Board Games
Families love board games because they are fun while helping everyone stay connected. From Chutes and Ladders to classics like Chess, board game collections grow quickly. The game cabinet(s) can become quite crowded. Be authentic about your needs and decide how many of the games your family plays. Create space by donating the least favorite games or ones outgrown by the children. If you play board games on average once a month, how many different games does your family enjoy?
Cookbooks
Cookbooks promise easy steps to a healthier lifestyle. Some cookbooks are beautiful and they inspire us. Some are specific to a type of cuisine we aspire to try. Cookbooks represent knowledge and expertise. Cookbooks can also collect dust like old encyclopedias while taking up a lot of shelf space in our kitchens.
More and more busy parents are seeking out recipes online. Wonderful recipe websites make it easy to find just the recipe you are looking for. Many websites feature reviews and video demonstrations as well. How many of your cookbooks do you use on a regular basis?
It is okay to downsize your cookbooks if they are taking over needed space in your kitchen. A simple three ring binder with some sheet protectors is a good solution for storing favorite recipes you printed or clipped out of a magazine. A cookbook you may be keeping because of one recipe can be reduced to just the pages needed.
Bags
Reusable grocery bags, plastic grocery bags, brown paper bags, and department store bags accumulate and clutter various areas of our homes. Many of us already have several backpacks, purses, work bags, cinch sacks, sports bags and totes. All these add up to cluttered and full closets. It’s a good idea to free up space by actively using and downsizing your bag inventory.
Some families line small trash cans with plastic grocery bags. Many use plastic grocery bags for pet waste and as padding when mailing a package. Others use brown paper bags to wrap gifts or as an outer layer when mailing a package. Some use brown paper bags or department store bags to hold recycling. Others keep a department store bag in a closet for donations.
You may find that you still have too many bags even if you constantly use them around your home. Bags will continue to come into our homes and therefore it is not necessary to keep more than a few. It’s a good idea to keep a handful of reusable bags in every car, at home, and then toss or donate the rest!