Decluttering tips.

by

subtitle: please to not fall over in shock that Im actually continuing a theme from one day to the next.

In keeping with my year long theme of personal responsibility I shared with you, yesterday, my Lose 30 things in 30 days challenge.

Yes, it’s day number two and YES it has already been a challenge.

Not so much the selecting what to give away (that’s been the fabulous freeing part) but more the longing to give every.single.thing.away in one fell swoop.

Im resisting.  Im trying to be realistic.  Im trying to embrace the mess which is being three years old while nurturing the need for minimalism which is being sixty days from 40.

My plan (as of this morning but a plan none the less):

I will create one 100% clutter-free zone. Today. For me.

Somewhere I can go to be calm, to meditate, & hide when I need a break from the unrelenting WHAT THIS IS? MAMA I NEED___ which can punctuate my day.

My initial thought is to clean out up & empty a small closet under the stairs.

Will this actually happen?  Stay tuned as I shall be back to update you as my day unravels unfolds.

For the rest of the domicile?

I’m being a little more realistic and a lot less decluttering rigid.

Please to enjoy my MizFit DeClutter Tips & please to chime in below with your own:

Designate a spot for papers. Mail, letters, checks for deposit (Good lord let me get more of these and STAT), grocery lists etc.

Papers are a big source of clutter up in herre mainly because I tend to scatter them throughout the house (not my best trait. I know it & yet Ive not worked to change it until now.).

Ill drop letters/magazines/catalogs on the living room table, bills in my office, grocery lists wherever they may fall, coupons in the kitchen and it all results in a LOT of visual clutter (not to mention my complete inability to ever find anything when I need it. Hello jury duty summons letter!).

SisterFit made herself a really simple organizational tool out of this sort of thing by merely labeling each pocket & shoving the appropriate papers in the slots.

The project is a total no brainer and today is the day I finally follow suit.

Pick a place to start.  It sounds silly yet this is the reason it has taken me so long to join the DECLUTTER REVOLUTION: I was entirely overwhelmed.

Pick a place (for reasons I yammered about yesterday I’d select the kichen) & launch Operation Declutter the Domicile 2009 there. Today.

Im not sure if this is merely a myth Im creating in my head (your cue to CHIME ON IN) but Im hoping that, as with clutter spreadage, my DECLUTTERED area will spread slowly through out the rest of my home as well.

We picked our place/started this tip yesterday & to my surprise had fun doing it.

Who knew the Toddler Tornado enjoyed shoving crap stuff into trash bags  so much?

EXTRA TIP: Watch tiny hands. The Tornado almost decluttered some of my important & favorite items in her glee.

Pick up 10 things & find them permanent homes. We all have items we use on a daily basis and, because of this regular usage, dont have permanent homes for them.

Pick a spot and always put those things away when you’re finished with them.

It’s amazing how much less cluttered my kitchen seems now that I put away the blender, toaster, egg white separator etc. instead of simply leaving em on the counter since I know I’ll be using them again soon.

Teach the rest of the household where things belong.  I almost said CHILDREN on this tip but thought for a moment and realized the Ren Man will often say: Id put this away but Ive no clue were it goes.

Once partners, spouses, roommates & kids know where things go you are well on your way to a clutter-free home without having to do any of the work yourself.

EXTRA TIP: We’ve started implementing the rule of ‘for every new toy the Tornado gets she must select two to give away.’ The giveaway toys don’t have to be things she’s still playing with, but we do choose toys gently enough used to be able to be donated or passed along to a friend.  This tactic has tremendously helped reduce toy-clutter (& instill gratitude).

Create an Im not sure yet box. Dont go too crazy all at once & giveaway things you may really wish to hold on to.

Dont listen to the ‘if you havent worn it in a year give it away!” adage if something holds even a vague sentimental value for you OR if you think you may wear it again in the future.  (ooh radical notion– I know)

Dont donate a book if you enjoyed it enough you think you may want to go back and reread again later.

Dont trash some of your children’s drawings/schoolwork/whatevs if youre not 100% sure you no longer wish to keep them.

Do decrease your clutter by creating an Im not sure yet box. Tuck these items away for a month or three and revisit later.

