Gift Giving

As you plan to buy gifts  for loved ones, consider the fact that one of them might be a minimalist, or a person at least trying to declutter.  As a budding minimalist, I like gifts as well as anyone, yet get even more thrilled when my gift is something I can't hold in my hand.  Here are examples:

• an experience gift with a friend...going to a concert, play, museum, volunteering together
• a gift of service...helping rake my leaves, making a meal, helping paint or redecorate, babysitting
• giving a monetary gift to a charity in my name
• give money to pass onto someone in need (My mom did that for me last year.  It was a real joy for me!)

Don't get trapped into "I have to buy something for everyone."  Certain ones may enjoy no package, just the promise of time together or help.

Keep a List

As shopping is gaining in popularity in our country and buying at least something for everyone is becoming expected, we are tempted to just "pick something up" while we're out and about.

If you feel compelled to buy for everyone, at least keep a list.  That way, you won't grab extra things for yourself as you're shopping.  Stick to the list.  Bringing less into your home is just as much a discipline as decluttering.

Soap and Other Extras

I have a large stash of soap.  Not Dove, Irish Spring, or Dial varieties, but handmade, wonderfully fragrant, luxury soaps.  I promise that I use soap, but it lasts me a long time.  What to do?  I don't want to be wasteful...I've always been careful to use up what I have before getting more, but in this case, I am going to have to be wasteful or my great grandchildren will inherit soaps from the early 2000's.  I had about 1/8 a bottle of body wash and tossed it today to break open the lemon grass bar of handmade soap I've been saving for 2 years.  It's a bit freeing, actually, to use something I've been putting off.

Think about the extras you are saving of any consumable product.  Will you ever get through using them all?  Consider ditching a current one for a new one more frequently so you get enjoyment and lessen your hoard of soaps, lotions, notepads, whatever.  We don't need to be confined by our mental rules when we have an abundance that is taking up space.

What's in the Drawer?

Do you know what a man look is?  Have you ever experienced,
"Why don't we have any lettuce?"
"It's in the refrigerator."
"I'm standing here with the door open, but there's no lettuce."
Wife walks over, moves the milk carton, and viola!  There is the lettuce.

That's a man look.

Anyway, I guess I've been doing that same thing each day opening my middle drawer.  Crouching at the bottom of that drawer were two pair of pants that are so worn that the corduroy no longer has ridges and there are holes in the khakis.  I've "seen" them for months yet mentally haven't seen them. They are going into the trash because they aren't good enough to donate.  Why have I kept them so long?  In the busyness of life, we just do that.

However, when you get a lucid, stress-free moment, really look at each drawer's contents (even one drawer per day).  Take out those old clothes and either donate or dispose of them.  It frees up room for your other garments and even some new ones!

Bird Feeders

One would think beggars shouldn't be choosy.  I find birds to be quite finicky in our backyard.  There's this quality wooden bird feeder my sister gave to me.  The first year, birds ate from it.  However, even when I clean it out each year, there's no apparent activity and so I must dump and waste the seeds in the spring.  Perhaps I need a better quality seed for my champagne-loving feathered friends.  Any suggestions?

The question facing me is: why keep the feeder if it takes time to maintain and no birds even want to eat there?  It makes me feel like I own a run-down diner.  I may give the birds one more crack at it this winter.  Then again, maybe not.

Consider any object that you must maintain but doesn't deliver on the chopping block.  Think hard about your time versus its value.  

Socks

Pulling out wool socks for these newly cold evenings is an eye opener.  Did I really store socks with big holes in them all summer and fall?  Since I really won't take the time to darn them, they need to go.

Socks with holes and single socks do not need to stay in your drawer.  Look at them with a cold heart and throw them away.

Holiday Cooking

As we begin pulling out cookbooks and recipes for cookies or other Christmas and holiday treats, we may have to dig.  As you touch each cookbook, trying to find the one you want, consider whether it has served its purpose.  Have you made anything out of it in years?  Perhaps it could be donated.  Truly, with Pinterest alive and well with so many recipes, if you haven't used a cookbook, nothing in there is probably that unique that you couldn't find the recipe online now.

Consider culling the cookbook stash this month.  I have several that will be donated.

Old Video Games

As we peruse our homes, those of us with kids born in the 90's and later will inevitably come across outdated video or computer games.  They bring back waves of nostalgia...family members battling each other.  However, they probably don't even work on current technology.  It's time to let the old games go.  You could donate them and hope someone with an old system snatches them up or just toss the discs.

Foods That Have Taken Up Residence

Shopping for groceries for the upcoming holiday means we need to make room for the extra foods in the cupboards and refrigerator.  It's a perfect time to declutter and organize those spaces.  With a quick glance,  find that homemade jam that's been in the fridge since May.  Let it go!  In your pantry, how long have those graham crackers been aging?  Yes, we hate to waste the food, but we got some use out of it.  It's alright to toss it at this point.

If you struggle throwing away food, plan it into your menus for the next few weeks to use it up.  I bet most of us could survive for at least three weeks without going to a grocery store.

Today, try to unload some of the unused, unfinished food you have stashed from months ago.

Extra Dishes

As you are planning for family meals, consider pulling out the extra dishes or containers you've been meaning to donate.  Wash and ready them.  After the meals, send your guests home with the dishes/containers filled with leftovers, along with strict instructions that you don't want the dishes back.

Give food gifts at Christmas time in the extra containers or dishes as well.  As a young teacher, I sometimes received Tupperware with goodies.  I loved it because I had very little in the way of kitchen supplies.  You might feel better about decluttering your kitchen when you are blessing someone else with the items.

