Just wanted to let you know that I am going to be away from the computer for most of the week. The posts are set up to appear automatically but I won’t be at my computer to answer any comments. I believe Cindy will do her best to check in with you all occasionally and she will also be in charge of Friday’s Favourite Five this week. So keep those comments coming in so Cindy has something to chose from and I will be back at the helm on Saturday.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

TO ALL YOU WONDERFUL MOTHERS OUT THERE

I have mentioned before about my mum and her infectious laugh. Well here she is in full flight.

Happy Mothers Day Mum I love you!

♥ My mum and her infectious laugh ♥

These photos are the result of a 10 minute clean up under my bathroom sink. It took me longer to actually get all the items to their new homes, but the decluttering itself was a breeze and look at the difference. I removed and found new homes for:

The before shot

• 12 bottles of nail polish (neighbor)
• a foot scrub brush (this was broken apart – some recycled, some trashed)
• 2 Aveda Be Curly hair products (neighbor)
• Color Me Beautiful color guide (Anyone else remember Color Me Beautiful? trash)
• a large box of latex gloves (moved to the paint supplies, which is where they’re more useful)
• 4 boxes of hair dye (returned to store)
• hair gel (friend)
• bag of cosmetic sponges (my mother)
• 2 nail files moved to the top drawer where they’d be more accessible
• while rearranging the cabinet, I realized that one of the bottles of hairspray was almost empty. I made sure that we used it on Easter, and now it’s been decluttered too.

How much progress can you make in just 10 minutes today?

Here are this weeks favourite five comments…

Jess@minimalistmum in response to Simple Saturday ~ Key mini mission ~ I think you’ve found the key! Read more

Cindy in response to Simple Saturday ~ Key mini mission ~ When I find unknown keys… Read more

Juhli in response to Thoughts on the use it up challenge ~ I really laughed when I read the 8 month saga of using up soap… Read more

Liina in response to a comment from Snosie ~ Snosie – I’m not sure if I’m understanding your predicament exactly, but… Read more

Paola in response to My Stumbling Block ~ My decluttering stumbling block is my mother… Read more

And here are this weeks favourite five posts…

Small Notebook ~ Real solutions

One Less ~ How not to have less

The zero waste home ~ Does decluttering help environment.

My zero waste ~ 5 ways to recycle spectacles

Becoming Minimalist ~ Reasons to become minimalist from ADL 8th graders If 8th graders can figure this out I think us adults should be able to also.

Today’s Declutter Item

Yes, I know, where does it all come from?

My Gratitude List

• Something that made me laugh ~ Liam sending his dad text messages in German. Neither of them speak German of course but the boy does love his iPhone aps.
• Something Awesome ~ Finding a cafe that makes consistently good coffee. And it’s even better when it is only two blocks from your house.
• Something to be grateful for ~ The sun shining on my back patio. I am sitting there as I write this soaking up some vitamin D.
• Something that made me happy ~ Going for a walk at lunch time, the sun was shining the birds were singing and I managed to knock over a few errands while I was at it.
• Something I found fascinating ~ Dreaming ~ how our minds can run little movies in our heads as we sleep.

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

I was watching Hoarders on TV last night and I must say that show makes me cringe. Not because of the frightening degree of clutter in the homes, although that is alarming at best , but because of the way these poor folks are seemingly expected to deal with their clutter in such a short period of time.

I understand that the hoarders and their families have got to the point of desperation and something needs to be done reasonably quickly. Ripping of a band-aid, so to speak. This is especially the case where children have been removed from the homes by the authorities because of the risks involved to their health and wellbeing, but this is a problem that can’t be cured in one weekend? Granted we don’t see the preamble to these shows or if there is any follow through but if other reality shows are anything to go by, sensation is the end goal the producer is looking for not the welfare of the people involved. I could be completely wrong here and this is just my opinion but that is what I have taken away in the three times I have watched this show.

These mentally unwell folks have become so desperate for help that they open their “shame” up for the world to see in the hope that they will be cured. It seems to me though that not nearly enough is done to guide them through the situation and far too little time is dedicated to teaching them the skills to let go. One can easily tell that although the stuff is the physical problem the root of the problem goes way deeper than that. Ripping off that band-aid doesn’t make the wound under it go away. There is often the hint of the catalyst that began the obsession but then there is little if no more reference to dealing with that as the show progresses. The dialogue in the show is so open ended that it raises more questions that it gives answers. It disturbs me to think that other hoarders watching this show could be turned off from seeking help because they aren’t seeing any solutions there, no ah ha moments if you like.

