September 2011 Declutter club

[SparkleNana]

9/25 Monday: OK.... THIS is "crunch time". We have from now.... until Wednesday afternoon..... On Wednesday afternoon... we head to the airport to pick up ds, ddil & dgd11. So.... THIS is the time for Last-Minute Decluttering and Cleaning!

Thanks to this wonderful 2011 Decluttering Club...... decluttering is a routine part of "cleaning"... for me. So... I WILL be decluttering over these next few days! And then..... I'll just TRY to keep up with the simplet rouines.... until Sunday night!

 

[luludou]

Decluttered 2 entry closets... got rid of 1 coat, 5 hats, 4 lost mittens, 1 purse. Gave away 1 hat, 1 set of glove with socks and I have found 2 russian doll sets brand new which will be given away as gifts.

Threw an old vest away too and a small box I was keeping with stuff in it.

 

[SparkleNana]

9/26: I've done a general "Home Blessing"... and now I'm going back to do some more intense work in the kitchen! As with the rest of the house... the less there IS in the kitchen.... the easier it is to clean!!!! So... I'll be looking for more things to get Out The Door!!!

 

[SparkleNana]

9/27 Tuesday: Wow.... the kitchen really does look much better! Getting rid of stuff.... makes it easier to actually cook! Getting rid of unneeded stuff from the refrigerator.... makes it possible... to actually see what is in there! Getting rid of unneeded stuff.... actually makes our lives BETTER!!!!!!

So.... in that spirit of making life better..... I am taking my trusty "black trash bags" into each room today. My bags for donations to the Thrift Shop... are already filling up... by the front door!!!

Yesterday..... I had a lot of "perfectionism anxiety" about pending houseguests. Thanks to MHH encouragement.... I was able to channel that energy into decluttering/cleaning. The resulting progress looked good and made me feel good!!!! I am going for more of the same today!!!!!

 

[aggy]

Today my plan, when I get home from work, is to work in the livingroom and go through a pile of magazines I have sitting on the floor next to a chair. The only one's I want to keep are the fall and holiday issues. Everything else is getting chucked into the trash. I plan to bag up those sweaters and other items I took out my closet the other day so that I can take them to the Salvation Army.

 

[SparkleNana]

9/28 Wednesday: Today.... TWO small, wicker 3-drawer cabinet/dresser/things are going to the Thrift Shop! Plus.,.... along with.... lots of stuff that has been residing in the car trunk.... for no good reason. (A bad reason: procastination!) HOWEVER.... we are picking up ds, ddil & dgd11 at the airport this evening. And the trunk has to be empty for their luggage!!!!!

Before I bring the donations to the thrift shop.... I'll try to do a quick once-over in our bedoom. (They are staying in there... it is pretty and it has a TV. The guest room is still....... MUCH BETTER than their last visit... but STILL not as comfortable as the bedroom. I'd that dh and I... rather be in there.) I'll keep on, with Baby Steps.... and... one of these visits... the guest room WILL be guest-ready!!!

 

[luludou]

Finished a book yesterday, left it in the employee's coffee room to give not coming back inside the house.

 

[KimD]

Today I am digging out my room and yes I am digging it out somehow everything gets thrown in my room and I can't take it anymore. I have to go watch my friends nefhews for awhile then I am coming home and getting to work. The only way I am stopping is to take my dd to cheer tonight if I am not done by then.

 

[SparkleNana]

Sptember 30th.... The Lst Day of Our September Declutter Club. What a blessing this Club is to us!!!!

So.... this is a sort-of "thinking about" post..... thinking about the benefits of active membership in this Club. The "ultimate test".... HAS TO BE.... HOUSE-GUESTS. And this Club has made A BIG DIFFERENCE.... in how comfortable... EVERYBODY is.... when you have decluttered! There seems to be "so much more room" in this small house..... because the surfaces are CLEAR. There are not "stacks and piles of stuff"... in the corners of rooms.

There is PLENTY of room for all the belongings of the house-guests... in the bedroom. Because the bedroom... doesn't have clutter.... anymore!

(OK... the second bedroom... the "guest room" still needs work. And dh and I are sleeping in there, while we have visitors. But... there will be plenty of time.... in FUTURE months.... to work on the clutter remaining in this room.)

Even when there IS a mess.... it isn't bad! For example: last night, when the photographer was here, we had fruit, cheese, crackers, juice, milk, and champagne for toasts. We left all the dishes and champagne glasses and plates on the table and the kitchen counters. It IS NOT BAD.... because it is NOT old junk, old clutter, old dirty dishes..... it is just the remains of Last Night's Celebration.... and is the only mess in those rooms. It will quickly be cleared up this morning.

So... I am grteful for this Club! And I am happily looking forward to October!

 

[Ahorsesoul]

SN you have done a wonderful job with blessing your life by decluttering. I am so proud of you.

 

[AnnieClaus]

You've done GREAT, SparkleNana!

Annie