Group Items

I am reading another book on organizing that I will highlight soon.  In this book as well as others, a consistent theme shows up.  Group items.  When you are decluttering, go for the ENTIRE category of items at the same time.  For instance, we store pens and pencils all over the house.  Pull them all out and see what you have.  Cull that pile into a manageable amount.  Clothing is the same way, especially for those of us who are empty nesters.  We store clothes all over the house in the extra rooms' closets, perhaps in bins in the attic as well.  When you are sorting through clothing, gather it from the hiding spots into one big pile.  Sort in categories:  shirts, blouses, pants, undergarments, belts, purses, shoes...keep what you still love and use and donate the rest.  Allow a large chunk of time for this task!

Seeing the sheer amounts of certain items will help us declutter and simplify.

Through A Child's Eyes

Yesterday, our grade level took the students on a field trip.  I love sitting amongst the students quietly, just eavesdropping on their little conversations.  I must admit, I was a bit aghast hearing them talk about houses as we drove past neighborhoods on the bus.

"Is that your house?"
"No!  Mine is MUCH bigger."
"I want a huge house like that someday!"
"Oh, I feel sorry for those people.  Look at that little house."
"That one is small!  It's not very good."

My minimalist tendencies were screaming silently, "NOOO! It's not about big houses, lawns, and lots of stuff!"  Finally, I felt I could enter the conversation in a casual way.

"How would you like to mow that entire lawn?"
"No way!  They'd have to pay me a ton of money for that chore."

Pay you???  My point was foiled.  I tried again.

"The only thing with huge houses is you have to clean it all and it's a lot of work."
They had to think about that one.  Score one for "less is more" indoctrination.

As we place less emphasis on stuff and material things, keeping only what we use or love, we are setting a good example for the children in our lives.

Less Clutter, Easier to Clean

I'm repeating myself for the umpteenth time, but a clutter-free home makes cleaning easy.  It's been a REALLY busy two weeks, thus my hiatus from this blog.  What I've noticed, however, is that my weekly cleaning chores don't take that much time.  I finish and think, "Wow!  I'm good for a week!" knowing I don't need to dust, dust mop, vacuum, put on new sheets, etc. for another chunk of time.  And, it didn't take me but maybe one hour.

There's not enough time or attentiveness on my readers' parts to extoll the wonders of having fewer material goods to care for.  I can spend time doing what I really have to get done or what I love because housekeeping is easy.

If you have begun decluttering, put it in a higher gear.  It is so worth the effort when you simplify.

Holiday Catalogs

It has begun...we are being inundated with holiday shopping catalogs!  I use them for a project at school and then recycle them in one fell swoop.  However, I warn you to be cautious at home about letting them pile up.  If one is from a random company, glance through it and then toss it in the recycle bin.  If you might want to order something, hang onto it for awhile, then actually order and  get rid of it.  Magazines, mail, and catalogs are the biggest culprits for cluttering up our counters and tables.  Be warned!

Too Much Artwork?

As we collect artwork, posters, or wall decor through the years, a time often comes where we don't have sufficient wall space for all our framed work.  What to do?  Simplify!  Look around at the walls.  Most likely, there will be something that has been up for a LONG time with no nostalgic feelings surrounding it.  Start with those pieces.  Take them down.  One professional decorator I read about takes what you already own and love and just rearranges everything into a more interesting look.  You can take your other wall hangings or art and rearrange it on the walls for a fresh view.  Donate the old ones that don't mean much to you.

Halloween Trinkets and Blow-Up Sculptures

Trinkets...you know, the little goodies sold along with Halloween costumes like jack-o-lantern flashlights, scary buckets, glow-in-the-dark necklaces and bracelets, toys, etc.  Gone are the days of throwing a sheet with eye holes over your head and carrying a pillowcase for candy.  We buy lots of stuff for holidays.  Before you buy, think about how you will store those little goodies after Halloween.

Another thing that blows my simplifying brain is blow-up characters outside people's homes for Halloween or any other holiday.  Usually there's not just one.  They are cute and all, but my thought is, "Where do they keep all that stuff the rest of the year?"

If you are a target for holiday marketing of trinkets or blow-up sculptures in your front yard, be forewarned.  They will take up space in your home for storage.  If you don't have space for such frivolity, perhaps just enjoy your neighbor's displays.

Magazines

How old are your magazines or catalogs?  Sometimes they stay in a rack for many moons and we just get numb to the pile in the living room.  Purge some older catalogs today and sort through magazines you have finished.  It gives the room a less cluttered look to have fewer lying around.

Boxes

Sometimes empty boxes cause clutter.  We hang onto boxes just in case we need to return items.  With all the shipping done by Amazon.com and other online shopping, boxes are something we must deal with more than when we shopped locally for everything.

Today I am breaking down a couple boxes that have been sitting around.  They are the outer boxes protecting the inner boxes of products we ordered.

Old Diaries, Journals

This topic is a tough one.  I love history and if everyone in the past had decluttered their diaries, we would have lost valuable insight into life in those times.  One option is to at least organize your past journals and diaries into a central location, a single shelf or box.  You could type the info into a computer to save, but the historian in me recoils at that.  Some would say to scan the pages so the handwriting can be seen.

I don't have an answer except I know I have discarded some of my past because what I wrote was dumb and I didn't want others to read it.  Others are being kept, at least for now.

Experience Birthday Gifts

Those of us who want to simplify our lives, especially from clutter, have a hard time with receiving gifts.  If you really don't need it, but it comes from a loved one, you want to hold onto it because you love them, yet...