I would like to think that these folks get some weeks if not months of psychological help before embarking on the actual physical event of sorting and removing the clutter but all indications show that this isn’t the case. If it is the case I think the show would be enhanced by a short narration at the start explaining this procedure in relation to each case. Instead we get a written report at the end stating whether the person “failed” or was successful at overcoming the problem. In the few shows I have watched the ratio in those reports have not been positive. I only hope that these dear people are set on the road to recovery and not permanently scarred from the experience and left in a worse state than they began.

For me these shows only appear to scrape the surface fo the problem. If you have ever watched this show please let me know what you think.

Today’s Declutter Item

Isn’t it annoying when you just want to buy one accessary to something but the most economic option is a kit that has several more items in it than you want.

DS accessaries

My Gratitude List

• Something that made me laugh ~ http://youtu.be/ySey8kbOiO4
• Something Awesome ~ When the new (Entertainment) coupon book has a buy one get one free main course at a restaurant you were wanting to try. Score!!!
• Something to be grateful for ~ Remembering there is a spa bath in the house on a cool Autumn afternoon. Too bad I don’t have any champagne. 😉
• Something that made me happy ~ Getting rid of another load of items to the thrift store yesterday.
• Something I found fascinating ~ Army ants ~ those things are the piranhas of the insect world.

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

Cindy’s Weekly Wisdom

Colleen has issued a Use It Up Challenge several times. The most recent one I can find is in September. I’ve been thinking a lot about this challenge recently because we are finally coming to the end of it here at the Bogard household. Along the way, I consumed all the multiday vitamins and calcium I had in the cabinet, and we used all the various extra bottles shampoos and conditioners along with several toothpaste tubes that the girls had not squeezed down tho their last drops.

Those items were quickly finished in comparison to the soap challenge. I had no idea we owned so much soap! I tried a couple of times to give away the Mr. Bubble then put it into the dispenser with the kitchen soap. (Not the best idea, according to my husband. He feels it lacks any grease cutting ability.)  The rest of it, we have been using up one shower, one bath at a time. We had soap the girls had made, soap their friends had made and given as gifts, chunks of soap left over from when we made soap, fruity smelling bath bars that had been given as gift, little soaps from hotels, and at least a dozen smallish bottles of bath gel that had been gifts. Obviously, the trouble with even a useful gift is that it’s clutter if you don’t use it, so using it is what we’ve been doing, apparently since September. That’s eight months ago!

As we’re approaching the end of the soap supplies, I’ve started thinking about other things that can be used up. The only thing I’ve really latched onto is plastic bags, specifically the sturdy plastic bags that mulch comes in. The last time I did a big mulching, I neatly cut open the tops of the bags and saved them, all stored inside of one bag. I found them when I was cleaning the shed. I decided that since I’d saved them, since they were still intact, and since they really can’t be recycled despite the recycling symbol on the side (too many bits of mulch still clinging to them), I would use them as kitchen trash bags.

I typically only use one kitchen-size trash bag a week, and it holds everything.  These mulch bags are quite a bit smaller than my kitchen trash can – not as wide nor as tall. I had to consciously decide to use them. Because they don’t hold as much, I’ve been using one and a half or two bags per week and am very gradually making my way through them. (I also reuse the large bags my toilet paper comes in as well as dog food and bird seed bags, but those I have much less frequently.) I am packing for a camping trip this weekend and decided to put a couple of the bags in with my kitchen things. They’ll make sturdy camp trash bags. (I am also taking a recycling bin.) If I hadn’t consciously chosen to use the bags, they’d have been wasted when I was dumping the mulch out – it’s a lot easier to get the mulch out if I split the bag down the center than it is to cut just the top – but I chose to Use It Up. (Or, to be more truthful, in the past I decided to Save It Up. In the present, I decided to Use It Up.)

What do you have that’s consumable and in excess to your needs? Food? Check the pantry and the freezer. Toiletries? Check under the sinks and in the bathroom drawers. Craft items? Check your supply drawers. Or is it something more creative like my reduce and reuse mulch/trash bags? Let me know what you’re using up.

Note from Cindy: I am driving the 5th graders on an overnight field trip Tues and Wed (US) or Wed and Thurs (Aus), and I likely will not be able to respond to comments. I have asked Colleen to try and keep up with them if she has time. If not, I’ll jump in when I return.

