Day 365: WE MADE IT!

Followers, and now friends, we've done what we set out to do: simplified, one item per day for 365 days. That is a sizable chunk of clutter eliminated! Many of us have decluttered and organized even more in various rooms of our homes.

We have learned to:
look for clutter
give away things we don't need, want, or don't fit
throw away junk or broken things we wanted to fix years ago
give back borrowed items
regift
stop bringing clutter into our homes from the start

My hope for all of us is that the habit formed for getting rid of unnecessary clutter will continue. It is a continual battle in our culture, but we can master our goal of living more simply. My sister-in-law, also a follower of this blog, gave me the perfect Christmas gift that sums up the year 2010 and Simplify: one per day. It is a wall board painted with the words: Simplify, and Spend Time With Family. That is our goal, to spend less time dealing with the clutter in our homes, and more time doing the important things of life.

Today's simplify option for me was to put two pictures on the wall that had been sitting on a dresser. I was able to pry off the stand from the backs with a screwdriver, allowing the frames to lie flat against the wall. It will simplify dusting and eliminate some clutter from that dresser top.

Thanks so much for sharing this year with me. It has been a wonderful hobby, one I looked forward to in the early hours each morning. Your ideas/comments gave me insight and fueled my quest for simplifying. I hope this blog has challenged, encouraged, and helped you. Keep up your simplifying, one per day. If any of you feel like posting a final synopsis of your accomplishments this year, I would love to read it!

Day 364: A Myriad of Post Christmas Ideas

Since I have missed some days for this blog, and we are coming to the end (sad), I want to share a myriad of ideas today:

1. Did you see the line at the post office during December for mailing gifts? I paid through the nose to ship with another carrier to avoid those lines. However, on the clutterdiet.com website, they gave me a great idea for next year. You can just go to the usps on-line site and print off postage!! No standing in line!! Simplicity at its best...

2. Another way to unclutter your mind is to be looking for Christmas gift ideas now. Since I bought and gave all the gifts, I have come up with some wonderful ideas for the "hard to buy for" crowd. As I see things, I'm writing them down on a paper stored with my Christmas card list. You know when people ask you what you want for Christmas and you can't think of anything? This can help with that as well. I'm seeing items I could really use but wouldn't buy for myself. Those are being written on the list, too.

3. For those of you who buy gifts ahead for people, do you ever forget to give them? I had the greatest gift for my Steelers fan, and forgot about it in my "secret storage space." These bought ahead gifts could also be listed on the idea list as well as the hidden location.

4. Consider researching loved ones' favorite charities and donating to those in their honor instead of a gift. Personally, I would relish knowing that needy people received something that will help them economically. Ideas are: Salvation Army, Heifer International, a military organization, a homeless shelter, Make A Wish Foundation, food banks, etc. I hate giving clutter, hate spending so much in shipping, and sometimes hate the entire "buying for people who have everything anyway" mentality. This eliminates those aversions. Now, lest you think me ungrateful and heartless, I enjoy opening and receiving gifts as much as anyone; I just know there are so many needy in the world, and we really do have more than enough, otherwise we wouldn't have this issue with clutter!

5. Finally, as you are putting away all those decorations, wrapping paper, etc., keep a critical eye open. Do I really like this anymore? Could I get rid of it? My goal today is to get rid of at least one item in the decor department that I won't have to store.

Day 363: High Threshold of Clutter

We all know people with low and high thresholds of pain. Some complain for days about a hurt toe; professional football players will play with concussions, broken bones or sprains without seeming to be affected.

In my observations, some people also have a high threshold for clutter. It's not that they LIKE how the house looks, how difficult it is to find things, or that they keep buying duplicates because the originals are buried somewhere. They tend to be rather easy-going people that can overlook it. I feel that our "Simplify: one per day" method is a good fix for them. It builds a habit of looking for clutter in the house. I really hope we have all gained that particular habit this year and that it can continue.

Today I will clear out a bag of articles, flyers, etc. from a conference I attended last April. Why? Because it has been sitting unobtrusively next to the computer all that time, and I spotted it when looking for clutter!

Day 361: Unneeded Gifts

At risk for sounding ungrateful, I'm writing today about what to do with unneeded gifts. As a teacher, I receive gifts from children every Christmas. I gush over the gifts and hug the children with a sincere appreciation. When I bring the stash home, however, sometimes my heart sinks. What to do with all this?

My former plan was to hold onto things for at least a year in honor of the student who gave. In his book, Clutter's Last Stand, Don Aslett advocates another method. He says that if you've thanked the person sincerely for the gift, you are under no obligation to keep it if it isn't usable to you, or if it will just become clutter. This year, with my simplifying efforts so fresh in my mind, I am letting unneeded things go. I brought a scented candle that my husband would hate to my mother-in-law who loves scented candles. I am putting a couple other items in the give away bin. Sound cruel? I hope not. I love the children and their kindness, but realize that others might appreciate and be able to use the items.

Day 360: Strength In Numbers

I read an article today on organizing in Better Homes and Gardens. One idea was to set two coffee dates with a friend. One of the dates, meet at your friend's home and help her sort through a closet or junk room while visiting and talking. The second date is when she comes to your home to do the same.

While I admit it would take a special, non-judgmental friend to allow into my messy areas, the idea has merit. She may be more objective than I am. Working with a friend keeps me on task better. There is also accountability in keeping the mess clean.

If New Year's resolutions are on your mind, consider this. Most people have some place in their home that needs to be organized and decluttered.

Day 358: Buying and Receiving

As I was wandering freely, without an urgency, around stores yesterday for fun, I noticed so many little items the stores had strategically placed near the checkouts. I assume the psychology behind it is for people to see those non-essentials and think, "Oh, did I buy enough to show John I love him? Will Mary have as many gifts as Will?" They hope shoppers will buy chotchke to satisfy their guilt complexes.

What will little Mary do with those 50% off silly bands that are no longer popular in school that mom grabbed as she was checking out? They will most likely get thrown in a drawer and sit unused.

If you are out and about today, doing last minute shopping, think about this. Sometimes a card with a heartfelt note to the person means infinitely more than an extra, impulse gift. As a teacher this year, I received lovely gifts. The children give with such delight. Only one came with a note of appreciation from a parent. That really meant a lot to me. In the past, teachers of my children kept notes I'd written for months (they told me) to help perk them up on the discouraging days. I'm guessing the rest of us adults are the same way. I say all this to remember what's important.

This is getting long, but the gift of your time to someone is also more meaningful than a little knick knack. Promise to take him/her to lunch, help him with a project he dreads doing, take the child bowling, to a movie, etc. Simplify gift giving and clutter this year.

Day 357: A Common Basket

Growing up, we had the "messy drawer" in our kitchen.
"Do you know where some nail clippers are?"
"Check in the messy drawer."

It contained screws, nails, scissors, tape, nail clippers, pencils, pens, and basically anything that didn't have a home and needed to be stashed quickly. I remember even organizing it several times as a child.

I've taken a similar concept to my home. In one drawer by the outside door in the kitchen, I have a basket with the following: pens, pencils, Scotch tape, scissors, letter opener, glue stick, Sharpie. Next to it in the same drawer is a 5 x 7" spiral notebook for writing school excuse notes. With the notebook are those mailing labels you get free if you donate to various charities.

Also in the drawer: a roll of stamps, the checkbook, savings account book, a little box of paperclips, and some small notepads for phone messages.

I think everything anyone needs to mail a letter, write a note, open mail, grab scissors, etc. is right there. My "a place for everything" and "the family needs to know where things always are" mantras were legitimized when my husband bought a gift and wrapped it without asking me where to find anything! Even though he didn't put the scissors and tape back where they belonged, I didn't mind too much.

It simplifies the entire family's lives if they know where to find essentials.

Day 356: Wrapping Paper

I enjoy leafing through magazines such as Southern Living, Martha Stewart, etc. to see the decoration ideas. Often, they feature Christmas trees with presents wrapped in a theme. I think it's pretty to have all your presents wrapped to match, however, what do you do with the leftover paper year after year?

Are you using multiple patterns of paper this year, using up your store of wrapping paper? Are you adding more to the pile to store? Are you a gift bag person? Where do you stash it from Christmas to Christmas?

It really doesn't matter as long as you aren't keeping tons of wrapping paper for years. There are handy wrapping paper roll storage containers, tall and thin. I have a hanging wrapping-paper storage caddy that holds rolls, bags, ribbon, etc. but if I would swap it with a standing one if I can get it on sale this year.

What is your story about keeping wrapping paper areas uncluttered? Any ideas?

Day 355: Anti-clutter Wallet Sleeves

As I've mentioned, a great website is www.clutterdiet.com . If you go to that site, you can sign up for a weekly e-mail from them with organizing tips. I just signed up!

Also, one of their features is to be able to download and print anti-clutter wallet sleeves for your credit cards. They say that if you purchase things you don't really need, it's like cheating on your diet and eating donuts. Wrap this little sleeve around your credit card, and there will be tips on it helping you remember to think before you buy. Great idea for chronic shoppers!!

Day 354: Storage

If I had time, I could make a bar graph listing all my appliances and how often they are used. Based on the results, the appliances with the tall bars could stay in prominent places in the kitchen. Those with small bars, like the homemade ice-cream maker, would be stashed somewhere else.

Think of your appliances and rate their usefulness:

Frequent use:
hand mixer
bread maker (really, I do use it!)
toaster
crock pot

Infrequent use:
home-made ice cream maker
blender
coffee maker

Consider rearranging things according to use. Some of the infrequently used appliances could perhaps be stored in a less used room somewhere, still accessible, but not in the way each day.

Day 353: Sun Porches, Garages, and Junk

I've been driving around during the day for the past three days due to snow days off school; amazing how everyone can get to the mall, but not to school, isn't it? Enough on that topic.

What I have noticed as I've been eyeing the Christmas decorations on homes is sun porches and garages with windows. There are boxes stacked to the ceiling! Rather than parking cars in the garage or sitting out on the screened porch sipping lemonade (in the summer), these families have built-in storage units! My thoughts plagued me: "What could they possibly need that is out in the cold?" "That is oppressive to have an entire section of your dwelling unusable because of STUFF!" On the Clean House show the other day, one family had two off-site storage units they were paying $450 a month on. Maybe these people with boxes littering their screened porches feel they're getting a bargain.

