February Declutter Club

[MinnieCo]

I don't have a commitment area yet. Sounds bad, but it's true. I think I'm going to keep tackeling the smaller jobs just randomly at this point and not committing. Sounds bad, but it's where I"m at right now. I did come back on to say this...I did something BOLD just now.

I had a box of newspaper articles, that I've been keeping from the Travel section for years and years. I took the whole box and just put it in the trash! I looked at the bottom of the pile and it was from 2001!! So 10 years I've been building that pile of possible places to travel too! I guess before I spent 20 hours a day on the computer and internet..LOL

Ps: I'm taking a deep breathing and moving on!!!


Back an hour later and I just posted all my extra Priority Mail boxes on craigslist and someone is coming to pick them up tomorrow. I was selling ebay for a couple years and haven't done so in a about 2 years. So they are gone!

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

Well done Michelle, you are doing a great job

 

[Kim Loves Snow]

Great job Michelle. For me it's hard to get rid of things I've clipped out but like you, if I've not used it, I don't look at it and I just pitch it. If I look at it then it's all over for me!

I'm sorry to say that my main focus area for January failed miserably. I am still working on my mini focus area - my desk - and I still think I can get that accomplished by the end of the month. I need a success for January to carry me into February!

 

[Ahorsesoul]

Good sign for our house: If we can drag all that crap in, why can't we drag it back out?

Another decluttering article:
http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/storage/around-the-house/qa-with-designer-christopher-lowell/

 

[Saquilla]

Hours - I like that!

Ok - I can reasonably do half an hour a day after the kids are in bed. So that adds up to 3.5 hours per week.

Mini Area for this month can be the.... filing cabinet! Oh boy. It really needs some attention. It's a bit scary actually... might take a couple of months but we'll aim for February

 

[SparkleNana]

For February's Project..... I will devote four hours to decluttering the kitchen. (In 15-minute bursts-of-action! So... that is 16 mini-decluttering sessions.), for the kitchen.... for February's-Mini-goal.)

My 2011 Ongoing Decluttering Project is the office/guest room/Christmas room.

Move-It-Out-Monday.... continues to be one day a week.... devoted to getting Stuff OTD (Out The Door). Wandering through the house, big trash bag in hand, helps with this weekly goal.

 

[Pumpkinpie]

First - Glad to have you back with us SN.

I like the idea of going around with a trash bag in hand. BUT, when working on my Desk area, so many things require an Action. I wish I could just throw it out, but can't. I'm trying the hours instead of a whole project too. I think it will work better. It will take more time, but won't be as overwhelming. You must think I'm burried in paperwork. Well, kind of. I pay my bills, keep my receipts, but it's all the in between stuff. It piles up. Little by litte it will get done. I'm committing to a hour a week. This way if I do more, I'll feel better!

:thanksgiving:

 

[Ahorsesoul]

15 minutes a day adds up to 1 3/4 hours a week and 7 hours a month (if I did my math correctly) So it doesn't take much to complete a task, as long as you stay with it.

 

[ChristmasPir8]

Those of you that feel bad about not accomplishing what you wanted in Jan please don't. Getting something, anything out is better than nothing. Do what you can and forget what you didn't do. See the joy in what you did do.
I didn't set a specific goal in Jan. I just got stuff out as I came to it. Feb. is good for the kitchen only b/c I need to pack up the winter dishes and will be in there any way.

Michelle-good job on pictching the box as a whole. I see on TV where they say if you havn't use anything in this box in a yr get rid of it w/o looking it in but there is no way I can do that w/ most my boxes. Clippings, maybe but housewhole stuff, no way.

Kim-you had stuff going on in Jan. Darn real life, but you got something done so that's great. Desks are usually a continual work in progross any way

Pumpkinpie-I know what you mean about desks. I just went through and shreaded a bunch of old bills but needed to sort some other ones.

 

[aggy]

January decluttering was great. The closets in my bedroom are temporarily on hold as I am awaiting my shoe racks. Then I can get rid of all of those boxes. Boy that's going to be a big Move It Out Monday when those racks come. heehee.

