Buying Expensive

Clutter isn't always old and junky.  Sometimes it is extremely expensive.  We store items that are "too nice to wear,"  "too fancy for this meal," "someone might steal it if I take it out in public," etc. 

Buy items that are of good quality, but that you won't feel the need to store most of the time for fear something will damage them.

Put Things Away

Having more people around for this winter break from school is wonderful!  I have noticed trends, however.  Some people keep all their items together and you never could trace them to where they've been in the house.  With certain others, you can find evidence of their day throughout the house:  a half-drunk cup of tea here, a book there, shoes in the corner, a phone on the counter, etc. 

It got me thinking that half the battle of staying organized and decluttered is putting things in their places immediately.  Yes, a place for everything and everything in its place...but it's more than that.  If possible, put things away when you set them down.  Items won't pile up and you will always be able to find what you need.

Pantry Decluttering

My pantry is a disaster.  I told my daughter our goal this week is to organize it.  People cannot find what they need, which is a sure sign of disorganization.  One suggestion I read for keeping a decluttered pantry is every time you unload groceries, stop and straighten what's already in the pantry.  Remove excess packaging, throw out unneeded or old items.

That is fine, but first of all I need to take the time to organize it.  There have to be some little bins and things to help!  I will try to photograph the before and after project.

Add More Closet

I recently read an article on organizing.  All the ideas were great for moving your stuff around and keeping it in an organized way.   Unfortunately, only one suggestion was to box up unneeded clothing to give away.  The purpose of this blog has been to make people aware that organization in a home is relatively easy if there's not so much stuff to organize.  Getting rid of excess is key to organization. 

That said, I've added a photo of a closet showing a way to give you more storage space (IF indeed you need that many clothes!)  The double bar and the shelving unit help add storage space. 

Out With the Old, In With the New

As you find places for your Christmas gifts today, keep this saying in mind:  "Out with the old, in with the new!"  If a gift can replace something old you had, put the old thing in the give-away bin today.  Do not keep both.

Merry Christmas!

Enjoy your celebration today!  If you receive a replacement for something you already own, you can put the old one in the give-away bin right away.

Errand Running

When I'm working, I often consolidate errands into one trip.  Since we are out of school on break, I have no time constraints.  The past two days,  I have realized how much time can be wasted running an errand here, an errand there.  Simplify your life by grouping errands and not running out every time you think of something.

Simplify Socks

One day when I was probably 10 years old, I was playing at a friend's home.  Her mom called from the other room, "Girls, you need to help with the clean socks!"  My friend rolled her eyes and led us into the dining room.  To my utter amazement, the dining room table was piled high with socks to be matched!  (This family had nine children...it's a LOT of socks.)  My memory stops at that point, most likely blocked by the pain of sorting the mountain of socks into pairs.

I read an idea to help simplify the sock matching situation.  Buy a mesh bag, commonly used for fine washables, for each member of the family.  Each person can put his/her own socks into his/her bag.  On laundry day, wash and dry the socks in the separate bags.  It would take training for your family to do this, but the time it would save matching assorted socks would be worth it, as well as not being blamed for missing socks!

Children's Rooms

I am amazed at the number of people who comment on how horribly messy their kids' room are kept.  They throw up their hands and talk like it's a rite of passage and there's nothing that can be done.  (Sort of the attitude of disciplining kids nowadays...but that's for another blog sometime...)

Let me get on my soapbox for a moment.   If the child has less, there is less to keep organized.  A couple suggestions on this one follow. 

• For little preschoolers, box up toys into separate boxes and only bring out a certain amount at a time.  The rest are stored out-of-reach for a month.  After a month, bring out the stored box or boxes and pack up the current month's toys.  The kids rarely miss the stored stuff, but are excited and actually play with it when it comes back.
• Consider less for birthdays, Christmas.  Typically, children are excited at gift one.  Gift two might draw as much interest.  Beyond that very far, selfishness and grumpy attitudes can surface.  They often then go outside and play with sticks or play with the box!   I used to ask parents not to bring gifts to my kids' birthday parties in the early years.  (They only had two or three before age ten.)  It made it easier on the guests, my kids didn't get a lot of extra stuff they didn't appreciate, and it just made it easy for all the kids to have fun.  Of course, one mom asked me if gift-giving was against my religion.  
• Even in teen rooms, there is so much stuff, it often doesn't fit!  We used to go through periodically and box up items that didn't have daily use, and gave away used clothing, books, old stuffed animals, etc.  The less they have to find places for, the easier it is to stay neat. 

So, in conclusion for this lengthy edition, don't give in when society says kids' rooms will always be a mess.  Take some action to train your kids.  Same with teens.  You ARE the parent, it IS your home, and you can help train your teen to declutter and keep a neat room.  His/her spouse someday will thank you.

Shopping Lists

Lists motivate me.  They also provide a structure so I don't have to think and carry around reminders in my head.

•  I have my master Christmas card list that I keep from year to year.  It can be tweaked to add or delete, but it is there and I needn't rack my brain every busy Christmas season. 
• On the inside door of my baking cabinet, there is a shopping list of everything I stock.  If I'm going shopping, I can quickly glance at that list to see if I'm out of an item.
• I have a cleaning list for chores to do every day that spreads the joy and keeps the house clean without last minute rushes
• There is a list of cleaning supplies that again can seen at a glance before going to the store
• My most often called numbers are also posted inside a cupboard by the home phone

I would suggest taking some time to make master lists and post them somewhere you can find.  It truly saves mental energy in the long run.

Routine in the Morning

Routines help you stay organized.  There can be a morning routine before you leave for work or if you are home so that things aren't left undone.  Lorie Morero, of clutterdiet.com, suggests "DEW." 
D stands for dishes.  Clean up the kitchen and start the dishwasher. 
E stands for eating.  Plan your dinner by putting out meat to thaw, starting the crock pot, etc. 
W stands for wash.  Put a load of laundry in before you leave.

This routine, combined with the evening one, will help you stay on top of your household chores and simplify your life.

Jewelry Box

I used to love playing in my grandmother's jewelry box.  All the "jewels" and lovely settings let me imagine and play fun princess games.  As adults, it's easy to forget about what we have in our jewelry boxes.  Often, there are pieces we would never wear again.  Look in that spot today to declutter.

Wrapping Paper, Bows, Ribbon

As you are wrapping gifts this season, are there any rolls of ugly paper you have just hung onto because it is wrapping paper?  Have you chosen to use it in the past few years?  Throw it out.  How about "saved" wrapping paper from others' gifts that has been folded for years?  Throw it out.  If it's nothing we'll use because we don't like it or it's too creased to look nice, get rid of it. 

Morning Routine

Are your mornings crazy?  Does your child's teacher jot you a note letting you know your son hasn't brought his workbook from home all week?  Do you habitually forget things?  Working full time as a wife and/or mother is truly difficult.  There are so many things to juggle.  Even if you are a stay-at-home homemaker, there is often more to juggle because of involvement with volunteerism. 

I have found that routines save me, most days, from being crazy in the mornings.  Before bed, I lay out my clothing for the next work day and pack up my bookbag.  My purse and keys are ready to go as well.  Taking a 5 - 10 minute walk through the house, picking up things and putting them in their spots lets me wake up to a neat home.  Making lunches the night before is also handy (that's my goal...not there yet.)  Routines can definitely simplify your life.  Try to make them a habit.

Yard Decor

Yes, I realize it is the middle of December, but I am still raking and bagging up leaves.  During the few minutes of daylight that I'm home in the afternoons, I was trying to rake up a section of the back yard and came across my favorite birdfeeder.  It was made of twigs, covered in moss.  I've had it outside for a couple years.  Looking closely, I saw rotted holes.  When I went to move it, the handle fell off.  It was time to throw it away. 

We often forget about clutter outside our homes, in the yard.  Is there any old, dead potted plant sitting outside?  How about a dilapitated birdhouse?  Look with a critical eye today and see if you find anything.

Stocking Stuffers

My hero, Lori Morero of clutterdiet.com,  has a wonderful organizing idea for stocking stuffers.  Label a paper lunch bag for each person for whom you buy stocking gifts.  As the holiday season progresses, keep all these lunch bags open in a box.  You can easily drop in little goodies as you purchase them.  The other advantage is it is obvious at a glance how they are filling up, and  you don't get to Christmas Eve realizing that Sue has LOTS more than Ted.  When you stuff the stockings, she suggests just folding up the bags for next year and keeping them with your Christmas decorations.

Tote Bags

Through the years, I have received a wonderful assortment of tote bags from conferences.  They are sturdy, have nicely embroidered labels, and come in handy for carrying lots of books, shoes, pool items, etc.  However, how many can one store and use? 

Today I put a few in the bin for Goodwill.

Damage = Decluttering

Unfortunately, after flooding, fire, or other natural disasters, people have to throw out things from the damaged rooms.  I wonder if they really miss some of the items.  Of course there are the treasures that can never be replaced like photo albums, but I wonder if they fill up their rooms as full?

We had some water in our basement this week after a lot of rain.  Nothing was permanently damaged, but having to move furniture and things around got me looking more critically.  We're now planning to sell a large desk we no longer use.  It will free up some space. 

Do you have too much furniture?  Move things around a little and see if you could get rid of something.

Two Camps

In talking with a fellow declutteror (?) yesterday, I thought about two different camps we fall into.  One is the hotel room preference; another is the Grandma's attic preference.  Some fall between these two.

I am the hotel room, with a few warm fuzzies around.  My friend is the Grandma's attic.  She recently downsized to an apartment, and it felt stark and cold until she was able to unpack memorabilia and warm memory decor onto shelves, dressers, etc.  Neither of us is wrong.  Clutter is when there's too much stuff you don't like or use lying around, impeding productivity of the household.

