April 9 Weekly Challenge: Spring Declutterfest!
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@Jinantonix , WOW! What an inspiring story!
I'm a big fan of Mari Kondo, and I've been working on reducing clutter, but it does have a way of sneaking back in. This week I plan to tidy one surface per day.
@77tes Yes, I agree, but I also think it’s an iterative process. I find as I time goes on my definition of “what I love” is getting to be more selective! I figure eventually what I love will be balanced with my available storage! #AlmostThere6 -
@MadisonMolly , so true.
I'm starting to use the little hint I picked up from our tiny habits challenge here. When I put my sweater away as soon as I get home, I reward myself with a fist pump or an "Awesome!"
I need to sort lots of stuff, but the big jobs don't get done. Still little bits at a time make a difference. 4 -
Well, I'm starting late but I started the decluttering process. We live in a tiny two-room cabin that is about the size of a 2 car garage so it clutters fast but also declutters pretty fast. The problem is it's dark out, the garbage can is about 500 yards up the road and my husband has my car. So there are piles throughout my bedroom/foyer. Lol. I'll have to remember to take out the bags of trash tomorrow morning. I have a few things to drop off at goodwill and a few things to drop off at a thrift store near me. I can also donate a handful of books. I have been holding on to the wedding dress that I borrowed for my wedding 4 years ago. So I think it is time that I return that to my neighbor. Lol. We dont have a garage...or even a closet. But we do have two bikes that need to be kept somewhere and the DH is hellbent on not letting them sit out in the rain. So I will probably get a small cloth shed with a zipper. There really isn't anything else that is going to go in it except the bikes. My back deck is covered in leaves and sticks and some things that need to be thrown out. So I will probably tackle that on Saturday or Sunday.5
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@MadisonMolly , so true.
I'm starting to use the little hint I picked up from our tiny habits challenge here. When I put my sweater away as soon as I get home, I reward myself with a fist pump or an "Awesome!" I need to sort lots of stuff, but the big jobs don't get done. Still little bits at a time make a difference.
Such a great idea, @77tes. Celebrate the little habit successes. Little habits can have a big impact! Living a healthy lifestyle to me is nothing but a bunch of little habits practiced every day.4 -
Hi! What works for me for decluttering (if I only do it!) is to set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and do the decluttering in chunks based on what is bothering me the most. So yesterday I decluttered our attached garage for 10 minutes, and it looks so much better. I also decluttered in our bedroom for 10 minutes, and it was contagious! My husband, who never buys anything but also never gets rid of anything, spent some time last night getting rid of stuff in our bedroom! Yay! Now I'm going to do more decluttering in there so that it becomes a peaceful room.7
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littlebear0121 wrote: »Hi! What works for me for decluttering (if I only do it!) is to set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and do the decluttering in chunks based on what is bothering me the most. So yesterday I decluttered our attached garage for 10 minutes, and it looks so much better. I also decluttered in our bedroom for 10 minutes, and it was contagious! My husband, who never buys anything but also never gets rid of anything, spent some time last night getting rid of stuff in our bedroom! Yay! Now I'm going to do more decluttering in there so that it becomes a peaceful room.
A great point, @littlebear0121! On the surface, 10 or 15 minutes may not seem like enough time to accomplish anything. But it is and that’s because most of us can find 15 minutes a day. And if we find that same chunk of time everyday, and do that thing that we want to accomplish, it starts to snowball. 15 minutes a day spent decluttering (or doing anything important to us) becomes 91 hours a year.
Little actions done repeatedly grow into big impacts. Plus, little actions are sustainable.
Thanks for posting!3 -
I'm late to this one, but this is my favorite challenge! I plan to start with my closet, as it's a total catch-all right now. Then I plan to set out a Donate Box and let my DH and GD know to throw anything in it that they don't need, use or want anymore if it is still in decent shape. I never thought about decluttering books before! Great idea. I think I will try to sort through those also. I have some very old books that I could possibly put on eBay. I need to dig through my spring stuff in the basement and find my purses, shoes and clothes to swap out with my winter sweaters. 4
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I’m making good progress on the upstairs bedroom and already thinking about decluttering past this week. My basement also needs attention. I can pitch things that I’ve acquired over the years and let them go if I no longer have a need or want for them, but it’s much harder for me to let go of the things that my parents and inlaws have given my husband and me. Such as china. My mother has given me two sets of her china and they’ve stayed in the basement for 20 years. For women in my mother’s generation, I think their china set was among their most prized possessions? It defined entertaining. If you were having a dinner party, you brought out the good china.
I certainly remember Thanksgiving and Christmas meals with these dishes, but I don’t have a strong attachment. And something that has stayed in boxes for 20 years isn’t likely going to have a starring role in my life anytime soon.
My husband and I are both in our 50s and are fortunate to have our parents still living. And both sets of parents are actively decluttering and giving their children their possessions. I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but it does stress me out. And I’m trying to embrace the principle that just because someone gives me one of their cherished possessions, doesn’t mean I have to keep it in my life.