My family has become really good at choosing gifts that aren't the "sit around on the shelf" type.  They are generous with things I'll use up or wear.  Recently, my kids gave me "experience" gifts.  These gifts were to spend time with each adult child going to some event in which we were both interested.  One was a cookie tour throughout a historic area's bakeries.  The other was a day at a  cooking convention with vendors, how-to sessions, and a Food Network star cooking demonstration.  I loved spending one-on-one time with my adult children,  the memories made, and all we learned! Plus, nothing with those took up space.

Consider your gift giving this year.  Can you give an experience to someone?  How about a service like babysitting or car washing?  Could you donate to a charity in their honor?  If asked for your wish list, offer those suggestions.

School Pictures

What do you do with leftover school pictures?  Those of us who are teachers receive a complimentary  pack of 24 photos of ourselves about this time each year.  I want to say, "Mom, how many do you want?"  When we were kids, we used to trade photos with friends and collect as many as we could before our stash ran out.  Sometimes our character was tested when the unpopular kids wanted to trade photos with us.  That doesn't seem to be a trend now, at least with my students.  So where to the zillions of mini photos go?

As a parent, do you hold onto the extras?  I would advocate not keeping them.  With all the easy access to digital photography, it's unlikely you will lack any of your child at this age.  Just throw them away.  I do.

Recycling Days

Our county has designated days to help us declutter:

1.  Hazardous Waste Day:  we can take all the half used bug sprays, paint, car waxes, old oil to the recycling center and they will deal with it all!

2.  Electronics Recycling Day:  all those old computer components, PDAs of old, TV's, boom boxes, etc. that are outdated can be dropped off.  I'm very excited for this one.

3.  Shredding Day:  people can take bags full of old papers to be shredded and then recycled.

Check out your local government website or the waste management link to find out about these opportunities to unload unwanted stuff in a safe way.

Deep Thoughts on a Lack of Clutter

I'll admit it.  I subscribe to "Tiny House Newsletter."  Almost daily I receive links to photos of amazingly small, efficient spaces people have created for their homes.  A girl can dream.

Last week, one site expounded on the benefits of living with less.  I'd like to share those deeper thoughts because I think they are often true.

The less unused clutter that sits around me the more powerful and focused I become. When I get rid of something that’s no longer serving me, it creates a magnetic effect towards what I really desire.

Read more at http://tinyhousetalk.com/turning-less-to-more/#skQIiTfybA76f6Kt.99

Winter Wardrobe

It is time to get out the winter wardrobe.  Layers are needed now that we have consistent brisk temperatures.  I store my seasonal clothing since we have a small closet, so opening the bin always brings a nice surprise as I've forgotten about favorite clothing pieces.

If you are switching over to warmer clothing now, sort the items immediately.  Ask yourself questions:

1.  Did I like this last year?
2.  Did I wear this much last year?
3.  Does this fit well?

Feel free to separate those items that don't make the cut and put them in the donation bin.  Keep what you love and enjoy wearing.  There's no need to keep those outliers taking up space in your closet or drawers.

Be the Natural Disaster or Thief

Do you ever wish the piles would just go away and you wouldn't have to make a decision on where to put it or even if you should keep it?  I've daydreamed about a thief stealing the entire room of stuff.  Would I be sad and shocked or secretly relieved?  If a fire, tornado, or flood destroyed everything in the basement, again...would I think, "Well good.  Now I don't have to sort through it all."

I realize all these scenarios are terrible usually, yet getting rid of a lot of clutter in one swoop has its merits.  Can you be a tornado?  Can you be a thief in your own home?  What is to stop you from getting boxes and just packing up everything sitting on the floor?

Consider taking a strong approach to cleaning up.  Just box up everything in the way and put it out of sight for 6 months.  If you still want to look through it after that, go ahead, but I think you will decide to let your excess go.

Tripping Over Stuff

Every day we fumble over stuff looking for something else.  Most of the things we stumble or fumble over are in the wrong spot or just don't need to be in our homes.  This is a small thing, but it saved me time when I realized what was going on.  For a LONG time, I've had an empty rouge compact in my make-up bag, waiting until it's refilled.  There's also been a rogue container of brown eye shadow I never use floating around in there.  When I'm in a hurry, digging through to find the tiny eye shadow brush, I'm fumbling over those unnecessary items blocking my view.  I threw away the old, brown eye shadow and put the empty-waiting-for-a-refill-compact somewhere else.  Now it's easier to find what I need.

Simple fixes of decluttering give you more time.  Pay attention today to the places you fumble or stumble over things searching for what you need.  It will make your routines more streamlined to remove those stumbling blocks.

Minimalist Wardrobe

For our closet decluttering week, I've attached an article on achieving a minimalist wardrobe.

http://dallas.citymomsblog.com/why-i-got-rid-of-my-wardrobe-capsule-wardrobe/


The interesting piece is that the writer felt she ended up with more outfits, not less.  I've begun trying this method with a base color and then having more variety in tops, accessories, etc.  It really does give you more outfits with fewer pieces in your closet because everything can be interchanged!

In case you don't have time to read the entire article, here are the main points from her blog:

I started to read about wardrobe capsules. Caroline, the Austin-based blogger of Unfancy (who is currently on hiatus), describes a wardrobe capsule as

a mini-wardrobe made up of really versatile pieces that you totally LOVE to wear.

She advocates for maintaining a 37 piece wardrobe: 15 tops, 9 bottoms, 9 pairs of shoes, 2 dresses, and 2 jackets.

It didn’t take long to make my move. After bedtime one night, armed with a couple of giant garbage bags and equally giant glasses of wine (for bravery) I completely emptied my closet. I donated most of it. I kept a few of the nicer things and sold them online, which helped to fund the rest of the pieces I needed to complete my wardrobe capsule.