Let's get personal here. Do we have a room in our homes that is unusable or at least that we won't let company enter, because it is full of stuff? Make it your goal to free up that space for living, not for storage.

Day 352: The Island of Misfit Food

I have two stories about misfit food.

Story one: Having bought my husband a pack of individual sugared cereals, he's gradually worked his way through them except for two boxes of Frosted Flakes. They have stayed, unwanted, for probably two months.

Story two: My students were donating food at school (in exchange for a "skip a homework assignment" pass). One girl brought in her three cans and happily told me that her mom bought no sugar canned pears. They opened the first can and thought they were awful, so it worked out that she could bring the other three to our donation box!

Here are my thoughts. I was always taught to give of the BEST you have, not your leftovers. However, in both of these cases, isn't donating food your family won't eat better than throwing it away? Who am I to say that a needy family wouldn't be thrilled to get that cereal and the sugar-free canned pears?

In conclusion, as you look through your pantry, if the food isn't outdated, but it's just not attracting any action from your family, go ahead and donate it to the food bank in your area. It will help someone, just like the toys on the Island of Misfit Toys.

Day 351: Baking Area

I really enjoy baking. When first married, that was about all I knew how to do. If we could have lived on cookies, cakes, and bread, I would have been well prepared!

On the heels of yesterday's pantry post, I have suggestions for the baking area in your kitchen. I have devoted a cupboard to everything needed to bake:

1. Dry goods and spices are in stackable Tupperware containers with labels. The spices are on a turntable so they can be found easily.
2. Mixing bowls, cake pans, pie plates, and the mixer are on a shelf above these.
3. Cupcake liners, birthday candles, and other various items that are used in baking also reside there.

As a result, except for going to the refrigerator to grab eggs or milk, I can pretty much stand in one spot in the kitchen and have everything I need to whip up a batch of this or that. It saves a lot of time, and I look forward to baking rather than dreading it.

Day 350: Pantry Simplification

I have mentioned the website clutterdiet.com in the past. They have some great tips on decluttering. One article on the pantry had some wonderful hints:

1. Clean it out: Take everything out and purge. If you haven't used something, they say, in three months, throw it out or use it quickly. Sometimes I make up a menu right then and there for the next few days, planning to cook with those items.

2. Consider relocating: Things not often used may have a better storage space. Ask yourself, they say, "Is there a better place for these things?" Since I make waffles once in a blue moon, the waffle iron could go in the back, up high, or be moved.

3. Create zones: Organize stored foods by types: snack foods, canned fruit, grains, drinks, pet foods, baking, etc. They suggest giving each zone its own shelf. If that can't be done, use shelf dividers such as we can buy for storing sweaters.

4. Label: Labeling the zones can help you and those you live with put things away in the proper place.

5. Make it visible: The article says you should be able to see everything and grab with one hand. I know this well because of the apparent disability men have in finding things even that are visible...the "man look" we call it in our house. If you must stack or have items place behind others, consider storage solutions that stack cans, or a lazy susan type turntable within the cabinet.

Here is the website for the entire article:

www.womansday.com/Articles/Shelter/Organizing-Cleaning/WD-s-Guide-to-a-Well-Organized-Pantry.html

Day 349: Hand Sanitizer

I found multiple mini bottles of hand sanitizer we have collected over the years. Some was given to me by students, some we aquired when heading off to third world countries. I really do not use it in my home, so I'm simplifying that storage place and taking it to school where it is used frequently by various teachers trying to stay well.

Day 348: Coasters

Today while digging for a candle, I noticed a set of coasters no longer being used, but stored. A year ago, I received a new set and then bought one more set for another room. We don't need that many, so the old coasters are going to Goodwill.

Day 347: Tour of Homes

I was fortunate to tour some of my town's historic homes yesterday that had been decorated by professional florists for Christmas. Guides take you into various rooms and discuss the historical significance of the house, point out some of the antique furniture, or bore you with the history of plates the owner bought in various countries.

One house was overwhelmingly full of stuff. It was expensive and exotic, but there was way too much of it. I couldn't wait to get out of there. On the opposite end of the spectrum, one home was owned by a single man who was a minimalist. It was elegant, classy, but with NO knick-knacks or clutter. I felt much more at peace in that place. It's a personal preference, but I'm thankful for simplicity. Are there certain rooms you feel you can relax in? Does the amount of clutter make any difference? Choose one room to focus on and see what can be done to bring more relaxation into that space.

Day 346: Simplify Gadgets

Well, my take home gift at the white elephant exchange was a large four rack sweater drying unit. You can lay four sweaters on four large screens and an end unit blows warm air on them. My husband was escorted out to our car with it, because the host knew of his propensity to hide gifts after the party.

We can take this item to heart. Do we really need any specialized gadget? Right now I dry sweaters on delicate in the dryer for 15 minutes and then lay them on towels on the ping pong table to dry. In the kitchen, knives can accomplish what other gadgets claim to do.

The point is, if you can get the job accomplished with a multi-use piece of equipment, do you need all the other specialized gadgets? Remember the quesadilla maker, the smoothie Ninja, the strawberry huller, etc? Do you use them enough to store them in between use? It's up to you!

Day 345: Gift Exchanges

I attended a great party with my co-workers last evening. We had such a fun time telling stories, laughing, talking about our own kids and families, etc. The food was wonderful as well. At the end, we had an optional white-elephant gift exchange game. I love these games, when people steal from others or try to keep the good gift hidden so no one spots it to steal.

I opted out this year. It was very fun to watch and laugh with the rest, but I didn't have to bring home something I didn't want.

Tonight is another one, and I am going to participate, but maybe, just maybe, I can steal someone's giftcard and not come home with clutter! My husband's plan is to hide anything he gets that he doesn't want in the host's cupboard. There's a decluttering idea...

Day 344: Time Crunch

Whew! It seems to be so busy all of a sudden! House cleaning, wrapping, parties, etc. are piling up. Part of our simplicity push should be not just to get rid of physical clutter, but to also take the time to realize "don't sweat the small stuff." Oh well if every inch of the house isn't decorated like the Southern Living magazine. In twenty years it won't matter if Christmas letters went out in time for Christmas.

People, not things, are most important. Let's keep that in mind. A friendly face and listening ear is much more important than having a little dust or putting one candle on the table rather than a glamorous centerpiece.

Enjoy the people in your life today!

Day 343: Baskets

I really love baskets. They provide warm decor and storage without looking industrial. Two of my acquaintances also loved baskets, but at one point in their lives realized they had way too many. Theirs were the nice, expensive kind...Longaberger. I saw a lady at Goodwill recently snatching up such a basket, so people do downsize with such items.

An idea with nice baskets would be to regift them as the container for another gift of cookies or homebaked bread.

I got rid of a cheap basket today that had stored things in a cupboard. Nothing in that basket was really being used, so it got thrown away, and the basket is going to Goodwill.

Day 342: Keep Your Eyes Open

Today I put a sweater set into the bin for Goodwill. I have seen that set in my closet, moved it to a drawer, moved it around in the drawer as I pawed through looking for something to wear, and it didn't hit me that I hadn't wanted to wear it in a very long time.

Sometimes we see clutter over and over, ignore it, or it just doesn't register. Keep your eyes open for something today that you may have overlooked.

Day 341: Little Things

It may seem that throwing out something little doesn't make much difference, but it will over the long run. As we are setting up decorations for Christmas there are little things we can clear out. Even giving away a few ornaments you no longer think look good helps simplify! I found five ornaments last evening that I can easily part with.

Day 340: Closets...Again

I had a coat closet that was overrun with coats, mittens, scarves, purses, shoes, etc. There was a single shelf above one hanging rack. I installed another shelf, bought two matching plastic bins, added some hooks on the side walls, and put in a shoe/boot rack for the floor. Now gloves and mittens are all in one bin; scarves are in the other. Boots and shoes are organized on the floor in varied heights, and purses and bags not used daily are on the uppermost shelf. Umbrellas hang on the side hooks. It has truly simplified our lives when we quickly need to grab gloves, an umbrella, or whatever.

What I have noticed when reading over organization websites is that many closets have no shelves and nothing on the walls to hold anything. All the items stored are on the floor, so the upper half of the closet isn't used. Install some shelving...if I can do it, you can. Lowes or Home Depot have entire aisles devoted to organizational shelving, broom racks, bins, etc. Think through what you want to store in that closet and then sketch out a plan, using every available space. Make use of the upper half as well. Then, while you are organizing all the stuff, get rid of a few unnecessary items along the way!

Day 338: Shoe Organization

I was scanning through some organization blogs and websites this morning. Most are like shopping in a super mall: overwhelming! All the ads, links, etc. muddle my brain. Rather proudly, I thought how "simple" and simplified this blog is...straight and to the point.

One finally had something worthwhile on it. She had photos of all the ways to organize your shoes. A very clever way was the "shoe skirt." It was a shoe hanger that tucked between your mattresses and then the shoe pockets hung to the floor but were hidden by a bed skirt.

Today might be a day to simplify and organize those shoes. Are there shoes you would prefer never to wear again? Any need replacing? When was the last time you wore certain ones? People do buy used shoes at Goodwill; if you have some you just don't use or even like, simplify your closet and get rid of them.

I would be interested in how some of you store/organize your shoes. My method is a shoe rack in the bottom of my closet where the shoes fit over metal loops. My daughter has a shoe hanging rack in her closet. I have a friend whose walk-in closet has one wall, half way up, lined up with plastic shoe tubs with each pair of shoes labeled by color and purpose on each box. It's an amazing feat of organization!

Day 337: Cords

Someone in my family loves computer technology and electronics. He knows my aversion to cords being everywhere, so he has cleverly hidden cords behind beds, under area rugs, etc. However, we have a huge assortment of other cables and cords that go with digital cameras and devices I have no idea about. Right now some are stuffed in a cabinet; others are in a pile on this computer desk.

