not this cute anymore!
I am the QUEEN of CLUTTER. And even though it's nice being royalty of something, I am ready to retire and give my crown to someone else. I am constantly trying to break bad clutter habits and replace them with good ones. Here are a few DECLUTTERING tips that work for me (especially on the days that I actually apply them to my life.)
1. Junk Mail- I have a small garbage can for junk mail. It is located in my garage just steps away from my door. Before I bring the junk mail into the house, I will go through it and discard what I don't want (which is most of it.) I know that after all the warnings about Identity Theft, I should be shredding these documents. But I would rather live in my pretend world where flowers are always in bloom and everybody is nice and honest and good. I sleep better at night believing that CraZies don't actually go through your garbage and tape your junk mail together...
2. Set a Timer- If you think I am talking about a timer for the KIDS to get motivated, you don't know me by now. I need it for MYSELF! Isn't it so much easier to clean up when you know it's only ten minutes? Small increments are always easier for me.. because if I set it for an hour, I just know I wouldn't stick to it.. But ten minutes can usually get me off the couch (or away from the computer) and after it rings, I usually feel so good that I want to go for another ten! *I believe I bought my timer at the dollar store 5 years ago, and it's still tickin!
3. Donate, donate, Donate!- Having a yard sale is a wonderful idea, however I usually end up hanging on to piles of things in hopes I will make a buck or two... when I never actually get around to having the sale. I strongly believe that donating clutter to a local charity is the BEST way to go! They come right to your door to pick it up! I have a storage bin in my laundry room of things that I want to donate. I continually add things to this bin and when it gets full, I call up a charity and have them come-N-GET-it! Not only are you dejunking, but you get a warm fuzzy feeling in your heart from giving it to someone who might actually need it!
~I always LOVE to get rid of things that make me cringe ~like the loud, annoying toy that seems to have Energizer batteries. Just make sure that when you are donating it, your child doesn't SEE that mommy is tossing their FAVORITE toy.
1. Junk Mail- I have a small garbage can for junk mail. It is located in my garage just steps away from my door. Before I bring the junk mail into the house, I will go through it and discard what I don't want (which is most of it.) I know that after all the warnings about Identity Theft, I should be shredding these documents. But I would rather live in my pretend world where flowers are always in bloom and everybody is nice and honest and good. I sleep better at night believing that CraZies don't actually go through your garbage and tape your junk mail together...
2. Set a Timer- If you think I am talking about a timer for the KIDS to get motivated, you don't know me by now. I need it for MYSELF! Isn't it so much easier to clean up when you know it's only ten minutes? Small increments are always easier for me.. because if I set it for an hour, I just know I wouldn't stick to it.. But ten minutes can usually get me off the couch (or away from the computer) and after it rings, I usually feel so good that I want to go for another ten! *I believe I bought my timer at the dollar store 5 years ago, and it's still tickin!
3. Donate, donate, Donate!- Having a yard sale is a wonderful idea, however I usually end up hanging on to piles of things in hopes I will make a buck or two... when I never actually get around to having the sale. I strongly believe that donating clutter to a local charity is the BEST way to go! They come right to your door to pick it up! I have a storage bin in my laundry room of things that I want to donate. I continually add things to this bin and when it gets full, I call up a charity and have them come-N-GET-it! Not only are you dejunking, but you get a warm fuzzy feeling in your heart from giving it to someone who might actually need it!
~I always LOVE to get rid of things that make me cringe ~like the loud, annoying toy that seems to have Energizer batteries. Just make sure that when you are donating it, your child doesn't SEE that mommy is tossing their FAVORITE toy.
Any decluttering tips you'd like to share? Heaven knows I need them!
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21 comments:
Ok, I don't know if you made that graphic or not, but I am copying it to use...so either way..thanks!
I'm a big believer in regular donations to Goodwill! I try not to let things pile up (doesn't always work). I'll have to try the timer thing... Thanks for sharing!
C'mon by Wani's World and check out my WFMW!
You are going to have to move over on that queen throne LOL I thought I had that title!
I want a simpler life, one without clutter, without storage spaces and one without a box full of who-knows-what in the living room.
You have some excellent tips and a great style to your writing.
Have a great day!
Kristin
I think that I am the Queen of Clutter as well. I am so unorganized and it makes my hubby crazy! As far as chores, I also like to do them in small increments of time. The way that I do them is during commercials when I watch TV. That little bit of time can get quite a bit done. Of course, it is not as much as I would get done if I simply turned off the TV, but oh well! Thanks for your tips!
I'm the Queen of DI. I seriously could go everyday which tells you I'm a bit of a pack rat. I hate clutter so much and it's especially cluttery living in one room!
I love the timer and have used that trick a lot. My mom used that on us as kids growing up too which is genius. There's something about "being timed" on a chore that makes you want to get it done quickly as a kid.
I don't really have any decluttering tips right now except for shove stuff under the bed. ;)
Getting rid of clutter is a constant effort at our house as well. I like your tips and have used some of them in the past.
One thing that I am really working on this year at our house is to simply not buy more stuff. If we don't absolutely need it we don't get it. We are trying to wear stuff out, make do with what we have and be creative. It has been helping to cut back on the mess. We do still get a lot of stuff given to us so there is still work to be done around here.
Over at blog one of my topics is organizing and I have some clutter cutting ideas in there.
