On Fridays at 365 Less Things I share with you my five favourite comments from my wonderful readers and my five favourite web finds on the week. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did.

Fave Five Comments. Enjoy! 

Top of my list this week is this comment for Elaine. I am sure you will all agree what a generous, thoughtful soul she is.

I particularly enjoyed responding to this comment from Lena. She is taking the time to read back through my archives and I’ve got to respect her for that. She leaves some very thought provoking comments and when it comes to the subject of books I have received a lot of those in the time I have been writing my blog and hers carries the same passion many do.

I couldn’t let the week go by without drawing attention to this response from Katharine to all the well wishes she received for her wedding day from our caring readers.

We have another new reader, Tanya Bosch, who left this comment of how my blog is already starting to help in her quest to recognise and resist her clutter weaknesses.

Loretta was kind enough to share her before and after home photos in a link in this comment.

Fave Five Web Finds. Happy reading!

For more on visual clutter ~www.ionpsych.com ~ Visual clutter it’s worse than you think 

This next blog is one I had not heard of before The writter Naveen was kind enough to link to my blog as one of his top 20 simplicity/minimalist blogs on the web. There are lots a other great blogs as well that you may or may not have heard of on this list. So take a look and see what Naveen has to say on the minimalist subject as well. Planet Naveen ~ 20 best blogs on simplicity and minimalism

Here is a little tidbit on procrastination from a blogger that recently nominated me for a Versatile Bloggers Award. I had to decline due to the fact that I don’t have enough time lately to discover and pass the award on to 15 new to me blog discoveries. I nonetheless appreciate the gesture. ms.mouse cleans house ~ Procrastination nation

I love this post by missminimalist ~ The minsumer movement-A quiet revolution. I think it is so well written and discribes how I feel about turning my back on rampant consumerism so well. I feel like I am waging a peaceful  silent battle.

Here is the blog of a reader, Sarah-Mae who has recently discovered 365 Less Things.~ Eat Run Knit

Today’s Declutter Item

Slowly but surely our bookcase is becoming the home of only our most treasured books rather than a holding space for wasted potential. That is books that could be enjoyed by someone else rather than sitting read and discarded on display like trophies. I donated these three to the library on my husbands behalf. 

A few more books decluttered

Something I Am Grateful For Today

I had a lovely afternoon with a local social group. Mostly mums with young bubs. It is fun to interact with the little ones and talk about their progression while reminiscing about when my children were that little. It doesn’t seem that long ago but at the same time it feels like a lifetime.

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

…If you don’t then let me go
I can’t take another minute
Of a day without you in it
If you love me let it be
If you don’t then set me free
Take the chains away
That keep me loving you…

(If you can’t see the video about here is a link to hear Livvy (Olivia Newton John) sing)

Is this what your clutter is begging of you while you just keep it hanging on. Like a sad old romance that you cling to because it is better than being lonely. Having that stuff around even though you don’t love it any more secures you in your comfort zone while it wastes away unused and unloved. Is that anyway to reward it for it’s years of devotion to your needs.

Let it go let it be free to find someone who will truly love it for what it is not just keep it for convenience sake. There is someone out there who will love it more than you. Perhaps someone who can’t afford to buy new, someone money savvy who knows secondhand is often as good as new except cheaper or someone who needs what you don’t and would rather buy secondhand than add more pressure on the worlds resources.

Take the chains away that bind it to you, it is holding you down as much as you are it.

Today’s Declutter Item

Some time back my son decided to declutter his Coca Cola collection. It has been lingering about my garage in the vane hope that I would find a way to sell it for him. Ebay was not very successful with this portion as I only made about 99c per item. Hardly worth the effort.

Part of my Son's Coca Cola Collection

Something I Am Grateful For Today

A favour from a friend, dodging all the rain showers, decluttering something that has been on my radar for ages, a nice lamb curry for dinner, getting all my chores done and Pickers on TV later. All in all a good day.

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

Cindy’s Weekly Wisdom

Imagine a big city, a huge, bustling city with no advertising, anywhere. The Brazilian city of São Paulo turned this imagining into reality in 2007. According to the Major:

“The Clean City Law came from a necessity to combat pollution … pollution of water, sound, air, and the visual. We decided that we should start combating pollution with the most conspicuous sector – visual pollution.”

Visual pollution, considered equal in importance to the physical pollutants of water and air. Amazing.

A Brazilian reporter noted that with the advertisements down, all sorts of ills in the city were being seen, virtually for the first time, since they were literally covered up with advertising before.