Pre-capsule, my wardrobe was like the Cheesecake Factory menu. It went on for days, was disorganized, and overwhelming. The majority of my options didn’t fit right, didn’t look right, or I just plain didn’t like. On the other hand, my capsule wardrobe is like a fine-dining restaurant. I have fewer choices. However, the decision is easier to make, and I can be sure that all of the choices will be amazing.

Shoes in Your Closet

This is a touchy subject.  Many women love shoes!  I read a Huffington Post article where they polled women on the number of shoes they owned.  The average was 20 pairs per woman.  That didn't seem terrible to me.  The kicker statistic they brought out, however, was that most of those women only had 5 pairs in their every day rotation.  They gave reasons for why they didn't wear the other 15 pairs:

1.  Too uncomfortable
2.  Difficult to match with an outfit
3.  Scared to damage/shoes very expensive
4.  Were given as a gift and didn't like them
5.  Didn't like them as much when I got them home

I'm sure you know my next question...Why are they keeping shoes you don't ever wear?

I'm going to look closely at my shoes in the next couple of days.  I KNOW I have a pair or two that fit into one of those five excuses for not using them.  My goal is to declutter some to give more space in my closet.  Even if you count your shoes, that might be enough to set the decluttering wheel rolling in  your closet!

Clothes Stashed Away

I have a few formal dresses stashed in our spare closets.  They don't need to live in the closet I use daily because these gowns are worn maybe once a year.  I do know where they are, however, and every once in awhile still review their usefulness to me.

Do you have stashing places for extra clothing?  If it's been while since you've examined those outliers, try that soon.  Decide if you really need those out-of-sight, out-of-mind clothes.  Just because we have extra closets in our home doesn't mean they need to be full.

Belts

Since we're in closets decluttering this week, I thought I'd steer you to belts.  True, they don't take up that much space, but we simply don't need extra stuff to store!

Some thoughts on belts:

• With waist height changing constantly for slacks and jeans, you most likely have some belts that only fit around your waist but not on any low-rise jeans.  Hip hugger belts won't fit around a waist.  You may need to keep both, especially if they are quality belts that will last a long time, in anticipation for the next style change.  I think low-rise is going away and high waist pants are back from what I'm seeing in catalogs and magazines.
• Many dresses come with little matching belts.  Do you still have the belt but not the dress?  If it doesn't go with anything else, put it in the donation bin.
• Sadly, our waistlines aren't what they were in our 20's.  Relinquish those glory days belts to make space for ones that actually fit.
• Multiples can be examined.  If you have four brown wide belts, perhaps you don't need all of them.

So, in closing, please donate any belts you don't use anymore.  There is a generation of teenage boys who seem to be unable to locate good belts to keep their pants up.  Maybe your belt can make a difference.

Closet #2

If your clothing can be sorted in your closet, then you see what can be decluttered.  As we change seasons, we can purge any summer garments we didn't wear.  If you have three pair of black pumps, perhaps one can be donated.  That discount scarf that is a horrendous color could go.

Today I am looking at my summer clothing with decluttering in mind.

Bedroom Closet Sorted

I heard a true story about some friends organizing a bedroom closet.  Clothing was folded and stacked inside the walk-in closet three feet deep and higher than their heads.  They removed 18 large bags of clothing for donation and still weren't finished sorting and organizing it.  The unbelievable part was that the owner said she often felt she had nothing to wear.  Hmmm...

One way to begin sorting in your closet is to group items.  That way, you can see what you have and decide if you can cull multiples or pieces you never wear.  Here are some ideas:

1.  All like-items together:  skirts hanging together, blouses, slacks, belts together, scarves on a rack
2.  By color
3.  By type:  work, church, casual

When you organize clothing in your closet, it's easier to spot what you have AND what you don't need to keep.

Clip-On Earrings

Veering from the room by room theme I've been on, I want to address clip-on earrings.  Wow!  How could those have ever been popular?  By the end of the day or evening, your earlobes are numb.  Taking the blasted things off makes your ears hurt even worse!  I had my ears pierced while in college, yet still bought a couple pair of the clip-ons as an adult, the reason probably being that there weren't pierced earrings in the styles I wanted.

I came across a pair with a matching necklace recently.  The necklace's chain has tarnished (and it was not cheap!!) and my ears cannot bear to be pinched for hours at a time anymore.  The clip-ons and the necklace are going in my donate bin.

The Hutch

If you have a hutch in your dining room, take a look into it today.  What is residing in the back recesses?  Sometimes there are sets of dishes you've inherited yet never use.  Is there another family member who would want them?  Knick knacks can also be stashed in hutches.  Does it bug you that you don't have time to dust them and dust is getting thick in there?  Consider giving some away and have fewer to maintain.

Whatever we keep in our hutches should be used or beautiful to us, otherwise it's just clutter.

Fish Bowl

I didn't mean to scrutinize a stranger's dining room.  Really, I was just taking a walk with a flashlight at twilight, going a different direction than usual, and their drapes were wide open.  I couldn't help myself.  It was a huge picture window lit by the overhead light in the room.  I could tell it was a dining room only by the large table barely visible under piles of junk.  Even the window was blocked by old coolers, and piles of equipment that don't belong in a dining room.  Part of me thought, "Oh, if I could just help them, they'd have a lovely dining room space with a window to enjoy the view."

Since I don't know them and it's really not my place to tell them how to organize their room, I am getting my inner frustration out to my readers.  Today's one thing per day thought is to declutter your dining room table.  A centerpiece may stay, but piles of mail, school supplies, etc. need to go.  Let the space be open so family members and friends can sit and converse.  Because...you never know when someone taking an evening walk might be able to see your clutter.

