Decluttering

This info is for Brittany, but of course we can all use a little reminder that spring is here it's time to clean out. This is cut and pasted info from the Minimalist/De clutter challenge I've been doing.

Mini Minimalist Challenge runs for the week, Monday-Saturday, with Sunday being break day. I will be updating the first post to reflect the current day. I suggest, if you are able to, taking your weeks worth of donations and drop them off on Saturday/Sunday to avoid a new clutter spot. Out of sight, out of mind. Before and after pictures are great if you want to post them to inspire others. Lets get minimal ladies!!!


Monday 3.5.12- Purge 5 items from a non clothing closet. Of course more than 5 is better if you have more to purge.

Tuesday 3.6.12- Purge 5 items from your bathroom drawers/cabinets.

Wednesday 3.7.12- Purge 5 items from your desk/office/mail space. If you don't have a desk/office/mail space then purge 5 items from your junk drawer.

Thursday 3.8.12- Purge 5 items from your spice/pantry cabinet. Check expiration dates.

Friday 3.9.12- Purge 5 items from your laundry room

Saturday 3.10.12- Purge 5 items from your CD/DVD/VHS/etc library.

Sunday 3.11.12- BREAK DAY!!!

Week 2

Monday 3.12.12- Purge 5 items from your reading materials. Books, magazines, etc. Check your bookshelves, magazine rack/basket, even the bathroom.

Tuesday 3.13.12- Purge 5 items from your closet. A good rule is that if it has not fit or been worn in 6mths, toss it.

Wednesday 3.14.12- Purge 5 items from your/kids craft supplies.

Thursday 3.15.12- Purge 5 items from your kids clothes.

Friday 3.16.12- Purge 5 items from your fridge/freezer. Check dates!

Saturday 3.17.12- Purge 5 items from your garage.

Sunday 3.18.12- BREAK DAY!

Week 3

Monday 3.19.12- Purge 5 non food items from your kitchen cabinets.

Tuesday 3.20.12- Purge 5 items from your kids toys.

Wednesday 3.21.12- Purge 5 items from your lotion/bodyspray/perfume.


Thursday 3.22.12- Purge 5 items from your nightstand/dresser top.

Friday 3.23.12- Purge 5 items from your car. Remember if it is not attached to the car it should not be out in the open. It will become a projectile in a crash. (Please PM me with purge ideas)

Sat/Sun: BREAK DAY! (since saturday is the day we have the most time, I didn't take a break- we went ahead and also did the medicine cabinet, & G's whole toy box)

WEEK 4

Monday 3.26- Purge 5 stuffed animals. We try and limit the kids to less than 10.

Tuesday 3.27- Purge 5 items from your filing cabinet. Taxes only need to be kept for the 7 most current years. Receipts only need to be kept for the life of the warranty. If you have not gone to paperless billing it is suggested to keep them for one-two months to make sure the payments are reflected on your next statement. If you save manuals check to see if you still own the item. Please remember to shred anything with personal information on it.

Wednesday 3.28- Purge 5 items from under your sinks. Try and only keep items under your sinks that belong to that room. Kitchen items in the kitchen, master bath to master, kids bath to kids, guest bath to guest.

Thursday 3.29- Purge 5 children's books. We try and keep the books to their age and reading levels. If they have outgrown them we donate them.

Friday 3.30- Purge 5 items from your computer/electrical components. Cords, disks, old games, old software, chargers, etc.

It's not to hard to do 5 things a day but on days you have desire and time, it's hard not to do more. Most days I take one drawer and find 10+ things easily. But it's so much easier to know that after 5 things you can walk away if you are overwhelmed. And some areas, I only found three things and had to count creatively. I keep a laundry basket behind my couch and each day add my items to it. When it's full I bag it up and move it to the trunk of my car so it's ready to go to DI when I'm out running errands. It gets it gone, and it makes it so I have no choice of rethinking "what if I need that". It's gone, and my house is my own again. It's so much easier to keep clean when it's free of clutter. I mean how many spatulas, toys, magazines, ect.... can I possibly use at a time? I've been amazed how much easier my home is to function is and how nice it is now that every thing has a place and we know where to look for things.