July CHALLENGE and Declutter Strategy, 2024

[Harriet]

Clear surfaces, organized cubbies and lovely living spaces are available to us with just the commitment to manageable declutter appointments.

Okay, cool but ... .. WHICH declutter appointments?

For July, let's PLUNGE into another July 30-Day Declutter Challenge, going along with this illustrated guide WITH free printable check-off chart that Elizabeth found for us for July a few years back. When we did this before, it was eye-opening, with ELEVEN pages of Challenge-Check-Ins.

Shake things up a bit, from whatever our usual methods may be, to tackle CoMpLePteLy RaNdOm decluttering spots together, one for each of 30 days!

Know you'll miss days at home because of your exciting life? Cool! Just substitute organization as needed!

Mark your calendar:
Random discussion following on the 31st, to share funniest day, most embarrassing find, obstacles, mental blocks, biggest success,

[Harriet]

The easy-to-read check-off chart is at the bottom of the illustrated article. I may print that or may make my own card of it - either way, I'm thinking of using stickers to "check off" because they are more fun.

I know, I know - your fridge is already perfectly decluttered and neat as a pin. So, today's no challenge at all, right?

Well, I am embarrassed to tell ya'll, but I need a bit more reassurance that I have no more science experiments in mine. You never know ... ..
And after that, I want to get on a stool and take a hard look at the landscape on top of the fridge and think about what I've got up there and why. Then, what am I magnet-ing on the front? Grandchildren's art is priceless, but other stuff probably has a place to go.

[bittersweet]

Well... I'd love to say my fridge is all neat and tidy, but it ain't While I did clean it out fairly well a couple of weeks ago, I'm pretty sure there's more stuff in there that can go. I guess I'd better add that to my gottagetdone list for today.

This could be a very interesting challenge for me. We honestly don't have a junk drawer, no medicine cabinet, a garage, or unmanaged mail. Craft supplies? Ohhhh that's a whole 'nother story!! That will be what I'm working on when the days come along for areas I don't have.

[Nancy]

So far my declutter stratadgey has failed.
I have asked three people if they want the TV I took out of the basement nope same ans. from all three
of them. So might have to try putting it out by the road with a free sign on it.

[Harriet]

Here's the first week

July 1st - "Fridge"
July 2nd - Pantry
July 3rd - Kitchen appliances
July 4th - Linen closet
July 5th - Medicine cabinet
July 6th - Makeup and skin care items
July 7th - Jewelry stash

[Harriet]

Nancy, I have a couple large-ish things I'm about ready to beg somebody to take! lol I think maybe, I'll be calling around and asking how to donate.

bittersweet, I'm with you on having no garage, and no classic "junk drawer". The medicine cabinet - tiny 1958 houses have tiny 1958 ones, so not too much to do that day! (Did you know we moved into my dparents' house? I think you did.) VERY good idea to use those days for extra craft-supply organizing.

Day 1 found me up on my dmother's old rolling library stepstool clearing the top of the fridge and accessing the difficult-to-reach cabinet above it. My parents never used it well, and it's been empty for us. The problem is that as you open the doors, you would rake anything that's on the fridge-top off. So, what's there must be taken away to open it. Now, I've used that cabinet for anything related to baking cakes, cupcakes, etc. My cake stands, bundt pan, cupcake papers, disposable cake boards. I've gotten my routine for accessing the cabinet down pat now - rolling stepstool safety! Where to hold, where to step back down. The top of the fridge is now exclusively paper plates, plastic cups and kitty dry food canister. Convenient but easily moved.

Magnets, children's fridge art auditioned, some gone, some arranged! The interior is science-experiment-free.

[Nancy]

Harriet I have one of those above the fridge cupboards I eventually just cleared it out.
Asked one more person about the TV the same response they said they already had 4 in their shop!
Glad I can lift this and put it in the truck and take it to the dump they have a spot for tv's & and pc inside that they try to refurbish
so they do not go in the land fill.

[bittersweet]

I'm going to have to combine days 2 and 3, since I don't have an actual pantry, but do have two big cupboards in the kitchen - both filled with some baking ingredients, and containers of all shapes, sizes, and colours. There's a lot of actual Tupperware in there, and on top as well, but as I mentioned in PWYC, I have neither the space to store it all or a use for some of it. There are some small appliances in there, too. The waffle iron that gets used about once every two years is going to the donation centre, as will the old crockpot that works, but hasn't been used since before we moved here (almost nine years ago).

I did pick up some more big, strong boxes at the produce store on Saturday to fill with donations

[Harriet]

Not one to let cheerful (and familiar) declutter reports escape notice, I brought us quotes from last evening's PWYC.

I’m a day behind with decluttering but I cleaned out refrigerator today. Threw out 3 partial boxes of Neapolitan ice cream. Every birthday, we have to have this — tradition started with dh’s mom, who once called it “metropolitan” and now that is what we call it. But the flavors are not eaten equally, so I have to buy new every time. That is how I ended up with three partial boxes, with ice crystals building up! - lucylee

We ended up cleaning off the top of our fridge merely by coincidence. (Actually, DH stood on a milk crate and did the cleaning; I stood on the ground and fetched/handed things.) DH noticed that a former banana was dripping down the side of our fridge. Clearly we need to find a new place to put bananas when we get them. This fridge is too tall to easily see the top. - Mystery

Who can't relate to former bananas and partial ice cream?

[Harriet]

We sort of have an upper pantry (cabinets above the kitchen bar) and lower (the bar itself). I try to keep lightweight items above, since we generally try to keep stress off of our plaster ceilings. Canned and bottled items are underneath with dry beans.

Biggest help to me from yesterday's pantry challenge was getting all coffees and teas together but separate in the lowest, most convenient cabinet shelves of top, where I have our supplements on a single-tier Lazy Susan. We think of these items together, because they are all usually "morning things", but it was getting cluttered. Now they are neat, separated by cocoa and sweeteners: honey, monk fruit, sugars. At the least convenient side, the two mason jars I use for sprouting.

Then on the middle shelves, all rice and other grains. Cereals and noodles are at top. I still have some space at less convenient corner of middle and top shelves, so thinking about that.

Tossed about a dozen items that HRH and I agreed were just headed toward an expiration date without any real change of being used.

On to decisions about kitchen equipment!