Packed Moving Boxes

Through the years, multiple people have told me about their moves.  What has intrigued me is that they've also mentioned the boxes they packed that have remained packed at the new house for YEARS.  It begs the question, "Do you really need that stuff that's packed up?"  One author told of multiple moves she made, paying for those boxes to be moved and never looking in them.

If you have boxes at home from a move that aren't unpacked, open them and sort through what you want to keep....hopefully, nothing.  I'm not a huge proponent of just giving away the entire box as I've found treasures accidentally stashed in such places.  Go through them with a critical eye and declutter  your space.

Entertainment Stands

Entertainment stands hold a boatload of clutter if we allow it.  There are cabinets, shelves, and nooks for many videos, DVDs, CDs, books, periodicals, and more.  Look through that space today.  If your kids are grown, do you need the full collection of Barney VHS tapes?  Do you even own a VCR anymore or use it?  Could that go to Goodwill?

Cull any excess you find.  You can also place some items in their rightful homes that just got stashed in one of the compartments during a "company is coming!" rush.  Remember, just because entertainment stands have lots of storage space, you don't need to have it full.  Only keep what you need or love.

Anything Stacked on the Floor

Someone in my family occasionally leaves stacks of opened mail on the floor near the loveseat in the living room.  Perhaps you have a stack of something in the corner, too.  We can become conditioned to piles.  Really, nothing needs to sit on the floor except pets and furniture.  Train a critical eye over the living room today.  Is there a pile that has just become part of the room, not even noticed by family members?  Move it to it's rightful place (off the floor) which might be the trash can, donate bin, or just organized in the correct room.

I do that with the mail left on the floor by my loved one...

Living Rooms - Couch

Is anything on your couch that isn't a pillow, throw, or a person?  Today, clean off the clutter (which is anything that shouldn't be there).  Toss the old magazines, get the coins from under the cushions, and maybe vacuum up any crumbs.

Old Shoes

In the back of our coat closet are a couple pair of shoes that no one wears.  Being in a rush when grabbing shoes, it's easy to not notice them lurking in the back.  Today  I am putting them into the Goodwill box.

It's Not How Much, But How Little

It's really not a question of how much will fit in your living spaces, but how little you actually can live with comfortably.

I'm not sure how the materialistic mindset became so prevalent, that we need lots of possessions to care for.  It's been around for eons, I'm afraid.  Perhaps Mr. Gog, the caveman, wanted to keep all the discarded bones from his prey in the corner of the cave, "just in case."  Mrs. Gog was constantly on him to get rid of them, sneakily tossing out one or two every week.  Who knows.

What I do know is that the more stuff we keep around, the less freedom we have.  The writer of "Miss Minimalist" blog and book tells about how free we are in college, even with a very small amount of space and possessions.  It's true.  Living with a lot less means house cleaning is faster, there is a peaceful feel when you walk into your place, you don't worry about theft, and you have more time to do what you feel is important!

If you are having a difficult time with deciding to get rid of stuff, think about the benefits of living with fewer possessions!

Bringing Home Clutter

This blog talks mostly about getting rid of clutter.  That will work as long as the decluttered areas doesn't get refilled.  Those cute Easter trinkets that are so tempting to pick up...how long will you really want them?  The yard sale deal that might come in handy sometime...is it something you really need to store until that time comes?

Be VERY selective about what you choose to bring back into your home if simplifying is your goal.  It's a new habit to cultivate, bring less home.

Kitchen Implements

Every so often, we should look carefully at our collection of spatulas, rubber scrapers, melon ballers, cheese spreaders, etc. Are there multiples that could be decluttered, giving the drawer more space?  Do you need that many prize gadgets you won at Tupperware parties?  Is there anything you've never used in the drawer?

Pull everything out and think through each implement's worth.  Only return those tools which are useful.

Tools

When we approach the topic of tools, it gets a bit tricky.  Often, tools belong to a male spouse, so decluttering HIS things can be a big NO NO.  The subject much be broached lightly and at the right time.  There are new, improved tools always coming out.  A new power drill my husband got for Christmas last year has an aimed light so you can see while you drill, a magnetic section so an extra drill bit will stick to the drill, and much more.  So my question for him (at the right time) will be, "What about these old power drills?  Do we need them anymore?"

Multiples, particularly if some no longer function, should be considered for donation or disposal.  One drill should suffice most families.  Ours also functions as a power screw driver, so can I get rid of the other power screw driver that doesn't have as much power?

Workshops, basements, toolboxes, and garages can be considerable decluttered by just paring down the multiples of various tools.

Declutter For Your Children

This title could lend itself to multiple posts.  Others will come, but today my mind is on helping your children become more organized people by your example.

Our school had Open House last evening for the children to come with parents and meet teachers. At this point, I have a HUGE class and the room was literally packed for over an hour.  I left the school with a full heart, excited about the sweet children and their excitement, yet feeling a bit overwhelmed with, "How can I reach all of them?  How can I help them stay organized so they can be successful?"  Lest you worry I'm on the verge of a breakdown...that's not the case.  One day at a time, asking God for help, and good nights' sleep will get us through!

If you struggle with organization, you may have a child who is the polar opposite and loves to organize.  However, most children learn from their parents.  Working to keep them organized and training them to live that way is a real gift you can give to your kids.

