Start with a Plan January Declutter, 2018

[Harriet]

Here we are at the FIRST! Well, hum... ... what to do first? PLAN!

For 2018, for real intention to love and improve our homes, let's take the time FIRST to
schedule,
chart,
plan,
calendar,
create a checklist,
set up computer reminders,
or ANYTHING that is going to keep us on target as we work.

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

Here are some ideas that have been helpful to some of us in the past. Can you think of others - do tell!

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

We might count our time, and make a checkoff chart or calendar for the 15s, 30s or hours that we intend to give.

We might count the space by measuring the square feet of our home we're able to FREE again.

We could work according to donation schedules, either by area trucks, or our own calendar, collecting tax receipts.

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

Also, rewards make a plan even better.

What is your declutter plan for your lovely home?

[Nancy]

By the bucket, one bucket of painted rocks left today. I have 2 bags with donations ready to go!

[blessedw2]

I have been decluttering but I haven't been here -

d harriet you are motivating me!!!

My d sis in law (beautiful home and very homey) has a bag she donates every week to 2 weeks as soon as the bag fills up.

I guess my goal this year (after a suggestion) is to try to get rid of one thing a day - but like to many extra pens, garbage, paper, etc. I am not sure if that would work.

I need help with dd younger and her keep stuff. a long time ago I removed tons of stuff in her room and packaged it and put it in the basement. Not sure how to handle it with her as her depression from concussions makes it difficult. No one is ever going to tell me again that brain injuries or pain injuries don't change an individuals make up. dd was never depressed before - she would get sad of course but never debilitating depression. I have to make this a positive experience. Maybe 1 box a week? I don't know.

[Harriet]

Our former Kidney Foundation trucks are no more. I don't know why exactly. For a while, there were two and now none. I think they were sort of in competition with each other, oddly, and wondered if one drove the other "out of business". Personally, it had become less helpful to me. It is easier to have bags in my trunk and make my own decisions about when I would pull into a GWill than to have calls from them and need to have bags out at a certain time and day. I realized I was starting to dread their calls, because I wouldn't be prepared yet, or wouldn't be planning on being home that day, etc.

Have had a long conversation with dd19 on the phone, partially about decluttering. I've told her I think she needs to get graph paper and measure her room and closet here, and graph out the exact space she has here and plan how to use it better, see the truth about what she can keep and what she can't.

I'm still plugging along in my office area and in my sewing area. Hopeful.

Also threw out several pairs of old slacks. Not donation-worthy.

Best wishes to ddA with decisions, blessed. As far as one item a day, maybe you could make some requirements - like it either has to be "so" big, or "so" big a decision to let it go, etc. For instance, decluttering a dozen pencils might be the equivalent, in importance, of deciding to declutter a bracelet that used to be worn a lot, that sort of thing. I think each day you could decide how you felt about a decision - was it really enough or not.

I like Diane in Denmark's way of chatting and explaining, but do notice her house's level of clear space is remarkable. It may not be a reasonable level for other households. For her, one item may be a much greater percentage of available clutter than for most. (Being completely honest - blessed, for me, one item is not yet a drop in a bucket! not a droplet!)

[Nancy]

I discovered a bag of beads hair jewelry etc. I am going through. Costume stuff mostly sorting through duplicated colors they are in the rock bucket and will go out next time I drop them off. The trading post has been handy, kids love the odd purse book bag or strand of beads and these items have all found new homes doing this. I have books to go loaded in a book bag waiting for a dryer day. The drop off places are close to home very handy and helpful.

I to am inspired by Di in denmark. I like to listen while putzing around doing my own tasks for 15 min. Some items are harder to let go of. Under the sink did not need much decluttering but working on that area made a big difference.

I listen to flylady Kat / also a better life with Kat on U tube as well especially her daily tasks ones. She has wonderful concepts like a daily paper routine going through one inch a day of paper clutter.

[Nancy]

Just one thing is helping me as I let go of the odd earring. And just one bag of trash. One thing from each room or three at the end of the week or month is progress! It is motivating me I must say! What if it is a large item like a chair or couch that would make a big difference in a room!

[blessedw2]

good for you d nancy!!! I like listening to both those ladies. I like that it is all about simplicity and doing the timer and being kind to yourself while you work. well done.

I agree about the calls - one of the agencies has an older woman (yes than me lol) who volunteers to make calls for pick ups - I always feel guilty if I don't have anything.

Wise advise d Harriet to your dd and for me re: my dd. Can you come to my home and do the same for me I know I have to help dd see that pretending the stuff isn't there and that she thinks she needs to keep everything is not working and I do worry how she will be in her own home. You know - don't make the mistakes I did kind of thing. I can see dd and I will have struggles along the way. I think she is shutting down a bit and I have to figure out how I can keep her positive and moving forward no matter what happens.

I completely agree - I use her for basic focus and cleaning as her home is very minimal - easy to go through. lol one drop in the bucket (not a droplet) is me - I have too much stuff - I could never be like dianne - I wouldn't know what to do with myself being that stream line
For me it is the timer and her focuses and her cheery simple way of looking at things; no blame type of thing that I appreciate. She can't focus on how to get rid of mini hoards or clutter because her home is not in that realm.

dh finally let me great rid of that knife. we had a talk about how hard it is when he consistently questions my doing things - he is not doing it to be controlling or mean he just struggles with change. If I kept everything exactly the same he would be as happy as rain.

[Nancy]

I am doing a daily paper routine, paper pile of old aarp mags got personal info off of them and tossed that pile of, sorted another 2 boxes of crafting pages, and cleared off the rolling cart got it dusted off yea for progress! Put the rolling cart back in the creativity room. Found some info. I needed. Got a letter out in the post. One more blank journsl was given away. I Tossed 2 used note books. It was a good day for it.

[BookSaver]

I am finally able to focus on the huge decluttering project of cleaning out the nonprofit sewing group's 26 years of financial files. No, wait, I've already done the most recent 7 years and turned them over to the new Treasurer early this month. Seven 3-ring binders (2011-2017) that fit into a box from a case of copy paper.

That leaves years 1991 through 2010.

I spent several hours at it yesterday and I've done a couple of hours this morning.

2 disappointments right away:

First, I reread the Records Retention Policy and I'm not going to be able to discard as many reports as I originally thought. Gotta make sure Officers are protected in case some troublemaker ever decides to claim misuse of funds.

Second, I made the mistake of assuming that the 4 years when the Treasurer was a "real" accountant -- her full-time paid job -- would be the most organized, so that's where I started. It immediately was obvious that she may have been brilliant with numbers, but not that great with filing papers in order. I haven't even been able to look at the numbers themselves because I've spent my time sorting by date, searching for missing months, trying to interpret undated pages (?!), etc.

Therefore, I'm approaching the project in stages. So far I have 5 years sorted in chronological order.

The first pass through for decluttering, I pulled out trash for the recycle bin (blank pages and bank advertisements ) and obvious exact duplicate pages. At the same time, I set aside the pages that I'm 95% sure that I can shred.

I'm not going to shred anything until I've finished going through all of the years.

This is going to take a lot more hours than I thought, but once finished it will all leave my house. My self-imposed deadline is February 10th, the next sewing group meeting when I'll see the new Treasurer again.

I'm done for this morning. I need to get some other things accomplished before going to work at the library for my 8 hour shift that starts at 12:15. I'll get back to this project tonight.

[Nancy]

I am purging notebooks more paper work is leaving 2-3 kitchen trash bags full this wk. It is From stuff I took out of the book case last week in the creativity room. Yea! I am starting to see a difference here now and it is getting some what easier to do my zones.