone.

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