That’s what I got, Oh Bumbling Band.
And you?
Any tips to help us in our Great Decluttering 2009?
Im off to finish my one clear spot and, if all transpires as planned, I shall be tweeting a picture of my PlaceOfZen later.

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Comments

  1. Great tips Miz…I especially love the one about teaching your housemates where things go…we struggle with the same thing with the hubs up in here 🙂 ARGH! that’s no excuse i say, then i go on to find ice packs leaking out in the fridge…DUH!…

    I have a little box by the door next to the coat stand where I throw the mail since most things I do online these days, but for some reason European companies haven’t caught on to going paper-less… they get shredded later. I have a plugs/electronics/chargers drawer which is a huge clutter saver…

  2. We have a similar rule to your toy donation… for every book we buy, we give one away. Also, when I’m cleaning my desk, I don’t linger over anything – once my hand touches something, I can’t put it down until I’ve put it away. Still, clutter persists. We have a severe drawer shortage in our flat. My own fault for buying a desk without storage.

  4. Something small that has reaped big rewards for me in reducing paper clutter is carrying an envelope in my purse and putting all my receipts in it. At the end of the month, I write the month/year on the outside of the envelope and stuff the whole thing in my main Receipts folder in my file cabinet. Then I start a new envelope for the new month. Much better than my previous M.O. of stuffing all the receipts in a drawer for 5-6 months at a time, and then frantically having to dig through all that when I wanted to return something.

    As for getting rid of ‘sentimental clothing’, I had to make a rule for myself that I can only keep those sorts of things if they’re “one size up”. I was hanging on to beautiful 2X and 3X sweaters and t-shirts I adored even though I hope to never be large enough to wear them again. Now I’m down to just a couple…and my Atticus Finch for President ’08 t-shirt, which I will NEVER get rid of voluntarily. 🙂

    Wishing you great success in losing the clutter…and maintaining the loss. (Still working on that one myself, but it’s all a process, right?)

  5. I like the idea of an Im Not Sure Yet box and yet knowing myself I would (will?) use it to let myself off the hook 🙂
    I think as I declutter I may NOT allow myself that box.
    This time anyway!

  6. I usually start with a room (or area within a room) and go from there. After a few (or couple…what can I say, I get obsessive) days I find that the house did get “magically” clean. The biggest thing for me is definately bills I need to keep. Before putting them away, I set them in a spot and let them collect. Maybe that’ll be my goal!

  8. The “I’m not sure box” is such a good idea…I’ve gotten a little TOO enthusiastic in the past and got rid of things that came back to haunt me.

    Sounds like you are off to a great start! I love the tips – and can’t wait to see the pics!

  9. So easy to get lost in the clutter! Great post- I think cleaning up my home and work spaces makes me feel less stressed and like all of my to dos are much more do-able! Can’t wait to hear how it goes for you

  10. You might have me finally joining Twitter if you will tweet the BEFORE and the AFTER.

    Thanks for the tips as I joined in your clutter crusade (declutter crusade?) yesterday.

    Hallie

  12. I have lovely baskets under my coffee table which hold all of my clutter – everything goes there – one for mail, one for magazines, one for stuff – it keeps things very tidy. However if you have a cat you must put out the one you don’t need first and wait for her to settle in, and then get out the one you need.

    This is way scary, I know, but I have labeled the insides of drawers and cabinets so that people know where things go. S

    In a closet I have 3 bags hanging, one for each member of the family, and I call it their “bag of doom” because they leave crap around and can’t find it and swear they are doomed. It’s because I picked it up and put it in their bag.

    Squeee! I love organization! YOU ARE MY NEW HERO. Seriously. Please to come here & STAT.

  13. How easy is that shoe holder idea.
    My apartment is so cluttered with papers I’m terrified to throw out but am not sure I will ever need.

    (I enjoyed the gratitude post.)

  14. Love the idea of the Toddler giving away 2 toys for every new one she gets. I think this is a wonderful way to teach the value of what we have, but also a benevolent nature!

    I know it’s so simple, but the “Not Sure Yet” box is probably the reason i’ve been procrastinating my cleanup. It seems like such a cut and dry decision “keep or throw away”. The Not Sure Yet box would be perfect for those in between moments.

    Thanks for the great tips and ideas!!