Keep your favorite memorabilia and decor, but get rid of the extra junk.

Books

I put two books in the box for Goodwill today.  I've meant to read them for years, but know I probably won't (self-help books).  The bookshelf is a continual site for decluttering opportunities!

Sheets and Towels

I recently read on clutterdiet.com some advice I wanted to pass on.  She suggested that each bed have two sets of sheets.  One set on the bed; one in the wash or linen closet.  You really don't need more than that.  In order to keep an clutter free linen closet, get rid of extras. 

Towels should be folded the same way (whichever way you like) and stacked to look orderly and decluttered.  If some are deemed rags and get mixed up, take a laundry marker, make a large X on the rag, then people will know they are for cleaning.

Counters

I enjoy watching "House Hunters."  It is amusing to me to hear the couples comment, "Oh, this kitchen is so small!" when it's much bigger than my own.  When the woman claims there's not much counter space, I mentally tell her, "Get things off the counter and you will have plenty of work space!"

I like a clear counter in the kitchen...ask my family.  Appliances are stored elsewhere; I have Tupperware stackables for my flour, sugar, etc. stacked in a cupboard; I refuse to have a microwave taking up space on the counter (yes...a little over the top, but I have my standards!)  I have always had enough counter space to bake or cook.  One more reason to keep a clean, clear counter:  it gives you a peaceful feeling when you walk into the room.

How much is stored on your kitchen counters?  Try to find other homes for the items and keep it clean and decluttered so you can easily do your baking this season!

Christmas Decorations

If they are coming out this week, as you put items on the tree or around your home, weed out any you don't like much anymore.

Entry/Exit Doorways

In order to keep things in this area decluttered, each day:

• return shoes to closet or bedrooms
• any errand items go into car
• clear out mail/newspapers
• hang up coats, bookbags, etc.

Pantry

Each time you bring home groceries, put them away, then quickly straighten what's there.  Scan to find items that have been unused, and toss.  Remove excess packaging and recycle.  This will keep your pantry current and organized.

Ways To Keep Up an Organized Home

For a few days, I'm going to highlight some key areas to monitor in your home to keep it organized.  Daily inspection of these areas/items is important and only takes a few minutes.  It cuts down on the time spent organizing, and keeps clutter at bay.  Thanks to clutterdiet.com for the great tips!

Every day:

Closets:  hang everything up.
Shoes:  put away in their places
Dirty Clothes:  put in hamper or basket
Clean Laundry:  put away in proper drawer

Spares

Buying up spare items is only good if they are consumable, not perishable.  Spare items must fit in your space.  If you have a tiny apartment, you won't be able to purchase the value packs unless you find a space elsewhere.  I did read of a woman who had a high bed and stored extra bargains in bins under the bed to make good use of unused space. 

One spare item is often enough.  When you take the spare to use, write the item on your list to buy the replacement.  Remember that a bargain is not a bargain if you won't use it. 

Too much of a good thing = clutter

A Cluttered Home

I am a teacher.  There are certain students whose homes are places of no return for notes, assignments, repaid lunch money, coats, shoes, etc.  I'm taking a guess that their homes are messes.  I cringe to think what goes on.  From a teacher's perspective, here are three bits of advice:
1.  Get into a habit of organizing anything to do with school.  Check the child's backpack nightly for notes, flyers, etc.  Write dates on the calendar.
2.  If you have trouble with clutter and organizing, at least try to help train your child to be responsible with his/her things. 
3.  Continue to declutter each day.  A clean home lends itself to more organized children.

Garages

What is the purpose of a garage?  A friend posted a poster on Facebook over the weekend that read,

Only in America:
do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.

We don't have a garage, but I know this to be true just driving around neighborhoods.  What a great gift it could be to your spouse to clear out the junk in the garage so he or she could park in there during the cold winter!  Consider making the garage decluttering your December goal.  (Take out one BOX a day!!)  Remember, if the items haven't been used in several years, they are junk and you really won't need them.  Of course, let me add this caveat:  do not, I repeat, DO NOT get rid of any of your husband's tools without his permission.  I don't want to be the instigator of divorce proceedings.  Perhaps create a wall mounting system for tools and sports equipment to get it up off the floor.

Think about this.  It's a huge undertaking, but so worth your time!

Refrigerator

Go through the refrigerator today and throw out anything with expired dates or any leftovers you won't eat.

Magazine Racks

If you have a magazine rack, try to have it not be too big.  Store your magazines and catalogs in it.  When it fills, use that as a cue to sort through those you don't need anymore.   Having a rack, box, or basket for periodicals is good so they don't pile up on coffee tables or end tables. 

With the influx of Christmas catalogs bombarding our homes, just glance through them.  If you see something you might want to buy, rip out the page and recycle the rest.  The website or phone number is practically on every page, so you will know where to place your order.

Another Perspective

A British international student is staying with us the week of Thanksgiving on his break.  He and my son met when my son was studying abroad last spring.  We love hearing his accent and phrases he uses.  The vocabulary sounds so much more proper and intellectual than ours!

Hearing a few stories about his life at dinner last evening gave me a different perspective.  Americans aren't the only ones with clutter, but we do seem to have more accumulated stuff than many in the world.  I'm assuming it's because we are one of the wealthiest countries.  As we celebrate Thanksgiving, let's be thankful for our lifestyle and for the ability to help others with our stuff that we declutter and our money.

Trash Can Placement

Having well placed trash cans can cut down on clutter and mess.  Many of us do not have one in the family room where everyone congregates to eat pizza, watch movies, etc.  What happens?  Often paper plates, wadded up napkins, or empty soda cans are left lying around.  Along with that mess, unneeded homework papers are left, popsicle sticks, etc.  You get the point.  Having a trash can close by can eliminate much of the daily clean up. 

Today, do a walk through in your home.  Do you have enough trash cans in highly used areas?

Frequency

In our arsenal of decluttering tips should be the words "frequency of use."  The quesadilla maker that was so coveted and finally obtained....how often is that used for the amount of space it takes in a cupboard?  How frequently do you bake, or is everything store-bought? 

If you cannot remember the last time you used your breadmaker, dehydrator, waffle iron, etc., think long and hard about whether you need to keep it.

Coupons

I recently read someone's opinion that seemed almost sacrilegious! 

THROW AWAY COUPONS!

My first reaction was, "Are you crazy?  Don't you want to save money?"  Her reasoning was that they clutter things up, people forget to use them and store the coupons long after the expiration dates, and often they are for products you don't really use.

I began examining my own practice with coupons.  I found what she said to be true for me.  Most of my regular purchases never are seen in coupons.  It's a pain to store and retrieve them at the right time.  If I put them out in a place to remember to use them, it's cluttering my counter or refrigerator, and I still forget. 

I'm not giving it up totally, but last night I just tossed an entire coupon mailer without even looking at it.  I felt rather free! 

Guest Rooms

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, some of us will be having guests or even college age children returning.  As you change the sheets, dust, and vacuum to prepare the rooms, look around for clutter.  Is there anything in there that can be given away?  When not in use, we sometimes stash things in guest rooms.  Is what is in storage there necessary?  Think long and hard about it.  Try to simplify your guest room (s) this week!

Bathroom Organization

As cold and flu season approach, it's time to organize your medications.

1.  Check expiration dates and toss (wisely) any expired medications
2.  Lori Morero of clutterdiet.com offers the tip to sort medications by symptom or person:  cough, fever, vitamins
3.  She suggested that keeping medications in the bathroom may not be the most efficient.  The kitchen has  easier access to drinks of water.  We keep ours in a kitchen cabinet in a bin. 

Christmas Shopping

I am a bad Christmas shopper.  Rarely do I see something I know someone will love.  Two, no three,  things inhibit me. 

One: why buy gifts for people who have what they need while others have so little?
Two:  I too often think, "Will this add clutter or be helpful to them and bring some joy?"
Three:  funds

Once, one of my student's donated $ to the Red Cross in my name.  That meant a lot.  I love charities like Heifer International that give people animals to improve their income opportunities.  Salvation Army does so much for others, World Vision, Lottie Moon offering, etc.  You can honor your loved ones at holiday times while helping those in need. 

I think our Christmas gift giving sometimes gets out of hand in the US.  We're giving to the wrong people. 

Thankfully, my husband is very good at finding gifts so I'm not ousted from the family.  It is something I struggle with.  Anyone else have ideas?

Laundry Area

Look around the laundry area today.  Simplify by getting rid of something unnecessary!

Greeting Cards

Do you have an organizer for greeting cards you buy ahead or make?  It's terribly frustrating when the event draws near, you KNOW you have the perfect card, and you cannot find it.  The boxes are available at stores like Wal-Mart or Target.  Dividers are included, so you can customize it for yourself: months or types of events (birthdays, children birthdays, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, etc.)  This allows for you to have a place for the cards you get ahead, and then be able to locate them easily.

Wallets

I went through a phase where I found a cute wallet to match each purse (it's wasn't a big deal...I have maybe four purses).  This changing out of the credit cards, license, money, photos, etc. into a new wallet flew in the face of simplifying my life.  It takes too much time, and invariably, I forget to transfer something important.  The same wallet can float between purses.   Today I am putting a wallet in the Goodwill bin.

Paper Piles

This comes up frequently, but attack your paper piles today.  They accumulate and become part of the decor after awhile as we pass them each day and forget about them.  File the items to keep, throw away extra envelopes, etc., get rid of outdated catalogs or ones you won't buy from.  Free up that space!

Old Coats

This is the time of year to assess our coats.  Do they fit?  Do we use them?  Go to your coat closet and see if there are any in there you can give away.  If you've gained or lost weight in the past year, you may need to just go shop for a new coat and get rid of the old.  Your old coat will help someone else!