My goal is to put a label on each with its coordinating electronic's name and put all in a basket like a nest of snakes. If someone needs a cable, he/she can just grab and go rather than having to test out each one to see if it fits the camera or phone.

Day 336: Breadcrumbs Along the Way

An article this morning in the Wall Street Journal talks about retailers "laying the way with breadcrumbs" to entice you into the sections with more expensive items. Examples are racks of the popular silly bands, novelty mugs, etc. The retailer interviewed sold high end clothing, but also strategically placed lower priced novelties here and there throughout the store. His end result? He made at least as much from the lower priced items as from his main stock. He says he doesn't shop the way his customers do because he knows all the tricks.

That is a danger to people trying to reduce clutter. Beware of little novelties that seem like good deals this season. Do you really need it? Where will it go in your house? You can always go the route of, "I'll think about it for a few days." Most likely, you won't even remember, and you will maintain your goal of being clutter free.

Day 335: Clearing Out

I was digging in my sewing box for an embroidery needle, and it was like finding that needle in a haystack! As I searched, I simplified that space. Don't need this. Why do I have a piece of sidewalk chalk in here? Get rid of these. Jenny could use these...

I never found my needle, but I simplified the sewing box for the next time I go looking.

Day 334: Buying Gifts or Clutter?

As you begin shopping for Christmas (or any other holiday), keep in mind, "Am I shopping for a gift or for what will become clutter very quickly?"

Day 333: Christmas Decorations

As we begin to decorate for the Christmas season, it's a good time to donate any unwanted items in your decoration boxes. I stopped in at Goodwill last week and they had a lot of Christmas items on display. If you can donate toward the beginning of the season, things will sell.

I am a big fan of natural greens in my decorating. This fall, though my bushes needed trimming, I purposefully waited to trim until this time because I want to use the greens to decorate. The nice thing about real greens is you throw them away when they dry out and don't have to store anything! One year I was driving through the bank drive-thru and noticed nice boxwoods that really needed a haircut. In my enthusiasm, I actually asked the bank teller if I could come back and trim them to keep the greens for my decorating. She looked at me strangely and told me they have a service that does that. I wanted to retort that they were a little behind schedule as the bushes looked terrible, but refrained, figuring she was about done with me.

See what you can simplify in the decorating area this holiday season!

Day 332: Greeting Cards

My timing to send birthday cards used to be very late. I could have invested in a belated line of birthday greetings. However, I have found something that simplifies my life.

When you are honest with yourself, does it really matter if a card from a friend far away has a catchy poem or a heartwarming greeting? I personally love to hear news or at least a sentence in the person's own words. Receiving a card shows me the person has thought about me; hearing news is a little like being with him/her.

My simplifying idea has been to purchase a lot of handmade cards at craft shows. There are no greetings written inside, but that is easily remedied. These cards can be employed for any occasion. Because there is a supply on hand, I am only occasionally late with sending greetings. I buy in bulk sometimes to get the best price, or at some craft shows, if you are shopping near the end of the craft show, prices decrease. I don't come up with catchy phrases, but can write a heartfelt note from me and let the person know what's been going on, just as if we'd had a conversation.

Just an idea for you, but it saves lots of time, money, and trips to the card store. That's simplifying!

Day 331: Photos again

I found a website through clutterfree.com that gave an excellent idea on what to do with boxes of old photos. The site is scanmyphotos.com. You mail them your photos, they scan them and send back the photos with a CD or DVD. You can then get a digital picture frame and play your photos.

If sending your photos away scares you, there are people you can pay to put them in scrapbooks. Having photos in boxes may seem comforting, but it certainly isn't good for the photos or for you if you want to look at them sometime. OR, you could ask for a scrapbook for Christmas to be done by a relative who has that kind of time (or a creative college student who has no money to buy gifts!)

Day 330: Gift Cards

I watched an organizing video where the organizer removed everything from a closet and sorted it into the Keep, Donate, Trash bins. In the closet he found several gift cards. His comment was, "Gift cards do NOT belong in a closet!"

Companies promote selling gift cards because they make extra money when people lose them in clutter and never spend them! It is important to have a particular place for any gift cards you receive so that you can go right to them when needed. For awhile, I kept mine in a small bag in my car. This way, I could grab one if I was running errands and happened upon that business. I have lately seen cute gift card cases. They are similar to business card holders, but more feminine. They were sold at the UPS store.

The most important thing is, make a place for the cards and keep them all there so you don't waste your gift!

Day 329: Happy Thanksgiving!

We may not have time to declutter today, depending on who's visiting, and what we have to accomplish in the kitchen. However, if you happen to see something old and unused in a cupboard as you are searching for herbs or spices, don't hesitate to toss it!

I am thankful that I have less clutter in my house than I did a year ago!

Day 328: Trash - Donate - Keep

After all this time, I still think the simplest method of decluttering an overwhelming mess is designating three bins or bags as "Trash," "Donate," and "Keep." If you have a large amount of clutter, limit your "Keep" section and stick with it! As you clean out that closet or small storage room, everything has to go into one of the three bins. Ideally, you will have pared down 2/3 of your clutter by the time you are finished. From there, you can more easily organize what is left in your "Keep" bin.

Just going through one entire room or closet this way can declutter quickly.

Day 327: Lawn Care Products

My friend came over the other day and it was nice to hear her comment on how uncluttered things looked. She asked me what I was attacking for simplifying now. I'm moving out to the shed.

In suburbia, our yards aren't huge, so when we buy a bag of lawn fertilizer, we normally can't use it up very quickly. I decided to use up what I could on the lawn...we had lime, fertilizer, extra seed. It is the time of year to do that. Since we aren't consistent using that kind of stuff, it was OK to just use up all the partial bags and not replace it. I also had to sweep out that section of the shed because mice apparently like the organic fertilizer and had it strewn all over.

Day 326: Down the Drain

I really do hate to waste things, however, there comes a time where it is really OK. Down the drain went a bottle of whitening mouth wash that one of my college students used over the summer and didn't like. I tried it and it was awful. Not sure why I held on to it for these months when no one would want it. I think the inside of my kitchen sink pipes are nice and white now.

Day 325: When You Clean, You Find

When you clean, as in dusting, often you find unneeded objects or papers lying around. Right then and there, toss those items. Decluttering can be accomplished in a matter of minutes.

This morning I was dusting (I really get a lot done in the mornings :) and found a keychain CD wrapper opener. Not many CD's are purchased in our home anymore because of i-Tunes, and I figure we can get the cellophane off without this little device. It was thrown away.

In conclusion, be on the lookout whenever you are working in one part of your home. Have a critical eye and sort or toss items that happen to be right where you are. In less than five minutes, you can have a decluttered space.

Day 324: Broken Things

I threw out an old curling iron that lost a screw. The bar would only clamp tightly at the tip, so curling took a LONG time. I probably eventually could have found the right kind of screw, but the iron was probably 20 years old, not very efficient, and my errand routine doesn't usually include wandering the aisles of hardware stores.

Keeping broken things is great if you have the discipline to fix them (and the talent.) However, if broken items have been stored more than six months to a year, you might consider throwing them out. You obviously haven't had to use it in a long time and must not need it that badly. Stored broken objects become clutter very quickly.

Day 323: Caught!

One of my blog followers was at the house last evening. She asked to see the pantry I wrote about clearing out earlier this fall. I gulped....Since I write this blog first thing in the morning, sometimes the actual carrying out of the simplifying deed has to wait awhile because the day becomes more busy than anticipated (working, cleaning, grading papers, etc.) Long story short, I haven't gotten to pull everything out if the pantry like I said, though some little things have been ditched. I'm coming clean (no pun intended.) I DO have it on my list to do, though.

So, lest you were ever tempted to think I have it all together, know that I'm down in the trenches with you!

Day 322: No Queen Esther

The Biblical account of Queen Esther has her spending months of time with beauty treatments before being chosen as queen. A year of spa treatment is what is sounds like! Fragrances, oils, and ointments were used to enhance her already-gorgeous features/skin.

Fast forward a few thousand years to me. I have a basket of "ointments and oils." There is no way I could use them all or that they would have the "Esther" effect anyway. They are still there, partly used, because they were gifts and I couldn't bear to waste so much. I'm lucky if I get through two bottles a winter.

I'm getting rid of my cache of beauty treatments, keeping only a couple, and will work on the inner beauty more "that comes from a quiet and gentle spirit." Having a more simplified lifestyle lends itself to being more gentle and quiet!

Day 321: Retrace Your Steps

Decluttering is a cyclical activity. Periodically we need to retrace our steps. Baskets, closets, and drawers naturally collect items when we are in a hurry. I went back to a basket in our bathroom and found some random items to throw out.

We're simplifying one item per day for a year, but my hope is that we have developed new habits that will stick for the rest of our lives.

Day 320: Shoes

There seem to be about seven pair of seldom used shoes sitting in our coat closet at present. Two of the owners are in college. Methinks it is time to take a survey and perhaps clear out some of that floor clutter.

Extra shoes, anyone? Check in with family members to see if those are still needed.

Day 319: Old Jeans

In my perusing of other decluttering blogs, I came across an article where the author was collecting old jeans which can be made into insulation for Habitat for Humanity houses. If we can find a collection site for jeans that we think are too far gone for Salvation Army or Goodwill, it would be another avenue of our clutter doing good elsewhere.

Day 318: Dog Travel Bag

Yes, I know. Really, a dog travel bag??? When we got our dog, the breeder gave us a vinyl drawstring bag with some food, a toy, and a water dish in it. I saved that vinyl bag and used it to put in his food, chewy bones, and toys whenever he went on a trip with us. That way, I could always spot his stuff when needed.

I came across it the other day and am going to give it away. It makes me sad as I still miss him so much (we lost him to cancer last winter), but I don't need it now. If we ever get another pet, I'll look for something like that then.

Day 317: Definition of Clutter

I found another interesting declutter blog called "Unclutterer." Having only read the current post, it looks good. One thing the writer does is answer a question from a woman who is soon to move cross country. She wants to sell everything since they are going into a smaller place, fly there, then begin all over. Her husband doesn't agree.