  15. I love the “bag of doom” idea, Marianne. My guys are always leaving things all over the place and I have no idea where they’re supposed to go.

  16. may or may NOT workout as planned but I’m going to throw a Swap Party at the end of the 30 Days.

    I’m inviting friends over to bring their ‘maybe stuff’ and that way, even if we aren’t as paired down as is my initial plan, the ‘stuff’ we have will be new to us and USED NOT CLUTTER.

    The last time I did this I ended up w/precisely the same amount of ‘things/items’ I came with but they were newtome items and became staples of my wardrobe not stacked clutter!

  18. I just spent the previous 2 weeks doing just that Decluttering…it’s nice to have everything in it’s place, AND all the junk out. We even went as far as to repaint, repair light fixtures, replace batteries & bulbs, a new toilet seat (stain resistant!) and even by some new cleaning / storage things like a new bathroom caddy and dish rack…it feels good in our “new” home 😉 And now we can relax and concentrate on the important things like fitness!and the prize for READER OF THE DAY goes to YOU BeckStein. You know why 🙂 Thank you.

  19. My tips:

    1. get a shredder (it’s helped me let go of bank statements that are multiple years old and not worry about identity theft).

    2. If you’re keeping clothes because they’re classic and elegant and for special occaisions, that’s one thing. If they’re your skinny jeans or clothes that you want to fit into “someday”, and are mocking you from their drawers and hangers, let them go.

    3. Respect the other person’s stuff/feelings. BK knows not to get rid of my stuff unless I’ve already put it in the “donate” or “shred” pile. He has accepted my refusal to get rid of scraps from my grandmother’s sewing projects.

    4. Do not bring in more clutter. Right now, that’s my big issue. We’ve been getting a bunch of ads and “special deals” for wedding vendors (the knot dot com sold our info, despite having a disclaimer that they’d only do so if we checked the “yes, send me stuff” box. Apparently, that only referred to e-mail), and I’ve been inclined to save them to use as a start when the time comes to pick each vendor. The wedding’s over a year away. BK finally convinced me that A. it was against my policies to allow someone to profit for irritating me (and buying my contact info is really high on that list), and that I could enter the names of the vendors into a spreadsheet, and B, a simple netsearch would be enough to find vendors.

    that’s all I’ve got right now.

  20. I like the idea of one clutter free place and working to get that to spread and not the mess.

  21. Love, LOVE this challenge! I definitely need to declutter my house (life?). I’m workin’ on it, but a big part for me is that I’m suuuuuch a procrastinator. But decluttering always makes me feel so fresh and so clean. 🙂

  22. I have to go back and listen to yesterday’s. I was logged in to work and couldn’t view your video.

    But – about the closet under the stairs. Are you talking about hanging out in there? Harry Potter style? I’m intrigued…

    I MUST declutter. I’ve been trying. Going to try more!

  23. Sounds like a good plan. I’m a big fan of the not sure yet box, as long as it doesn’t end up containing more than the outgoing box.

    I’m tackling the dining table again today. No matter how much decluttering we do over the house, that one spot seems to magically fill (daily) with everything from toys and art projects to folded laundry, cookbooks and bicycle parts.

    For children’s art projects, I started scanning what fit in the scanner, and snapping photos of large or macaroni encrusted items. For poster-sized school projects, the child poses with project for the photo. There’s an album in iPhoto for each of the three, and we only keep the artwork which can be cycled through the simple glass frames in the family room. In fact, one of the stacks on the table is artwork ready for the scanner.

  24. ok. I will join in here and say I’m probably the big clutter hold up in our apartment.

    I might shock the girlfriend this month and start putting things away.

  25. Ilike the idea of the paper clutter organizer. I am almost overwhelmed by paper, as I not only have my own paper, but now paper of my dad’s because I am handling his finances/etc. now. For some reason, he feels compelled to give me ALL his mail.

    Okay, gonna go throw out some paper and lift some weights!

  26. What was the decision on the hat?

    I am actually really really organized which sounds great however I still need to lose about 40 pounds.

    My being clutter free is not helping LOL!

  27. These are great tips…

    One thing I need to do is keep my storage bins sort of out in the open. Part of the decor.