Is anyone else struggling with this issue?5 -
@themedalist what a joy to have your parents alive. I totally understand about getting their valued possession. My mom was like that. Until eventually she just stopped compulsive purchases then there was nothing else to give.
I am onto the second closet ( yes, I am taking my sweet time) and have found lots and lots of things from my kids from when they were in school. Journals, homework, drawings. I am keeping some and getting rid of most. This morning, while looking for some hair products, I decluttered the bathroom cabinet. Tomorrow I am tackling my dresser and my closet. UGH there is so much crap in there. LOL!5 -
themedalist wrote: »I’m making good progress on the upstairs bedroom and already thinking about decluttering past this week. My basement also needs attention. I can pitch things that I’ve acquired over the years and let them go if I no longer have a need or want for them, but it’s much harder for me to let go of the things that my parents and inlaws have given my husband and me. Such as china. My mother has given me two sets of her china and they’ve stayed in the basement for 20 years. For women in my mother’s generation, I think their china set was among their most prized possessions? It defined entertaining. If you were having a dinner party, you brought out the good china.
I certainly remember Thanksgiving and Christmas meals with these dishes, but I don’t have a strong attachment. And something that has stayed in boxes for 20 years isn’t likely going to have a starring role in my life anytime soon.
My husband and I are both in our 50s and are fortunate to have our parents still living. And both sets of parents are actively decluttering and giving their children their possessions. I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but it does stress me out. And I’m trying to embrace the principle that just because someone gives me one of their cherished possessions, doesn’t mean I have to keep it in my life.
Is anyone else struggling with this issue?
I saw an article on a site I frequent that had this statement above the article. "Your kids don't want your stuff." Bald, but true.
"And I'm trying to embrace the principle that just because someone gives me one of their cherished possessions, doesn't mean I have to keep it in my life." Absolutely.
After my Mom died, my Step-Dad insisted on giving me my Mom's sterling silver flatware. We never used it. In fact, I don't remember it ever being used when I was a kid. So all this time, it's been in it's nice wooden box. And it's not going to see the light of day now in 2018 either. Ha-ha. I do still have it, but every time I look at the box, I think I could be using that space for something I like. I think that will be my mission today to let it go. It does bring back memories of my Mom and life back in the 50's and 60's. But it's still just a thing-the memories are in my head and aren't going anywhere, I hope.
Saw an idea that I'm using when I found something that is difficult to let go. Take a picture of it. (I haven't read all the post here yet, so forgive me if this idea has been mentioned already) It's easier to let go then.5 -
themedalist wrote: »my husband loves to go to secondhand shops and acquire the things that people have decluttered and discarded. Lovely.
I took some boxes home, but I have not had a chance to declutter. It's something I will definitely work on, even if I can't get it done this week. My main goal is to "just say no!" No! I won't find some use for it later. No! It won't come in handy someday. No! I don't need to hang onto it "just in case." No, no, no!
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themedalist wrote: »I’m making good progress on the upstairs bedroom and already thinking about decluttering past this week. My basement also needs attention. I can pitch things that I’ve acquired over the years and let them go if I no longer have a need or want for them, but it’s much harder for me to let go of the things that my parents and inlaws have given my husband and me. Such as china. My mother has given me two sets of her china and they’ve stayed in the basement for 20 years. For women in my mother’s generation, I think their china set was among their most prized possessions? It defined entertaining. If you were having a dinner party, you brought out the good china.
I certainly remember Thanksgiving and Christmas meals with these dishes, but I don’t have a strong attachment. And something that has stayed in boxes for 20 years isn’t likely going to have a starring role in my life anytime soon.
My husband and I are both in our 50s and are fortunate to have our parents still living. And both sets of parents are actively decluttering and giving their children their possessions. I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but it does stress me out. And I’m trying to embrace the principle that just because someone gives me one of their cherished possessions, doesn’t mean I have to keep it in my life.
Is anyone else struggling with this issue?
I have the same struggle. I remember the china coming out for entertaining. It was a big event if the china and silver came out. I remember those days as being so exciting because of company coming, etc. But you're right. When will I ever use it? I have a ton of things like that. I have things the kids and grandkids have given me also. I hate to not keep it because it means something to them to come see it displayed proudly somewhere (even if it is the basement). I think what I will do when I start tackling that kind of stuff (packed away in boxes now because I have no place to put any of it), is I will take a picture of the item and put together a photo album of all the treasures I received from my kids/grandkids. Then I can still look at it, but it will literally only take up the space of a photo album.
Great insights everyone! Thanks!4 -
I also realized while sitting at my desk today thinking about my goals and challenges for the day that decluttering is not just useful at home! Why on earth have I not decluttered my desk and file drawers here so I can find my crap when I need it!? I started this job 4 months ago and the person before me left all her files in the file cabinets for me. I have not needed one single thing. Yet, I keep them in there and try to find other places for the stuff I "do" use!
So...between today and tomorrow, I will be decluttering my desk. Man, will THAT ever feel good!
Have I mentioned lately that this is my favorite challenge? LOL! 8 -
themedalist wrote: »......
