November Declutter and Organization, 2019
Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 2:42 pm
Now if it's getting a little more serious when you look at the calendar and you realize you may need to bring out the big guns, go back to basics with Pam Young and Peggy Jones' advice. They suggested the use of
large boxes
to really move fast on decluttering projects. The boxes are labeled for 4 different functions:
"give away",
"throw away",
"put away",
"storage".
Don't sidetrack in sorting the "storage" now - just keep filling more storage boxes as you go, stack, and deal with them later. The "put away" box is an "anti-sidetracking device", too! Toss the put-aways in and, while you're decluttering, put them out of your mind. But when the "give away" and "throw away" boxes are full, go ahead and empty them right away into donation bags and trash bags and start filling again. With large boxes to toss into quickly and carry away, you can go from cluttered to clever FAST.
And last but NOT least, this is a good time to be carrying a 3x5 notepad, according to P and P, who especially liked wearing an apron with a pocket just for the pad and pen! They would make notes as they found things they'd been looking for for years and as they brainstormed about where to use duplicate supplies, etc.
Dove gave us two tips for the 4-box method a few years back. She suggested a fifth box she called, "ask dh". It helped her keep moving on her box-declutter projects, and remember to get his input later. Also she suggested a large book store will often have big boxes they are throwing away, usually about the same size and broken down so you can take them home and re-tape them together.
large boxes
to really move fast on decluttering projects. The boxes are labeled for 4 different functions:
"give away",
"throw away",
"put away",
"storage".
Don't sidetrack in sorting the "storage" now - just keep filling more storage boxes as you go, stack, and deal with them later. The "put away" box is an "anti-sidetracking device", too! Toss the put-aways in and, while you're decluttering, put them out of your mind. But when the "give away" and "throw away" boxes are full, go ahead and empty them right away into donation bags and trash bags and start filling again. With large boxes to toss into quickly and carry away, you can go from cluttered to clever FAST.
And last but NOT least, this is a good time to be carrying a 3x5 notepad, according to P and P, who especially liked wearing an apron with a pocket just for the pad and pen! They would make notes as they found things they'd been looking for for years and as they brainstormed about where to use duplicate supplies, etc.
Dove gave us two tips for the 4-box method a few years back. She suggested a fifth box she called, "ask dh". It helped her keep moving on her box-declutter projects, and remember to get his input later. Also she suggested a large book store will often have big boxes they are throwing away, usually about the same size and broken down so you can take them home and re-tape them together.