In our home, we are getting rid of several ill fitting coats. 

Permission to Shop

Once you have sorted through ill fitting jeans vs. good fitting ones (see our last two posts), depending on how many you give away, you now have permission to shop for those that will fit well.  Now, remember, no one needs fifteen pair, so evaluate how many you really need and keep it to that number. 

And, as you are going through your jeans, sort through your other clothing as well.  Donate apparrel that is outdated, unused, or doesn't fit.

Cut out the Tags

With our jeans series, taken from Weight Watchers Magazine (Jan/Feb. 2011),  the next bit of decluttering advice is to take scissors to your jeans.  Cut out the tags. 

Try on all your jeans, one by one.  Use the criteria below to evaluate whether or not you can simplify your stash:

Get rid of your jeans:

1.  if your jeans are so snug you can see panty lines or skin bulges over the waist band.
2.  if they are baggy in the seat or drooping in the crotch or hips.
3.  if you have to wear a bulky shirt and tuck it in to hold your jeans up
4.  if you want to tuck in a shirt but can't because the waist is too snug
5.  if you have to use a belt to keep the waist from gapping.

Jeans

Jeans are one of those measuring sticks we use to determine our self-worth and beauty.   "Maybe if I hang onto these too tight ones, I'll be able to lose the weight and get back into them." 

Weight Watchers magazine (Jan/Feb. 2011) had a good article on jeans.  Here are some statistics they published:

31% refuse to go up a size to find jeans that fit well
50% hold onto their "skinny jeans," hoping that they'll squeeze into them again
62% rely on their jeans as a measure of whether they need to lose weight

Something to keep in mind is "There's no standard sizing in the apparel industry --every brand uses different techniques and measurements to create their sizing scale."  (Sarah Hodge of MyTrueFit.com)

This week will highlight more thoughts on jeans and how to get rid of some!

The "Unlikes" of Halloween Candy

In general, anything chocolate in the Halloween bag is a favorite at my house.  All the hard candies are not enjoyed as much.  Rather than keep all the candy around for months, I saved the hard stuff and used it at Christmas time to decorate a gingerbread house with my kids.  It decluttered the cabinet, and provided a fun activity.

Car

Today, I'm guiding you to declutter the car.

Filing

There are simply some things we don't want that we MUST keep:  papers, receipts, instruction manuals, etc.  I have lately seen advertised a scanner for such items that will digitize them into your computer.  This is a nice option.  A well organized filing box is another.  What typically happens is the stack "to be filed" gets so high, it's too daunting for us to attempt to take care of it.

Set aside an evening a week while you're watching TV for this task.  It doesn't take a lot of thought, just some sorting.  That way, the pile will stay small and you will keep up with it, avoiding piles of paper clutter.

BIG Trash Items

Is there anything lying around the house that just needs to be carried out for trash pick up?  Sometimes we know "that pile" goes to the trash, but every week we pass it and think we'll do it the next week. 

Today, I put a broken college sized refrigerator, a dead computer monitor, and a very large box from a purchase (a month ago) out in the trash pile.  It took me 5 minutes!  The area where everything sat looks much neater. 

Take the time this week to get rid of trash.  It's an easy decision.

Entertaining

I'm getting ready for a party.  As I work backwards, crossing a few things off my list each day, once again I will sing of the benefits of keeping a decluttered home.  A few touches here and there, and things will be ready for company.  It truly saves time to not have to work around piles.  Cleaning can be done routinely and without a lot of time spent.  Now, anyone who has been to my home knows it's a work-in-progress, far from perfect, but decluttering really does simplify your life when it comes to getting ready for a big gathering.

Keep at it, at least one item per day!

Get Rid of It

Here are some more excuses from people who struggle with decluttering:
(Thank you to Don Aslett's book, Clutter Free...Forever!)

1.  "It may be valuable someday."
2.  "It may come in handy in hard times."
3.  "They don't make things like this anymore."
4.  "It still has a tag on it!"
5.  "It was a great bargain."
6.  "As soon as I throw it out, I'll need it."

These statements may be true, but how many items in your home do they apply to?  If it's more than two or three, you are making excuses.

Under the Kitchen Sink

Though you may need to don a medical mask, try looking under the kitchen sink for anything you can declutter today.

Simplify: one per day

If we have the goal to simplify our lives by getting rid of one thing per day, that's obviously 365 items a year.  People have told me that number would barely make a dent in their clutter.  I say, if you are getting rid of one item per day, more is going to go just because of proximity and association.  Keep up the goal!

Batteries

I have a box where I store our extra batteries.  The problem is, many have been there for quite awhile.  I'm going to buy a battery tester to keep track of which are still charged, and which can be disposed of. 

"Goodwill Is My Best Friend"

We were commenting on the cute clothing a couple people had bought at Goodwill yesterday.  One quipped, "Oh, Goodwill is my best friend!  Not for buying things necessarily, but because I am in declutter mode!" 

There's something easier about taking your used items to Goodwill.  You know they are going to someone who needs them in the form of affordable "stuff" or are providing training and jobs for people from the profits.  If you haven't already, start a box labeled "Give Away" for donating.  As you declutter one item per day, put the item in that box.  When full, take it to Goodwill.

Old Cases

We often hold onto old cases of things "just in case" the item shows up.  Today I threw out some digital camera card plastic cases that have nothing inside.  They've been sitting in a drawer for at least three years.

Organizing School Clutter

I see how many papers I send home as a teacher.  Multiply that by several children and it can be overwhelming to parents.  I'll admit to frustration when I have to remind parents for forms I sent home a week earlier, but do understand being buried under all the flyers, corrected papers, etc. 

I'm including link by Lori Morero of clutterdiet.com on tips for dealing with school papers that come home.  Here are some of the highlights along with a few of my own.

1.  Take action immediately on forms that are timely (field trips, information for the office, teacher notes) and put them in a special place your child sees when he/she opens the binder or folder.  I have parents put things in folders that we don't find for a week.  Make sure your child can see them.

2.  You don't need to keep every piece of precious art work.  Scanning them into a digital format is a wonderful option.

3.  Last year I received a kind note from a mother.  They were financially secure, but she was concerned about all the pleas for money that were coming home from the school:  spring pictures, field trips, fund raisers, etc.  She suggested a limit from the school to avoid stressing other families.  Remember, you don't need to buy fall and spring pictures....with all the digital photography, you have plenty of your child!  Toss those flyers with ease.  For fundraisers, often receiving 50% profit on a product is rare.  If you don't have time or patience for fundraising, donate $20 and think of the school receiving 100% profit!  (And then throw out the fundraising packet!)

4.  I would suggest keeping graded papers through the end of the marking period, then tossing them.  That doesn't sound like "Simplify," does it?  Well, I do admit that we teachers grade so much that we sometimes fail to mark a paper or two into the grade books.  If you get a note that your child is missing "assignment X", you can go through the pile and sometimes find it.  (Please be kind to that teacher though...we see hundreds of papers a week!)

5.  Keep a box for each child with work through all 12 years.  One box in the attic made me feel like I was holding on to their childhood a little bit.  I haven't gone through the boxes, but I know they are there.
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/design/school-papers-organizing?src=rss

Board Games

Check out your board game collections today.  Any missing important pieces?  Any preschool games when your kids are in college?

Organizing Your Day

Decluttering and being productive go hand in hand.  Here is an interesting post from Lori Morero from clutterdiet.com on being productive. 

What's your typical day like? Being stuck in a reactive, race from fire-to-fire, mode is a sure sign that you are making at least one of the three most common productivity-killing mistakes:



Confusing a laundry list with a to-do list. A laundry list is a running tab of all the things that you would like to get done. A to-do list should only comprise those 4-5 tasks per day that are truly important.


Missing opportunities to batch similar tasks. Tackling related tasks, such as calls and errands in one whack is the most efficient way from Point A to Point B.


Failing to Look Ahead. Sooner or later, those important but not urgent things you keep neglecting will demand your attention-- and wreak havoc on your schedule.
 
Look at your lists.  Are they set up for productivity?  Are you planning ahead?  Now is a good time to begin planning for Christmas, actually.  Are you having guests in a month?  Begin planning now for their arrival (cleaning, decluttering, cooking ahead, etc.)  A little done a day at a time saves a lot of craziness when the event is near.

Outdated Media

I stumbled (not literally, thankfully) across the mini cassettes from our video camera this morning.  They are in a plastic bag, sitting unattractively on a shelf in our basement.  All our children's growing up events are on those little things.  Problem is, we no longer have the camera that plays them. 

What to do?  I definitely don't want to get rid of them.  The plan is to some day pay to have a company put them onto a DVD, but that will be after the kids are done with college.  For the time being, I can find an attractive shelf box in which to store them.  It will look nicer and at least appear that I've decluttered!

Refrigerators

I'm talking about the outside of the refrigerator, the part that can hold countless magnets and outdated papers and notes.  Take a look at your refrigerator exterior today.  Is there anything you can toss?  Begin with announcements, magnets you don't like (i.e. plumbing companies), and any school work from the previous school year.

A clear exterior of a fridge seems like a breath of fresh air.  Try putting items you need to keep on there on the side of your refrigerator (if it's available) instead of the front.

Old Yearbooks

This is a tough one.  What do you do with high school yearbooks?  College yearbooks?  At some point along the way, I threw mine away.  Gasp!!  I really haven't missed them at all. 

When I first began teaching, I automatically received a free (albeit paperback) yearbook each year.  Years after I left that school, I decided to take all of those and donate them back to the school for the library.  They actually wanted them.  

It's up to you.  Only you know how often you look into them for a face (even though those faces don't look the same now...ever go to a reunion?) or a memory.