This got me thinking about my own house and my own life. I know if there are too many sounds around me, especially multiple conversations or a conversation and the TV, I get confused and feel irritable. Many odors such as air fresheners, scented candles, lotion and cologne are malodorous as far as I’m concerned. (An old boyfriend called perfume “stink” and I have to agree.) I’m probably not even aware of the impact that a big pile of clutter, or even being surrounded by stuff, has on my mood.

I was looking for photos of houses that had a bit of visual clutter, but were not really messy or deeply cluttered. Not easy to find. I did find this prize website, UglyHousePhotos.com. Let me tell you what, if your refrigerator is still covered with magnets and papers, this website will show you the error of your ways.

The first photo is a kitchen that most people would feel proud of. It is clean. It is functional. But it has a refrigerator that looks like a box of magnets was thrown on it and then the box and all its friends went to live on top. The counter on the left side is cluttered, as is the area between the microwave and the refrigerator. Just the stuff of everyday life makes a messy look.

Photo Credit ~ www.uglyhousephotos.com

The second photo is eye-popping child’s bedroom. Look how neat the closet is! Look how organized the shelves are! Yet do you feel like you drank six cups of coffee with extra sugar when you look at it? I do! Organized, not decluttered, and aggressively visually cluttered.

Photo Credit ~ www.uglyhousephotos.com

Looking at the photos of São Paulo and then the photos on the Ugly House website, I was struck by two things. The first is that visual clutter is disturbing, jarring, off putting and insidious. The second is, as Colleen and I have said before, a photograph is worth 1000 words. Think your home is peaceful and clutter free? A photo will tell you whether you’re right, or whether you’re deceiving yourself.

You can read a great article on São Paulo’s advertising ban and see photos here. Be sure to read through the interview with newspaper reporter Vinicius Galvao.

Today’s Declutter Item

Today’s mini mission was to declutter and item of clothing that no longer fits someone in your home. This is my offering, another item of clothing that no longer fits my thinner husband.

Something I Am Grateful For Today

Yesterday one of my readers, Snosie, had a scooter accident. I am grateful that she wasn’t seriously hurt. I hope your shoulder heals fast Snosie.

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

Last Tuesday I featured my garage shelves showing you before and after shots. The empty containers have since been delivered to the thrift store and hopeful I will find they have been sold by the time I go back there this week.

I am sure though that many of you were thinking that for someone who writes a blog about decluttering there seems to be a lot of stuff stored on those shelves. And you would be right. Below is a rundown on what it all is and below that I will write what I would like/will be doing with it all.

The Christmas decorations, including the nativity scene and the tree are definitely on the list of items that may not be around for much longer. I will consult the family on that one once again and make a decision possibly before Christmas comes around this year.

The Snoopy collection is on the short list of things that are going very soon as is the Coca Cola collection. I might give them one more chance on ebay and if that is unsuccessful they will be going on Freecycle or to the thrift store. The box of possible eBay sale items will also be listed soon and if not sold they also will go to the thrift store. And when that exercise is complete the rest of the eBay packaging items will go in the recycling.

My son’s skateboard collection is near and dear to him so it will stay.

Of course my husband’s work items will be staying. I look forward to his early retirement so we can finally get rid of them.

My daughter’s “moving out” homewares ~ I am sure that I have mentioned several time on my blog about how I  would like to see the back of those. I have learned my lesson about planning too far ahead with that exercise. If she ever does really move out (not just to Grandma’s) I will personally deliver them to her. She will be every bit as happy with the situation as I will be.

That box of picture frames were bargains I couldn’t resist when working at a craft store in America. Now I am reluctant to get rid of them because my son is doing a fine arts degree and they might come in useful (ever heard that one before). The jury is still out on this one.

There are a few other items there that aren’t on the possible declutter list such as the bike parts, the motorbike seat, the esky (cooler), the Husband’s motorcycle magazines. For now anyway! The baseball collection and the husband’s and son’s keepsakes may be subject to further culling.

The only definite stayers I can see are the empty suitcases and the toolbox.

Spare Storage Containers are forever emptying around here but my intention is to repack all my daughters stuff into ones that she can keep when she takes them away. This way they will all stack neatly together in the meantime while awaiting this happy event.

Once a few of the above items are gone I can start the next round of reshuffling. These shelves will probably never be empty but hopeful they will eventually house everything that lives in the garage and we will be clear in every other corner. That will make sweeping out and vehicle parking a whole lot easier. I will keep you posted on my progress.

