This is my hallway this morning after I have carried down the large Calico Critter Playhouse and bookshelf my daughter no longer wants in her "grown-up" room. She manages to get her discarded items into the hallway, and it stops there.

Sometimes I feel like I have spent years of my life cleaning out clutter.  The kids grow out of clothes, their toys are a thing of the past, and you have years of school day memories. Old makeup and half-empty bottles may be in your bathroom, and your kitchen may house all the junk mail, office work, odd cups, and plates, etc. 

All that stuff can get in the way of your efficiency, cause stress, and ultimately decrease your fitness efforts.  I know that when I wake up to a messy kitchen from the night before, I have to clean it while the coffee is brewing.  Otherwise, I am a little aggravated and may haphazardly choose the wrong foods.  I make it a game by seeing if I can get it done by the time the coffee is brewed.  (With COVID, my level of entertainment has diminished.  lol) 

It's smart to clean out your fridge regularly so that you can see the good stuff.   I like to wipe it down just before my big weekly food shop.  Weekly wipe downs keep the shelves from getting sticky and helps you know what to use up soon.  Who doesn't get annoyed if they have let the strawberries get moldy because they were hidden in the back!

Since organized spaces limit distractions and keep you focused on your goals, I wanted to share my tips and tricks to make those hard cleanout decisions.

Stage one is to separate by use.  If you still use it and need it, keep.  If you haven't used it in a very long time and will not use it any time soon, it goes in the giveaway pile.   If it is broken or missing a part, unless it is easily fixed, it needs to be thrown out.  Obviously, anything that you do not find useful or has sad memories attached to it needs to go.  

My giveaway choices are to donate to charity or pass along to a friend or family member that would find it useful.

Clothes are a whole other story.  I remember traveling and thinking about how freeing it felt to have only a few choices to wear.  However, I still have items of clothing from over 20 years ago! Their quality just seems better than what I can find now, fashion is so cyclical, and I hate buying expensive clothes. 

If you are more of a fashionista than I am, you should discard outdated items or things that you never seem to wear.  If it hasn't been worn for over 6 months, you probably don't like it.  
If you have multiple items that don't fit and save for when you lose the 20 pounds, it may be time to let a few go.  
Wish me luck that I can clean out that messy hallway before the day is through.   Some of those toys I hope to keep for my future grandchildren, but many will be on there way to the Boys and Girls Club.  Happy cleaning!