The writer had some questions and comments. First, she told her they needed to discuss their definitions of clutter. She told her that if they don't see the root problem of their clutter, they will just junk up their new place. I found that to be intriguing advice. Is that something you have ever discussed with family members? It might be a place to start. With kids who don't have any cause for comparison, perhaps they could give an example from a friend's house about cluttered spaces or lack thereof to give you an idea of how those places make them feel. Husbands will generally have an opinion on their own. :P

If the opportunity presents itself, air this topic at the dinner table some evening. It may give us all some motivation and insight!

Day 316: Painter's clothing

We are painting at our house. As I dug into a cabinet, untouched for a year at least, I found a wad of balled up clothing I have used in the past when I paint walls. There were several "outfits." Not planning to paint as a career, I figure one good outfit is sufficient, so the rest of the paint speckled shirts and sweatpants are being thrown out.

Day 315: More Electronics

As quickly as electronics update, a family can accumulate a "junkyard" of old games, CD-Roms, game systems, etc. Periodically clear out unused or outdated electronic gear. Some people love the "classics," so giving them to a Goodwill is a good alternative to throwing them away.

Day 314: Seriously...Get Rid of It

I have had a large stack of sample textbooks in my classroom for months. It's illegal to use them for copying since the school system didn't buy those publishers and we have enough legal history teaching materials to teach the students only history for three years! I'm sure someone who homeschools or lives in an English speaking poor country could use them, but how do I find those people and do I ship them for hundreds of dollars? I finally gulped my intolerance for wasting good resources and set them out for the trash. It feels great now!

My point is, there's a time to just declutter your life even if it wastes resources and money. "But I paid so much for this purple leisure suit!!" It's really OK. Just get rid of whatever it is.

Receipts: How to Keep Organized

We keep receipts for returning merchandise, rebates, tax deductions, etc. How can we keep them all organized?

I have a small drawer with an envelope in it marked "Tax Deduction Receipts." Each time I buy something, donate money, or donate clutter to Goodwill, I write on the receipt and immediately stick it in there. It's there, ready to hand over to my tax man (husband) at tax time.

With rebates, I try to fill them out immediately and get them sent.

Around Christmas time, I hang onto receipts in an envelope again, just in case something needs to be returned. I have also filed receipts with instruction manuals in the filing cabinet.

Also, don't be afraid to throw them out. IF for some reason you need to return something, many stores will still take it. Or, you can just bite the bullet and donate the less than perfect item to get it out of your house. Yes, a loss, but also a gain in not agonizing over unruly receipts.

What I'm saying is that receipts needn't take over your life or desk. Put a couple simple organizational tips into place and it shouldn't be a problem. If any of you readers have a suggestion, I would value your input on what you do with receipts.

Day 312: Jewelry Box

This is a tough one. As a little girl, I remember going through my grandmother's jewelry box and picking up each piece gingerly and inspecting it carefully. It made me daydream of princesses and such.

I could save all my mismatched pieces or things I no longer use for a grandaughter, but after today, she'll have to dream with what I currently have. I cleaned out the jewelry box of things I no longer use or are mismatched. (Like a single earring whose twin I was hoping would show up.)

Day 311: Cards

My husband and I have birthdays the same week each year. For a couple weeks every October, all the birthday cards go up on the fireplace mantle. There are some I do keep certain years in a momento box, but usually I throw them away.

If you were serious about keeping messages and not the entire card, you could cut out the personal writing...less clutter, but more effort.

Day 310: Regrets

I do have regrets over some items I have given or thrown away. Not many, mind you, but a couple come to mind. One was a portable manual typewriter. Logically, it was a good thing to give away as soon, finding ink ribbons would have been impossible. It's just such a novelty for kids nowadays, I 'might' have enjoyed showing it.

The other thing is a scrapbook of photos from my student teaching/college days. I practice taught in a 1st grade classroom and my supervising teacher surprised me with a scrapbook on my last day in her class. Other than the fact I was a lot heavier and had ugly clothing (it's not easy to jump from college student into the professional world), those pictures were fun. Let's see, those kids would now be 32 or 33 years old.

Worrying about what you will regret clearing out is dangerous because you run the risk of never getting rid of anything! However, if it makes you feel any better, my two regrets surface maybe once every three or four years, only briefly. Most of the time I feel lots better seeing my home uncluttered!

Day 309: Fewer People = Less Stuff

A natural progression in life would be that as family members move on to college or careers, you have less stuff in your house. It takes time to remind them to TAKE their things or for us to just get rid of some of the nostalgic belongings. But, it should be a process.

If this hasn't been the case, perhaps you could make a plan for getting clutter you are storing for others OUT.

I got rid of a lunch box today since we don't need a supply for four anymore.

Day 308: Textbooks

It seems like a sin to throw out college textbooks that cost you almost as much as you earned each summer during those years. However, textbooks lose their accuracy over time especially in the humanities...For example: in the last 10 years we have gone from Native Americans to First Americans back to American Indians.

If it pains you to throw them away, give them to Goodwill (and they can either resell or throw away for you.) With the Internet available, keeping old textbooks isn't necessary for intellectual growth anymore.

Day 307: Extras

I got rid of a large laundry bag/hamper that was ripped. Both kids have bags at college and this one was extra.

Day 306: Saving Stuff

I have piles here and there that I'm saving for people. It is so difficult to throw out items, especially items that would bring children joy. Example: leftover bubbles in a fun container from a wedding; a small disposible bubble gum dispenser that still has gum.

I'd say if you can't get rid of it with in a week or so, just toss it. Plan to pass it on to a child neighbor or see if a teacher has a prize bag (I don't...) Seeing things like that sitting around is confining and we're out to simplify our lives.

The United States is filled with little cutsy items ("tchotchke") that we don't need. Kids also have way too much much of the time. So, throwing it away is an option unless you have a stream of children visiting and like to be the aunt/neighbor the kids love to visit!

Day 305: Pamphlets

I attended Weight Watchers for awhile and collected many of their weekly idea/motivation pamphlets. I now figure that I KNOW what to do, it's just putting their advice into practice where I'm weak. :) So, with new resolve to be motivated after candy on Halloween, I tossed the advice pamphlets and just kept the point counter stuff.

Do you have a stash of brochures or pamphlets you could toss?

Day 304: Mail Is a Wonderful Thing

I boxed up some items that belonged to various extended family members and mailed them off yesterday. Now THAT pile is gone!

My decision was to go ahead and post the free door on Craig's List. I have three interested parties, so hopefully that will be gone today. I liked how private the whole e-mail thing was on Craig's List.

Day 303: A Glass Door

A few months ago, my father took off a glass door for us. It has been sitting nonchalantly on our porch ever since...I know, bad example. I could easily take it to the dump, but it seems like a good thing for someone. So, I've debated putting it on Craig's list for free. This scares me because you never know who is going to answer the advertisement. Today I must make a decision.

Day 302: Goodwill Shopping

I put one of my daughter's nice vests in the give away box today. She says it's too big. Just from my family, I've given away some nice clothing. People tell me that never-been-worn clothing is often given to Goodwill. I need to go shopping there and see what I can find when I need something. One never knows the good deals one could find! However, we can't go overboard and buy what we DON'T need.

Day 301: Scrapbooking

Over the summer, a couple friends and I got together to jump start our lagging scrapbooking. It helped all of us get motivated to finish up some pages and use some photos and memorabilia. I have found that after time passes (months, years), some of the memorabilia I save doesn't have the same appeal. If you keep all those ticket stubs, brochures, and other paper items in one spot, intending to someday organize and scrapbook them all, you will find that you can throw out quite a bit as it doesn't seem nearly so consequential later. It works the same with photos. I have found scrapbooking to be very helpful in simplifying. Not all 75 photos of the child's birthday party need to go in the scrapbook. Usually we choose a few of the best that highlight the event and that takes care of preserving that memory.

Day 300!!! The Home Stretch

Wow! It is day 300 in our quest to simplify our lives and homes. Getting rid of one thing per day = 300 less items of clutter!

I put two more shirts from my husband into the give away bin today. My family has caught on to simplifying during this year and that has helped us clear out more items. People nowadays tend to be so busy that simplification is appealing to all.

Day 299: Paint

We stopped by a hardware store yesterday to get some paint sample card for house projects. As we near the painting stage, I got to thinking that we will get rid of the leftover paint from the last time. It was kept for touch ups.

Do you have paint cans from projects you don't remember? One organizational technique is to write the room you painted on the can so you don't forget. But, if it's unknown or old, get rid of it!

Day 298: Sorting the Gloves

As my daughter got packed to return to college after her fall break, I dug into our mitten and glove bin to find some matching gloves for her to take back. It wasn't an easy task because there are singles in that bin. I will sort that bin today and get rid of single gloves (as long as there are matching ones people can still use!)

Day 297: Music

I love sheet music. A kind acquaintance lost his wife awhile ago and asked me to come look through her music. He encouraged me to take whatever I wanted. I was like a kid in a candy store! When my perusing through the music ended, I had four sacks of music. There was a little nagging feeling that said, "What are you doing, bringing all this into your home??!"

Some will be for my sister, who still gives piano lessons. Some will eventually end up at my parents' so that we can play the old songs for them when we visit. The rest I can use when playing for weddings or whatever. Yes, I have brought more "stuff" into the home, but will use it. I needn't be "scared" to bring in things I will use. Simplifying has made room for what I really want.

Day 296: Organizing the Pantry

Years ago when my nephews were little, we went to their home periodically to visit. I remember being so impressed at my sister-in-law's pantry. She had all the cereal boxes together, a big Tupperware container with pre-packaged snacks, all the soups together, and more. It was a delight looking in there because a person could find anything. Fast forward to my pantry. The bottom is covered with varied chip bags. Cracker boxes are next to jars of queso. My husband will stand, stare in there, and walk away thinking we have no snacks when all he had to do was move a few things and he would have found ample delicacies!