Since I started writing this post all the items destined for ebay have been listed. Fingers crossed they sell but either way they are out of here.

Today’s Declutter Item

This is my mini mission declutter item for today. These items have been tucked into the corner of my linen closet and have been lingering in my home since some years before we left America (4 years ago). They held the last remnants of Christmas gift wrap that has been slowly dwindling over the years. I finally folded up the last little bit of paper and put it with the rest on the gift wrap supplies in a drawer in the spare bedroom. At last I have freed up the corner in the linen closet. Yay!

Empty Gift Wrap Box & Roll

Something I Am Grateful For Today

It’s 5pm, the house is spotless and I am sitting comfy on my sofa with a glass of wine at my right hand. It is just hubby and I for dinner this evening and for the rest of the week. (Our son is visiting with his sister interstate). The evening’s dappled light is shining through the windows next to me and the only sound is the keyboard tapping as I write this. Ahhh, what a great life. What’s not to be grateful for.

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.

Usually I just make the mini missions up from something that pops into my head. Perhaps a theme or items that I decluttered the week before. I suppose today is no different but this time I am going to actually match each day with something I am decluttering. I will name the clutter category and you can search your home for an item that fits that category.

Monday – Today I would like you to declutter a souvenir from your home. It could be from a holiday, a sporting match, a concert or any other event that you felt compelled to obtain a momento of.

Tuesday – Declutter some seemingly insignificant thing that you keep overlooking because it is hidden away or it really just hasn’t occurred to you to get rid of it.

Wednesday – Declutter an item of clothing that no longer fits you are someone else in your household.

Thursday – There is usually a collection of something in every household that the collector lost interest in some time ago. Today declutter that collection.

Friday – I know we have a lot of avid book readers out there, today see if you can choose at least one book out of your collection that you know you just aren’t going to read again. Release it out there for someone else to enjoy.

Saturday – How is that linen closet coming along? See if you can find another item in there that is excess to your needs.

Sunday – Most people I know have at least one item in their homes that was left behind by someone and no matter how many times they revisit the item is forgotten. Today would be a good day to return or discard that item.

Good luck and happy decluttering

Today’s Declutter Item

Here is my mini mission offering for today. Who’d have though I will still have baseball souvenirs to declutter. :roll: 

Baseball Souvenirs

Something I Am Grateful For Today

My little girl phoned me last night for no other reason but to say I was a good mum. She was commuting home from work and the thought occurred to her to just call me to tell me that. Isn’t she precious.

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

Here is proof of the old saying that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

3CRU 21st Anniversary Port Crock

This port crock was decluttered from our home some time back. I actually can’t find evidence of it on my blog so I can only assume that I filed the photo in the wrong file and it has never featured as a daily declutter item. Which only makes this story even more of a funny coincidence. I am also therefore not sure whether we donated it to the thrift store or sold it on eBay. The photo was taken in February of this year.

However the story goes like this. My husband walked into the office of one of his colleagues yesterday and noticed an object on his desk. He asked how it got to be there. The colleague informed him that is was given to him by another colleague to keep as a precious relic of Unit history. On closer inspection my husband confirmed that it was the very same port crock that we had decluttered same time ago. There was a unique paint imperfection which made it stand out from any other similar crock. It commemorates the 21st Anniversary of 3CRU (No.3 Control and Reporting Unit,) a surveillance unit of the Royal Australian Airforce. If we had known it was “so precious” we would have donated it to the unit ourselves. My husband however was quite amused by it all.

On Fridays at 365 Less Things I share with you my five favourite comments from my wonderful readers and my five favourite web finds of the week. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did.

But before we begin

Today is a very special day for one of our readers. Katharine is getting married today. Congratulations Katharine and partner, I hope you have a beautiful day and a wonderful life together. Clutter free of course. After all you have him almost trained already. 😉

Fave Five Comments. Enjoy!

In this comment from Eve you will read some words of wisdom gathered through experience when it comes to moving.

I enjoyed this comment from Deb J which I think is a more common occurrence than the opposite situation.

This comment from Felicity has a little regret twist at the end of it but I am betting that if she had those items she mentions she would declutter them with the rest of the stuff.

Diane, who is new to my blog, is learning to let go of some sentimental clutter in this comment.

Sharron and I couldn’t be more opposite when it comes to our feelings about the usefulness (or not) of drawers. As she said in a later comment ~ One man’s meat is another mans poison. In this comment she also talks about the problem she has with some obligation clutter in her home. Perhaps you have a suggestion to help her find a solution.