Thoughts to Help with Decluttering

On clutterdiet.com, Lori shares the "ABC's" of decluttering our homes and minds:

A = Acquire  "It's OK to say no to hand-me-downs, not take soaps from hotels, etc."  Watch carefully what you acquire and let into your home.

B = Buying  "Think, 'Do I really need this?"  "Where will it go in the house?"  "How much space will it take up?"  "Can I afford this?"

C = Consenting  This has more to do with saying yes to too many commitments.  When I was a stay-at-home mom, I made a check list that I read over before saying yes.  If it didn't fit my checklist, I said no to the commitment.

Half the battle is not bringing more "stuff" into our homes and schedules.

Trinkets

Today take a hard look at your trinkets or knick knacks sitting around.  Can you get rid of one?

Trashed Car

A suggestion found on clutterdiet.com was to clean out the trash in your car/van each time you stop to refuel.  While the pump is running, take a scan throughout the front and back seats, grab paper, old cups, water bottles, and throw it all away.  This will help your vehicle stay clutter free.

Receipts

Do you save receipts for tax deduction purposes?  Are you afraid to clear out the basket, desktop, or drawer for fear you will toss one that's important?  When tax time comes around, are you making a mad scramble to find every slip of paper?  One idea is to have a mailing envelope somewhere near where you enter the door and put down your purse.  Stick in any receipts that need to be kept.  Toss the others immediately. 

Junk and Drugs

Here are interesting parallels between junk and drugs (again, Clutter Free from Don Aslett)

1.  Both are addictive
2.  Both are expensive
3.  Both make us feel good for a while but the long-term effects are another story
4.  Both start small and innocent
5.  Both grow quickly once started
6.  Both distract and weaken us
7.  Both fool us into thinking we're not hooked
8.  Both require a cure before they will go away

Something to think about as we declutter.

My Hobby

I am beginning to sort through one of my collections:  piano music.  This is a rough one for me.  Books take up a lot of space, and there are quite a few that I don't use much.  But...they are available and accessible when the mood strikes to play country western, 70's, or whatever.  I have a cupboard in which I keep most of the music.  Perhaps whatever won't fit, I'll whittle down.

Do you have a particular hobby that is difficult to sort through?  Try getting rid of just a few least favorites (or even only one!)  We simplify one item a day.

Storage Units

Storage units intrigue me.  Here's why:

1.  I think manning the desk at a storage unit would be a stress-free job, vs. teaching 24 5th graders daily.
2.  They look so neat and organized on the outside.
3.  There are so many of them in town and that wasn't the case 15 years ago.  Houses are so much bigger now as well...why so many storage units?
4.  Why pay hundreds (maybe over a thousand) dollars a year to store stuff? 
5.  Is it really that important to pay to store stuff?  I can see temporarily storing items while you are in-between homes and maybe renting a small apartment, but...
6.  People stop paying and other people can buy their stuff.  Guess they didn't need it that badly to be paying for a storage unit, huh?

And that's why storage units intrigue me.  The end.  (my students are working on getting past these kinds of composition endings right now...you see, I haven't pursued a desk job at a storage unit yet.)

Excuses

Here are more excuses for not decluttering, borrowed from Don Aslett's book, Clutter Free:

1.  "It was here when I moved in."

2.  "I'll use it for a spare."

3.  "I'm saving it for the kids."

4.  "I'm going to finish it someday."

5.  "I'm going to covert this into __________" (i.e. a planter or picture frame)

6.  "It may come back in style."

7.  "I'm going to wear it __________(to paint/work in the yard.)"

If you want your life simplified and stress reduced, don't fall prey to these excuses for holding onto stuff.

CD's

Look through your music CD's (or, gasp, cassette tapes.)  Can you give any away?

Cleaning Around Clutter

If you don't have much time to clean, clear off surfaces.  Dusting will take much less time; vacuuming or dustmopping will be a breeze.  Sinks, tubs, etc. can be wiped down quickly without all the paraphernalia sitting around. 

Get bins to keep bathroom items contained so they don't take up as much counter space.  Store kitchen appliances in cupboards to keep your counters accessible. 

Besides looking messy, clutter makes cleaning more difficult.  Clutter wastes a lot of your time.

Plastic Cards

Gift cards nowadays have rulers, lights, music, and all sorts of fun things.  Once you've used up the money on a gift card, do you keep it?  As cute as it is, unless you refill it, it's clutter.

I recently got a new driver's license.  I actually looked fondly at the old one before cutting it up and tossing it.  Anyone have old driver's licenses, amusement park year passes (expired), expired credit cards, etc. lying around?  Get rid of them.  Trust your brain to carry the memories, not a piece of plastic.

Stuffed Animals

We are getting rid of some stuffed animals that have graced my daughter's bed for years.  There were too many and she's too old to want them anymore.  A select few made the cut.

Hotel Rooms and Dorm Rooms

Before college kids move in all their belongings, think of how simple dorm rooms are.  The next time you stay in a hotel, analyze what it is that seems so peaceful. 

You know I'm going to say this...it's the lack of clutter.  Try an experiment soon.  Take everything off each surface in one room.  Nothing to dust around.  How does it look?  Then, put just a couple knick knacks back.  Stop when you've achieved a good balance of decluttered and homey.

More Excuses

Here are more excuses people use to avoid simplifying:

1.  " It only has ____ holes in it."
2.  "It's part of a set."
3.  "I'm going to fix it."
4.  "I'm keeping/saving it for parts."
5.  "We only used this once!"
6.  "It's brand new!"
7.  "It's an antique."  (Clutter Free by Don Aslett)

Once again, ask yourself, "Will I ever use it?  Is it taking up valuable space and making us feel crowded in our home with stuff instead of people?  Could someone else be helped by this?"

Helping Others Through Our Clutter

Over the weekend I stepped into a Goodwill store.  I was so impressed to see donated matchbox cars packaged in sets of three (by Goodwill) for sale.  I always wondered if they would take something that small.  They also had packaged random baseball cards into packs for sale. 

If in doubt about your clutter, go ahead and give it to Goodwill.  They sell it and use the money to help train people for work!

Switching to Fall Decorations?

As you switch to fall decorations, sort through them.  Is anything outdated or unwanted?  Dejunk or get rid of it. 

Borrowed Items?

A week ago I gave back an item that had been lent to me for as long as I needed it.  I had used it a little bit at school, but the benefit wasn't worth the large size of storing it. 

Does some of your clutter need to be returned to a lender?  Give it back!  You feel better about remembering to return items and that simple act declutters immediately.

More Decluttering Excuses

Here are more reasons people give for NOT getting rid of clutter:

1.  "Someone put a lot of work into it."
2.  "I might need it some day."
3.  "I paid good money for that."
4.  "I intend to use it up."
5.  "It's too nice to wear."
6.  "It's made of real/solid _________."
7.  "It was a gift."

If it sits around and clutters your home and your life, it IS OK to get rid of it. 

(Taken from Don Aslett's Clutter Free.)

Undergarments

As you put away clean laundry in the next few days, check your undergarment drawer.  As mothers of old used to say, (sort of), "If you were in an accident, needed medical attention, and would be embarrassed by the condition of your undergarments....get rid of them and replace them."

The Definition of Clean

Troubles in marriage sometimes stem from arguments over the state of the home.  A suggestion I read was to discuss with your spouse his/her definition of clean.  Sometimes our definitions differ and it's good to get it out into the open, understanding where the other person is coming from.  It's ALSO important to respect the spouse's thoughts and work to get the home to a standard where both of you can relax and feel peaceful.

Accessories

Accessories come and go with fashion.  If you have too many to deal with, sort through them.  Those that are left can be organized on the back of a door or on vacant wall space for easier access.  There are many organizing hangers/bags/hooks that can be purchased at house goods stores.

Reasons I Keep Clutter

Here are some quotes for why people don't get rid of their clutter:  (again I borrow from the brilliant Don Aslett and the book Clutter Free)

1.  "It's in my blood."
2.  "I wouldn't have any identity without it."
3.  "I'm compulsive."
4.  "I can't let it go to waste."
5.  "It fits into my 'country' decor."
6.  "I collect these."
7.  "I'm a shopaholic."

Watch out for your mind making excuses and get rid of at least one item today!

Shed or Garage

Look here for anything you can declutter...just one thing!

Leftovers

We Americans do waste a lot of food.  Students purchasing school lunch are required to take two fruits or vegetables along with the entree, even if they don't want them.  So much goes into the trash.  I cringe when I clean our my refrigerator periodically and throw what used to be good food away.

My goal is to be more organized and waste less food.  This also cuts down on clutter in the refrigerator.  I've always planned meals for a week at a time and shop accordingly.  I'm trying to incorporate what I know will be left into the menu now, not just a night for leftovers, but to reuse the food in another way:  leftover tomatos from the tomato plate can be chopped into the salad the next night.  The rest of the fresh mushrooms not used in the chicken stir-fry on Tuesday can be sliced into the homemade vegetable soup for Thursday. 

Today I'm heading grocery shopping and as I looked into the fridge today to plan the week's menus, it was good to see not much left that will go to waste. 

Try to change your mindset and use what you have.

Stored Treasures

I'd like to quote from Don Aslett's Clutter Free!  Finally and Forever:

"Here lies the problem with sentimental clutter, not in having it, but in not having it handy to do its job.  You have it for a purpose, remember--it holds treasures of influence and history, triggers deep and important emotion, not only for you but for your family and friends.  If you can't find it when you need to feel it, forget it, it's not worthy of its room and board."

