Clutter can build up so quickly around our home. Notes from various activities, bills, items to be returned to friends, the list goes on. Having said this, there are some types of clutter that just never make it into our home. This is because we have learnt to say no to a lot the mindless clutter. Here is a list of seven things we have said “no” to, to help reduce the amount of clutter in our home:
Say no to free samples
I bought a magazine last week, and attached to the front was a ‘free’ sample of a bath wash. Now, I know that I am never going to get around to using the bath wash, so rather than sticking it under my sink, I threw it straight in the bin. If I had the choice, I would have got the magazine without the bath wash to begin with. Just because an item is free, doesn’t mean you need it.
Say no to advertising magnets for the fridge
It is easy to just whack another magnet on the fridge. Just recently I cleared our fridge of all those promotional magnets, and it just looks less cluttered. We still have some magnet words that the kids use, but without all the other magnets there competeing for space, the kids can better play with their toy words. Make life easy, and don’t have any advertising on your fridge.
Say no to happy meal toys and those chocolates that come with a toy in the middle
Crappy plastic toys are the bain of every parent. They get played with for five minutes and then are chucked in the back of the cupboard. The only time your kid will want to play with them again, is if they see you trying to chuck them out.
My kid’s have worked out that these toys are crappy, and so on the rare times we go to the temple of the evil clown, I ask for the happy meals with no toys. The kids are perfectly ok with this, but it does confuse the person serving me. I generally explain that we just don’t want the toy a second time, and they shrug their shoulders and say OK.
Similarly, if you want to buy your kids a little chocolate treat, try one without a bit of plastic in the middle. They won’t miss the toy (they will be too busy smearing chocolate over their face and hands).
Say no to loyalty programs
Loyalty programs are not designed to make us as consumers feel special and loved, they are designed to give the business more details about our shopping habits so that they can market their products better. Just about every store you go into will ask you if you have a loyalty card these days. You could end up walking around with 20 cards in your wallet if your not careful. Saying no might mean that you don’t get 5% off on your birthday, but it will also mean less cards to carry around, and less junk mail being sent to you.
Say no to gift products when you purchase something
We’ve all seen this before – buy four of a product and get a free something. Last year I saw a free cake tin with four cream cheese products; a free set of salad servers with a few salad dressings etc. If you weren’t willing to buy the cake tin, then you don’t need it free with the cream cheese!
Say no to ‘collectors edition’ cups at the movies, and ‘limited edition’ glasses and food containers
If you’re getting a snack at the theatre before the start of a movie, you are almost always asked if you want to upsize to their deal which comes with a collectors edition cup. Let’s be realistic. The cups are made of super cheap plastic, and are not designed to last for long. If you do bring them home, they take up a lot of space. Besides which, you probably already have enough glasses and cups at home!
Say no to catalogues and junk mail
This one is really easy to deal with. Put a sign on your letter box saying no junk mail, and unsubscribe from any catalogues you get sent. If you really do want to look at a catalogue, go online and have a look there (this is what I do). Your recycling bin will be alot emptier, and the environment better off with less scrap paper.
I don’t know about you, but I find it a lot easier to prevent clutter coming into my home, than to deal with the clutter once it is there. By learning to say no to these things, we have reduced some of the clutter that comes into our home, and we don’t miss one thing!
Over to you, what things do you say “no” to, to prevent clutter in your home?
Great post! yes! Thanks for sharing with us for The Sunday Brunch Magazine, lovely to see you Bel & Eliza xx
Absolutely agree!
I say I to just about everything these days because I just can't stand the wastage. Those 'beauty box' style programs and gift bags and freebies… all a big no for me. Plus it took me a while, but I've finally realised that I'm responsible for buying 99%of the' litter' at my place. The simplest way to clear it is to just not buy it in the first place!!! x
Oh hell yes! I often feel bad for throwing out stuff that just accumulates, but it would literally drown us if I let it. Junk mail is my real pet hate. Such wastage! xx
I kept getting 'hand-written' (once, then photocopied) letters from a local real estate agent and called them to say they should respect the sign. Then I asked them to note my address and SPECIFICALLY not deliver anything, and if they didn't, I'd report them to ADMA. Did the trick. x
"The only time your kid will want to play with them again, is if they see you trying to chuck them out." YES. What a fantastic list! I'm a big fan of the stealth evening clearout. Big, useful stuff is discussed together, and we pass them on to friends and charities, but the little stuff I deal with when the kids aren't around. BIN.