    As soon as I put them in the closet or under a bed it becomes an excuse just to shove my clutter into them without truly sorting…

  28. Miz, when you throw your party (swap party), make it a rummage sale or garage sale and donate the proceeds to that charity you raised money for last year. The women’s shelter thing.

    hmmm. would the women rebel? 🙂 last time I kinda did that but charged admission to join in the fray. perhaps this year we do shake it up, fly you in, and make it a sale!

    Also, I remember my mother was so young and had by age 20, 3 screaming toddlers and she would use the bathroom for her sanctuary when we got to her. It’s far easier to declutter a bathroom…just an idea.

  29. I love that you caution us not to go too crazy as Ive learned from experience I tend to go hog wild and regret it later.
    And rebuy some of the same stuff (terrible I know).

    It sounds like common sense but wasn’t for me.

  31. Tip: Try to bring in less paper – bank statements & bills online type thing.

    Receipts: Set up an email account just for receipts (gmail). Every receipt, take a pic with your camera phone, send it to the email address, put the category in the subject e.g., grocery or even the name of the grocery store. That’s it! You can toss the paper receipt after a month (when you can’t return the item).

  32. I pay almost all of my bills online, but the truth is that moving across the country twice in two years is what’s kept us from collecting too much clutter. A lot of things become less important when you think of them in terms of dragging them down the stairs, dragging them up new stairs, unpacking them, etc.

  33. “…embrace the mess…” love this as
    one of my chief philosophies of life is “Embrace Your Mess.”
    I have no decluttering tips as I clean and organize madly from time to time. I need to have space around me or I feel claustrophobic.

  35. This is definitely a problem for me – I am a pack rat. I’m told I come by it honestly, my paternal grandmother was the same and I take after her in may ways. I don’t like it, but I have a hard time fighting it. Most of the time I feel overwhelmed, but every so often I go through a phase where I get all determined and start sorting through things – which has been happening for the past couple of weeks, so your tips are coming at the perfect time for me!

  36. Oh wait – part of this challenge is the EVERY day part? Well, shoot. I’m too impulsive – I’d rather give in one fell swoop. Also – so glad you said the thing about keeping old clothes. It’s not just a sentimental thing either. Everything eventually comes back in style so it’s frugal too! I still have some clothes I kept from high school and I get TONS of compliments when I wear them now (the hysterical laughing you hear? Me, upon realizing that vests really did make a comeback).

  38. I can not say enough how important it is to be sure the rest of the house joins in and know where everything goes.

    I screamed at my daughter once about putting some things away and when I was finished 😉 she informed me she had no idea where it went.

    From then on I made sure not to put things away for her but with her.

  41. I love these decluttering tips. I can never seem to decluttered enough!!!!! My tip, SPRING CLEAN all year long!!!

  42. Ooh great idea to clean out one area. I think tonight I will tackle my toiletries baskets. They’re overflowing for no good reason.

    When it comes to papers I’m very diligent in that kind of organization. I have a massive file folder with separate places for bank statements and phone bills etc etc- it makes life SO MUCH EASIER whenever I need to search for an old document, which happens surprisingly frequently.

  43. Miz, have you seen the FlyLady site? She’s ALL ABOUT the decluttering, and why you *shouldn’t* do it all at once, but a little bit at a time, instead.

    Now I’m all about the 15 minutes. I can do anything for 15 minutes at a time, and I can do 15 minutes a day (almost) every day – that adds up to almost 2 hours of decluttering time EVERY WEEK. (But ask me if I’d spend 2 hours all at once – never gonna happen.)
    not sure what my deal is but for some reason Ive been fighting the fly lady (uh, not literally :)) for years. I do need to check her out, huh?

  44. I love the decluttering series!

    My project today will be my desk and all the “paper stuff” in and around it… I have a really bad habit of putting paper (mail, magazines, non-urgent work-related “stuff,” etc.) in a pile and saying to myself that I’ll look at it later. But then later never comes around. I think after my initial decluttering today, I will schedule a specific day and time each week to devote to all the paper. If it’s not on my schedule, it’s just too easy to ignore…

  46. Marste, I love the “15 minutes” tip, very true for me, too. I’ll have to try that at my office today. 😉

    Something that has helped my bookshelf stay less cluttered has been using my local library, and only adding/keeping books I know I will re-read. (That has saved me a lot of money, too.)

