Once again my trusty digital camera is proving itself to be the best decluttering tool ever. Not only does it allow me to avoid having paper copies of photos, but it's also great for snapping shots of sentimental items before you purge them, for those who prefer to keep a reminder of special items. Now I've found another use for my camera.Over the last few years I've gone from keeping every issue of every magazine I ever subscribed to, to a single stack of Domino mags plus a few random issues. I was quickly able to purge eight more mags today by using a quick tip I picked up at Hei Astrid: take a digital photo of the pages that inspire you, then purge the magazine.
I've scanned inspirational pages in the past, but it took forever. And patience is not my strong suit. Taking a quick pic or two is much, much faster. Though the picture quality isn't as great as a scan, it's perfectly fine for a simple inspiration reminder.
Tips:
- Be honest, how often do you refer to old magazines anyway? If it's seldom to never, keep the inspiration you like and purge the rest.
- Shoot twice: If you're not the world's best photographer (like me), take a couple shots of each page to ensure you end up with at least one great one. Keep the best shot of each page and delete the rest.
- Download your pics and check them before you get rid of the magazine.
- Be ruthless about which pages you'll really want to see again and only shoot those.
- Try again: If at first you can't bring yourself to purge some issues, cut yourself some slack and try again later. (Provided you have a place to keep them, of course, and they're not piled on your floor or something. No hoarding kiddies!) This is worked for me with everything but my preciousssss Dominos....I know it's stupid, but I can't quite let them go yet.
That's a great idea. I finally just cancelled all of my magazine and newspaper subscriptions. My life is so much easier now that I don't have to agonize about what to keep and not. And when I feel the urge to read articles, I head to the internet. It doesn't have the same feel as curling up on the couch with a magazine, but being free from clutter makes it worth it.
ReplyDeleteI'm obsessed with my digital camera. I'm taking pictures of pictures and photographing things instead of buying them. It is the best decluttering tool ever!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea!! I scanned lots of pictures but you're right; it's tedious and time consuming. I asked myself if it was worth spending so much time to be uncluttered! I can't wait to try this with my camera! I think I will set up the tripod to make it simpler.
ReplyDelete~ skye