Usually with kids, there are minimal responsibilities that involve organization:

• Keeping the bedroom neat
• Putting back toys and materials carted to other rooms
• Hanging up towels in the bathroom/putting clothing in hamper
• Backpack and school supplies

I'll discuss keeping the bedroom neat today.  Amish children have very little problem keeping their bedrooms neat, I assume.  Having three or four sets of clothing (even seven would not be a problem!) and few toys makes them stay neat.  The problem most kids have is simply TOO MUCH STUFF to handle and keep organized.  As a parent example, if you declutter and have less, you can teach your children to do the same and maintain a more simplistic lifestyle.  Children don't need tons of stuff in their bedrooms.  Playing outside is such a healthy alternative to lots of STUFF.  With my daughter in particular, I realized that by removing excess things, she was very able to keep a neat room.  If your child still loves all the excess, at least store part of it and rotate the toys in and out.  It's like getting new toys/art supplies every month!  

Bottom line, by you teaching your child to be organized through example and training, you are helping him/her with life:  a future job, marriage harmony, productivity without being bogged down with always looking for lost items, etc.  

Birthday Cards

I have a good friend who is set on decluttering her home.  For her recent birthday party, she even requested no cards or gifts because she didn't want to have to make the decision to keep or throw away any cards!

The new craze of musical cards makes the decision even more difficult.  How can I toss this sentiment that also plays music?  I can't make that decision for you, but I can tell you that once you throw away a musical card or other birthday cards, it doesn't come back to haunt you.  Life goes on happily and more simply.

Do you have a stash of old birthday cards somewhere taking up space?  Make some decisions on what to declutter.

Frayed Cords

We are an Apple family.  That means lots of computer and phone cords.  While the actual devices are wonderful, the cords...not so much.  There seems to be premature fraying on most of the phone cords.  They need to be replaced for safety sake.  The old, frayed ones need to be THROWN AWAY, not kept to be taped or something.  Once something is replaced, get rid of the old one, especially if it isn't in good condition.

Waste Not, Want Not

We often have the mindset of "Waste not, want not," which is usually an admirable mantra.  It was definitely important during the Great Depression when food and supplies were scarce.  I remember my grandmother keeping three leftover green beans in a tupperware container in the refrigerator.  We used to tease behind her back.  Later, I realized she was a product of the Great Depression and they just learned to never waste any food.

It's different now.  Lori Morerro, of The Clutter Diet book and online program, ends all of her Youtube videos with "May you always be grateful for having more than enough."  We DO have more than we need.  For most of us, we cling to the waste not, want not for little reason.  Of course, we don't want to waste money or food if we can help it, but clutter is different.  If you're hanging onto things in your home that take up living space just because you might need them someday, it's OK to let them go.  In our culture, it's relatively easy to buy another someday, rent, or borrow the thing.  Is it more wasteful to let it sit gathering dust or to let it go?  I would advocate donating.  It's not wasting it if someone can actually use it.  It's wasteful to hoard items you don't use, in my opinion.

Uncertainty Box

When you are sorting through a room, attempting to declutter, an idea beyond the TRASH, DONATE, KEEP piles is to have a "box of uncertainty."  So as to avoid hold ups in your decision making, if there is an item you're not sure you want anymore but can't quite donate it, put it in the uncertainty box.  That way, you can keep sorting without having to stop and think very long.  A suggestion made by "Miss Minimalist" was to then seal up the filled box, date it, and put it somewhere like the garage or attic for 6 months.  In 6 months, if you haven't needed anything in that box, donate it.

Purse

How long has it been since you've dived into all the pockets and flaps of your purse?  You may be carrying around extra weight that isn't necessary.  I found many things to remove:  old receipts,  stores' (now out of business) savings cards,  too many pennies, expired coupons.

Every once in awhile, do a purge of your purse and simplify that space.

Unfinished Projects

We all have things around our homes that need attention.  Those chores nudge us whenever we pass the jeans that need hemming or the birdbath that needs to be spray painted.  For me, it's always a little defeating to realize I still have many things to do.  The more there is to do, the less simple our lives become.

In actuality, many of those chores will take less time than we think.  Sometimes not even planning to do it on a day, but just diving in when you have a half hour gets results and that's one more chore done!  Most things I've procrastinated doing go pretty quickly when I actually just start on a whim.

All summer I have thought, "I need to wire brush the bird bath and spray paint it."  Today is the last day of my summer break.  I was outside, and just thought, "It's now or never!"  Newspaper, spray paint, and a wire brush were all in the basement.  I brought them up, and in fifteen minutes, the project I had thought about all summer was done!

What's been bugging you to complete?  Just grab one thing and see if you can kick out that chore.  It is often simpler than you think!

Since this blog is dedicated to decluttering, if you've gotten to the place that you just don't care about a project being finished, get rid of it.  That is also a simple solution!

Samples

Today I am throwing out a flooring sample.  We paid $.35 for it at Lowes a few months ago when trying to choose a color.  I found it on a bathroom shelf???

Coming across old samples should be an easy decision for decluttering.  Let me dispel some arguments:
No, no one else in your immediate circle of friends will want the sample.
Also, if you haven't used the sample in a craft project yet, most likely you won't ever, so get rid of it.

Most samples can be tossed if there's no life in them (such as products).  Paint chip samples of colors you actually used can be filed with the date and room on which you used that paint.  It's much easier than keeping the almost empty paint can.  Shampoo and other beauty samples can be assigned to family members to use up.

Simplify your home and create a more tranquil living space by decluttering old samples of products today!

Batteries

During dinner last evening, our smoke detector began its annoying beeping indicating it needed a new battery.  In searching through our battery box, there were no 9 volt ones, yet we had a plethora of C batteries.  "Why do we have so many C's?  We don't have anything that uses C batteries!" my husband muttered as he pulled out 10 of them.  Somewhere in our past, some device used them, but obviously it's been awhile.