People seem to love giving their junk to kids. I know we are constantly given old toys that we don't want. I've worked really hard to teach my kids about quality vs junk and to be happy with enough. These days they have totally got the idea that they don't need something just because it is free.
"Say no to free samples." Yep. This. I've recently starting doing this, especially with stuff people try to give to kids. That stuff just comes home, gets played with for 20 minutes … and the becomes clutter. It's been hard educating the kids on my stance with this, but very necessary I think
I love catalogues but a couple of years ago I decided to pop up a no junk mail sign. Wish the real estate agents respected it but at least I know less is coming in. Your point about loyalty cards has me thinking thanks.
I try to do this regularly too. It is amazing how quickly they all add up.
I'm currently also decluttering my email inbox and unsubscribing from emails I have no interest in reading anymore. Although these aren't physical clutter in the house they do clutter up my email inbox and waste my time in having to wade through and delete them.
The frustrating thing is although they all have unsubscribe buttons at the bottom of them, some companies still keep sending you their advertising emails!
I suddenly started getting promotional emails from a very large liquor shop with aggressive advertising. I do drink wine, but not much and I make up my own mind about it. I was originally told I must have signed up for something. I refuted that and still stuff came. In the end I used the Contact us button on their website and told them exactly how I felt. Emails stopped immediately after I threw some mild insults towards their IT department. It should never have had to go that far.
So true! All those things do just build up and never find a use. Although I do have to say, I love a catalogue but I always look and then throw. They never linger.
Popping over from Maxabella. I've started doing a few of these things in my journey to a decluttered home this year. Junk mail is the bain of my life. Loyalty programmes are a crock. And we have more limited edition cups than I know what to do with. They are all going!
i have some shampoo and conditioner samples but i take them in my toiletry bag when we go away, saves room when packing for camping etc. but otherwise i agree with you!
This is a bit off the subject, but today I decluttered my wardrobe. Took 10! bags to the charity bin.
That's a double whammy – no to the catalogue and no to what ever they have on sale (though I do confess that I have their app on my phone).
At the moment saying 'No' when they want to give me the latest Aldi catalogue at the checkout….
Just occasionally there are some good things that come with cheese etc. It's OK if you will actually use the item, but the word "free" seems to get people in a tizz and suddenly they want the thing, even if it is useless.
I'm on a clutter bust this year – these are all things I hate.
That's a great way to use up the free samples!
I love a garage sale too, though I do have to be careful about what I buy!
ahem, I have to say no to heading out to garage sales. blush
I actually collect the free samples like body wash and shampoo etc,and send to our troops overseas in a care package with a few things from the pantry etc. They are free to send (save the $2 or so for the box)
I often throw out junk mail as I collect it from the post office. I hate magnets on my fridge. I deal with mail as upit arrives, bills get filed for payment, envelopes go into the recycle bin. Newspapers are thrown out to recycle every second day.
Like you, i find free samples annoying as most times they are not something I'd use. If I find something that works, I stick to it.
All very good tips – I hate clutter!
Living in the suburbs means junk mail in the letterbox usually. Mine never gets inside the house, it goes straight into recycling. It pays to be fussy about the special offers like cake tins and cheese. Some years ago I bought in Gordon Woolworths a small insulated lunch pack. It came with two packs of a cheese I usually bought. The lot was less than I would have normally paid for the two lots of cheese. Cheese was enjoyed and the lunch pack has been used many times over. That was a good offer. I am with you on the sample packs of face cream or shampoo. I found one in the bathroom cabinet drawer the other day. I have been here just on four years. I have no idea how long it had been in drawer. It was pitched.