My task this week is to pull everything out and organize it to even survive a "man look." I want items to be easily found. Perhaps I will even come across some antique items that can be thrown away.

Day 295: Extra Time Well Spent

On a neighboring blog, the creator wrote about spending an extra five minutes just to do something right. On our rushed days, we flit from thing to thing and accomplish little.

Within five extra minutes, we can complete a task like finding something unneeded to simplify our lives. I timed myself today and found several items out of place, put them away, and threw away some old papers and magazines.

Day 294: Things That Match

While sorting through my few purses, I came across an accessory I couldn't part with earlier because IT MATCHED! I don't use lipstick in a tube and this was a little matching lipstick holder with mirror, same color material as the purse.

What is it with things that match? Do we feel like we are splitting up a couple if we get rid of one part we don't need? Often, manufacturers create products with extras so we will think we are getting more for our money. If you don't use one part of the matching items, donate it.

In a happy turn of events, someone will have liked her lipstick case and given away the matching purse. My lone lipstick case will turn up; the person shopping at Goodwill will have a match!

Day 293: Vehicles

How is your vehicle looking lately? Are there any bags or piles of things you have been meaning to leave somewhere and they've been hitch hiking in your van for weeks? Any trash in the cup holders? Vacuumed lately?

Stop by 7-11 and use the vacuum for 4 quarters. They also have a handy, large trash can for you to clean out clutter.

I've posted two photos of a van I saw (I was very sneaky photographing it). I'm not sure the owner can fit himself in anymore.

Consider simplifying your vehicles and getting rid of clutter today! That's my plan.

Day 292: Pens, Pencils, Markers

How many times do you go searching for a pen or pencil only to find it doesn't work? Throw it away right then and there. If you have a stash of pens and pencils somewhere, sometime go through them and see if there are any duds and get rid of them.

If you don't have a central place where family members can find a writing utensil, create one in a drawer, a mug, a can, etc. Near the phone is a good spot for a notepad only used for phone messages and a stash of working pens.

Day 291: The Cherokee

I just (literally) returned from a teachers' trip to study the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation in North Carolina. We got stranded when our bus stalled while going down a mountain in the Smokies and didn't get home until 12:30 AM this morning. Long story...but it ended happily.

Anyway, I was struck by the simplicity our Native Americans lived with. The Cherokee adapted to change fairly well (other than being removed) when Europeans brought new goods such as metal. Our guide said that metal goods to the Cherokee was like computer technology today...they recognized its worth and wanted more and more.

Obviously, living and surviving with only their natural resources helped them live simplified lives. Much of the living was done outside. Possessions, other than beads and ceremonial gear, were always utilitarian. They seemed to live quite easily without clutter.

Is there anything non-utilitarian you can declutter today? We really collect so much stuff in our lifestyles. Mind you, I'm not looking to live in an underground home like they did in the winters early on...I appreciate modern conveniences. I just encourage us all to pare down so we can enjoy what we have instead of tripping over it.

Day 288: Art Supplies

We have kept a bin of art supplies through the years. Often, the bin has overflowed because we hated to throw away the gold lame' or whatever item, just in case we needed it for a craft project. I think one small bin-full is plenty now. If I need something, I'll go buy it at the time. So, I'm getting rid of excess art and craft supplies.

Day 287: The Pantry

I am blessed to have a closet-like pantry in my kitchen. It is deep, so the items in the back are WAY back. Today I am going to venture into those recesses and see what is lurking back there that doesn't need to stay. I did already find a packaged Hickory Farms cheese spread from last Christmas and threw that away today.

Day 286: Purses, Handbags

As with mugs, how many purses or handbags does a person need? It used to be a major faux paux back in the 50's and 60's if your bag didn't match your shoes. Now, not so much. Purses are definitely marketed to have a different one to go with various outfits, but usually as a contrast. It's a cute idea, but they take up a lot of space and the transferring of "stuff" between purses is bothersome.

I'm getting rid of one purse today. The zipper keeps stripping, so it doesn't stay shut and I really want to keep my money safe (all $2.35) :)

Think about your collection. Can you get rid of any? Any old wallets while we're at it?

Day 285: Camping Gear

At a time in our lives, we were camping enthusiasts. The open air and Appalachian trails called to us. After a few experiences in campgrounds where drunk neighbors hooked up their VCR to an electrical outlet and watched loud movies 15 feet from our tent, college students played bongo drums well into the night, etc., camping didn't hold the same allure for me.

My husband took my son and his friend to a hike-in camping place last weekend. To get the gear, they dove into the closet-under-the-stairs I had organized so carefully last winter. They were able to find all they needed and some dispensible items . We threw away some things that were well past their prime, and thus simplified the camping gear.

They had a great time. Maybe beer cases or drums are too heavy to carry while hiking and this will be a spot I can happily camp now.

Day 284: One Per Day

My aunt just made great use of 1-800-GOTJUNK in her quest to ready their home for selling/moving. She simplified in a big way in one day. Sometimes, that is definitely the way to go!

Other times, it's the habit we are establishing to get rid of one thing per day (at least!) that also helps us simplify. Today two shirts of my husband's went into the give away bin.

Day 283: Spices

I realize that I am returning to spots in the house, but 365 days is a long time and things get overlooked the first pass-through. In digging through my spices, I found coriander...quite a large jar. I don't think I have used it in years; in fact, I can't even remember a recipe that calls for it. So, to be fair, I'll look up "Recipes using coriander" on the Internet. If nothing looks appealing, out it goes. I also threw out some very old colored sugar used for decorating cookies.

Day 282: Closets

Once again, I took quite a few clothes to Goodwill from my daughter's closet (with her permission.) It's amazing how many items a person doesn't want when he/she has time to go through closets. If you have kids at home still, encourage a closet purge sometime soon. If there is a husband, carefully encourage the same thing!

Day 281: Files

It's a day for purging more files. I couldn't bring myself to throw away my dog's file for awhile after he died, but it's OK now. My fond memories of him are not tied up in his veterinary records. My daughter's high school information, code of conduct, etc. can be tossed now that she's in college. It's sometimes a little bittersweet to purge, but I know that releasing unneeded stuff helps me live in the 'now' and look forward to new opportunities in the future.

Day 280: Wasteful

My husband told me about a nearby Goodwill store that was the recipient of much of the clutter taken from a home filmed for the TV reality show "Hoarders." Apparently, much of the clothing was designer labeled with the store tags still attached, brand new. I was thinking of the financial waste of money to pile up clutter and not know what you have. I suppose it is definitely a good practice to go with "in the with new, out with the old" so that doesn't happen.

Day 279: Old Phones

I threw out some old cordless phones. The "5" key wasn't working on one of them, the battery would run out in the middle of a call, etc. We got new ones so the old ones are history.

Day 278: White Elephant Gift Stash

Back when I was younger, there was often a "White Elephant" gift exchange at Christmas parties, also called a "Yankee Swap." You wrap up something you have owned but don't want to put in the gift pile, then people get turns choosing an unopened gift or they can steal someone else's gift. On it goes.

As I have been simplifying, I have come across items that would be fun to take to such a party. They would bring laughs. I'll keep them in a designated spot in the attic for awhile. If someone doesn't have one of those parties for awhile, maybe I will...and at the door as my guests leave, I'll have give away bin they can toss their items in! I can't be contributing to others' clutter, can I?

Day 277: One Item Per Day

I like the new regulations for credit card statements that tell you if you just pay the minimum balance, how long it will take to eliminate the debt. For us, simplifying one item per day in our homes could take some time, but it gradually wears down the clutter.

Like a credit card, paying more each month or getting rid of more items per day will whittle down our clutter faster. It's up to each of us! Try to get rid of at least one item daily to keep the momentum going.

I put a shirt into the give away bin today.

Day 276: New Shoes In, Old Shoes Out

I finally got a new pair of walking shoes yesterday. My old ones let water in if it has rained. The old shoes are going in the trash and I have kept clutter at a minimum.

Consider replacing new with old anything when you buy a new item, clothing or otherwise.

Day 275: Decorations

Now that it is finally not 90+ degrees in my part of the country, I am pulling out fall decorations. I've been able to get rid of some that are old and that I'm tired of...an old straw wreath is an example. Use seasons to sort decor and simplify.

Day 274: Do the Math

OK, I know several people who have a lot of clutter in their homes because a mother went into a nursing home, elder family members died and left behind items, they have a pile waiting to go onto E-bay, children have left home and left belongings behind...

If you don't have use of a room or two in your home because of the clutter you need to deal with, assign a "frustration of messiness quotient" between 1 and 10 to those rooms. Add in the days that stuff has imposed on your lifestyle, then multiply your current family members' snide comments by that total. Now, estimate how much money you will bring in through a yard sale or selling the stuff on E-bay. Compare the financial total to the other equation you just did. Is it worth keeping all that stuff for the money you'll make? Would you feel better getting rid of it at a donation center in one big swoop for a tax write off and be done with it? I don't know the value of your items, but maybe mathematics can overcome your emotional attachment to some of the stuff.

Day 273: Cases

Empty cases, keep or throw away? There are digital camera card cases, empty CD cases where the CD has been missing for a few years, empty DVD cases where someone lost the DVD. I'm still clinging to the hope that the Pixar "Cars" DVD will be found, but the camera card cases are being thown away.

Day 272: Christmas Paraphernalia

Now is the time to get rid of excess Christmas stuff...old artificial trees, boxes of ornaments, etc. if that is an area you could declutter. Goodwill and such places could resell those since the season is approaching.

Another school story comes to mind. A very sweet girl asked me my favorite color one fall. I told her "pink." With a gleam in her eye, she told me the question had to do with my Christmas gift. Well, our school Christmas party rolled around and lo and behold, her gift definitely was memorable. She bought me a pink, pre-lit Christmas tree with an entire assortment of decorations! I let the other students help me set it up at school (I figured any atheists could hardly balk at a pink tree) and decorate it. When I brought it home for Christmas break, my family was rather speechless. My husband doesn't always appreciate my hard and fast rule of keeping kids' gifts at least for one year. The next Christmas, I also used it in my classroom, but then donated it to Goodwill (the following fall...they weren't taking such things in the spring.)