Old Spices

Take another peek into your spice drawer or cupboard.  Is there anything in there that can be tossed for lack of use?  Sometimes in our ferver over cooking shows, we buy an herb or spice for a single recipe and then it sits.  I found some herb packs for marinating last week that I've had for over five years and never used.  They went into the trash.  Declutter this space.  It's amazing what accumulates.

Clothes from Jr. High

A twenty-something friend was moving into a new apartment and paring down her belongings.  Her roommate chided her for having clothing from junior high.  In trying to get her to declutter, she said, "If you're not going to wear it this week, get rid of it!"

Do we have 15 year old sweaters covered with "pilling?"  How about faded, unfitting shirts?  Start looking at your wardrobe as you pull out fall clothing with a critical eye, and declutter.

Storage Containers

Since we lost power a couple weeks ago and had to throw out food from the freezers, I suddenly have an overabundance of plastic storage containers.  While organizing that cupboard, I found a couple water bottles that we haven't used in years and put them in the Goodwill bin.  There are a few more items in said cupboard that are on my radar as I consider their usefulness.

Weed It Down

When we use a weed eater, we don't get rid of the grass altogether, we just weed it down so it isn't so tall.  The same goes with clutter, particularly sentimental clutter.  If you have multiples of something, get rid of all but one.  Someone suggested imagining yourself as your heir weeding through your stuff:  save him/her the trouble and get rid of a chunk now.  One more idea:  with saving letters or greeting cards from all the years, just cut out the messages and put them in a scrapbook or decorative box.  That will cut down on the amount of paper you are storing.

Linen Closet

Check your linen closet or storage place today for any clutter.  Are there any towels that could become rags?  Are the sheets folded into sets?  See what you can do to that area.

Reducing Waste

We were without power for about 50+ hours a couple weeks ago due to Hurricane Irene's damage.  Though we tried to keep the freezer food cool with ice, much thawed and had to be trashed.  While wiping out the freezer before restocking, I realized how many meals had been stored in the freezer that I didn't even remember.

On clutterdiet.com, one suggestion is to keep a white board next to the freezer to keep track of what goes in.  By seeing the frozen possibilities for meals, it will keep us from overbuying, cluttering up our freezers with things we forget and allow to get too old, and help us reduce wasted food and money.

See With New Eyes

I have a brilliant student teacher this fall.  She sees situations with fresh eyes and breathes new life into our classroom.  Some well meaning person created these massive containers of teaching materials that we feel compelled to store for the school.  The crates are huge and fit nowhere.  Last year, I found an unused spot in the school and secretly stashed them away.  (It's a lot to store for just one lesson in one subject!)  Over the summer, they found their way back to my room! 

I mentioned to her how having them behind my desk was driving me crazy yesterday.  She looked around the room and offered to store them upright behind a cabinet, out of sight.  Why didn't I think of that? 

Sometimes having someone with you who is objective can make all the difference.  Ask a spouse, older child, or a friend to help you organize difficult areas.  You'll be surprised how easy it seems when another pair of eyes help.

Old Shoes

I am throwing away a pair of shoes that have served their time.  Yes, they are comfortable, but polish doesn't restore their look and the heels are worn down beyond repair.  No need to keep them in my closet.

Unknown Boxes

Why do we agonize over boxes of stuff that have been stored for years?  If we haven't looked in them for 10 years, can't they just disappear from our lives? 

I quote from Don Aslett's book, Clutter Free:
"...why do we feel that this stuff...is owed such care and effort and reverence?"

I guess it's because when we go through it and find our dried corsage, drawings from a neice or nephew, a wooden spoon rack we made in shop class, it flashes back memories from a forgotten era, bringing with it good feelings.  We don't want to let that go, so we can't just junk a box without looking through it.  What is an alternative?  Going through boxes is fine, but perhaps take photos of the items and then give or throw the junk away. 

Half the Battle

We've discussed this before, but half the battle of becoming clutter-free is not bringing more junk into the house! Question whether that free or priced knick knack, souvenir, or extra whatever is really something that will enhance your decor, or will it sit around and be more work for you to clean around?  Will you still like it after a month or will it be shoved in a drawer?

Keep out the worthless!

Does It Work?

I'm working toward this mantra: 

Don't own anything that doesn't work.

I need to either make a date to have the item fixed or toss it.  Today, my broken umbrella is being discarded.  It was embarrassing when a guest borrowed it and didn't know it was broken.  I have researched how to fix it, but realize my time isn't worth the memory or effort.  The way to possibly fix it would be very complicated for me. 

Laundry Area

On Sundays, I give you an area to look for clutter.  See what you can get rid of in your laundry area.

Junk Judging Guidelines

From Don Aslett's Clutters Last Stand, I list these guidelines:

It is junk if:
1.  It's broken or obsolete
2.  You've outgrown it, physically or emotionally
3.  You've always hated it
4.  It's the wrong size, wrong color, or wrong style
5.  Using it is more bother than it's worth
6.  It wouldn't really affect you if you never saw it again
7.  It generates bad feelings
8.  You have to clean it, store it, and insure it (but don't get much use or enjoyment out of it)
9.  It will shock, bore, or burden the coming generation

Be ruthless in your decluttering at times, especially if you have piles.  You will feel so much more free!

"Roots of Clutter: Indecision"

I am borrowing these quotes from Don Aslett, written in his book Clutter Free:  Finally and Forever! 

"People who collect clutter also have trouble making decisions.  When you can't decide what to do with something, you put it to the side and put off the decision process--and the clutter accumulates."

"This is one of the reasons dejunking is emotionally tiring--we have to make ALL of those decisions NOW, one right after the other.  It'll be a lot easier on you if you start today to train yourself to do it on a one-by-one basis--the minute a questionable item first crosses your threshold or comes into your hand."

Does this describe any of us?  What can we do to improve?

Pull It All Out

Lesson learned from the last school year:  don't leave chocolate in your storage cabinet.  I spent a good bit of time yesterday cleaning out mouse droppings from my cabinet.  In order to do so, I pulled everything out and sorted it, filling up a trash can of junk.  Having a huge mess lying all over the floor helped me be more ruthless in dejunking.  I then organized and repackaged items that were still needed.  Having less stuff allowed me to free up extra space for the inevitable stash that will accumulate by next spring; no chocolate though!  (That will stay in my desk drawer for easy access!)

Buying Shelves

Before you go out and buy storage shelves, bins, closet organizers, etc., have you considered saving money and just decluttering much of what was to be stored on or in those units?  Storage and clutter truly costs you more money.  You may have to rent a storage unit, buy hardware or extra cabinets to house all your stuff.  You purchase extras because you forgot you already had an item. 

If you are considering shelves or any storage containers, try decluttering before you make the purchase, then see how much $ you can save.

Hang Your Pictures

Command Strips are such a marvelous invention!  You can hang anything and then take it down with no damage to walls, no nail holes, peeled paint, stains.  They have even been on sale lately for college kids heading back to school.  Why I bring this up is that if you have any framed pictures or posters that have been leaning up against the wall for months or even years, put them up!  If you don't like them, get rid of them.  If you do like them, schedule a time to hang them.  It will declutter your floor and decorate your walls at the same time.  A tip I learned years ago that has served me well when hanging pictures is don't hang them too high.   The center of the picture should be at eye level or just slightly higher. 

When using nails for heavy frames, there is a handy device called a "Stud Finder" that will locate wooden studs for more support.  When I bought one for my husband one Christmas, he quipped something like, "Why would you need this?  You've already found a stud."  Sigh...

Do your best to get those pictures off the floor!

Rewards, Not Escapes

Once again, I credit Cindy Glovinsky for this great idea.  In her book, One Thing At a Time, she brought up something I've always struggled with.  She says that instead of using some of our pleasures as escapes from doing decluttering, we should use them as rewards AFTER we've accomplished a goal.  If we escape into our favorite show, book, sport, computer, or phone chat, it can stretch out and take up much more time than we planned.  However, if we set a reasonable goal, for instance, "I'm going to sort through this box before calling Morgan," we accomplish more of our decluttering.

Dangers of Clutter

My post yesterday seemed to be a portent of things to come:  "Trash Broken Things."  Our area on the east coast felt an earthquake of 5.9 magnitude around 2 PM yesterday.  There was no significant damage, but things fell off the shelves and some broke.  As my daughter and I were assessing how anyone could have been hurt in the earthquake, the only thing we could come up with was that clutter or other good items could have fallen on them. 

There are health hazards that go along with clutter:  mold, vermin, tripping over piles, and now, avalanches because of earthquakes!  Be sure to be devoted to clearing out clutter from your home!

Trash Broken Things

Yesterday, I put a garden bench out with the trash.  The seat was fine, but the back slats were swinging and there was no hope that we would ever take the time to recut wood, fit it in, and repair it.  It's been like that for probably three years!  Looking in the back yard, it looks neater with that gone.

It's difficult to get rid of something that "might" be able to be fixed, but if it's been years and you have no plan or skills to fix it, go ahead and dejunk.

Loose Paper

I got a great idea for decluttering from the book, One Thing at a Time, by Cindy Glovinsky.  She suggested taking a new box with a lid and walking through one room at a time.  Put all loose papers into the box.  She says it's important to not look at the papers then, just toss them in.  Keep going to other rooms and do the same until the box is full.  Then, on the outside of the box, write down which rooms you de-papered, with the last room on top, moving down to the first room (the order in which papers would be found in the box.)  Set the box aside.  Repeat if you didn't collect from all rooms.  Your rooms are instantly decluttered from paper, you know where the stuff is, and you can sort when you get a chance later.

When you are watching TV, grab the loose paper box you filled, a trash can, and a "file this" box and sort.  

(Her book is a great read; I highly recommend it.)

File Cabinet

Go to a file cabinet or box today and see what you can discard.