Today’s Declutter Item

Craft Adhesive (Use it up)

My Gratitude List

• Something that made me laugh ~ An amusing email response to my ki-ai story yesterday. I will not embarrase the author of the email by revealing her name or the details but needless to say her story was way more hilarious than mine and Ki-ai has forever had a special significance to her from that day onward. To be able to laugh at yourself is a good quality to have to give someone else permission to laugh at you is a special gift.
• Something Awesome ~ When you are late for an appointment but they were running late and you arrive just in time.
• Something to be grateful for ~ The opportunities that life continues to deal out to us whether we are expecting them or not.
• Something that made me happy ~A wonderful unplanned day of eating, chatting and laughing with old friends and new.
• Something I find fascinating ~ The things women talk about when we get together. I wonder what men talk about when we aren’t around. I bet they don’t have nearly as much fun or are as open as us females.

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

Among the answers to the ten questions post last week was a response from Cindy to question 2 (For Me)…

Question 2. ~ My style of decluttering is “Slow & Steady” do you think that is a style that works for you and makes my blog unique?

Cindy’s Answer ~  Yes, I think slow and steady for decluttering, like weight loss and love, is better than “fast and furious” which often doesn’t last. In terms of your blog being unique. It must be, because I’ve read every single post, and I don’t read any other blogs except for a very occasional peak.

In response to that answer from Cindy I received this email message from Delores…

I think she is on to something.  When you declutter in a hurry you are not changing habits so are more likely to continue bringing things into your life.  When you go slowly you realize why you are doing it and the weight stays off, your spending patterns change, you can develop new habits.

I have repeated this same information over and over again in my blog because the same thing can be said many ways and people comprehend in different ways also. Clearly, the analogy Cindy used to explain the principles of the slow and steady approach spoke to Delores. So if you even notice that I repeat the same information here in different ways don’t think it’s because I am forgetful or have run out of things to say it is because comprehension is unique to us all and the more ways I say something the better the message will get through to everyone willing to hear it.

When I first started to declutter one thing a day the idea was to just take it easy and not overwhelm myself. Everything was tidy including the clutter that was tucked away in its neat hiding places. Yes I also intended doing a more thorough job of the task this time around  but was unaware of what I was about to discover. Once I got started and began reading minimalist blogs etc I started to realise that the clutter wasn’t the problem but the habits that got it there in the first place and the mindset that stopped me form releasing it were.

It wasn’t that I was oblivious of lifestyle choices causing the clutter I think I just chose to ignore them and follow the same habits most people exhibit. That is…

• Buy stuff not because you need it but because it makes you feel good. Of course the novelty wears off and then it’s back the shop for the next fix.
• Keeping stuff because you can and because it is the “done thing”. After all you shouldn’t give away memories right? 😕 Mementoes from your children and passed loved ones, gifts people give you, cute nicknacks from vacations, things you have deliberately collected over the years. And it would be crazy to get rid of things that you “might need some day” even though you haven’t used them in months or years even though you need the space they are wasting.

Sensible shopping habits, analysing each item, working out why I kept certain things became my new way to approach the declutter process. I think one needs to understand these elements of the task to make lasting change. Purging quickly without thinking about the cause just creates temporary space not wisdom.

When my husband suggested I start blogging about my decluttering experience I was at a stage where I had become far wiser about my situation and felt compelled to share that wisdom with others. I wanted other people to understand that tackling declutteing slowly and steadily could teach them the lessons to make lasting change. When I say slowly it doesn’t have to be as slow as one item a day but slowly enough that you can see the error of your ways because if you don’t see this you are doomed to repeat yourself. And if I have to repeat myself again and again to get that message across, so be it.

As Eve wrote in a later comment ~ As for whether this blog will continue to be useful to me, I have to say YES! Even when we think all has been said and done on any topic, it’s just a fact that frequent reinforcement is the best way to stick with any goal, so I’m counting on you to be here and reinforce my decluttering habits and help me to keep on the right path! Thanks.

Yes Eve, I will be here with the same information different translation with some new stuff thrown in so long as people keep dropping by to read it.

Today’s Declutter Item

Did I mention I finally admitted defeat at trying to use up my vast collection of stationery clutter. These plastic folders are part of the box full of it  that I donated to the school up the street today. They were more than happy to take them off my hands.

