There’s nothing better than starting the New Year with a clean slate. And for many of us, this feeling is only achievable when all the nooks and crannies of our homes have been stripped bare of clutter.
It’s the many choices that one must make, however, between what to keep and what to give away that can make cutting down a challenge. If you are looking for a good place to start, consider getting rid of the following…
- Talcum powder.
It used to be that we used talcum powder, not only for babies, but for ourselves, too. It was touted to be good for heat rash so we powdered up a storm during the hot months. But with talcum powder lawsuit cases on the rise, now is the time to toss this once-considered beneficial item. Why is it so bad? Studies have been showing an alarming link between cancer and talcum powder. And this is not just a recent development. As far back as 1971, doctors have been warning of something that is not quite right in the mix. Better to be safe than sorry with this one.
- Leftover wrapping paper.
The aftermath of the holidays can leave a household swimming in leftover wrapping paper. Many frugal moms will hold on to edgings and trimmings and pieces that end up not being able to sufficiently wrap next year’s presents. But it’s so hard to throw leftover wrapping paper away. You should, though. During the 11 months between now and the next holiday season, your wrapping paper will likely get bruised or entirely forgotten. And you will end up buying wrapping paper all over again. Better to toss it out now and buy fresh when the next season rolls in.
- Clothes with holes in them.
When was the last time you darned your children’s socks? Or patched up the holes over your boy’s jeans? If you are a seamstress or very handy with a sewing machine, you can skip this one. But for all other parents out there, let’s be honest with ourselves. Even though we hate to waste, realistically, we likely won’t get to fixing up our children’s holey clothes. Toss and make room for better things.
- Books the kids have outgrown
As with clothes, kids outgrow books, too. It can feel criminal to toss out that book they could not live without at age 2. Or the one they insisted you read every night at age 4. But half of parenting is understanding when your children have moved on and learning to let go. Do you have a solid plan of keeping books for your grandchildren and know how to prevent books from molding? If not, box up those books and give them to a friend, charity, or second-hand bookstore. Same goes for toys.
- Mysterious wires and electronics.
A television that has that weird problem with the sound. Countless remote controllers that don’t work. Miles of wire and adaptors that don’t seem to belong to anything. Sound familiar? You worry that if you get rid of it, you won’t have it when you need it. Ask yourself if you have needed or used it within the last six months. If the answer is no, then you can safely toss with little fear of what is to come.
The same goes for anything that you are telling yourself you will fix one day but won’t. Holding on to items like that creates mental baggage that consist of thoughts regarding all the things one needs to fix. Such thoughts are generally followed by guilt over not getting to it yet and shame or anger over having broken that item.
Starting the New Year with a clean slate means getting rid of all these things that carry unnecessary emotional and mental baggage. While at the same time not contributing to the efficiency of your household. Be ruthless when cleaning and purging so you can enter 2017 with a clean house and a lighter mind.