It's things we stumble across that have long been languishing that we just need to declutter.  I'll take the new pack of batteries to school for someone to grab and then toss the old ones.  No need to hang onto these batteries "just in case."

Hallways and Stairwells

In her newsletter this week, Lorie Morerro of The Clutter Diet suggests tackling your hallways and stairwells.  My first reaction was, "What could possibly be there to tackle?"  She suggests straightening pictures on the walls, cleaning around benches or other furniture that might reside in those places.  Come to think of it, I have been in stairwells where there are piles of shoes, way more than one per family member. There might be "stuff" stored on the stairs which is pretty unsafe.  In thinking about this, it is a neglected area.  Take a glance today.  What can you declutter or straighten up in the hallways or stairwells of your place?

A Place for Everything…Only

When people are given assistance to organize, the organizer helps them categorize like-items together.  Conferring with the client, they come up with a spot to store those items.  What I find is that people who struggle with being organized don't allow those spots to stay purely assigned to, say, collar stays for men's shirts. A small box on a dresser is designated for all those little tabs that keep collars stiff, but then some receipts get thrown in, filling it up.  As a result, the person can't find the stays in the little box and he begins laying them all over the dresser again.

Don't let yourself mix stuff into other stuff's designated spot.  I've seen it happen over and over again.  If too much resides in a storage place, you won't be able to find what you initially wanted in there.

Keep the storage bins, drawers, and boxes pure…don't let rogue clutter seep into your organizational system.

The Irrelevant

I sorted through file folders yesterday, throwing out irrelevant papers.  The Internet makes life very different nowadays.  We needn’t keep clippings or pamphlets.  Anything we might want to look up can be found on the Internet, stored without clutter.  

If you have piles of articles you've saved for future reference, they are irrelevant.  You can throw it all away.  Old recipes you've never tried but wanted to, gardening tips, articles on medical issues or cleaning helps…let them go.  

Use a Sharpie to label

I have been loving the exercise challenge provided by my Fitbit!  It's basically a pedometer with a calorie counter that syncs with mobile devices.  I'm in a heated challenge for the most steps this week with my kids.  Today, after an energizing 2 mile walk, I got home and realized the battery had died!  Fitbit was warning me for days, even to the point of sending me an email describing the replacement battery and how to install it.  I ignored it until it was too late; now my daughter will probably pass me up.  Ugh!

Now motivated to replace the battery, I read the instructions.  "Use tool provided to remove panel over battery."
"Tool?  Oh no!  Where did I put the tool?  What if I can't find it?  Does anyone near me have the same Fitbit who might know where their tool is?"
I looked in my desk drawer and there was a box labeled "Fitbit 2015."  I was so relieved that I had the foresight months ago to label this box!

Labeling items is a great organizing habit.  Label freezer bags with the contents and date.  Label salsa jars when you open them so you know how long they've been in the fridge (I don't actually do this but wish I did), label parts to devices, label what is stored in bins in the attic.  The list could go on.  By labeling things and keeping them in certain logical spots, you needn't panic when a need arises or you wonder what is in the freezer container.  Keep a Sharpie marker in the kitchen and other places where labeling happens.  Enjoy the simplicity that comes from being able to find things.

New Inventions

As an end-of-school gift, I was given a tumbler, candy, and a box of cold-brew iced tea bags.  The tea bags are amazing!  You put two into a two quart pitcher, add water, and in five minutes, you have full strength iced tea.  It's a GREAT new invention!  As a result of this easier method, I felt I no longer needed my iced tea maker appliance.  It was a gift from my sister, who I love dearly, so that pulled a bit at my heart strings to give it away.  Quickly I caught myself in a this syrupy mindset and logically knew that my relationship with my sister is so much more than remembering her through an iced tea maker.

If a new product comes on the market that is more efficient and takes up less space, don't keep the older model.  Let it go.

Season Passes

Like driver's licenses, season passes to theme parks or historic places normally have a photo of the person.  As you come across expired ones, you may be tempted to keep them for sentimental purposes. Don't.  I think 95% of those photos are unflattering to the person anyway, so why keep one?  If you have a scrapbook, by all means glue it in if it brings back great memories.  Otherwise, toss it!  I found some expired ones deep in a cupboard, cringed as I looked at my picture, then threw them away.

Extra School Supplies

We teachers have to make supply lists yearly as a grade level and our lists have to match so they can be posted on the website.  Go-getter parents like to shop ahead and gather supplies over the summer.  I totally understand all the 3rd grade teachers needing to have the same list.  You might be surprised at the long discussions teachers have to try to come to a consensus.  Some teachers want one thing, others don't need it.  We try to avoid having items on the list that will be wasteful yet aren't always successful.

That being said, I'm sure many of you have acquired supplies your child never used.  There may be reams of line paper, graph paper, composition books, extra red pens, notebooks, folders, binders, and more gathering dust somewhere in your house.  If you don't have any students at home anymore or your high schooler won't need composition books, this is a great time to donate those office or school supplies to a place like Goodwill.  I was looking around in our local store the other day and they had a whole display of school supplies.  What a boost for families that may be struggling financially to find cheaper supplies!

So, I challenge you to take those spiral notebooks and other school items to a donation center this week.  If only a couple of pages were used in a composition book or spiral notebook, tear out the old.  The rest will be usable for a student.  Help others while decluttering your space!

3 Pitfalls in the Sorting Process

Lorie Morerro, of the online organizing program, The Clutter Diet, had an interesting video last week on the three pitfalls people run into during the sorting process.

1.  The Scary Phase:  When you start to sort through a closet or cupboard, things look worse before they will look better.  Plan for that, know that.  I always say you have to make a mess to clean up a mess.  Don't get scared or discouraged and stop, because once you have sorted, you can get rid of two thirds of the items (usually).

