Don't remodel - declutter instead

I have a contractor friend that told me once that he gets lots of requests for additions to homes for storage areas. He then goes to do the estimate for the job and finds the homeowner has plenty of room in the home but it is filled with junk. He actually told one home owner that he could add an extra room just for storage for $20K or the homeowner could rent a dumpster for $100 and accomplish the same thing.

I know for a fact that most of us have "junk" laying around - stuff we have not used in at least 2 or more years and probably won't use again, but some of us are pack rats. We hate to part with anything. The ones that are not pack rats are the procrastinators of which I am ashamed to fall under that category. I come from a family of pack rats of which my father was the king. That man never threw anything out. Because of coming from a family of pack rats I was determined not to follow in their ways. I procrastinate instead.

To battle my procrastination I have developed my "3 bags full" way to de-clutter a room, closet or whole house. This is how my system works:

I find a closet or room that needs clearing out and I put 3 empty plastic grocery bags in there. Once a day I go into that closet or room and fill those 3 grocery bags with items. Each bag contains either items to be thrown out, given away or destroyed. The throw out bag contains items to be thrown in the garbage and usually they are broken or missing parts. The give away bag is full of stuff that can be given to Goodwill or friends. The destruction bag has papers in it with personal info and has to be burned or shredded. I spend no more than 2 hours filling those bags. Once they are filled they are removed and 3 more bags are placed in the room or closet for the next day. You can also add a large cardboard box to the room and mark it "for eBay" or "for yard sale" and fill it up as you go along. Put dollar signs all over it to encourage you to fill it up.

If you do the 3 bags full system you should have a room cleared in about 3 weeks or less. If the room is still cluttered and you just can't seem to fit any more items into those bags then you need to move out larger items. Once you see you are making progress it will give you the will to go on.

After you have used that system a few times it becomes easier to throw things out and not be a pack rat. Your home will also have more room to do other things in besides just used as storage. You can have that home office or workout room. You can actually have a guest room or a hobby room. The kids can have their own playroom. The possibilities are endless.