Next time a child asks my favorite color in the fall, I'll say "forest green."

Day 271: Dusting

How much stuff we have sitting around directly impacts how long it takes us to dust our homes. Knick-knacks are cute and fun, but take a lot of manuevering around on dusting day. Consider putting those photo frames on the wall, placing knick-knacks in a glass case, or just boxing them up for awhile. Less clutter makes dusting much easier and you might actually do it more often!

Day 270: Gift Bags

Today I am breaking down and getting rid of many gift bags I've accumulated. I haven't ever bought a gift bag, because I receive many from students, which I truly appreciate. I have saved them to reuse and now the bin is overflowing.

My favorite gift bag story, for the record, came from a little boy whose family didn't have much money. He came in on the last day of school carrying a gift bag with race cars on it. He was so excited to give me a gift and I raved about it and thanked him. Later, when I looked more closely at the gift bag, one of the largest photos of a race car had "Viagra" advertised boldly across the side. :) I'm sure the mom never looked carefully at the bag before buying it. Needless to say, I decided not to regift that one.

Day 269: Not All Donation Centers Are the Same

Sorry this is late...we were traveling home from out-of-state. (But...it rhymes!)

Many of you have been purging your homes and donating your used items to places. Be aware that some donation-accepting groups are not what they seem. If you want your clutter to be used to help the community, just do your research. The little drop boxes you see around town may just sell your things for their own profit. My husband showed me a flyer that came in the mail today about donating for a military group. In the small print, it showed that a professional solicitor company gets most of the profits and just gives a license fee to the military group.

Some reputable donation centers in my area I've found: Salvation Army, Goodwill, American Vets. Basically, if you get a receipt from your donation, your discards will help others.

Day 268: Travel Ease

If your family takes off for a weekend periodically, I've found a way to simplify packing. I keep a toiletry travel bag already packed with contact solution, toothpaste, a toothbrush, nail clippers, shampoo, razor, night cream, q-tips, deodorant, emery board, etc. When we're packing, all I have to throw in is my brush, glasses, and contact case. It truly simplifies that packing procedure and keeps everything in one spot so I can be organized and grab & go!

267: Currency and Coins from Other Countries

We have had the opportunity to travel abroad and always end up with extra currency/coins from the various countries. At first, it's exciting to have and show anyone in the family who didn't get to go. But then, the Moroccan coin shows up in a coin jar as you are rolling coins to take to the bank. What to do with it?

Ideas could be:
Keep a small box of foreign coins
Go up to a money exchange place and exchange back into US coinage/currency
I'm not sure if you can recycle foreign coins
Make friends in the US with someone who has ties to that country and may be visiting again

If anyone else has good ideas, please offer. I know foreign coins don't take up much space, but they can be annoying like "a bad penny that keeps showing up."

Day 266: Under 100 Days to Go!

We are on the countdown for our year of simplifying and getting rid of one thing per day! Today, think about your entertainment area. Are there DVD's, VHS's, CASSETTES, CD's that you no longer need or want? See what can be cleared out in that area. I realize that represents a lot of money, but so many movies are on cable now. Instead of purchasing any more DVD's, think about swapping with a friend to have a fresh supply, or just purchasing on i-tunes or something so you can store it in the computer.

265: Back in the Recesses of a Cupboard

It's amazing what you find when you pull everything out of a closet, drawer, or cupboard! I often don't want to put everything back, so those places get purged of excess clutter. I put some unused Tupperware in the give away bin.

Day 264: Work Space

Today I will throw away or reorganize some items from my area at work. I'm feeling claustrophobic surrounded by so much. It will improve my productivity because I will be able to find things.

Day 263: Family or Stuff?

Yes, I watched "Hoarders" for a little while again last night. It gives me so much room for thought, even though it is sad. I am just amazed at the people who live in three foot deep clutter with little paths throughout their homes.

The comment of one teen last evening about her mother's hoarding problem was very sobering. "I really think my mother loves her stuff more than us."

Now for most of us, clutter is in our homes because we are busy. However, is there any place in your house that family members have repeatedly asked you to "do something with?" Be very careful to honor that wish for the good of the family so no one can accuse you of clutter-love versus family-love.

Sobering yes, but attainable success...always possible!

Day 262: Pest Invasion

The ants went marching ten by ten, hurrah, hurrah...

There have been ants in my kitchen for the past few weeks. The tide comes and goes during various seasons. My husband found a high cupboard in which there was a sugar dispenser. Ants had spilled sugar all over the top shelf. As we unloaded the shelf to clean it, I found packs of items we had stored for a long time and just tossed them into the trash.

Sometimes pest invasions are a blessing in disguise.

Day 261: More Hidden Spots

I sorted through a bin where I store greeting cards, etc. There was a lot in there that needed to go into the trash. In my haste, I had stashed unneeded items in there that are no longer relevant.

Day 260: Way Back in the Cupboard

Have you ventured deep into any cupboards lately to see things you may not have seen in years? Organizationally, that is a good place to store items you still use infrequently. You may, however, find some gadgets, pans, or dishes, that you never plan to use again. I found a Tupperware item I haven't used in many years. I am putting it into the give away bin.

Day 259: More Pans

I found some more cake pans that I am sending to my sister who has young children and can use them for parties and such.

Day 258: What is Left?

What is a major clutter spot in your home today? We are on day 258 of our 364 and 1/4. Is there a spot that needs a lot of attention? Ours is the office, and the problem is, a lot of the items aren't mine. This fact means I will need to tread lightly and time things well. However, I'm committed to having it decluttered/organized by the end of the year.

Think about your home. What goal can you set for decluttering a cluttered area in the next 100+ days?

Day 257: One Item Per Day

Keep up the great work, getting rid of one item per day! Yesterday, I found a reference-type book I rarely looked in, so it went into the give away bin.

Day 256: Success!

I had written about a TV/radio unit my son had won at eight years ago, how it wasn't ever used and I tried to get rid of it. He asked for it back since he "might" use it. Well, I kept an eye out all summer and it sat in the same place collecting dust. It has now been sent onto greener pastures.

Day 255: Rearranging

Sometimes we have things we really want to keep. One way to make them look less cluttered is to rearrange their placement. Can framed photos be hung on the wall instead of crowded on a dresser? Can magazines be placed in a basket or on a bookshelf? Can kitchen appliances be stored in the cabinets instead of on the counter?

Simple rearranging can make your areas seem less cluttered. Look at your spaces with a critical eye and find ways to rearrange!

Day 254: Plans to Use Stuff...

I happened across the show "Hoarders: Buried Alive" again last evening.

One lady had hired a professional organizer to help her. As the organizer was attempting to throw away a handful of plastic picks that hold cards in flower arrangements, the owner about broke down saying she didn't like to waste anything and she had plans to use most of her stuff (that was piled about three feet deep throughout her house.) My thought is, are we hanging onto dumb things because we "have plans to use them?" I have a dirty little crocheted bassinet someone gave to my daughter at least 16 years ago. The base was a dishsoap bottle and someone crocheted the cutest little top that folds up into a bassinet with a hood for a little doll. I've saved that thing for YEARS because I wanted to learn to make them and give them as gifts (to who now? My daughter's college friends???) It's a great craft, but I can't figure it out on my own, and I have no little preschool girls in my life. So, it's one of those things that is cluttering my life and needs to go.

Day 253: Cake Pans

When I took cake decorating as a 4-H activity, I became enamoured with the craft. As I grew, I poured over Wilton Cake Decorating catalogs and saved money to buy specialty pans. I have used that skill for many events through the years, but that hobby has waned as my family discovered Paul's Bakery (a cake place in our town.)

My precious pans...that I haven't used in years..need to go. If I want to be creative, I can do so with my 9 x 13 or 9 inch rounds. Hopefully someone else starting out in cake decorating can enjoy them! (It's hard to let the horseshoe pan go...used it as for roller coaster cake once!!)

Day 252: Cast offs

I am taking some clothing cast offs to Goodwill. My son and daughter cleaned out closets and their cast offs will provide others with some still usable clothing.

Day 251: Paper vs. Electronic

There's something about writing a check, putting it in an envelope, and setting it in the mailbox that seems like the right way to pay bills. However, there is the dilemma of filing the rest of the bill or shredding it.

To try to simplify, we could go to all electronic bill paying through the Internet and cut down on paper. Have any of you taken this course of action?

Day 250: Simplifying and Delegating

Simplifying isn't just about getting rid of physical items; it is also clearing out responsibilities so you aren't overwhelmed. Housework is an ongoing task that can be overwhelming at times. Is there any delegating going on to help you?

If you still have children at home, they should be completing tasks. For one, it doesn't all have to be on you, and two, it teaches them responsibility, the satisfaction that comes from work, and HOW to keep things clean. When mine were home, I came up with a chart of jobs for a week, all split up on the days of the week. The kids had to come home from school and complete two jobs each from that day's list. I finished up the rest. It lessened my load and the house stayed consistently clean. Another way it helped is that I didn't feel like I had to dust mop daily as it would be on the chart in three days again. That simplified housework for me. Now that it's just me, the daily lists still help me not "over-clean" and I can rest in the fact that the rest of the chores will come up on other days.

So, continue to get rid of physical items, but also begin to think of what taxes you mentally that you could delegate or at least organize to help clear your head.

Day 249: Simplicity and Cooking

With the Food Network Channel going strong, we get all sorts of tantalizing ideas for our cooking. We stock up on previously unheard-of or at least unused ingredients to attempt to match the chefs on TV. It is unfortunate, but sometimes my family just doesn't care for the new recipe. "But I bought horseradish, dill weed, tabasco sauce, and asiago cheese for this!"

