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!
For the local followers, a reunion was suggested! How does January 6 or 13 look, 7:30 PM, upstairs at Wegmans for dessert/coffee? Let me know. I am flexible and think it would be great to hear everyone's stories first hand!!
ReplyDeleteI don't want it to end! Heidi - thank you so much for this awesome journey! I can come either Thursday...just let us know!
ReplyDeleteI am still 17 items short of my 1,000 goal. Today is the last day - so I'm going to try to find the time to purge my home of those 17 items. I will write back later to let you know if it happens. It's also my daughter's birthday - so we will see! :)
Again - THANK YOU!!!!
I made it! 17 Polly Pocket Houses/Containers and 1 unwanted Christmas gift puts me at 1,001 items gone from my home in 2010. Phew! Just barely made it.
ReplyDeleteI still have many more items to deliver from my home, but I am hoping that this year of Simplifying has me at least looking in the right direction! It's been fun and encouraging!!
Heidi, thank you. I've learned so much, purged more than I thought I ever would, organized things I know would still be a mess and am now in the habit of looking for clutter. It's been an awesome and, I must admit, painful at times, journey. I don't know if I decluttered over a 1000 things (wow, jamckeen) but I'm well on my way and won't stop now.
ReplyDeleteIf you get a chance pick up this month's Better Homes and Gardens, the whole magazine is devoted to de-cluttering.
I will miss this blog, I really looked forward to reading it every day:) Thank you again, Heidi and my family would thank you as well. Wish I could come to the reunion... how fun!