Decluttering with Less Hassle

Thankfully, spring is upon us. The warmer weather makes me feel ready to get outside to do more things. Yet, I also feel like I should stay inside and do some serious spring cleaning.  I have noticed after a year of being in our home so much more than normal, that we have collected a lot of things. It is this collection of stuff that, while sometimes helpful and handy, can simultaneously be the cause of stress. I like to organize or declutter and feel that my space is tamed.

My plan is to take a day off of work (or a weekend day) and tackle the clutter. And, while taking control of my home's spaces, I can prepare an easy and nutritious dinner for my family (see recipe below). Here are a few tips to that I use for de-cluttering.

Make a plan of what to do with the items as you go through them. Create a box in each of these categories:

• donate
• sell (luckily, my hometown has an annual community yard sale which helps lessen the load)
• recycle
• trash
• keep (items that you want to keep or can’t part with yet)
• give (items that you would like to offer to specific friends or family members)

Plan to do one small area at a time. Pick one closet, one drawer - only one. When that space is completed, move on to the next small space. Small accomplishments are great motivators.

Use your camera. Take a "before" picture and then an "after" picture to celebrate your success. Photos can also document things that you do not want to keep, but would like to preserve the memory of, like children’s schoolwork. Photo documentation may be a great start to creating a home inventory (an article for another time).

Enlist help from your family members. Getting assistance can make the work go quicker and may help to make decisions about what to keep and what to let go.

Take a break between decluttering spaces. While some people can feel relieved to make progress, others may feel stressed by decluttering.

Celebrate your success. Then start the next space when you are ready.

Here is a great recipe to make ahead to have soup ready when you are finished organizing. Now...to have someone to do the dishes.

Mexican Chicken Soup

When preparing this recipe, start with clean countertops and utensils. Wash hands with soap and water. Wash whole fresh produce under cold running water by gently rinsing cilantro and rubbing garlic. Prewashed packaged items do not require further washing. Do not rinse raw chicken.

Servings: 8
Serving Size: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 2 (15-ounce) cans Mexican-style diced tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can no salt added black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups frozen corn or 1 (15-ounce) can of corn, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast

Optional Garnishes

• Chopped cilantro
• Sliced or chopped avocado
• Light sour cream
• Shredded cheese

Directions

1. Add tomatoes, beans, corn, broth, garlic, chili powder, cumin (if desired), and pepper to a large saucepan.
2. Remove and discard any visible fat from the chicken. Cut chicken into large chunks and add to the saucepan. Rewash hands with soap and water. Heat to boiling, cover and reduce heat, then simmer for 20 minutes. Using a food thermometer, check that the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165°F.
3. Remove the chicken and place on a plate; use forks to shred the chicken. Return the shredded chicken to soup.
4. Serve with choice of optional garnishes.