  48. Oh wow. Here are some of my tips for decluttering the papers we are all inundated with:

    -Open your mail standing beside the recycle bin. Anything not important (flyers, advertisements, etc.) goes directly into the bin for shredding/recycling, along with the envelopes.

    -Buy an expandable file folder. Put all the important papers for your home into it (insurance policies, manuals for appliances, warranty cards, receipts for major home repairs – all the things that you never look at, but are important).

    -Use a small filing cabinet for your monthly bills. (I do this for income tax purposes). When bills are paid, file them immediately. (Ok, I admit, I’m still bad for letting the filing pile up, but I’m working on it!)

    Love the photo of your de-cluttered closet! Looks like the perfect place to spend some time (does it have a door that locks?)

  49. I de-cluttered my bathroom today. Yay clean organized bathroom! I envy where BeckStein is, it is the goal I am striving towards.

  50. I’m at the “informed decision” part of decluttering. In my craft room, I’ve packed up supplies I haven’t used for 6 months and stuck them in a closet. I have until the end of the year to actually use them. Anything in the closet on 1/1/10 is going to be donated.

    Similarly with my clothes closet. I’ve turned all the hangers backward for my every day clothes. In 3 months, the item is either warn -with the hangar turned right way – or it’s given away. I’m noticing a lot of clothes have yet to turn and it’s already been a month.

  51. Open your mail standing beside the recycle bin. Anything not important (flyers, advertisements, etc.) goes directly into the bin for shredding/recycling, along with the envelopes.

    TOTALLY FORGOT THAT ONE, BL!
    I have started doing this, too, and it has helped tremendously.

  52. Miz, I’ve got a friend who has a swap party every year after Christmas. I’ve gotten some cool things I absolutely love, like a sofa throw and some jewelry. Conversely, I’ve gotten rid of things I can’t use that other people are ecstatic about. For instance, my husband usually gets several bottles of wine from customers, which I take for the swap because we don’t drink wine.

    We do the swap as a game. We pick items in rounds, according to various criteria picked from slips of paper out of a hat, such as:

    Line up from shortest fingernails to longest fingernails.

    Line up in order of birthdate from the current date.

    Line up from tallest to shortest.

    Line up from who has the most pets.

    etc.

    For each round, you either get to pick a new item from the piles, or steal something from someone else. After an item is stolen twice it’s “frozen”, and can’t be swiped again.

  53. I have kinda a busy day but I want to read all the comment later! I just remember from somewhere about saying take just 10 minutes each day to do something about a clutter spot.. any spot, does not matter. Keep doing the 10 minutes each day (which to me is not overwhelming vs. thinking of the whole picture or even an hour or two at a time) till ya get thru it. The key is not to make more clutter while you do this. I find thinking of it in small segments like this is better for me… plus sometimes, once you get started, you just do more!

    This may already be in the comments so.. OR, maybe your video yesterday. With family in town, did not have time to watch yet & I am off & running again. Will watch later!

  54. Great tips! I really would like my desk to be my non-clutter spot. But each time I declutter it, it gets re-cluttered. I need to have other places for things that are easily accessible from my desk.

  55. The rest of my house is a disaster right now (I think I need to do the 15 mins every day/other day/something because I just can’t fathom the idea of doing it all at once), but my closet is pristine. I started a “challenge” because I am out of clothes hangers and I accumulate too many shirts. Every night, I have my fiance pick a random number (which corresponds to how many shirts I have hanging in my closet). I have to make an outfit out of that shirt. If I can’t figure out a way to wear it, it goes into the giveaway pile. Need to do the same thing with skirts too, I have some still hanging in there that I like, but look too frumpy now.

    I have to tackle the kitchen table tonight, as we have company coming into town and I don’t need to remind them what a slob I am! 🙂

  56. I go through the mail outside. The junk mail goes straight into the recycle bin and never comes into the house.

    I try to go through stuff about once a year. I prefer a decluttered, modern decor. So, it’s the closets where my trouble lives … That helps. Just the closets.

  57. My closets are the biggest disaster area.
    If you come over you’d think I am clutter free until you try to open my closets and all my stuff comes tumbling out.

    Yes it IS very symbolic.

    sigh.

