20 Things a Day Declutter Challenge

On July 16th, my friend Christi and I decided that we were going to get rid of a minimum of 20 things each day from our homes.  By the fourth day, I had to start looking a lot harder to find 20 items.  In the basement, there was lots, but I wanted to focus on the main floor for at least a week.

 

At the end of the first week, I moved to the basement.  On the first day in the basement, I removed 208 items from my home.  I started in my storage area with a few questions in mind:

• Do I love it? If not, it’s probably on it’s way out the door.
• Would I move it across the country?  If not, it’s probably on it’s way out the door.
• Would I purchase it second hand?  If not, it’s probably on it’s way out the door.
• Do I really need it right now?  In the next year?  If not, it’s probably on it’s way out the door.
• Will this item be easy to find in the future? If not, it’s probably STAYING here.

I continued with this line of questioning and thinking as my work in the basement progressed.

Other things I have counted in my declutter challenge is simply trash that goes un-noticed until you really look.  As FlyLady would say, look with the eyes of a realtor or a stranger.  What do they see?  In this house, they see a lot of trash and clutter!  This problem is slowly getting resolved.

I don’t always get 20 things every day anymore, but my mind is refocused to not accepting just anything.  I now have a specific list of things we need or want to make life here a little easier.  If something comes that is not on that list, it’s not an automatic “in” anymore.  I think about it now.  This is an important step in the fight against clutter.  At least it is for me.  I know others who have this trait (is it a trait?) naturally.

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

The Shiny Sink Photo Challenge

Tammy at Pink Stinx is having a photo challenge.  Go to her blog for a linky and more information.  Here are the basics:

Quick! Go take a picture of your (Master bathroom, Pantry, Under your Kitchen Sink) and post it NOW. No cleaning up, No straightening, Be Honest!

 This time the room is the LIVING ROOM.  Here's my picture:

 So, now I have thirty (30) minutes to get it tidied up!

UPDATE TIME!!!!!!

So a little more than 30 minutes later (I had ta kid on the computer) I have a clean living room, I am almost dressed to shoes and I even tidied a little in the toy area of our main level.  Oh, and I stripped my bed of its dirty sheets.

Here's the new look:

I had been feeling a little down and overwhelmed with the house and the state it was in because we hadn't really been here for the last 5 days or so.  We came, we ate, we slept.  No cleaning up.  Or at the very least only the basic tidies so we could walk on the floor.  I feel much better about what I will be able to accomplish today and in the little bits of time I will have in the next couple of days.


Striving to learn and live God's purposes,