Breaking It Into Manageable Bites

If a decluttering task seems overwhelming, break it into manageable sections.  I began yesterday with one folder in the file cabinet while watching TV.  That sorting and tossing stretched into a whole drawer and a trashcan full of unneeded papers. 

Stocking Up

We moved son #1 into a three bedroom apartment on his college campus yesterday..  The six guys living there communicated somewhat well about the kitchen needs, but we laughed at the six large cannisters of Clorox Wipes in the bathroom.  Way to go, Moms!  IF they do use the wipes to keep the sinks, toilets, and shower clean, I don't think they'll ever use up all those wipes.

Bringing it back to home, sometimes buying in bulk is a wise idea.  However, if you buy so much that it has to be stored and then goes bad, it will waste money, space, and add to the physical and mental clutter in your life.  If you have a large stash of food that has a shelf life, evaluate how much you can really use and then sell some or give some to a friend so as to free up space.  You won't constantly be reprimanding yourself when you look in the freezer or cupboard, "Oh, I need to hurry and use this up!"  Save money, yes, but only if stocking up won't clutter needlessly.

Organizing vs. Decluttering

Is organizing the same thing as decluttering?  My favorite author on the topic, Don Aslett ,(see Clutter's Last Stand and For Packrats Only) has strong opinions.  He thinks organizing is a good thing, but if you're just organizing and moving around junk and clutter, what's the point?  Clear out the unwanted and unneeded items and then organize what's left.  It frees up your housework, life, and mental state!

We've thought about this before if you have followed the blog for any amount of time, but here's a tip for decluttering AND keeping it organized as you go.  If you are simplifying by getting rid of one thing per day, keep a couple bins handy.  One is marked "Charity" (Goodwill, or Salvation Army...whatever is your favorite).  For me, the other is marked "Attic."  As I'm decluttering one thing a day, if it can go to charity, I just drop it in the bin.  When the bin is full, I make a trip to Goodwill.  Since we have pull down stairs to our attic, I don't go up often.  By having the attic bin, I can wait until it gets full and then take one trip up to organize those items in the attic for future use.  (Note:  I store some of my school things that I use once a year, Christmas and seasonal decor, etc. up there.  It's not a free-for-all, just a spot for items not used frequently.)

You Need a No Nonsense Friend

If it is really difficult for you to get rid of things, you need a no nonsense friend.  This type of friend can be objective about your clutter and help you get rid of it.  Believe it or not, you can be that type of friend to others, because their clutter means nothing to you either.  This might be as simple as offering to "take care" of something she/he is having a hard time decluttering where you then trash it out of their sight and property.  It can be as intense as spending a day with the person who is decluttering, sitting nearby, talking through what's needed and giving her/him "permission" to throw something away.

I have been on the objective side, and I've also been on the receiving end of an objective friend.  Both ways, you benefit and bond.

On and On It Goes

Decluttering is never totally done.  It's a continual process since stuff continually makes its way into our homes daily.  Since I'm a teacher and have a little more time off, I'm choosing one room a day to examine for clutter.  So far I've pulled everything out of the hall closet and two bathroom cabinets.  It's amazing that I found some mismatched gloves, a scarf I no longer want, cosmetics unneeded, and items that were in the wrong spot.  I only put back in that which I use or want.

Dip Mixes

A recent fad was to purchase mixes to create fabulous dips for veggies.  I got in line and bought my share.  The problem is, they've been sitting in my cabinet for a few years, unused.  We are watching our fat intake at my house and putting in all that mayo and sour cream along with the spices doesn't fit well.  So, this morning I pulled them out and will ask a friend if she wants them; if not, I'll throw them out.

Under Bathroom Sink

If you have a cabinet under your bathroom sink, go through it today.  See if there's anything you can throw out.

Stained Clothing

I really hate stains.  Every product claims to take out stains, but few I've tried really do.  Today I am throwing away a blouse on which spaghetti sauce splattered this week.  I tried to get it out, but to no avail.  The blouse is six years old, a little faded, so it's time.

By all means, try to get out stains from clothing, but if the stains don't come out, declutter and get rid of the item.

Might Be Worth Something Someday

I was given a great gift five or six years ago.  My class of 5th graders painted an adirondak chair red, white, and blue, and then signed their signatures on the arms.  I've used it in various ways through the years,  and now have a plan to paint it a solid color that can be less noticeable sitting out in the yard.  My daughter pointed out that I may not want to cover a couple of the signatures as they could be worth something someday.  One of the girls sings before Congress and all sorts of famous people; another is a state winner athlete, often featured in our paper. 

How long do we hold onto things that "might be worth something someday?"  That can be really confining to feel that you can't get rid of something out of fear you'll regret it someday.  Planning ahead is important, but living for today is its equal.  We can't let the "what if's" of this life tie us down under mounds of clutter.  Let it go.  If you find out the items you gave away (or painted over) were worth a lot, balance the regret with the money, time, and mental health you've saved over the years not storing clutter 

Now, if only I'd saved a couple of their math papers...

Outside, Behind the Shed

Our property doesn't back up to anyone, so behind the shed is a place no one sees.  Yesterday, I went back there to clean up.  I threw out some old plastic plant pots, raked up old leaves, and straightened the area.  Now I could give a tour back there and feel OK. 

Everything But the Kitchen Sink

We had a handyman help install some better pipes under our kitchen sink yesterday.  It got me thinking of my phobia of what's under a kitchen sink.  For some reason, it is often a storage space for "gross."  Trash can be under it, which is covenient (but gross if old food is stuck to the walls of the cupboard).  In the south, I heard people used to store coffee cans of used bacon grease under there.  Chemicals and cleaning supplies are stashed, sometimes old and corroded, having been there for years. 

O.K., think of this.  If you suddenly had a leak and had to have a plumber come in, would he easily be able to crawl under your kitchen sink?  Take a peek and see what can be done there to organize it and keep it from getting gross. 

A suggestion:  one little organizing plastic tote made all the difference for me.  It has a handle with sides to put bottles of dish soap, Mr. Clean, dishwasher detergent, etc.  I try to keep everything in that, so it looks organized, can be pulled out easily, and doesn't gross me out.

It All Comes Down to Nothing

My kids have been talking about what they would want from our possessions when they inherit everything.  Know what they want?  A frog Christmas ornament they have fought over for years called "Mistletoad."

We laughed about it.  In spite of the humor I found in this declaration, there is a sad truth.  Most of the items we collect and work so hard to buy, no one else really cares about too much.  Many of our possessions will come down to $.50 in a yard sale someday, as we've discussed before in this blog. 

Begin to simplify now.  If you like something a lot, keep it.  If it has faded in its worth, get rid of it.  If you don't really love it or need it, don't buy it. 

Shelves

Are there shelves in any of your closets?  Pick one today and quickly go through it, seeing if you can declutter that one shelf.

Watch for posts again on August 9.  I'll be with only dial-up Internet for awhile, and won't post most likely.

Wonder Hangers

A friend of ours showed us her closet.  She had purchased "wonder hangers" which let you hang shirts and slacks vertically from a master hanger in the closet.  It can then move horizontally if you want them higher.   Wonder hangers' purpose is to maximize space in a closet.  I was very impressed how neat and orderly her closet was, and how much she fit into it! 

How does your closet look?  Can you pull out clothing easily or are things packed tightly?  First, you may want to get rid of some items; second, try these wonder hangers...

Clutter in Style????

I was looking through a high-end furniture catalog that came in the mail.  Imagine my surprise when many of the displays were shown with clutter!  Bookcases were staged with old books shoved in any which way, stuffed to the gills.  One picture actually had piles of books all over the floor, with magazines and things thrown around, framing the expensive couch, end table, etc.  I wonder if the design artist wanted to grab people's attention in a negative way or was just being artsy.

Living with lots of clutter is stressful and unhealthy.  Keep simplifying your life and home, one item per day.

Cassette Tapes

It is difficult to find cassette tape players anymore.  What do we do with our old tapes?  There are companies that can transfer the music onto CD's, but that is rather costly. Music can usually be downloaded pretty cheaply if you need to repurchase music.  Has anyone tried to sell cassettes on e-bay? Let us know if it was successful.

My advice is to get rid of most of the cassettes, but keep special people's voices.   Perhaps mark a box with "Put on CD" with your most important cassettes in it and save up for the transfer.

Stale and Stale

I threw out two partial boxes of stale cereal.  I know it's not much, but it's amazing how old things can accumulate in your cupboard.  Check out the cabinet...you may find something you don't want anymore.

Schedule Time

It takes time to declutter, though one item a day isn't too bad.  I find that actually getting rid of my items is where it breaks down.  It takes planning to take everything to Goodwill.  It takes sitting down at the computer and listing items on e-bay or Craig's List to get rid of things I want to sell. 

Some ideas for you:
1.  Put the Goodwill bin in your car when it gets full, then as you pass the store while running errands, swing in and drop off your items.

2.  Schedule time in your week to sit at the computer and list what you want to sell.  Even if you are able to list only some of your stuff in a half hour, that will be productive when people begin to buy.  Another idea is to train one of your older children to do it; they are usually even more computer savvy than we are!

3.  Keep up with our mantra of "Simplify:  one per day."  Look for something you can get rid of every day.

Hospitality vs. Entertainment

As we gradually simplify our homes and lives, it's important to remember that people are more important than things.  Our pastor yesterday used an illustration that hit me.  He said "entertaining" is about the host, hospitality is about the guest. 

Even if our homes aren't perfect (yet...), that doesn't matter.  Being willing to have overnight guests, inviting people to dinner and a friendly atmosphere, not worrying about what they think of the house...all that is really important to keep in mind. 

Of course, if we've decluttered, it makes this less stressful.   Keep on practicing hospitality along the way toward your goal.