  58. …and after all the de-cluttering is done, be very selective about what comes back inside the house. It’s all about maintenance 🙂

  59. If you come over you’d think I am clutter free until you try to open my closets and all my stuff comes tumbling out.

    Yes it IS very symbolic.

    Kimmy? This is so so very true for many of us I think. The uber clean and super!together! on the outside and yet underneath we are all kinds of messy disheveled & crammed to the brim with crap.

    You joining in the 30 things in 30 days challenge? Might be a great start!

    and Spring Girl? you nailed it with this as well:

    after all the de-cluttering is done, be very selective about what comes back inside the house. It’s all about maintenance

    Completely how ALL this is like weightloss.

  60. You’ve inspired me.
    Last year my Dad helped me renovate a basement room…it’s MY room. I go there and do whatever pops into my head…mostly sew and stained glass is the plan. BUT we also painted and fixed up a few rooms since then…and right now all the stuff from THEM is in my room. Which sucks…as I don’t go in there as the sheer clutterpile in ther eis overwhelming. It stresses me out.

    You have inspired me. I want to relocate/pack up 1 box of stuff from that room every night until it is gone.
    I want my happy place back…I’ve been putting it off for more “important” things, but reading your post made me realise how much I miss it.
    Thanks for the kick in the pants…

  61. i have a problem with mail/papers. I have taken the time to come up with a filing system, but all too often put in on my table when i come home instead of right into the filing system. i’m left with piles on my desk. my vow: take the 2 minutes (less actually) to file each day and the lack of clutter on my desk will make me do more work there!

  62. I’m loving the 10 item thing and the I’m not sure yet box… even though it looks like my entire place is that box atm… but I’m gonna go get 10 things and make it marginally better lol

  64. Great idea for the not sure box! I have two sweaters, one my mom knitted for me and another my sister knitted for me I will probably never wear them again, but I keep them in a box and every now and again pull them out and enjoy some memories! 🙂

  65. I like the idea of the “I’m not yet sure box”! I sometimes get too enthusiastic and get rid of something I somewhat regret later.

    On books, I am most definitely a re-reader, so some stay, where others, I don’t feel the need to revisit regularly. The latter, I usually put up for sale on Amazon.com as soon as I have read them, when they are looking good and potentially re-sellable. Helps keep the cost of voracious reading down somewhat and helps with clutter. If it’s not cost feasible to sell on Amazon, then it goes to either the library book sale or a thrift shop.

    Paper is my worst clutter enemy. I really need to work on that. I have a “paper clutter” drawer in the kitchen, where I stuff paper items that I might need, like receipts and other things, but I never go through the drawer and file and it’s getting kind of crammed. It does, however, keep the mess out of sight at least and out of my way.

    I tend to ask myself whether I love something or use something or need something and if the answers are no, then it needs to go away.

    Oddly, I have the start of a “clutter free” zone going in a corner of my office. I’m not quite there yet, but when finished, it will be a little exercise spot as well.

    Definitely teach the “Tornado” about giving! My parents had us choose things we could part with before Christmas so that our gently used toys could go to toy drives. It certainly must’ve helped keep the toy accumulation down somewhat and it taught me about how it can be OK to let go of possessions.

    • I LOVE this line in your last paragraph:

      it taught me about how it can be OK to let go of possessions.

      LOVE.

  66. So, the mind, body and the ‘space’ are all one for me.
    I organize the fridge, weekly. The cupboards are sparsely appointed and I will often throw out whatever happens to have collected in a drawer, just to have an empty drawer.
    I’m just as rigid about my space as I am about my food and my body…turns out they all go together.
    I don’t like ‘accumulation’ in general because at a certain point, it becomes too difficult to account for.
    The only place I’d like that to happen would be in the case of my bank account, hahahaha. I’m sure there is a connection.
    The fear of ‘too much’? An embarasingly full plate, an embarassingly full pot belly, an embarssement of riches?
    hmmm

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  2. […] As a former felon of disorganization my crimes included reckless management of paper clutter (see MizFit’s tips) and 2nd degree neglect of laundry. Disorganization creates “noise” in my life and […]

  3. […] am nothing if not painfully aware that, while Im great at some things, decluttering is decidedly not my area of […]

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