Fave Five Web Finds. Happy reading!

Every now an again when reading comments from new readers I miss the fact they they have there own blogs. Lena in Philly has a novel way of getting rid of her clutter by offering it up on her blog ~ www.garbaj.com

Then there is this blog from another Lena, which is in Swedish so you will have to have your computer translate it for you ~ Less is more

Now this is impressive and it really gives me hope the the world is heading in the right direction. Lets hope other countries get on board this initiative. Good News Network.org ~ Patagonia Common Threads Launch

Here is a lovely feel good story from Australia that Cindy found. Although I am not keen about all the product involved I really do love the gensture. ~ Goodnewsnetwork.org ~ 30 gifts to 30 Aussie strangers

This blogger discovered my blog this week through another blog and in turn I have now been introduced to her blog. I hope you will enjoy this post I chose to share with you while checking out her blog and also welcome Megyn to 365 Less Things. ~ Minimalist Mommi ~Letting go. 

Today’s Declutter Item

Just another ill-chosen item of clothing that is now gone to the thrift shop. It doesn’t pay to go clothes shopping either ~ on a whim, without assessing what you really need, in desperation when your wardrobe is depleted and you need something in a hurry. You are also setting yourself up for bad choices when your main prerequisite is low prices. Although it is great to get a bargain on something you really want shopping with only low prices in mind has you settling for those “make do” items which will soon end up in the “never wear” end of your closet.

Hubby's Shirt

Something I Am Grateful For Today

A fine day yesterday to dry my washing the low impact way, on the clothesline that is. My son is off to visit his sister interstate today and he needed things clean to pack. It was a beautiful day of which I took full advantage. I went for a walk, did that washing, sat on the patio to have my lunch and opened the doors and windows to freshen up the house. 

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

How much space is taken up in your home with clutter from the person you once were. Do you still have…

1. Sports equipment the will never be used again.
2. Clothes that no longer fit.
3. Musical instruments that you never really learned to play.
4. College papers that are long out of date.
5. Hobby supplies that you lost interest in some time ago.
6. Music that you are embarrassed to say you once loved.
7. Love letters from a faded romance.
8. Books you read once and will never read again.
9. Enough linen, crockery, cutlery etc to cater for your family of five when now it is just the two of you.
10. Shelves of bric-a-brac that you no longer have the energy to dust.
11. Tools in the garage that you no longer have the dexterity to use.
12. Eyeglasses from when your vision was much closer to 20 20.
13. Business suits from the job you retired from years ago.
14. Supplies to put on those elaborate dinner parties you no longer could be bothered catering for. A simple meal with friends is now more your style.
15. Gardening tools from a era gone by when you had the time to garden.

Like most lists of clutter this one could go on and on but I think you get the picture.

I know I will never play softball again, my shoulder is damaged enough from that previous life. I have let go of items of clothing that are not really suited to me now that I am in my mid forties. I have let go of my cross-stitch fabrics because there is little chance that I will go back to that craft. I prefer sensible shoes to high heals that kill my feet (Give me comfort over vanity any day).I have downsized my dining suite because 90% of the year there are only three of us eating at it. The ski equipment is gone because we no longer live near ski fields.  As I mentioned on Tuesday, the storage containers are being decluttered because I refuse to go back to the level of clutter I once owned. And there are many more things that I have let go of that no longer fit with my current life.

There is no shame in moving on to the next phase of your life and there is no point desperately clinging on the the past. Be happy with the person you are now, embrace the new you. Let go of the items from your past that, if you are realistic, you know you no longer need. They are just cluttering up your life and holding you back.

Today’s Declutter Item

One thing I know I won’t be needin is baby clothes. I am not sure why I have held on to these ones. Probably because one of the grandmothers made them for my daughter. I am only keeping the really significant baby items to pass on to my kids. The little DUCATI sweater I knitted that both kids wore, the layette by mum made for when I brought my daughter home from the hospital and a couple of other items. 

Baby Clothes

Something I Am Grateful For Today

I am glad that the customers and nearby business people are starting to get to know me at the thrift shop. I know some of them by name now and vice versa and I am really feeling at home there. I always seem to get more satisfaction from jobs that I make no money from.