For February my focus will be my kitchen. I hate it. There's not enough storage or workspace in there.

My mini focus will be the guest bedroom. Last year I got rid of a lot of old/mismatch furniture and created a nice storage area for all of my craft and office supplies. However my desk area is not really working out for me. It is just too small and not enough work space.

 

[aggy]

One thing I forgot to mention. I will comitt to 2 hours a week working on my kitchen.

 

[Princess_Christmas]

I really need to declutter clothing and craft supplies. I will commit to fifteen minutes/day.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

I really need to declutter clothing and craft supplies. I will commit to fifteen minutes/day.

You will get so much done without wearing your self out!

 

[Gingerbug]

Small time committments do add up and work great!

With all the snow we have piled on us...we are off for a snowday again tomorrow. My main declutter focus is still the basement but since it is such a big job I sometimes have to hit another area...sometimes I'm just not in the mood to be in the basement...LOL

So today I started tackling my office...which collects stuff like crazy...it is also my "craft area" so it tends to accumulate quickly...I didn't get it all done by any means...BUT

1. I decluttered the top shelf of the book cubbies

2. I decluttered the top of two of my craft cube units....It looks so nice..it makes me smile!

3. I decluttered and organized stuff in the first three cubbies of the book cubbies! Now I can actually find things when I want them!

I started cleaning off the computer desk but got distracted because my husband's work closed early because of the weather so he arrived home unexpectedly...

Tomorrow I will continue to work on the office....it feels nicer already...even though there is more to do!

 

[Colleen in PA]

I spent two hours on my desk at home yesterday...Sadly, it hardly made a dent! Oh well, at least I can just close the (clost) door until I have tme to get back in there!

My kitchen cabinets are coming along as well...but slowly. baby steps!!!

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

I really only had time to declutter the junk drawer in the kitchen. I did not throw much out but it does look nicer.

 

[SparkleNana]

I just saw a program segment on "decluttering"... on the new Oprah Network. It was on the "Nate" show.... and Peter Walsh was the guest. Peter said.... "Clutter is NEVER about the stuff"..... he said that over HALF of American homes are badly cluttered. And... Peter said... that the clutter is accumulated while we try to "fill up"... missing places in our hearts. Good inspiration.

So... a few days ago.... I made a committment to do sixteen different "Fifteen-Minute Decluttering Seasions" in the kitchen, during February. I am off to do the first one now! (I'LL KEEP ON WATCHING THE NATE SHOW... WHILE I WORK.)

THEN.... I WILL TAKE A BLACK TRASH BAG INTO ANOTHER ROOM.... AND WORK SOME MORE.

How are you doing in February?

 

[Christmaslvr]

I just saw a program segment on "decluttering"... on the new Oprah Network. It was on the "Nate" show.... and Peter Walsh was the guest. Peter said.... "Clutter is NEVER about the stuff"..... he said that over HALF of American homes are badly cluttered. And... Peter said... that the clutter is accumulated while we try to "fill up"... missing places in our hearts. Good inspiration.

I LOVE Peter Walsh. Have you seen his new show "Enough Already" on Oprah's new network? I have them recorded but haven't watched them yet. He certainly gets me in the mood to declutter...from back in the "Clean Sweep" days!

 

[SparkleNana]

Christmaslvr..... I HAVE seen some episodes of Peter walsh's new show..... and I think it is very good.

OK... I did TWO 15-minute decluttering sessions in the kitchen today. That leaves 14 more sessions to do in February. PLUS... all the rest of the decluttering stuff we can get done in February.

Baby steps.

 

[Jinglewhale]

I am trying to declutter a drawer, cabinet of something small every day. Somedays I get more done that others, but I can't put it into hours of commitment. So far in Feb. I have decluttered the sheet drawer. the medicine cabinet, plastic containers in the kitchen, and thrown out-dated food stuffs away. seems like we tend to hold on to things way past expiration dates at my house!