May's Dynamic Declutter, 2014

Share your decluttering activities and ideas.
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Harriet
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May's Dynamic Declutter, 2014

Postby Harriet » Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:43 am

Have you ever noticed the freshening quality of decluttering? Visually, we see areas becoming clearer, of course. But there's more to it than that.

Reducing the hodge-podge of multi-textured surfaces around us reveals easier-to-clean space that is healthier! It holds fewer offending odors, offers fewer hiding places for pests or bacteria, and lets our families breathe freely. Items we care about have longer life because there are places to properly store them out of the way of that fading light and floating dust. When we can see the surfaces in our lovely homes, we can certainly maintain those surfaces - it's only when they are obscured by too much stuff that we despair or procrastinate. (Oh, how I can despair and procrastinate!!!)

As you're decluttering, be grateful that you are decluttering poor air quality, too! Here are some tips on natural air clearing.
Air fresheners that emit chemicals may not be the best choice because they can inhibit air quality. To clear the indoor air of odors and toxins, open a window (at least a crack) for half an hour daily as long as the pollen count is low. If it's too high, consider baking soda.

Baking soda works as a great, non-toxic air freshener, even for people with asthma. This household staple helps soak up odors without leaving a scent of its own — perfect if you’re sensitive to perfumes. Keep open boxes in the refrigerator, in cabinets, and in closets and drawers to clear away odors. Sprinkle baking soda in trashcans, and put it in your vacuum bag for a fresh scent while cleaning.

For a similar effect, place a shallow bowl of white vinegar in a room overnight. It should absorb the offensive odors the same way as baking soda, and you’ll wake in the morning to a clean-smelling space. - Everyday Health


Think about your decluttering sessions in terms of a Fresh As a Daisy home this month. Then the items you do choose to display can have the space to really shine and be appreciated in your healthier rooms, while you breathe in fresh air.

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Harriet
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Re: May's Dynamic Declutter, 2014

Postby Harriet » Wed Apr 30, 2014 1:04 pm

Some of us schedule decluttering with Focus cleaning, by decluttering for a week in the area we will clean the next week. That way surfaces are recently cleared, and a deep cleaning easier.

What's the Focus cleaning plan? It was designed by our own Indiana while we were posting on our previous board, and carried on here, in our Organization and Simplification Tools Forum. The Focus plan divides a household into 9 rooms or areas for cleaning and gives one thread to each area. Each thread rotates, coming up in the Focus forum 3 times a year, and then just before Thanksgiving, Focus goes over to maintenance threads during the holidays. Focus cleaning is adaptable, of course, so even those following it drift in and out of different rooms as needed.

For anyone who would like some "company" decluttering "where" others are that week, here are the rooms where you will find some company this coming month:


Week of.........you'll find some of us

4/28 Decluttering storage areas as we Focus Clean laundry
5/05 Decluttering outdoors as we Focus Clean storage areas
5/12 Decluttering the kitchen as we Focus Clean outdoors
5/19 Decluttering living room as we Focus Clean the kitchen
5/26 Decluttering dining room as we Focus Clean the living room

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Re: May's Dynamic Declutter, 2014

Postby Harriet » Thu May 01, 2014 2:10 pm

Ivy had just posted this in April after I'd opened the new thread, and I didn't want it to be missed, so I've moved it here.

1 size xxl cardigan about two x's too large for me is in the donation box to ARC along with 2 loungers, too.
I dumped all the household trash today, as tomorrow's garbage/recycle day.
I decluttered the eating bar, the chair in the bedroom, too.

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Re: May's Dynamic Declutter, 2014

Postby Ivy » Thu May 01, 2014 11:39 pm

Today, my decluttering antics were:
- putting away tons of groceries & items on the eating bar from DH's trip to Costco & the grocery store.
- sorting & purging mail; putting mail away.
- putting dirty clothes, from the bedroom, into the utility room laundry basket.
- I put 2 now-empty address label sheets into recycle in my small office.
- I dumped trash.
- I put away 3 old coasters, which were drying flat, after rinsing them to flatten them out. When they went through the washer/dryer, they were curly. LOL!
- old pen pal envelopes, of letters answered; then the letters themselves, too, went to the burn trash bag.

"Every day, I declutter,"
I often times mutter.
I cannot let it stop
or I'll trip o'er them and plop.
To declutter everyday,
might be boring, some would say.
But it becomes a breeze
and we're less apt to sneeze.
"I like to get in days of declutter,"
I sometimes smile and mutter.
;)
Touch the earth, love the earth, her plains, her valleys, her seas. Rest your soul in her solitary places. ~Henry Beston

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Re: May's Dynamic Declutter, 2014

Postby Ivy » Mon May 05, 2014 7:16 pm

~ Trash
~ Dust
~ Dust bunnies
~ Junk mail
~ Kitchen eating bar
~ Dining room table
~ Great room end table & coffee table
~ The master bedroom
~ The bunny room
~ The main office

We're slowly getting all geared up for Mother's Day in baby steps here and there. :idea: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Touch the earth, love the earth, her plains, her valleys, her seas. Rest your soul in her solitary places. ~Henry Beston

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Re: May's Dynamic Declutter, 2014

Postby Harriet » Tue May 06, 2014 12:43 pm

I worked enough in the corner bedroom of my parents' house that dd15 said "Wow" when she got home from school. Ultimately 3 tall-kitchen-garbage bags out of there yesterday.