Words of Wisdom

I was driving around town yesterday and passed a self-storage business.  On their sign I read:
 "Cluttered Homes Don't Sell Well."

Try not to wait until you are selling your home to declutter.   I often feel sad for people on the HGTV shows who have professionals come in to stage their home for sale and it looks TONS better, but they don't get to enjoy it.  Declutter and spruce up your home for yourself to enjoy, not a new owner!

Compacting

There has been a pile in my house for two years.  It's not my stuff and I didn't think there was anything I could do with it.  However, I discovered the art of "compacting."  Looking through the items, I did find things that I knew weren't useful (boxes to devices we no longer used, etc.).  Getting rid of those few things and rearranging everything else resulted in a neat, less cluttered pile.  Sometimes, if you can't get rid of things or store them elsewhere, try compacting everything into a more organized manner.  This could include purchasing a pretty basket or storage ottoman and storing in that. 

Handmade Items

On a teacher learning excursion to help us understand American Indians, one activity we did was to make a clay pinch pot.  It wasn't easy and I was proud of how mine developed.  If I want to fire it for use, however, I'd need a kiln or an ongoing campfire.  It's nice, but impractical at this time:  just sitting around. 

Even though I worked hard on it, it's not anything I need for home or my work, so it's being thrown away. 

If you have something you've been loath to part with because you made it by hand, but it's not in style or is not as precious anymore, get rid of it.  Times change and you will create other worthy items again.

Music

I was literally digging through my music cabinet over the weekend (sheet music, books) and realized it needs simplifying in a BIG way as I couldn't find what I was looking for.  Immediately, I found 3 songbooks I put in the Goodwill bin.  It is on my hit list for later this summer.

Collecting Owls

Over the weekend we visited the new apartment of a 23 year old friend.  She had decorated it equal to designs on HGTV by shopping Craig's List.   As she showed us favorite pieces, a couple were owl themed:  a planter and salt & pepper shakers.  Immediately, my mind went to "Owl things would make good gifts for her!"  She quickly read my mind and said she'd made a pact with herself to have only one owl item per room so as not to clutter her apartment with knick-knacks.

I thought her mindset was a good one.  Once we announce we are collecting something, we get an influx from well-meaning friends and family.  Keep it simple.  A few favorite pieces are enough.

Laundry Space

On Sundays, I direct you to a place to simplify.  Look at your laundry room or space.  Anything you can declutter?

Keeping it Clean

When I began working full time, my children were 10 and 12.  Up to that point, other than flexible part-time work while they were at school, I was a stay-at-home mother.  Suddenly, 8-9 hours were gone from my day.  I needed to have a plan to keep the housework under control. 

Somewhere along the way, I came up with a "Two After School" plan.  Each day of the week, I assigned four to six chores, and typed a master chart I could print out.  The kids had to each choose two to complete, then I would finish the rest.   Putting clean dishes away out of the dishwasher was a daily given (each child had one of the two racks).  By Thursday, everything was done and there weren't specific chores over the weekend.  It kept the house in a constant state of acceptability.  If visitors dropped in, I didn't worry. 

Even though it all falls on me again, now that the kids are gone, I still have that chore rotation schedule in my head and generally can keep up on the housework.  It hit me last evening that this is a simplifying way to live.  One of my son's friends popped in unexpectedly;  I was gone for the evening.  When I returned and found that she'd been there, I didn't panic, because I knew everything was pretty well neat and clean.  (I know, I know...it's about the people and not how the house looks...but it still matters to me.)

If you feel like you can't keep your head above water with the housework, this method simplified housework for me.

Organizing the Organizers

Wonderful organizing tools have been created in the past decade to help Americans deal with all their possessions.  I've seen organizers for socks, desk tops, desk drawers, sweaters, kitchens, cabinets, etc.  Of course, plastic bins are prolific. 

Be aware that even within organizers, there may be a need to simplify.  I found unneeded items in a couple of bins and a drawer organizer recently and threw them away. 

Every so often, look at your "organized" areas for extra clutter and simplify that spot.

Bedrooms...Again

This really will be it for bedroom comments for awhile.  I realize I've been rather severe on bedroom uses.  I know a couple family members who have wonderful spaces in their bedrooms for  working stations that don't detract at all from the restfulness of the room.  The main point is to keep out the clutter from any space!  I'm all for dual function rooms as long as they aren't full of unnecessary stuff. 

If you are feeling discouraged about your bedroom, perhaps it's looked the same for years, just rearrange what you already have.  Move the pictures and the bed.  It gives the room a whole new look and you don't have to spend any money!

Sorting

When figuring out how to organize items, try sorting them into "like" sections.  In the bathroom, nail care together, skin care together, hair care together, etc.  In the kitchen, baking items together, serving dishes together, etc.  It helps us simplify the area by streamlining the rush of finding something we need. 

Thanks again to http://www.clutterdiet.com/ for this helpful hint!

More Bedroom Tips

A bedroom is for sleeping and storing clothing.  From http://www.clutterdiet.com/, I got these tips on keeping a bedroom a good place for sleeping:

1.  Keep reading material organized with a bookshelf, a caddy next to the bed, or an organized nightstand.
2.  Do you have enough room for the clothing stored in the bedroom?  If not, consider buying under-the-bed storage containers for the overflow.  A favorite option is also to just simplify your wardrobe!
3.  If you have a TV in the bedroom, is everything associated with it organized?  This would be CD's, DVD's, games, etc.  Do you really need a TV in there?  If the answer is yes, then make sure the surrounding accessories are organized in neat ways to keep the room relaxing.
4.   If you keep hobbies in the bedroom, are they able to be put away when not in use?  Is there a better place for them?
5.  If your bedroom has a working area, computer, etc. consider putting a screen between that area and the bed to keep the sleeping area peaceful and uncluttered. 

Bedrooms

When I was young, it seemed that most of the adult bedrooms (well, kids' rooms too!) I glanced into at friends' homes or even my parents' sometimes, were the messiest in the house.  (Even back then I had an aversion to clutter!)  All the stuff that had no place to go was stashed in the master bedroom.  I remember thinking to myself that I wasn't going to let that happen, if at all possible.

How does yours look?  Is it the catch all because it's not a room open to the public?  Try to keep it neat and an oasis, rather than a storage room.  Think about what items are being stored that you could move somewhere else.  Take today and tomorrow to move some clutter out of the bedroom.

Exercise Equipment

My son works in the summers selling sports and exercise equipment.  His opinion is that while people buy with the best intentions, most exercise equipment goes unused.  Where is your exercise equipment?  Is it in your bedroom with clothes hanging on it?  Is it in the basement with boxes stacked on top and around?  Be aware of clutter from unused exercise machines.  Perhaps you would be more inclined to go for neighborhood walks and get rid of the large item.

Boxes and Bears

My daughter asked me yesterday, "What have you been putting on your blog lately?"  I told her I was running out of fresh ideas and not being very faithful to it.  She had been eyeing her many stuffed bears, realizing she didn't really want all of them.  She asked me if I'd talked about stuffed animals.  I have, but will bring it up again for any new readers.  Goodwill will take them.  It's really OK to throw them away; they don't have feelings.  You can do the old "put it in the attic" until you no longer care about them.  Sometimes churches or schools will take them to wash as prizes for carnivals. 

She has some in a bag for Goodwill.  I also have sorted out some old boxes we don't need to keep; the point is, I'm still simplifying, but sometimes it's just more of the same.  Don't give up.  Keep going through places in your home.

Other People's Paper

One of the banes in my quest for simplifiying is other people's paper:  mail, school papers, work papers, receipts, etc.   I have been instructed not to throw it away, but it sits around and drives me nuts.  A furtive, stealthy approach I've taken is to leave it for a few days, then put it in a bag or pile somewhere inconspicuous.  I haven't thrown it away, but it is in a pergatory of sorts...if the person wants it, I can direct him/her to it.  If it goes unneeded for months, perhaps it can go in the trash. 

Living with others keeps us balanced; we just need to be creative in our simplifying and organizing.

Organizers

Sometimes, in order to simplify our lives, we really do need to buy some organizing contraptions.  Some I can think of that have made my home more orderly and simplified are:

1.  Silverware drawer dividers
2.  Stoneware crock for holding cooking utensils (spatulas, rubber scrapers, etc.)
3.  Extra shelves put in closets
4.  Bins on those shelves for organizing mittens, scarves, etc.
5.  Lazy Susan Tupperware spice rack/small containers

I visited my sister-in-law this week and saw a wonderful shelved hanging divider that she has placed in each closet for visitors to unpack into if they desire.  It could also organize sweaters, shoes, etc.  On TV we also saw a dandy device for organizing lots of spice/herb bottles in a cupboard that didn't take up much space. 

As you visit stores, glance in the organizing section.  They have so many helps for organizing areas of your home.  Once you have gotten rid of unnecessary items, go ahead and purchase an organizer that will help simplify the area of need!

Hair Goods

As we women age, usually the hair gets shorter.  How many barretts, clips, decorative combs, head bands, etc. do we still have, even though our style doesn't need any of them?  Feel free to get rid of these items if you plan to keep shorter hair.

Choices

I leave for a trip today where I need to fly.  The group leader said we may have to pay for luggage fees.  I'm not sure if that means just my one suitcase or a really heavy suitcase.  To be on the safe side, I'm taking a small one that can be a carry-on.  Nowadays, you have to make a choice as to if you want to pay for luggage or just pay for some laundering once you hit your destination.   You decide which is the most simple for you!

So...look for the blog to be up-dated on June 29.  Keep simplifying one item per day!