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

Cindy’s Weekly Wisdom

Cindy

I received this email from my dear friend Natalie: So here is a decluttering task that I am tackling.  Computer clutter.   I went through my saved emails — deleted lots of obsolete ones – including whole folders (eg. Arkansas trip), made new folders for some.  Last night I rearranged my task bar — I took out all of automatic tabs I don’t use (most of them) and added in my own — the elementary school, middle school, middle school band, etc.  Next up I’m tackling my bookmark list.  Guess my desktop will be next — making sure my files are organized (I don’t have too many). 

When Natalie sent me this email, I’d been thinking a lot about electronic clutter myself. There are so many hiding places for e clutter, and it can bog you down as much as physical clutter. Here are some areas that may need improvement in your life:

Your computer desk top: Do you have shortcuts that you don’t use, old programs, or web “favorites” that you no longer access? Are your favorites in alphabetical order, or at least an order that makes sense to you? If appropriate, make use of folders, so you can keep like with like.

Your computer itself: What programs do you have that you don’t need or use? Have you run a spyware program recently to make sure that your computer isn’t full of cookies that you really don’t want tracking your every move? Do you have a cache of emails as long as your arm? Those need to go!

Digital photos: This could be a month’s project, I know, but there’s really no use in keeping multiple, nearly identical photos of the same event. Personally, I recommend deleting them off your camera before you even down load them and then, once they’re on the computer and you can see them more clearly, deleting more, if necessary. As for the ones on the computer already, sort and label, sort and label. I just downloaded all my photos onto Picasa. I was so amazed by its facial recognition abilities; it could tell the difference betwwen my daughers as babies faster than I could. I certainly don’t know all its capabilities, but I’m very impressed at the extra level or organization it’s afforded me so far.

Your iPod or smart phone: Again, what programs do you have that you no longer need or use? My girls and I went through my iPod and eliminated 6 games that no one is playing any more. No, they don’t really take up any room, but they’re still clutter, something that I have to flip through on my way to get to the app I want.

Any phone: Do you have phone numbers that you don’t need or want? Are your phone numbers synchronized between your different devices? When I looked through my phone, I realized that I had a bunch of phone numbers from our remodel that I no longer wanted. I have them stored elsewhere, and I don’t need the roofer, mason, or tile guy in my cell phone.  What about your speed dial numbers? Are these the people you want on speed dial? Should you shift them around?

While it’s true that electronic clutter doesn’t take up any physical room, we all use our computers and electronic devices so much that disorganization and excess that can slow our personal efficiency as well as the speed of our devices.

Today’s Declutter Item

This duvet/doona cover has languished in my linen closet since I replaced it years ago with another. On reflection I can’t imagine why I replaced it with one that was almost the same colour but a different fabric. I hope my memory is fading and that the reason was that I changed size, because that is the only thing that makes sense now. Otherwise it would seem like a waste of money and a resources. It is now going to the thrift shop where hopefully someone will get maximum use out of it.

Duvet / Doona Cover

Something I Am Grateful For Today

My little girl is home from America safe and sound and she never asked for money once. See miracles do happen. 😉

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

For some time now empty storage containers have been mounting up in my garage. I treat them with the same slow and steady approach that I use for the rest of my decluttering. Therefore I had set them aside until I was sure that I don’t have another use for them. The further into my declutter mission I go the more I confirm for myself that I am never going back to the way things were.

So I have come to the conclusion that I am never going to need these containers and it is time to declutter them along with the next load of items going to the thrift store. Myself and some space in my garage have both been liberated by this decision. Not only does this move reduce even further the amount of stuff in my home but it also makes more space for streamlining what is left.

The things that I find hardest to let go of are items that are useful and have served me well in the past. These containers fit that category. You might ask then, how do I finally come to the conclusion that I am ready to let them go. The simple answer is that I have reached the stage where my desire to liberate the space has become greater than any trepidation about letting them go. With these particular items there is another aspect to consider. They represent the ability to fill them back up again with new clutter and I certainly don’t want that happening.

What do you have in your home that your aren’t sure whether to let go of or not. Take a long hard think about it and weigh up which desire is stronger the desire to be rid of it or that little voice in the back of your mind saying maybe I will need it some day. Think what you would prefer, the feeling or liberation or the feeling of indecision. Maybe the choice isn’t so hard after all.

Today’s Declutter Item

These are the storage containers mentioned above that were excess to my needs.

Storage Containers

Something I Am Grateful For Today

Monday as always was cleaning day in my house but it was so clean and tidy that I just did a light clean. I wiped down the surfaces in the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry, cleaned the toilets and vacuumed and mopped the floors. I love a decluttered house.

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