Sometimes we are "stuck" with ingredients that only go with a certain recipe, and they will probably go bad by the time we use them up. There are some thoughts I had on this topic of unintentional wasteful buying of ingredients:

1. Find more recipes that call for those unique ingredients
2. If you are going to try a new recipe, go in on the ingredients with friends so you can use them up just in case the family doesn't ever want that meal again
3. Certainly, if you haven't used those ingredients for a long time and they are cluttering up your cabinets, dump them into the compost pile and at least you'll get some future good out of them (enrich your soil!) Don't feel compelled to store them for years.
4. Otherwise, stick to main ingredients you know will work with many of your other recipes

Day 248: Holy Guitar

There are times when we face true dilemmas about getting rid of our belongings. Others can see the path we should take easily, but we are very torn. My nephew was playing his guitar for me out on the beach last evening. I remembered that he has another guitar that got pierced by a fork lift. For him, it is really hard to get rid of that guitar that holds so many memories, even when he has a new guitar.

As an outsider, it seems like a no-brainer, but we can't make decisions for others. We need to let them come to their own decisions about simplifying or decluttering. Give it time and worry about your own stuff for now!

Day 247: One Per Day

I placed clothing in the give away bin today!

Day 246: Victories

I want to share two victories from a couple co-simplifiers. One was on vacation and still sorted through things to get rid of one-per-day. Another went to the beach and, instead of buying her typical beach souvenirs, she only bought a t-shirt that says "Simplify."

We want to keep building the simplifying habit as clutter continually accumulates. Keep up the strong effort, everyone!

Day 245: Clearing Out

I felt oppressed at work yesterday by all the stuff! Sometimes it appears that school systems feel that if we buy more curriculum, teaching tool kits, flash cards, and games each year, it will help students learn better. Meanwhile, what do we do with all the stuff that was bought the previous ten years? With 24 kids in a room, storage is limited.

Do you ever feel oppressed and suffocated by all your stuff at home or work? It really feels good to just get rid of a lot of it.

I threw away, organized, and decided to give some old items to the students to take home... to study with, of course. :)

Day 244: School Photos

What do you do with expensive school photos that didn't all get signed off to family or BFF's? As a teacher, I get a free pack of myself in all sizes each year. Sometimes they are good and I can update my family. Most of the time I toss them. Although, one of my co-workers had a teacher when she was in elementary school that used hers to pass out to the children and told them to show her photo to any single men they knew. Wow...

What about the cute photos of the kids? After giving to family, save one for yourself and toss them if there are a lot, or be creative and make a collage (repetition is an aspect of art...).

Day 243: Is Clutter Married to Frugality?

Do you have to have clutter to be frugal? One of the tenants of frugality is saving items you might use later on to "make do" when creating a child's costume, a jean purse, etc. I would say that you do need to keep some items on hand, but have a specific place for them. If the bin or storage place begins to overflow, sort through your items. On the other hand, if you have stashed things "I might need later" for more than five years, there is a good possibility that you could get rid of those treasures.

Day 242: Does Everything Fit?

Periodically, we need to evaluate our homes, garages, sheds, etc. with the question, "Does everything fit?" If the answer is no, some items need to be rearranged or disposed of. Look in the desk drawer: is everything in a certain place? In the family room, can the room fit more people than the stuff that is taking up floor space? Kitchen cabinets: are there multiples of spices/boxed items you could simplify? Could you store some extras in an under-the-bed container to free up space?

Think about your home and if everything fits.

Day 241: Clothing (again)

It may be time to revisit a clothing closet or storage bin. As a new season dawns, you might get rid of some summer garments you rarely used for whatever reason. I have a couple of skirts I haven't used all summer and they have served their time.

Day 239: Expired

We have discussed this before, but have you checked your medicine cabinet recently? I am visiting with my sister-in-law who often travels from the West Coast to the East to visit. She keeps a stash of toiletries at her mother's so she doesn't have to bring so much. This morning she found several over-the-counter medications that had expired, so she threw them out for her "simplify: one per day" commitment.

On that topic, I saw an article about prescription medication expiring. When a doctor is trying to find the right medication, you may have to purchase multiple bottles before the right one is found. This person said that the drug store will sell a few pills intead of a whole bottle if you aren't sure; that way you don't waste the money or have to store/throw out medication you'll never use.

Day 238: Minimalist

I realize I'm in the "send them off to college" mode lately, but that has been my life. I will get past this, but the experiences of sending two off this year has given me room for thought about simplifying.

A friend of mine recently sent her son off to college. She said she had to force him to get another pair of jeans because he is such a minimalist. She sneaked a box of tissues into his stuff, but he wasn't happy to see she'd packed snacks and so she had to take them home.

I lived on the island of Haiti for a summer for a missions project. We were allowed one duffle bag and it could only weigh a certain amount. We had three pair of pants, two dresses, work boots, underclothes, three shirts, any lightweight toiletries, a Bible, a basin to hand wash our few clothes, and that was it for the entire summer. The leaders were not being mean, we just had to carry all our tools and food to the island and weight on the plane was an issue. The planners also knew we'd be busy working and wouldn't need lots of stuff. You know, it really wasn't a hardship having so little. It was actually freeing. And, when you saw the conditions the Haitians lived in, you realized how blessed you were to have clothing that wasn't covered in rips and holes like some of the Haitian children.

Think about if you need to be more of a minimalist by getting rid of excess.

Day 237: Hiding Places

In theory, having lots of small drawers, shoe racks, hanging closet organizers, organizing bins, etc. are good things. However, with a busy lifestyle, they are also catch-alls for junk we don't need to keep. Someone I know has seven small drawers in addition to her dresser drawers in the bedroom. In her closet was a tubular hanging organizer. Well, when this person got ready for college and cleaned out drawers, bag after bag of trash was collected from those.

Sometimes I think it's better to not have so many hiding places. If clutter is in plain sight, we tend to notice it and purge.

Day 236: Triggers

A trigger is something that can jumpstart our memories. It can be a photo, an object, an odor, etc. Much of the clutter we have trouble parting with could be categorized as "triggers." We don't want to get rid of this mug because it reminds us of Great Aunt Sue. We can't let the old rag blanket go because it was our child's blankie. Thinking logically, we really don't like those objects, they don't enhance our lives....we keep them to preserve the memory.

There is something freeing about forgetting, but we fight so hard to remember everything. We surround ourselves with lots of clutter to remember. When you think historically, you realize they had diaries or journals, maybe, to pass on. Perhaps a few objects such as furniture. No photos, a few had paintings, no nicknacks. In school, they memorized so much in their heads, their memories were sharper than ours today where we can just access information any time and have not much need for memorizing.

Back to triggers. Is it really so bad to risk forgetting whatever that object represents to you? Can you trust your amazing brain to recall the important stuff? As you sort clutter, think about whether what you are keeping is just a trigger to help you remember and whether it's really necessary in your life.

Day 235: Pitch Without Examining??

There's one avenue of simplifying that makes me cringe, and my son employed it in his final hours before leaving for college. It's the "Pitch Without Examining" method. I had asked him to be sure to clear the clutter off the corkboard hanging in his room before he left. There were items like awards, letters, from three years ago just tacked up everywhere. He decluttered it quickly and told me he just pitched everything into the trash. Gulp...I hope he doesn't regret it. If you are feeling brave, you could ask someone else to clean out an area and then adopt a "don't ask, don't tell" attitude...just be happy the area is neat. That's a big step of faith, but may help when you are feeling overwhelmed!

Day 234: Use It Up

We've talked about using up things we already have as a method of simplifying. I have used two pieces of fabric, sewing dresses for my neice. These fabrics have been with me a long time...

Day 233: Closets

We have been simplifying for 233 days. Many of us have purged our living spaces of more than one thing per day; some of you even have kept count! Let me ask this: how do all your closets look? Are there any you haven't simplified and organized? They collect more stuff than most other places because they can hide it. That was my college son's argument at first, "Mom, why do you look in my closet when I'm gone?" He had a point, but I'm on a mission to declutter!

If, by chance, you are running out of places to simplify, choose another closet to tackle. My son was able to get rid of loads out of his closet (with just a little pressure from me!)

Day 232: The Dress

I have a dress I've liked...nine years? My husband has made minor negative comments about it on occasion, but it was still in style and good shape. Recently I wore it again and got, "You're wearing THAT to this event?" I would consider this a major negative comment. So, I figure I've gotten my money's worth and it's time to let let the dress go to Goodwill.

Is there anything you have in your wardrobe that you have an inkling family members dislike? It may be time for it to go.

Day 231: Stationery, Cards

I keep all my stationery, thank you cards, etc. in a small bin. As I reached into it the other day, I found quite a bit that was worthless. I had envelopes from Christmas cards received that needed the addresses written into my address book. There were old bill statements and magazine articles I had cut out to send to someone. I quickly looked through it to see what I had in the way of supplies and threw away unnecessary items.

Day 230: Family Members

If you can ask family members to clear out just one area, it helps simplify. Children and their closets, spouses and their offices, etc. My son got rid of a good amount of outgrown clothing that we were able to take to Goodwill.

Day 229: Trash

Of course we take out the stinky kitchen trash and dump the small trashcans throughout the house. What about the clutter that really is trash, too? Outdated magazines, newspapers, stained/ripped clothing, broken furniture or appliances...all that can just be tossed and make a big difference somewhere in your home. If you've had broken things for more than a year or two, don't kid yourself that you are going to get around to fixing it. Just get rid of it.

By sorting through our attic, I, ashamedly, gathered four bags of trash to go to the dump.

Day 228: How Is It Looking Around the House?

As mentioned yesterday, cleaning has become easier. Storage space has been freed up so I have a place for many more items I need. My attic is organized and mostly simplified. There are so many advantages to living without clutter.

How is your house looking? I have heard from various followers about their successes. If you have time, would love to hear some comments on your progress!

Day 227: Clean or Clean Around?

After some time away from the house, I was cleaning. It came to me that cleaning is so much easier when you don't have to maneuver around clutter! Wiping down bare counters, dust mopping or vacuuming floors that only have furniture on them, wiping bathroom sinks with no toiletries piled...it's worth simplifying for the ease and speed in which you can clean your house.

Day 226: Sewing Patterns

I found a couple more sewing patterns to give away. I don't know if they take them, but I'll try. My philosophy about Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc. is to just give anything usable (within reason...no gross or dirty items, ripped/stained clothing, trash) to them and they can discard unwanted items.

