Just for the fun of it today I am just going to write a long list of some of the things that you could probably find to declutter. Things that I am sure you no longer want and, in some cases, never even wanted or needed in the first place. So without further adieu here it is ~ use it or lose it.

Anything you received free that you never needed ~ pens, coffee mugs, samples, badges, shopping bags, toys… , unwanted gifts, clothes that don’t fit, gadgets that aren’t useful, excess of anything, old make-up, books you’ll never read again, dust collectors, poor quality photos, old magazines (any topic in these can be easily sourced on the internet, old ~ and way out of date ~ university/collage papers, unwanted heirlooms, ugly houseplants, smelly plastic containers, old unfinished projects, outdated computer equipment, stuff the kids left behind when they moved out, shoes that hurt your feet, anything in your bedroom that isn’t conducive to a good night sleep, clothes that make you feel frumpy, sporting equipment you no longer use, bargains you wasted your hard earned cash on, project supplies that haven’t been used in a long time, unwanted hand-me-downs, I might need it some day items, uncomfortable anything.

Well that ought to be enough to get you thinking.

Y’all ave a nice weekend.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter kitschy Christmas items like hand towels, oven mitts, socks etc. This mission is simply for my own amusement. I used to have all of these things and haven’t missed any of them.

“If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we’d be happy with more?” — Unknown

I felt the need to write this post because I am continually confronted with examples of what I am about to write here. And that is homes crammed with abundance while suffering from neglect. It saddens me that such situations can cause so much stress to those involved. And, even more sadly, the cure people turn to alleviate this stress is to treat themselves to yet more stuff.

Sometimes the neglect comes in the form of money being spend indulging in some sort of abundance, often causing clutter,  while other more important regular financial necessities are barely if at all budgeted for. Things like the power and water bills, health insurance, vehicle maintenance etc.

Another example is a home full of abundance while the house’s physical maintenance is being neglected and is slowly crumbling around the occupants and their stuff. And, as any home owner knows, one seemingly small maintenance issue can turn into a major expense when neglected causing collateral damage.

And of course there is the time spent acquiring abundance while the housework is neglected. Any sort of shopping requires time to achieve, whether that be time spend searching and buying the best deal one can find on-line, or time spend scouring the stores for the same. This could be time better spent taking care of ones home.

Of course clutter can just be an accumulation of stuff over many years and does not reflect the true financial expenditures at any given time, however I am not referring to those situations here. So if you can identify yourself in any of these situations stop and think about what you are doing. Buying stuff will never give you peace of mind, the novelty wears off almost as fact as the act of acquiring.

Instead,  cut back on the acquiring and put some money aside for a time when you might need it. Or use the money to fix something that has been waiting to be repaired. And instead of wasting time shopping take some time to sell off some of the excess you have and put that money away for a rainy day or use it now on home maintenance.

Clutter isn’t about the stuff it is about our desire for stuff, often at the neglect of other more important things. Decluttering your home should then be about questioning your desire for stuff and breaking the bond it has on you. Especially if, as mentioned above, your home and peace of mind is suffering due to such a poor relationship.

Today’s Mini Mission

Work on using up all the leftover food of the holiday season. Condiments, spices, frozen leftovers etc. Oh and of course wine and beer. 

“If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we’d be happy with more?” — Unknown

Eco Tip for the Day

Instead of buying stuff you don’t need, that adds to the stresses on nature, put the money aside for a rainy day.

For a full list of my eco tips so far click here

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.

Well the “Silly Season” is over again but the aftereffects may still linger. I am glad to say that my Christmas wish of few gifts was adhered too so there is little evidence in my home that it ever happened, except of course the warm and fuzzy feeling of having spend time with those I love. I did cheat a little by not being home so all the celebrations happened elsewhere. So how is your home shaping up? Here are some mini missions to help get it back into shape.

Monday – Declutter any Christmas decorations you don’t like so much as you pack them away.

Tuesday – Work on using up all the leftover food of the holiday season. Condiments, spices, frozen leftovers etc. Oh and of course wine and beer. 😉

Wednesday –  Declutter an item that you may have received a replacement for as a gift.

Thursday – If you received some nice new toiletries as a gift start using up the already started items before beginning on the new gifted items.

Friday – Declutter something else in the area where you store your holiday season decorations.

Saturday – Declutter kitschy Christmas items like hand towels, oven mitts, socks etc. This mission is simply for my own amusement. I used to have all of these things and haven’t missed any of them.

Sunday - Sunday is reserved for contemplating one particular item, of your choice that is proving difficult for you to declutter. Whether that be for sentimental reasons, practical reasons, because the task is laborious or simply unpleasant, or because the items removal requires the cooperation of another person. That last category may mean that the item belongs to someone else who has to give their approval, it could also mean there is a joint decision to be made or it could mean that the task of removing it requires assistance from someone else. There is no need to act on this contemplation immediately, it is more about formulating a plan to act upon or simply making a decision one way or another.

Good luck and happy decluttering

Eco Tip for the Day

Take your own shopping bag when doing any shopping. I must have saved hundreds of bags grocery shopping alone over the last seven years. And then there is a much smaller number saved by using my own bags for any other shopping I do.  To get myself into the habit of taking my own bag I forced myself to carry my shopping to the car without a bag when I forgot to bring my own. That little juggling act soon cured my forgetfulness.

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