Yard junk is often more difficult to let go of than indoor junk, mostly because outdoor junk gets dirty faster and is usually heavier than indoor junk. Most of us don't like to literally get ourselves dirty while decluttering, and many outdoor (this includes garage contents) junk needs two muscle-men to get rid of it (or two muscle-ladies). Ever tried to heave a wheelbarrow onto the flat bed of a truck by yourself?
A workable plan for yard junk is a family work day: set aside a few hours one day this summer, arrange for someone with a truck to help you load and haul away junk, purchase leather work gloves and safety glasses for every helper, and begin. Here's how:
1. Pick a small, specific area of your yard to start with, such as around the back patio or the tool shed. All helpers works at that location until it's clean and organized.
2. Then move on to another area.
3. Do this until your yard junk is gone.
Doesn't that sound easy?
That's what happens in fairy-land.
So here's a different plan for reality.
1. Spend 10 minutes the night before your neighborhood trash pick up day loading lighter-weight yard junk into your trash cans. Dead plants, bent tools, decorative things that have seen better days.
2. List larger, heavier junk on Craig's List (free for you to list, free for someone to come cart your junk away). Please stay safe and use caution when giving out your address, especially if you are a woman living alone.
3. You need a dry, clean place to store yard and garden tools. A nice new shed may be just what you need to maintain order. Or perhaps a locking cabinet to store fertilizer and sharp tools away from children and pets.
4. When you buy anything new for your yard (furniture, tools, plants, decor), get rid of something else, to keep it uncluttered.
5. Repeat until your yard isn't junked up anymore.
