Start with a Plan January, 2011

Share your decluttering activities and ideas.
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Harriet
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Start with a Plan January, 2011

Postby Harriet » Fri Dec 31, 2010 11:56 pm

A precious new year is here so let's make our START with REAL INTENTION to love and improve our homes.

If you say, "I'd like to have less clutter.", frankly, nothing much may happen. :|

But say, "Here is my plan for decluttering within this time frame." and positive change is already on the way.

So in 2011, take the time FIRST to schedule, chart, plan, calendar, create a checklist, set up computer reminders, do SOMETHING that is really going to keep you on target as you work.

There are so many ways to make a plan for controlling the clutter in our homes and keeping it under control.

We might count the clutter itself in some way, like by bag/box or by weight.

We might count our time, and make a checklist or calendar for the 15s or 30s that we intend to accomplish.

We could go room-by-room in rotation and give the time we have to different rooms by week, month or even day.

We could work according to Goodwill or other donation drop-offs or pick-ups by area trucks and collect receipts as small goals.

Any plan can work with rewards, too - as simple as gold stars on cards/planner or as personalized as favorite treats.

And a great thing about a plan is that it can be changed to a new one if we decide we need new momentum!

What are you hoping to change in your home in 2011? How are you planning 2011's decluttering? Let us know your plans, get accountability. Tell us what changed in your lovely home in 2010 - did you meet goals, do things look better, are you more organized?

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bittersweet
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Re: Start with a Plan January, 2011

Postby bittersweet » Sat Jan 01, 2011 12:56 am

DS has been doing some cleaning for me the past couple of days, and setting aside anything he wasn't sure what to do with. While I have to say his efforts are MUCH appreciated, the down side is that it's become painfully obvious that most of the "mess" aka clutter in this house is mine! :oops:

I don't feel like I've accomplished much of anything as far as the house goes - it's pretty much the same as it was a year ago. Except the kittens....there have been a LOT of them that have come and gone this year.

Yesterday, I printed off the 2011 declutter calendar from a friend's website
http://www.mysimplerlife.com/decluttercalendar.htm Along with that, I'm going to declutter (with timer) for 15 minutes, three times a week, which will add up to 39 hours of JUST decluttering over the year. That's got to make some difference around here!
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year." Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Nancy
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Re: Start with a Plan January, 2011

Postby Nancy » Sat Jan 01, 2011 1:42 pm

Just do it! That's my motto.

Yesterday I tackled the counters in the kitchen;
put the trash out after de-cluttering in there it was such a relief,
and over due so glad I finished it yea!!!

Somethings we just no longer need. :arrow:
dgd does not need bottles now so I set them aside and later is now! LOL!
So they went in a basket of her things.

I tossed some 1/2 c. fruit cup things I was using for measuring from when I was unsure on
portions don't need those now.

Then I progressed to the dining room table.
Getting these things done was like a gift to me and we were able to eat at the table!

Got a couple of decorative items taken down changing the coffee theme to some thing else
and I like the look of less clutter.
Last edited by Nancy on Sun Jan 02, 2011 2:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Indiana

Re: Start with a Plan January, 2011

Postby Indiana » Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:32 pm

I have a plan and I'm going to work my plan. Slowly things are leaving here. There is still a lot in the basement and garage but they will go too. At Christmas I found a new home for 3 boxes full of things and two grocery bags of things. The best part is when the person getting it is thrilled.

My dgnieces are so thrilled I gave them my stuffed Mr & Mrs Santas and two elves. Also they were thrilled to get a wooden puzzle of the nativity scene. All the people and animals stand because the wood is about an 1" wide. Dnieces dh was happy to get a glass wedgewood carafe of Dh's with a wild turkey etched on it.

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Re: Start with a Plan January, 2011

Postby sherinjoy » Sat Jan 01, 2011 11:11 pm

Before I read Harriet's opening statement about accountability, I had planned on listing what leaves my house for the year again. I did this in the past - an ongoing listing entitled "365 days - what's left my house" and I realized that since I had stopped that, I hadn't been as diligent as before. Seeing it listed and committing to listing something every day is a good accountibility tool for me.

DH has been cleaning out his office room all week and leaving piles of stuff for me to deal with. I do appreciate his efforts, but it's a lot of work to sort and dispurse all that is coming out of that room. Mostly recycling, which is wonderful, and donations and empty boxes and tons of old electronics and ..... a lot of stuff! Bless him for decluttering, but I wish he would do it more often than every decade! I'm beginning to think that room is like Mary Poppin's magic bag! What will come out next???

Thanks for your encouragement everybody.

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Re: Start with a Plan January, 2011

Postby blessedw2 » Sun Jan 02, 2011 1:14 pm

I like the listing of what's left your house.

this november and december we have at build up at our house. New things coming in and nothing really leaving. so I am happy to get back to dharriets dejunking!
it is always a joy to be here with you!

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Nancy
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Re: Start with a Plan January, 2011

Postby Nancy » Sun Jan 02, 2011 3:05 pm

My plan:
I have been undecorating 15 min. at a time each day.
First getting the holiday items down and rounded them up in the storage zone.

This seems to be really working out well for me as I did I got some fabirc put away while I was down there too.
The gift wrap center has been cleared off.
Plus found gift wrap that can go bye bye and got dson's gift ready to go for Thurs. as an added bonus!

Double no triple yea for progress!

Getting some of these surfaces cleared has me excited about doing a bit of sewing
{It's in the same room.}

Indiana

Re: Start with a Plan January, 2011

Postby Indiana » Sun Jan 02, 2011 6:23 pm

Can I count as decluttering that I went from 7 plastic containers of various sizes to 2 for me to move, 5 for dniece (2 village and 1 ornaments and decorations and 2 empty for her Christmas decorations).

They are in my basement my two are in one section with the tree and her containers are in a different section. When I bring in the sled with metal runners and wooden slats with ice skates hanging from them I'll put it in her section.

To me it is decluttered and neatly stacked to go to new homes (mine and dniece's).

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Nancy
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Re: Start with a Plan January, 2011

Postby Nancy » Mon Jan 03, 2011 12:00 pm

Dropped off donations yesterday. At a couple of the thrift shops we drove by they had big piles for them when they got there on Mon. of items folks had left while they were closed.

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Harmony
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Re: Start with a Plan January, 2011

Postby Harmony » Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:18 pm

Indiana I wish I could give you this big moving box I have. It's one of those nice big ones that you get from UHaul. I'm just sure if I put it out in the recycling I'll figure out something I could have used it for! Will you be letting a moving company pack everything for you?


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