Day 365: WE MADE IT!

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

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

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

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

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

Day 364: A Myriad of Post Christmas Ideas

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

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

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

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

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

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

Day 363: High Threshold of Clutter

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

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

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

Day 361: Unneeded Gifts

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

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

Day 360: Strength In Numbers

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

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

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

Day 358: Buying and Receiving

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

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

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

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

Day 357: A Common Basket

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

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

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

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

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

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

Day 356: Wrapping Paper

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

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

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

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

Day 355: Anti-clutter Wallet Sleeves

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

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

Day 354: Storage

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

Think of your appliances and rate their usefulness:

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

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

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

Day 353: Sun Porches, Garages, and Junk

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

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

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

Day 352: The Island of Misfit Food

I have two stories about misfit food.

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

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

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

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

Day 351: Baking Area

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

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

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

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

Day 350: Pantry Simplification

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here is the website for the entire article:

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

Day 349: Hand Sanitizer

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

Day 348: Coasters

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

Day 347: Tour of Homes

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

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

Day 346: Simplify Gadgets

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

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

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

Day 345: Gift Exchanges

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

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

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

Day 344: Time Crunch

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

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

Enjoy the people in your life today!

Day 343: Baskets

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

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

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

Day 342: Keep Your Eyes Open

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

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

Day 341: Little Things

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

Day 340: Closets...Again

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

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

Day 338: Shoe Organization

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

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

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

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

Day 337: Cords

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

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

Day 336: Breadcrumbs Along the Way

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

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

Day 335: Clearing Out

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

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