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...).