Declutter vs. Unclutter
Your closet is overstuffed with clothes you’ll never wear again. Should you declutter it – or unclutter it?
Wait, what do you mean you’re not sure what the difference is? Honestly, we weren’t either at first but it turns out there is a big difference between the two words. Declutter is generally associated with “the removing of clutter,” while unclutter is more often associated with “tidying up.”
Any of us who have tackled a messy garage or unkempt closets know that a mix of both “decluttering” and “uncluttering” is sometimes needed; but could the seemingly small difference between “un” and “de” also affect the quality of your life? The philosophy of minimalism, which is becoming more popular by the day, says yes! It is our lifelong practice of “tidying up” that leads to messy garages and overstuffed closets.
From a very young age we are taught to clean up by putting items into boxes, containers, and bags, then hurriedly stuffed out of sight. Sound familiar? Soon, we find our homes overrun, unorganized and hard to manage. We spend more time digging through stuff than enjoying life. Minimalism encourages us to stop tidying up and start decluttering. Decluttering requires that you remove items that no longer serve a purpose, and as a result of this decluttering you’ll improve your life. You will breathe a little easier, feel much prouder and find you are suddenly empowered to take on other challenges.
Back to the declutter vs. unclutter question…is it time for you to declutter or unclutter? Here is a quick checklist to help you out:
- Are your closet’s jam packed with overflowing boxes, too much clothes, and are items piled up on the top shelf or stuffed on the floor? If so, it’s time to declutter.
- Is your kitchen pantry, shelves and, drawers crammed full of old plates, mix-matched napkins, unwanted appliances, and the like? Are there items that you haven’t used in over six months, if at all? If so, get ready to declutter.
- Does your garage contain more clutter than car? If your car is outside and boxes of forgotten stuff is inside, take action and declutter.
Decluttering is easier than you think! Did you know that you can have your no-longer-useful items hauled away from your doorstep for free? One of the reasons why we stuff our closets, shelves, and garages with things we no longer want is because we don’t know how to get rid of it. Now that you know that it’s time to declutter, here’s how to get your unwanted items out of your life:
- Schedule your free donation pick up by clicking HERE. Pickup Please will come to your house and haul away your boxes and bags full of kitchen stuff, clothes, toys, books, knickknacks and other good-condition items and will collect these donations on behalf of VVA. Pickup Please pays the Vietnam Veterans of America for the gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories that you donate to them. So your donations help provide much needed support for our veterans and their families.
- After you schedule your free pickup, grab some boxes or bags for your decluttering efforts, and label them “VVA” so the drivers will know what to pick up when they come to your residence.
- Enlist your family or friends for a “declutter campaign.” Move from closets, to shelves, to the garage and load up your donations. If the clutter is already in storage boxes or bags, you’re already ahead of the game!
- On the day of your scheduled pickup, simply place your boxes and bags on your porch or driveway (or any area outside your home and visible from the street) and a professional Pickup Please driver will arrive to take away your items, and leave you with a receipt for your taxes!
When you find that uncluttering or tidying up efforts need some decluttering action, know that you have help on the way. The Vietnam Veterans of America, with the help of Pickup Please, thank you for turning your clutter into donations – in this battle of Declutter vs. Unclutter, there’s one big winner, America’s veterans!
America’s Best Donation Pickup Program