More stationery clutter

My Gratitude List

• Something that made me laugh ~ I made myself laugh today making silly ki-ai sounds to increase the thrust while trying to get the doona (duvet) on my bed. I had just changed out the summer for the winter one and it is heavy to try to throw and spread at the same time. I hope the neighbours weren’t listening. 😆
• Something Awesome ~ A great pair of jeans that fit well are confortable and last for years. Like the Calvin Klein ones I bought in 2003 and am still wearing.
• Something to be grateful for ~ Liam starting to get more work shifts. He will be happy finally making real money again. He will be saving to go to America of course.
• Something that made me happy ~ Having the car today so I could drop off a load of clutter to the thrift shop.
• Something I found fascinating ~ and confusing. Why do they have both a one dollar coin and a one dollar bill in circulation at the same time in America. When they brought out the dollar coin in Australia they stopped making the dollar bill. Has it got anything to do with the attachment to the fact that it has George Washingtons face on it. If someone knows the answer to this I would love you to share it with me.

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

Mini Mission Monday is about finding ten minutes a day to declutter. To make it easy for you, each Monday I set seven declutter missions, one for each day of the week for you to follow. It takes the guess work out of decluttering and makes it easy and “fun” for you to achieve some quick decluttering.

Inspired by a comment from Lynn last week today’s mini mission will focus on items that can perish when left unused to a long time. Believe me I know this happens because I have experienced it more than once. You may be surprised at the things that this can happen to. If you are interested I wrote a post about it back on Day 146 called Perish the thought. If you have an overabundance of these items or if they don’t get used anymore it is best to reduce and/or pass them on now while they are still functioning because there is a chance they will be useless to anyone if left to linger too long. Now lets get started.

Monday – The first place we are going to look is the office area or whichever space you keep your stationary in. Items you’ll find there that could perish are pens, rubber bands, glue, batteries and stickers like address labels. There are possibly more items than this but that list ought to keep you busy enough.

Tuesday – The sewing kit is another place that might house these items as Lynn found out with her 42 year old hemming tape. Elastic is another item in the sewing kit that will likely be the first to perish. Even cotton can rot if left too long.

Wednesday – Sports equipment can have elements of materials that also do not last, rendering the item unusable. The rubber in the band on swimming goggles and bat handles will perish over time, you can often buy replacements for these but lets face it if they have perished from lack of use, not overuse, then it may be time to pass them on. The foam lining on ski masks can also perish (I have experienced this), sports balls crack and leaks develop and what about trampoline mats.

Thursday – I know from experience that electrical appliances can be victims to this problem. I have lost a Kenwood mixer, a toasted sandwich maker, a vacuum cleaner, a toaster and a hand blender because they went into storage for too long when I went to live in the USA for two years that ended up being seven and a half. Had we known we would be gone so long we would have sold them before we left. Belts and seals in things like dryers and fridges lose their flexibility over time if unused.

Friday – Now if you are lucky and don’t have an accident prone person in your home there are bound to be items lying unused but necessary (in case of emergency) in your first-aid kit that are probably out of date. Best to check this area at least every three months. You may not achieve any real decluttering here because the items will need to be replaced but this is one of those areas that needs constant updating.

Saturday – Another place that you will find items with elastic that will perish is your underwear drawer. For some reason textiles that are made to stretch perish faster when not being used than they do if they are.  So if you have more underwear than you really need make sure you either declutter the excess or rotate all items on a regular basis so this problem won’t occur.

Sunday – I almost forgot the most obvious place for perishables, the kitchen. Check out your fridge, freezer and pantry for items that a past their used by date. If you have spices that you only use very little of considered sharing some of the excess with friends, family and neighbours. I ground some of my special curry blend yesterday to give to my neighbour who share his garden produce with me.

An extra little tip ~  If you live in a tropical climate mould and mildew can be the ruination of things like camera lenses and leather goods if not properly stored. The leather goods can often be salvaged but my husband lost all his camera lenses to mildew because it actually eats into the glass surface leaving permanent scars. Google ~ moisture adsorbing products to find solutions to this problem

Good luck and happy decluttering

Today’s Declutter Item

This hot water bottle hasn’t been used for a very long time. I purchased two at the same time many years ago. One perished but this one didn’t, I am not sure why, but I feel it best to let this one go now before it meets the same fate as the other.

Unused hot water bottle

My Gratitude List

• Something that makes me laugh ~ Remembering life’s funny moments. Once when we were kids we gave our dog a caramel tart and it stuck to the roof of his mouth. It was the funniest thing watching him trying to lick it off.
• Something Awesome ~ Falling asleep almost the minute your head hits the pillow.
• Something to be grateful for ~ Always having food to put on the table.
• Something that makes me happy ~ Walking by the lake on a sunny Autumn afternoon.
• Something I find fascinating ~ How with some dog breeds you can really tell the boys from the girls without looking underneath. Some male dogs are so butch looking. Rhodesian Ridgebacks for one.

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow.