If you are like most people, you stockpiled supplies and back stock of items during the past year due to the pandemic. You wanted to limit your trips to the grocery store and other big box retailers. So, you ordered online or did shopping trips where you purchased larger quantities than you normally would. You stored things in lots of locations in your home, sometimes in a pantry or supply area, sometimes anywhere you could find space. You figured, better to have it here than to run out and need it.
Now what? You have used some of what you bought, but not all of it, and, you have a lot left over. A lot…
I’ve been noticing a trend with clients. We have a lot of extras on hand, challenging our already full and busy spaces. We have lots of toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer, cleaning and hand wipes, water bottles, canned goods, printer ribbons, lightbulbs – you name it. It’s time to stop, take inventory and begin the inventory reduction process. Know what you have and use it, rather than buying more because you don’t know how much you actually already have.
- Make a master list of the ‘extras’
- Check things off the list as you use them
- If you need something, double check that you don’t already own it – or multiples of it. This allows you to shop your own pantry or supply space before making your shopping list or trip.
- It is fine to keep some extras on hand, but probably not to the extent you were storing during the worst of the pandemic. You will begin to free up your space and feel less cluttered in the process.