Day 225: Keep Looking

We've been simplifying since January. Some areas of our homes may need to be revisited. Items you couldn't part with in February may not seem as dear now. I found a CD of a local group that, after listening to it once more, I was able to place in the give-away bin.

Day 224: Time-saver Devices

We were in a store yesterday that had every kitchen time-saving device known to man. There was a melon slicer, "Slice your melon half in one easy step!", a pineapple corer, a strawberry huller, and so much more. All of those items would be great except they take up a lot of space in the kitchen, and how often are they really used? I was thinking that I could take care of all those tasks with one knife.

Look through your kitchen with a critical eye. Do you have convenience devices you rarely use? How often do we core a fresh pineapple? Would a simple tool such as a knife take care of many tasks? Can you get rid of some of those time-savers that take up precious drawer space, or, horrors, have to be left on the counter because you have no place for them?

Day 223: Check that Make-up Bag

Have you done a critical look into your make-up supply lately? We talked about it earlier this year, but today I looked more closely and realized I could simplify. In my little make-up bag was an eye-liner pencil sharpener. I haven't had an eye liner that needed sharpening for a long time. Now they twist like a mechanical pencil. "But what if I need to buy one that needs sharpening?" The logical side came back and reminded me that most likely, that won't happen, so...I threw away the sharpener, thus decluttering a little bit more.

Day 222: If Someone Else Can Use It

In my continuing forage through our attic, I found a birthday hat we used for our dog. While it is a fond memory, we no longer have him with us, so hopefully someone else can use it if they get it from Goodwill.

I know that giving to places that resell our clutter helps others. One of my kids found a college tie at Goodwill that is in great shape for $1. I wonder if the person giving that away agonized over it like I have with some items. They would be pleased that it made my child happy to find it and that it will be used again!

Day 221: Souvenir Gifts

Getting rid of souvenirs friends bring to you from other places can be difficult. It's cool thinking, "This box came from Russia!" or "This stuffed giant frog is from Mexico!" (You smile, but my parents had that from a missionary friend. I loved showing it off as a kid.) Once again, you value the giver, but there is also a kind of mystique surrounding something from afar.

Ideas would be rotating some in a display as you store others. Another idea is to actually use them, such as a cedar box from Canada could be a jewelry box. My daughter collects snow globes, my son has playing card decks, so people pick those up for them on trips and they display their collections. Giving people a "theme" might help you avoid items you're not sure what to do with. However, if you only store them unseen, it's probably time to get rid of them.

Day 220: One Per Day

As in the vein of clearing off refrigerators, my daughter cleared off her hanging cork board of old memorabilia, leaving it neater and uncluttered. Even things like that simplify a room.

Day 219: Sage Advice

While shopping for college dormroom items yesterday, my daughter lamented the fact that she was told not to buy/bring any storage containers until move in, just in case they are too crowded (she's in a triple). Perhaps too flippantly, I answered, "If you don't take too much stuff, you won't need extra storage!"

That is true for us. House feeling cramped? Most likely it is "stuff" like clutter or too much furniture that causes claustrophobia, not the people living there. Today, try gathering into a bin or bag everything in one of your rooms that doesn't have a certain place (the floor doesn't count...leave nothing on the floor.) See the difference it will make!

Day 218: Bargains

I got this quote from another blog: www.organizedlife.blogspot.com The author, Emily Wilska, said:

"So when is a bargain not a bargain? When it's something we buy not because we truly need it, will use it, or absolutely love it, but because it's on sale."

This weekend is the tax-free school supplies weekend in our state. It is tempting to go overboard at the good deals and no tax. Yardsales are also notorious for tempting us to add to our clutter. Keep the quote above in mind before you spend, and I would recommend reading her section on this if you struggle with buying because things are on sale.

I exchanged a new muffin pan for an old, beat-up one today.

Day 217: Gifts from the Heart

Gifts are a difficult area to simplify. Wedding gifts, Christmas gifts, work-related gifts, gifts from children...all are difficult to get rid of because of the value we place on the giver. My practice has been to use each gift in some way for a time:
all the apple or handmade Christmas ornaments go on the tree at least one Christmas
display the pink antique glass for a few months on a shelf
bring out the silver tea set on special occasions the first year

After that, I feel better about giving the item away, or if it's a family heirloom passed down, storing it with other such treasures in a bin in the attic until I can make up my mind. Today I put a bunny ceramic planter in the give away bin after using it for some time after receiving it for Easter.

Long post short...just because someone gave something to you as a gift, you're under no obligation to keep it long term.

Day 213: Quite a Story

I am currently visiting family in the remote Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Our Internet access is quite "simplified" here, so please bear with me for a few days if I can't post.

I heard a wonderful true account yesterday of a family who went through a lot to simplify. If they can do it, we certainly can. An older couple years back had built a "cabin" over top an Airstream travel trailer. They were close to 90 and, after not visiting the cabin for three years, decided to sell it for a song. The family who bought it went in to find three year old food in the unplugged refrigerator, stacks of books under the beds, furniture, and on shelves, mice nests throughout the bedding, mouse droppings 1/2 inch high and rotted insulation in the rafters along with this lady's yarn mice had dragged into the attic, etc., etc. Old mattresses were stored in the basement and were rotting and moldy. It turned my stomach to hear of it.

They rolled up their sleeves and got to work hauling the clutter and trash out. At $60 per ton to deposit bulk trash in the area dump, the man paid $600! That's how much he hauled out. They took apart the metal trailer, disposed of that, and then my builder dad helped finish up the inside.

It is lovely now. I doubt that any of us have a situation like that in our homes. If those people can clean out four foot high stacks of clothing, use a shop vac to vacuum up mice droppings, and haul out moldy mattresses, can't we clean out an attic or closet? I was very motivated hearing their story!

Day 210: Leftover Christmas

Going through my kitchen cabinet, I discovered a "cranberry mustard" left over from a Hickory Farms sausage/cheese pack we received for Christmas. It may have been from 2008; I don't remember. I figured that if I hadn't used it yet, it could go. Have you saved any specialty items that came in gift packs? Do you still want them?

Day 209: On the Refrigerator

A refrigerator can collect clutter on the outside as well as the inside. Magnets hold lists, photos, kid drawings, but how long have some of those pieces of paper or photos been on our refrigerator? How many souvenir or plumbing company magnets does one refrigerator need?

Decluttering the front or sides of a refrigerator makes the room seem fresh and cleaner. Try it! I got rid of some excess magnets today.

Day 208: Leave for Others to Clean

I am going on a plane trip soon, and the thought "What if I don't return?" morbidly has come to mind. Would my family have a hard time clearing out my things?

On Facebook this morning, a couple friends were posting about cleaning out deceased relatives' homes and how daunting the task is. Albeit macabre, this could be a motivating factor for us to simplify and declutter.

On a happy note, I do like to fly, am not scared, and I am leaving my side of the closet neat!

Day 207: College Prep Results

From this week's assignment to my children who are heading to college in a few weeks, we got rid of some books and more clothing. I've asked for two drawers or shelves per week to be sorted through, so their rooms are "welcoming" and decluttered when they come home for visits.

Day 206: Goodwill, A Better Option

We are hesitant to get rid of a lot of items that have sentimental value, are still good and have years left, or we've relied on for years. Throwing them away is definitely out as we were taught to "waste not, want not." (Probably Benjamin Franklin!)

However, giving still-good items to a place like Goodwill makes sure your things continue to help. Not only does Goodwill sell your items discounted to needy or thrifty shoppers, they use the money to help put to work disabled, mentally handicapped, unemployable people (such as former prisoners, uneducated, etc.) They have a cleaning business, laundry business, etc. where these folks can gain pride through work. They also do career training to help people become more skilled so they can get better jobs.

So, to declutter for you is a win/win situation when you can donate to a place like Goodwill.

Day 205: One Per Day

What is your one thing to get rid of today? Mine is a shirt of my son's he has either outgrown or doesn't wear anymore. If you have time, post what you got rid of. Keep up the good work!

Day 204: Coupons, Receipts, etc.

If you are a coupon clipper, a rebate shopper, or a receipt saver, clutter can accumulate quickly. An accordian check folder is a good organizer for them. However, if you feel weighed down with what you have, ask yourself some questions:

1. Are the $1 or $2 rebates I can get from filling out and mailing all this paperwork worth my time and angst about keeping these organized?
2. Do I really need to keep the receipt here? Can I staple it to the instructions that came with the product?
3. Will I really buy five cans of soup to save $.25?
4. Do I really need anything from the craft store that I need to keep this 40% off coupon?

I've had to clear out some stuff like this and just enjoy LIVING, not always thinking about what money I can save through keeping all these little scraps of paper.

Day 203: Clothes Decluttering

Summer isn't really winding down, but the clothing stores think it is over. If you go shopping for new summer clothing, you'll find fall items.

Now is a time to go through your summer wardrobe. Take a 10 minute look through your closet and/or dresser. Are there pieces you haven't used all summer? Get rid of them. I got rid of some more clothing today from my daughter's purge effort.

Day 202: Placing the Blame

Watching a "Clean House" episode brought back a memory. The husband and wife on TV blamed each other for the clutter, and neither took the time to pick up his/her things. It was almost as if one person's clutter enabled the other to be messy as well.

At the end of my junior year of college, Shelly approached me about rooming together in the dorm. I cringed. I liked the girl a lot, but she and her roommate had lived in a disgustingly messy, dirty room all year. Susie had slept in a sleeping bag on her bunk all year, no sheets; there were at least five borrowed popcorn poppers scattered throughout their room, still with old oil in them. (A couple of us had peeked in once looking for our poppers.) Clothing, books, papers, shoes were strewn helter skelter. I told Shelly I just couldn't live like that. She assured me that she hadn't wanted to live like that either, but she just got in bad habits living with Susie. We did end up rooming together senior year and had a beautifully decorated, NEAT room the entire year. There was no problem.

These two stories made me wonder if we allow lots of clutter in our homes, are we enabling our husbands and children to develop bad habits as well? If we clean up OUR stuff, I've found that it encourages good habits for whoever else lives with us.