2.  Memory Lane:  As you find items you'd forgotten about, you might be tempted to take a trip down memory lane, getting distracted by the task at hand.  Set that box of old photos or letters in a pile to be sorted through at another time and keep working!

3.  Elsewhere:  While sorting, you may find something that goes into one of the kids' bedrooms and be tempted to leave your task and go put the item in its place.  Resist doing that.  Lorie suggested having paper bags and a marker to label "Max's Room" or whatever on a bag, then place stuff for various spots around the house in bags and KEEP SORTING.  Don't let distraction take you from your task.  You can leave and take all the bags to their designated spots later.

This is great advice.  Don't give up.  Keep up the daily decluttering!

Old Paint

I worked on our paint cupboard a couple of weeks ago.  It's in the basement and stores our partially used paint cans.  I lined up all the spray paints by color and realized I have a LOT of black.  You really don't know how much you have of something until it's grouped.  Obviously, I bought new ones before really searching in the cupboard.  Now we can easily locate what we need.

There were the mystery paints where I didn't recognize the color or where they'd been used.  Those got taken out.  Those cans with too little got removed.  I was diligent with a few paint cans and wrote the room and date they were used on the top such as, "Hallway walls 2013."  That was really helpful as I was decluttering.  A few of those cans were from a previous color so I could unload those.

You'll be amazed how much you've accumulated through the years.  There may be a craft project for which you purchased paint.  It's great paint, but you aren't going to do the project anymore.  I may list mine on Craig's List as the paint is now difficult to find and someone might like it.  There was a baby food jar of my daughter's paint thinner from high school art.  I think that can go to the hazardous waste place in a few weekends.

I've come up with two options for disposing of the extra paint:
1.  Check with the Restore in the area to see what their stipulations are for taking partially used cans of paint.  Donate any that fit the bill.
2.  Take off the lids and let the almost done cans dry out in the sun, then toss them.  Write down the number of the color if it's a current wall color, or you could even, gulp, keep the lid with the color specs label.

Take some time to organize and declutter your paint area sometime soon.

Medicine Cabinet

I dumped two bottles of old vitamins.  Decluttering is ongoing.  We have so many storage options in our places that items get overlooked for years.  Today, look in your vitamin cupboard or medicine cabinet and dispose of any bottles that aren't used or have expired.

Developing Habits

Decluttering is definitely a habit to be acquired.  The show, Clean House, used to be a favorite of mine.  An entire crew would come into an extremely cluttered home, sort everything, have the SELL, TOSS, KEEP piles, and then leave in a couple weeks with the house looking spectacular.  I'm certain that was a boost to the homeowners.  I often wondered how they got on as time passed without developing the habits of cleaning up clutter daily, having a place for everything and putting items in their places, and having the discipline to not acquire more unnecessary clutter.

It's always a battle in our culture.  Perhaps we have so much disposable income that we don't think through our acquisitions.  Lots of stuff makes us feel secure in that we'll have what we need at all times.  Too much weighs us down, however, and a feeling of freedom comes when there's less to care for.

Getting rid of one item per day seems like a long haul, but it builds discipline and habits.  Keep up the good work.  It will pay off.

What To Do With...

For a week, we've been working on clearing out my father's construction goods.  He worked construction on the side for 52 years, so the accumulation was sizable.  He had a massive shop with lots of custom built storage bins, rafters full of extra wooden trims and lumber, tools, plumbing parts, electrical parts and about 30 boxes or bins of various nails.  It was a HUGE undertaking.  We set up a yard sale for four days.  I'd say we cleared out about half of the offerings from the sale.

Habitat for Humanity is a charity which enables people to build and own their own homes, using volunteers and donated supplies to help alleviate some of the costs.  They sponsor Restore stores which accept building materials (like nails), paint, discarded kitchen cupboards, furniture, and more.  This is a WONDERFUL place to donate things from a garage.

We are taking a couple truckloads of what didn't sell to the nearest Restore.  It is a great feeling knowing these building materials will help others with home projects at a reduced cost.  It's an even better feeling to get all of it out of the garage and shop!

A Decluttering Nightmare

Last night I awoke worrying.  I made a mental checklist of the tools that were left for my mother from our decluttering of my father's shop.  "There are no needle nosed pliers or a tape measure for her!" I worried.  "What happened to them all?"  With her generosity to neighbors and friends, it appeared that our carefully stashed collection of tools had also been picked over.  I decided not to worry about it until morning, knowing I could always purchase those items inexpensively.

Sometimes we go above and beyond with our simplifying, and a little regret creeps in.  While there is always a danger that you'll find that you could have used an item you let go, in the grand scheme of things, it's not worth losing sleep over it.  A minimalist would just borrow one from a friend or figure out an alternative way to accomplish the same task.

Don't let the "what if I need this someday" mindset cripple your ability to let go of items.  The feelings of freedom versus being in a cluttered home are worth the risk.

Dumpster Diving

On a long walk this morning, I found some "treasures" set out at the ends of driveways for my mother's community "big trash" pick up.  Horrified a bit by my roving eye looking over neighbors' trash, I did some thinking.  Truly, 'one man's trash is another man's treasure.'  I continued walking past the items, reviewing my decluttering and simplifying philosophies.

The thing about simplifying your lifestyle, is when you DO see something in someone's trash pile that you love or can really use, you can get it without guilt, knowing it won't just sit around, uselessly cluttering your home.  Trash picking or dumpster diving (too gross for me) definitely should pass the two tests:  do you love it?  will you use it?

I'm signing off to go pilfer two items I will definitely use!