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Re: May's Dynamic Declutter, 2014

Postby Ivy » Tue May 06, 2014 11:44 pm

Harriet, a "WOW" always makes people feel GR8! :P I'm glad she noticed your hard work.

I decluttered the spot I keep a daily container of meds at. Last night, I had a "wild hair" & decided to put stuff out of the way off the eating bar, so I moved them where I have the daily meds. I had a clipboard, steno pad, calorie counter, Benadryl, hand sanitizer and I guess it was just too much clutter in 1 area. Because I forgot to take morning meds! :roll: :!: :!: :o I haven't done THAT since 1992 or EVER! Just missed a nighttime dose ONCE in 2004, when we moved & I was exhausted, so forgot. I always take medications, when needed & supposed to, so this was something I'm ashamed of & shocked about. :shock: DH said we ALL do "things". He left a burner on for 3 hours the other night, until *I* discovered it being rather warm, when I walked by the stove top! :) I'm glad I caught that one. I even had a dr. tell me once, how she's forgotten to take her meds, too, & not to "worry" about it. So that area's been decluttered, so it's got fewer items there, will be decluttered even more, by Mother's Day because our 16-month-old, 3-year-old & 5-year-old grandchildren will be here & I don't want meds out on the counter, nor my calorie counter book, to do list, etc..... I don't want things "gotten into" because I can always bring them out after "little hands" go home. Better safe than sorry.

Also, I dumped trash today. Also, got rid of flyers from the mail. We got flyers & the May 10 postal carrier's food drive bag for food donations. We'll fill it up with food & get it up to the community mailboxes first thing on Saturday. :idea: I still need to declutter the eating bar of my list pad, before Mother's Day & my end table in the great room, too. Everything else is decluttered already. We plan on bringing Legos into the great room for the little ones to play with, so they aren't running into other rooms in the house, where the doors will be closed. I have a recumbent bike in the bunny room, which I don't want climbed on & in the main office, I have a very nice printer I don't want played with. :lol: I sounds like such a strict Gma, don't I? :?: I just don't want anyone hurt or anything broken. We have a huge kitchen, dining room, great room, & patio. The patio's about 20 feet x 30 feet or larger. So it's a good place for children, too. The yard's large & there are woods. I think by decluttering, so nobody puts a pen in their mouth or eyeball, etc... Gma will be more at ease & not worried or on pins & needles. It's a good thing (as Martha would say) to baby-proof before the babies arrive. Our parents & in-laws did the same thing, when our children were young, too.

I'll get the trash re-dumped again, before Mother's Day, too. I'd love the house main part to be clutter-free so I'm worry-free & not fretting about 1 thing or another. It's a day to relax & enjoy our little family & grands & that's the way it's GOING to be. I love them all! ♥
Touch the earth, love the earth, her plains, her valleys, her seas. Rest your soul in her solitary places. ~Henry Beston

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Re: May's Dynamic Declutter, 2014

Postby Ivy » Thu May 08, 2014 2:26 pm

I made the bed, took dirty clothes into the utility room laundry basket. I plan to declutter my end table top today, after I finish a few projects I've got going, which are stored on the top of the end table. By bedtime, I should be finished with everything & have a nice-looking end table again. :D

Will declutter & dump trash, sort/purge mail, discard packaging for a pkg. coming today, & help DH put away groceries.

Decluttering is a never-ending chore, but we get so much prettiness when it's done, & activity, too. :idea: :)
Touch the earth, love the earth, her plains, her valleys, her seas. Rest your soul in her solitary places. ~Henry Beston

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Re: May's Dynamic Declutter, 2014

Postby Ivy » Sat May 10, 2014 11:25 pm

The house looks real "spiffy". I need to wash the table & placemats though. Everything else is done, except for a quick stripping of a very few things from my 1 end table, next to my chair. :mrgreen:
Touch the earth, love the earth, her plains, her valleys, her seas. Rest your soul in her solitary places. ~Henry Beston

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Re: May's Dynamic Declutter, 2014

Postby Ivy » Mon May 12, 2014 10:51 pm

Oh, my! :shock: We had so much "messy" during our Mother's Day celebration! :!: Pizza boxes out, foods out, Legos in the great room for the little ones to play with & keep happily occupied, shoes & socks off, hoodies thrown down, etc.... :lol: But everyone went home & DH & I picked up things, put away things, & got the place decluttered again, so it looks real nice once again.

Before Father's Day's arrival, we've learned to remove the kitty cat figurines from the shelves of the TV supporting shelves, put up a heavy pottery decoration on a pedestal on the coffee table, to put fireplace tools away. 3-year-old grson tried shoveling with the fireplace shovel, tried sweeping with the broom, had soot all over his hands..... :roll: :lol: Anyway, it was really nice to have this dry run, to know how to indeed REALLY baby proof! :idea:

Next on my list is my office~ once again. :idea:
Touch the earth, love the earth, her plains, her valleys, her seas. Rest your soul in her solitary places. ~Henry Beston


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