I really like your timer idea! I just toss all our junk mail into the recycling bin w/o shredding also. Oh well! Another good thing about donating, though you shouldn't do it for the financial gain ;), a lot of times you can get a larger deduction on your taxes than you would have gotten had you sold the same items at a garagae sale or consignment shop! Yeah charity!!
Paul and I are big givers to Good Will. It's like you said. You put the items in a pile thinking you can sell it for a few dollars and it never happens. Plus I feel good, when I know someone can use the stuff I used to really like :)
I just got those space bags from Bed Bath and Beyond where you put your items in and vacume out the air. I'm so excited to see if they work. It would help with all the baby clothes and big blankets I have.
Anyways...Have a great day :)
I'm a huge flylady.net fan. Check this out for decluttering tips:
http://flylady.net/pages/FLYingLessons_Decluttertips.asp
I am definitely not a clutter person, but most days it takes a lot to get me motivated to clean and/or declutter. I like your timer idea...I think I'll use it! I spent 3 hours in a row cleaning yesterday and felt like I was going to die when I was done because I was so tired. Next time I actually get the energy to clean I am going to try your timer trick. As for decluttering, I have a rule that if you haven't used it in a year, you probably don't need it. My husband hated this at first (because his parents are MAJOR pack rats) but has gotten on board with it. I am always throwing stuff away and bringing things to DI. Love it!
I love the timer idea. And I also have a constant donation box in my closet.
My parents actually caught a guy going through their garbage a couple of years ago in the middle of the night, so I shred everything. If I get a new credit card application, I take out the application itself and throw away the extra letter that comes with it. Then I tear the application into pieces small enough that couldn't be taped back together and sent to the company. Someday I'll buy a shredder.
how can you be talented at EVERYTHING? I mean, if you're a professional writer and part time comedian, being cluttery is not so bad right?
I laughed SO hard after reading ABUSIVE DADDY for the 10th (at least) time again this morning. You seriously need to get PAID for this stuff.
Steph- the graphic was NOT created by me, although I do think I possess the talent to make something that cute. I give you permission to use it, even though I don't own any rights to it.
Val- I love the shove under the bed technique. I will be using that one today.
Emily- when you said something about someone going through your parents garbage, I plugged my ears and started singing a happy song. I am happy in my ignorance.
All you new comers- hello and welcome! Thanks for your tips. I love Fly Lady but she started sending me emails every 5 minutes and I started not listening.. which is why I am back on my clutter Queen throne.
Your new comment at the top right of your blog made me laugh. HARD. Thought I'd point it out for everyone else.
I tried fly lady for a little while too, and stopped for the exact same reason-- enough emails already!
I'm definatly still trying to perfect the art of not-being-cluttery, and still have a long way to go, but one bit of advice that made a lot of sense to me, was very simple and has stuck with me, was to set limits for your space. For example-- after hearing this I decided to make a list, and list exactly how many pairs of pants, shirts, shoes etc. that I am allowed to have in my closet. It was amazing how much stuff I got rid of, and how much I don't miss it. Then when I am shopping, and have that urge to buy something new, I think to myself "if I buy this, I have to get rid of something else...do I really want it?" Another area I set limits for is childrens toys. We have a wooden box in our living room, and that's all the toys I will allow into that space. If it gets too full, I start getting rid of stuff. When you set limits for your space, it doens't just control how much you get rid of, but how much you are buying. It makes you pause to think before buying something, which I really need.
Boy, do I know clutter. I'm always trying to declutter and to no avail. Thanks for the tips.
My WFMW post is up as well.
Great tips! I also love using the timer. For some reason, when there is a task I don't want to do I have it in my head that it will take me ABSOLUTELY FOREVER to accomplish it. (Insert much whining and weeping and gnashing of teeth.) But if I set the timer, I know I have permission to stop after 10 or 15 minutes. And, like you, I often find that I want to keep at it after the timer goes off.
FlyLady helped me to improve on some areas, but like others have mentioned, I don't follow her advice to a "T". Another site that has helped me is http://orgjunkie.com/. She has some great advice!
Oh... another thing. We have a small shredder at home - it's just the actual shredder part that you put over one of your existing trash cans when you want to shred - so it doesn't take up a lot of space. I have a basket where I throw everything that needs to be shredded, and when the basket is full (about every two or three months) I take 15 minutes to shred everything. This helps me keep on top of it without it being a major inconvenience for me.
Love the comments - agree with the FlyLady (love it, but hate all the emails). The VERY BEST declutter idea? Go help someone move who has either not packed yet or who is a pack-rat. You will go home and miracle of miracles have boxes of stuff to give to Goodwill that you would not have given away the day before. Works EVERY time for me!!
Sam you are so right about hanging out with pack rats! Every time I watch (or even think about watching) that HOARDER episode on Oprah, I want to get rid of everything in site! (and throw up at the same time)
I bought the FlyLady control journal and am email free, although everything in the control journal is on the website.
It's all very well putting stuff in bags to take to the charity shops/ recycling centres - but when do you get around to doing it? When I get sick of tripping over it by the front door, where I've put it to remind myself to take it, I put it in the back of the car and drive around with it for WEEEEKS! Then I end up having to take it out again to make room for something else in the boot (trunk) and it ends up back by the front door all over again. The BIN however is just a few metres from the front door!!! I just LOVE throwing things away. It is SO theraputic. And it's way better than shouting at the kids.
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