My husband and I are both in our 50s and are fortunate to have our parents still living. And both sets of parents are actively decluttering and giving their children their possessions. I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but it does stress me out. And I’m trying to embrace the principle that just because someone gives me one of their cherished possessions, doesn’t mean I have to keep it in my life.
Is anyone else struggling with this issue?
My parent's were both from the depression era so they never really decluttered things. So I was never given things that I didn't want.
But what I did get from my parents was learning how to collect my own stuff and clutter.
However that all began to very, very slowly change after my experience of helping to clean out my childhood home after my folks passed away. That was also when I became determined that my children would not wait till I died to get things that held special memories for them, or that they always used while living here and would like to have when they left. I learned from my above experience that things rust or break or just get yuky and old if just left for years without being used or even stored properly. Then they were no longer the things that I held in my memories as "special" at one time.
When each one of my children moved out of the house I asked them what they wanted to take with them. What surprised me was that everything they considered special to them and wanted I could easily live without or wasn't using. There was only one kitchen item that I still used all the time, and my son that liked it could easily purchase a strainer for himself. So I kept our original. I still use that same old Tupperware strainer lol. And sometimes I remember my children using it to drain their macaroni for their mac and cheese, or the vegetables
I told my children that I wanted them to have things now to use or enjoy while I was still alive, and not to have to connect the receiving it to the fact that I had died. Even now when I'm at their homes it is nice to see that they still have, and use the things they asked for. And they also have had the freedom to declutter some of those things over time too.
Now, when I have something I think one of them wants I'll text pictures to them to see if they want it. If not I send the picture to the other three, if no one wants it then it goes into the give away box. I don't want to clutter up their lives because I know how hard it is to declutter my own.
:flowerforyou:
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@OConnell5483, I like your suggestion to take a photo of the item. Possessions evoke memories and that’s why they are hard to part with. But a photograph can also do the same thing. And take up much less space. And you’re right, decluttering our offices will make it much nicer to be in there.4
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@texasgardnr, great idea to give your children things it now rather than later. Things that they love and would enjoy having in their lives. When my daughter gets back this Sunday, I’m going to talk to her about this. She’s not quite ready to set up her own house, but I think that will happen in the next few years.
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Today’s decluttering project: the linen closet. Oh, it was so bad before! Hard to find anything, with more things that had been given to us that were not being used. Three more trash bags of things to throw or recycle.
And bonus: It was a solid hour of moving around and going up and down stairs. A good aerobic workout!
I have a question for you. Declutterfest really is one of our most popular challenges. I find it very cathartic and calming. Losing extra fat made my body lighter. Losing extra stuff makes my life lighter. So.....is twice a year for Declutterfest the right frequency? Or 3 times a year? Or even quarterly? What would you prefer? Thanks!
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@themedalist I would like to do it quarterly, but that's just because it's my favorite challenge, and I don't always remember to do it. But if nobody else wants it that often, I can put my big girl pants on and try to remind myself! LOL
I decluttered a file drawer today at work next to my desk. I've been in the job 4months now and it really had a lot of stuff I will never use, left from the previous employee. I left there tonight feeling so much better and so much more organized! Whoop Whoop! 3 -
I saw an article on a site I frequent that had this statement above the article. "Your kids don't want your stuff." Bald, but true.
"And I'm trying to embrace the principle that just because someone gives me one of their cherished possessions, doesn't mean I have to keep it in my life." Absolutely.
After my Mom died, my Step-Dad insisted on giving me my Mom's sterling silver flatware. We never used it. In fact, I don't remember it ever being used when I was a kid. So all this time, it's been in it's nice wooden box. And it's not going to see the light of day now in 2018 either. Ha-ha. I do still have it, but every time I look at the box, I think I could be using that space for something I like. I think that will be my mission today to let it go. It does bring back memories of my Mom and life back in the 50's and 60's. But it's still just a thing-the memories are in my head and aren't going anywhere, I hope.
Saw an idea that I'm using when I found something that is difficult to let go. Take a picture of it. (I haven't read all the post here yet, so forgive me if this idea has been mentioned already) It's easier to let go then.
@AnnofB, I imagine it’s even harder to part with things that were important to the people who we’ve lost in our lives. But you’re right. If it’s not of sentimental value and it’s not being used, it’s a good candidate for moving on.
Taking a picture is a great idea!2 -
@themedalist, I also would like for us to do the Declutterfest quarterly, because it is also my favorite challenge . It is a lot more fun to declutter together! And there is a lot of sharing of ideas, and what we are learning or experiencing that goes on also. And that is so helpful and important, as well as encouraging.
I am really enjoying reading and learning from the various posts you all have been writing. Thank you for sharing!
I'm taking a break from the yard and garden this weekend, and I'm back to my indoor Declutterfest project - my closet and part of my bedroom adjacent to the closet. I began the first round of sorting through books today.
I took a picture of two books about organic gardening/ attracting butterflies books that I thought one of my sons might like since they are planning to landscape and begin a garden in the near future. He texted back no thank you, he already has what he needs! Into the donation box they went. I like that they can say no, even when the books have such pretty pictures, and and the layout of information is well done! Why do you think I have kept them around this long :laugh: .
:flowerforyou:5