Refrigerators

I have a request.  We have a side-by-side refrigerator.  The refrigerator half has three large drawers, leaving three shelves and the door for storage.  With fruit and vegetable season in full swing, it feels jam packed with no space to spare.  Last night I saw an ad for a new type of refrigerator.  Each little juice box was lined up neatly.  You could see to the back and find everything!  Not so with mine.  This is a quandry for me.  I will be watching for organizational  ideas for refrigerators!  Any comments/advice would be welcomed!

Clean When Empty

An organizational tip is to clean an area when it's empty.  Examples:  silverware dividers.  When you are low on silverware in the drawer because you forgot to turn on the dishwasher, take a minute to wipe out the drawer.  If the refrigerator seems rather bare because you haven't had time to go to the grocery store, take a few minutes to wipe it out.  A freezer can be the same way. 

Instead of kicking yourself for forgetting to restock whichever area is bare, take the opportunity to clean it, THEN restock!

Car Glove Compartment

Sundays, I just give you a location to find one item to move or place in the trash.  Look in your car glove compartment today on your way to church or wherever you are going.

A Gift that Sits Around

Unless I know a person really well and his/her tastes, getting that individual a gift that "just sits around" in the house is risky.  The person may love it, or he/she will agonize about whether to keep it or declutter the gift.  Even though it may seem impersonal, gift registries are wonderful ways to choose just the right gift that won't be perceived as clutter.  Gift cards and items that can be used up (i.e. notepads, food gift baskets, a heartfelt note/letter, birdseed for enthusiasts) are always a safe bet if you don't exactly know the recipient's taste. 

Passing down heirlooms also needs to be well thought out as to which of the relatives will really want or appreciate the pieces.  To some, it's clutter; to others, a treasure sought after. 

Replacements

My daughter worked late last evening.  She will be so surprised today if she happens to sweep the floor!  We have had the same broom for almost 23 years.  She has hated it for ten of her nineteen years and pleaded with me to buy a new broom.  It always worked fine for me, so I didn't do it.  Well, last night I bought a replacement, and the old broom is going in the trash.  It still works, but has served its purpose.  I don't want to clutter up kitchen with two.

Too Many Clothes?

I know...this title is "fightin' words" to many women.   But really, do you have too many?  Think about it.  People often tell me they go to Goodwill and find clothing with the tags still on it.  I have personally known people who have unworn clothing, with tags, in their closets.  I find it amusing on shows like "House Hunters" when women see these massive walk-in closets and quip, "This will hold MY things; where will you put yours?" to the husbands. 

I taught with a teacher who, maybe, repeated an outfit one day the entire school year.  I was in awe, not only because of the amount of clothing she must have owned, but that she could do that on a teacher's salary! 

My point is:  think about the amount of clothing you own.  Does anything still have the tags?  Consider what some people do:  buy a new piece and clear out an old. 

Other People's Stuff

What do we do with other people's stuff they don't want to get rid of?  As I sit at the computer, I am glaring at an oversized retail sign that isn't even grammatically correct:  WOMENS.  (It needs an apostrophe...the teacher in me cringes).  I politely asked the owner if he was getting rid of it last week when it was lying on the family room floor; he said he had to measure it.  That wasn't what I was asking, but I dropped the subject.  Now it's leaning up against the office wall. 

There are times in our quest for decluttering we just need to be patient and put up with family members' clutter, hoping to influence each of them by our example.  I'll keep you posted about the sign...

Outdated, but Still Good

Last week I threw out a box of outdated, but still good flashcards.  It seemed such a waste that I held on to them for 9 months too long.  Why do we hold onto things that are not even current?  Give yourself permission to throw out such items like old college textbooks.  Many textbooks become obsolete within a few years, much to the chagrin of poor college students.

It's OK to simplify your life.  Don't feel bound by stuff.

Pens and Pencils

Check out your stash of pens and pencils today.  Any pen that doesn't write, toss it.  Any unsharpened pencil that irritates you whenever you grab it?  Sharpen it!

The Hurdle

I was sitting in the teachers' lounge yesterday for lunch and the conversation turned to someone talking about  her cluttered house.  Her goal is to go through some of the items this summer.  After I invited her to visit my blog, she uttered a phrase that tends to be the biggest hurdle for all:

"I'm just not ready to get rid of some of it." 

Nostalgia...a hurdle in our quest to declutter.  We all feel attached to certain items.  What do we do?  I've said it before, but it's a good reminder:

Box up the near and dear items and put them somewhere for a period of time.  Your mind will rest knowing you still have them, but they aren't underfoot.  A year or two down the road, your feelings may subside and it will be easier to unload without guilt.  In the meantime, you have still decluttered (especially if there are lots of small toys or trinkets.)

Great Quote

In reading clutterdiet.com, I came across a quote that can motivate us in our simplifying efforts:

"Hard work is often the easy work you did not do at the proper time."  -Bernard Meltzer

Note pads

Do you have notepads in key places?  In any home, usually there are places were families leave notes, write down phone messages, or need something to write on.  At some point in my life, I began keeping notepads at each of those locations with a pen.  That way, when you need to write something in a hurry, there's no rushing around looking for a pen or paper.  I have one next to the kitchen phone (our main one), and one in a drawer right by the outside door where people can leave the rest of the family a note if needed.  It has simplified the frantic-search-for-paper-problem.

Work Space

Some of you have a work space at home; others at your place of employment.  Look through your area.  Are there company items you've had for years that no one uses?  See if you can ditch them (or store them in a common area.)  With the teaching profession, sometimes we fall prey to seeing a worksheet a colleague is copying and say, "Would you make me a set, too?" We have the best intentions, but time slips away and we don't use those worksheets.  It seems a crime to toss them, and an even great crime to store them for the next year.  I plan to run my needed sheets on the backs, thus saving paper (alas...not ink). 

Today I am clearing out some of the clutter in my workspace.  Look to see what you can accomplish in a spare 5 minutes today.

Lower Corner Cabinets

I was practically crawling into one of my lower kitchen cabinets the other day to retrieve a certain Tupperware container that had been shoved to the very back.  While looking into the recesses of that cabinet, I saw items that I hadn't seen in a few years!  Though time didn't permit me to simplify, I will work on it today. 

If you have a corner cupboard, there's a lot of space that can be cluttered.  If you declutter it, you could store more important things back there. 

Toys

When you have small children, one of the challenges is keeping toys picked up, parts together, and keeping your children interested.  I discovered a wonderful way to deal with the masses of toys American children tend to accumulate.  I boxed up all but one third of the toys in two other boxes and stored them for a month.  Each month, I would rotate which box was "in public" to be played with.  The kids were excited and interested in the "new toys" and there weren't so many to be picked up daily. 

Utensil Drawer

Check it out today.  Is there a kitchen gadget or utensil you don't use or need?  A duplicate maybe?

Paper

Paper is piling up at my house.  Today I am taking the plunge to sort through items and discard or file away.

Plan Ahead

Through the years, I learn tips I wish I had known.  One thing is to plan ahead.  This truly simplifies your life and seems so easy, but takes so long to make a habit.  If I get an e-mail about something being due, I'm trying to schedule completing that task right then into my week.  I'm buying birthday cards ahead for people or keeping a collection on hand.  When those weeks arrive, I'm not scrambling or feeling guilty about being late.  Most weeks, I plan the meal menu a week in advance and shop accordingly.  This saves all sorts of time and angst. 

I still have a long way to go, but I can recommend planning ahead.  Life is more pleasant and simple that way.

Dress Shirts

An area of clutter for men can be dress shirts.  It you happen to notice your side of the closet getting narrower, or you notice the same dress shirts on one end of his closet untouched, it might be good to ask him if he still wants them.  (It particularly comes in handy when those shirts invade your side of the closet.)  My husband just went through his and decided to give several to Goodwill that are still in good shape, but that he doesn't use.

Pretend to Move

My friend recently moved everything out of rooms to get ready for new carpet being laid.  Her mantra is that nothing is going back in unless they really need it.  Sounds like a great plan...box everything up in one room like you're planning to move, wait a few days, and then put back what you need or really want to keep.  Even pulling everything out of one closet could work the same wonders.  Go with a small area like a bookshelf if necessary.

It's worth a try if you are in a simplifying slump!

Clothing: How Old is Too Old?

When my children were little and went through outfits every few months, the non-stained clothing could go to a resale clothing shop where I could recoup some of my investment.  They were quite particular about what they would accept.  Places like Goodwill, however, don't seem to mind the somewhat outdated clothing.  In fact, my daughter and I have shopped there expressly at times to purchase costumes or one time, gulp, get an outfit for 80's day.  (That shouldn't be a costume decade...I lived part of my adult life in that time period!)  To finish the story, we actually found a flowered dress with HUGE shoulder pads and a large lace collar to represent that decade.  Add permed big hair, and she was back in 1985!

So, unless your clothing is stained, dirty, missing buttons, or terribly torn, take it to donate. Otherwise, throw it out. 

Registries

Some may find bridal or baby registries to be cold, but I think they are a great invention!  Unless you know the bride/groom or mother-to-be really well to know their tastes, choosing something not on the registry may lead to your item being decluttered sooner than later.  To choose something on their list is freeing!  There is no wondering if they will use it since they picked it out.  Within the registry, you can be creative and buy the practical trash can, place setting, or some of the more whimsical decor on their list.  With Internet shopping, buying off the registry is even easier.  Take advantage (early) of this wonderful leap in simplified gift buying.

Garage or Car Port

If you have a garage or car port, go check it out today and see if you can find one item to give or throw away.

Adding Can Be Simplifying

I have an often used set of Tupperware containers.  Somewhere along the way a lid was lost.  When I grab the last square round to fill it with leftovers, I always forget its lid is missing.  This brings a groan and an ineffective layer of plastic wrap over the top.  For me, buying a replacement lid will simplify my life.