Making Space, Clutter Free for Baby
I’ve been wanting to declutter the entire house and have ideas for how to make things more organized in every space. My audiobooks have all been about strategies and tips on simplifying the home/routines, decluttering, and ways to successfully do it without getting overwhelmed. I feel really excited to prepare for our new Baby Boy and create a more organized, calming space, both physically and mentally.
The most helpful ideas have been from “Making Space, Clutter Free” by Tracy McCubbin, with diving into WHY Decluttering is difficult (emotional clutter blocks) and some ways to deal with them.
7 Clutter Blocks: (1) My stuff keeps me in the past, (2) My stuff tells me who I am, (3) The stuff I’m avoiding, (4) My fantasy stuff for my fantasy life, (5) I’m not worth my good stuff, (6) Trapped with other people’s stuff, (7) The stuff I keep paying for.
Clutter Block #2:
My stuff tells me who I am.
Clutter Block #7:
The stuff I keep paying for.
Our walk in closet shelves are full of items we’re not using on a regular basis, and this space could be used for our baby’s needed things instead, so I am forcing myself to analyze them.
Why am I holding on to super old cameras I’ve not used in years? I used to be into professional photography and invested a lot of money and time to get the special lenses and equipment, now rendered inefficient in the age of AI-powered phone cameras. I can’t seem to let go of those old phones, either.
Why am I afraid to lose information on technology that’s over a decade old and can’t even start up? I used to program and develop, wrote code, and was able to keep an old work laptop that at the time was top of the line. When is the last time I coded anything? When is the last time I was able to pull up any information from my old laptops that I kept for “just in case” I needed to retrieve data from it? With each expensive computer purchase, the old one shifted to the graveyard that is my closet.
I am still proud of my accomplishments from my past career and skills and passions. I now recognize that I don’t need these items anymore because who I am and what I’m interested in has changed, and has allowed me to disconnect emotionally from these things and logically see how unfounded my fears are about losing these items.
It’s still going to be a lot of work to back up or wipe all of this stuff, then recycle somehow, but at least now I’m mentally ready to let it go.
With all the stuff I decluttered from my closet, I was able to create a gift wrapping supplies tub in my closet, which has really come in handy! My winter clothes and items I want to wear when not pregnant got packed away and put in the basement.
Clutter Block #1:
My stuff keeps me in the past.
Clutter Block #4:
My fantasy stuff for my fantasy life.
The most difficult thing in this decluttering journey has been giving away all the Baby Girl things.
There were so many feelings to confront and I put so much effort into storing them over the years. I cried just from the intensity of my emotions and all the memories connected with the items. I guess I really did want a girl, and have now been able to grieve and process that it makes no sense to hold on to these things when someone else may benefit from them now. Jer and I decided to post everything for free to someone locally, preferably a first time Mom who could use them to get set up. It got picked up within an hour. I’m so thankful that I was able to enjoy my daughter growing up, especially when she was so little and that we still have pictures of her in outfits that are now gone. We kept one pair of knit baby booties and a matching hat. It’s the one thing we are saving; it is easy to store in a sandwich sized bag, and she can use it for her daughter if she likes.
Clutter Block #3:
The stuff I’m avoiding.
Paper clutter is one of my biggest stresses. As I practice decluttering more, it gets easier to let things go. I’m no longer paralyzed by the idea of a paper being needed one day, or the finality of a shredder. This phrase was so helpful for me as I sorted through years of paperwork: “I have power over my papers, they have no power over me.” I looked up how long I need to keep car records, tax stuff, and shredded all the old medical bills from a decade ago.
Instead of what future use this might serve someday for us, or how great it was in the past, I focus on its very real effect on us here and now. I’m accepting that it’s been over 5 years and I will never fix that broken wheel or that missing chair leg, and to let someone else take care of it. Whatever the item cost me to acquire no longer matters—it’s a sunk cost, and it’s currently devaluing my peace of mind and room to breathe.
The proceeds from anything sold go to the Baby Stuff Fund, so that’s helping me move through the pains of taking photos and creating listings, fielding messages, arranging pickups, taking items to donation centers, and sorting through papers. As the basement clears I feel lighter and more unburdened. So far every person who these items have passed on to have been so grateful to find something to fit their needs—like, extra excited in a way that feels more than normal. I’m not looking to make money, so maybe that helps.
The goal was to clear things so I could create a Sewing Station. My next possible project is to make a crib sheet for our baby’s non-standard size crib. I was able to turn the kids pants with holes into shorts for the summer!
Getting More Organized
There was one thing I knew we’d need to find a better way to store instead of declutter: Legos. I’m glad we bought a shelf that Jer actually liked! He and L helped bring it upstairs, and the boys immediately filled it. I’m so excited to not be stepping on Legos constantly or having them in piles under the kids’ beds, and instead see their creations proudly displayed where they have complete access to it.
My philosophy right now is another awesome helpful phrase from McCubbin’s book. “Done is better than perfect.”
Love, Kat
