January 2021 Sort, Tidy, Declutter!

[Harriet]

꧁ღ Yay ! 2021 ! ღ꧂

It's a new year of possibilities in which we may find clear spaces, actually understand our drawers and closets , and approach mental clarity! If you've found that 2020 has clouded ⛈ your surroundings as well as your brain, you're not alone. This is a topic of concern for many folks. Depression and clutter seem to go together and result in less attention to our plans.

A couple new articles on this current problem are The Clutter-Depression-Anxiety Cycle: How to Stop It by Rachel Jones, on the "nourishing minimalist" blog, and Managing Clutter and Depression by guest-blogger Patrick Bailey on "unclutter.com".

But it's not just depressing to face clutter. It's... .. foggy! In her June article, The Cost of Clutter in Your Life, Elizabeth Scott, MS writes on "verywellmind.com" we can look straight at a cluttered area and miss what's there. Our ability to concentrate, to zero-in, to be efficient, becomes clouded by the disappointing vision. You'll be gratified to note she suggests the Four Box Method (and we know who popularized that one!).

What are your dreams for 2021 as you sort and tidy toward a decluttered home? How are you going to keep your efficiency and concentration going strong, the way you recognize them in yourself? Let us know your successes and stumbles - we're here cheering for you!

[blessedw2]

yay! 2021

[Nancy]

I rounded up some items to declutter, we are in lock down and I do not think the thrift shop is open, dson is doing to do a yard sale in the spring so I am not sure where that will go but I have decided on that box and have them together, so I have it on the table landing zone in the basement, my "area" might change but it works for now and got it out of the kitchen & dining area so that was a win. I also took some holiday items down when I did those trips to the basement doing laundry. Did that a couple of times today doing rounds is giving me great success!

[blessedw2]

yay for your work d nancy -

again d harriet - THANK YOU!

[blessedw2]

I am going through the kitchen. I decided that I don't use half the spices that I have - I rarely use certain things and I have to be okay with letting it go. I can always ask for a tsp. of something from someone else -
I also decided to keep what I use regularly in the kitchen - the rest on the shelf in my pantry (which is small). I tossed a lot. I still have to wash my shelf

[blessedw2]

I forget that my yearly decluttering is still draining on my mind. over the years I have let go of so many things but this year I am truly paring down in the kitchen.
I still have work to do.
I realized I need not want 3 shelves of my small pantry for my paperwork, card file, my people a - z card file and things i am working on so that my kitchen table stays clear. today I did that. I still need to clean the bottom shelf of this and the floor - everything else is washed and my pantry is now really simplified.

I can say it's still hard - picking up small things - making decisions, tossing, ,recycling glass and plastic, making decisions again, dealing with the mess even though I am tossing as I go.

[Nancy]

I have 2 tops with holiday print on them on the holiday tote stack.
Got some other items out of the spare bedroom in a toe with other embrodery items mom made.
Making progress bit by bit yea!
Wtg gals!

[blessedw2]

BWTG to you too d nancy!!

[blessedw2]

today I decluttered my canned goods.
when I bought garbanzo beans for covid I never thought they went out of date in July.
I had to toss 8 cans of garbanzo beans - plus I bought it thinking I would use it in dishes. I like hummus but am finding I would rather buy hummus rather than make it. I love the additions they add - olive tapenade, roasted tomatoes etc. Otherwise I don't like them in salads etc.

I also found out all my dried beans were from 2017 I wonder why I didn't toss them last year.
I could feel guilty about all I had to toss but it won't help me for future decluttering.

One of my goals this year is to reduce any kind of food waste - so don't over buy

[blessedw2]

I always think I can declutter more places than I can in one hour or one day

today: cleaned under sink -decluttered
cleaned in misc. kitchen machines - I have donated over the years and I am happy where we are right now. dd older juice maker though is going in a box downstairs.
I cleared off most of my cook books off the counter - tossed another cook book. I know have my keepsake (4 cookbooks) on top of the counter only.

did medicine type cabinet - dh wants things in multiple cabinets for his meds and eye meds etc. . cleaned out his meds as he empties bottles but never gets rid of them.
I just realized I have only one drawer (small) for myself in the dining room.

what's left - the actual medicine area with bandages etc.
glasses cabinet.
I still have to put dd youngers stuff in basement in a plastic box