A gentler way of approaching decluttering, “tidying up” is simply about creating joy - which is why it’s catching on. 

New tax laws however, may be impacting what you decide to do with your discarded items. 

FREEDOM FROM CLUTTER
Sparked by the bestselling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and the Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, there’s buzz about the “KonMari” organizing method. 

This easy sorting system encourages you to reevaluate your clutter by asking the question, “Does this item spark joy?”

 “It’s the perfect time of year to purge and weed out items. We are in that kind of society where we need that calm and orderly way of organizing things in our lives and our homes. This makes it easy. It’s a way of setting you free of all the extra stuff,” said interior designer Jenna Burger. 

TIDY HOME
Once items are sorted into categories it’s time to find them a home.

“When everything has a place, it’s refreshing on the mind. There’s no wondering where it is, looking, and feeling frustrated. That’s where it goes and you can easily find it,” said Burger.

Her designs are based on your needs and what brings you joy at home.

 “I incorporate the things that are meaningful to you because it reflects who you are and what you love,” said Burger. 

Because they aren’t hinged on one specific item, Burger’s designs allow you to easily swap out one item for another.

TIDY WALLET
Your discarded items can still bring you joy – and a tidy sum when sold on consignment. 

Considering donating them to a charitable organization instead? New tax laws may have some questioning if it’s worth it.

 “When it comes to taxes, there are two options to get you the most bang for your buck: standard and itemized deductions - go with whichever one is more,” said Karen Mattison. A certified public accountant since 2005, Mattison is the owner of Busy Bee Bookkeeping, LLC, which opened in December. 

Charitable donations made within the calendar year are considered itemized deductions and reduce your tax liability. New tax laws have nearly doubled the standard deduction for married couples filing jointly to $24,000 this year, so reaching or surpassing that amount with itemized deductions is now more difficult.

It’s up to you to assign a value to your items based on their fair market value. The Salvation Army Donation Value Guide satruck.org/Home/DonationValueGuide is one way to do this, she said.

Donations must be made to a qualified charitable organization and for items valued at $500 or more, you’ll need a receipt. 

In addition to offering personal and small business bookkeeping, Mattison trains others how to tidy up their finances.

She’s finding the smart solutions that bring on the joy of giving unwanted items a second life.

“Having their finances organized takes such a burden off their shoulders and lets people focus on the other things that really matter,” she said.