“If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we’d be happy with more?†— Unknown
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
There is nothing like the prospect of moving house to motivate a person to get rid of their clutter. My son and his family have been doing this for a few of months now. Initially it was to make room for the new baby that is on the way but then they decided they had had enough of renting a home from someone who wasn’t keen to maintain it. So they decided to move house.
He is lucky because he has a very easy way to get rid of his clutter. And that is to fill up the trunk of our car every time we have reason to go to his house. I think he actually invents reason for us to drop by just so we can take another load away. But that is OK as I go to the thrift store every week and am glad to help him out by dropping the decluttered items off there.
So this week they have started moving in and are already finding that maybe the configuration of the new home may cause them to have to declutter more things. My son is very good at decluttering, as you can imagine because he watched me doing it for years before he moved out. So he is happy to let go of as much stuff as possible. I am not sure whether the rest of the family are so keen but, as I said before, moving is a great motivator. He told me just yesterday how proud he was of his stepdaughter who has been very compliant at sorting and letting go of some of her stuff.
So where am I heading with this post. Well, my great motivation to declutter was to eventually move into a smaller home. My son and his family are also being motivated by moving. So why not use that as an approach for anyone to look at their possessions in a different way. If you are finding yourself stuck for ideas of things to declutter or have things you are on the fence about decluttering, why not ask yourself the question of ~ “If I were forced to unexpectedly and suddenly move house would I want to…
Because let me tell you, sometimes these situation sneak up on you. Life happens and the next thing you know your current home is not right for you or not where you need to be. Sometimes life happens and you can no longer care for the size home you have or the amount of stuff that is in it. So now is the time to get your home in the sort of order that is easier to manage now and easy to transfer elsewhere if life happens.
I bet there will be some great comments from people who have found themselves in just this situation or knows someone who did. There will even be stories of those who found themselves having to help someone else who found themselves in this position.
“If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we’d be happy with more?†— Unknown
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.
Why keep stuff that we don’t need. Why do we decide to let them go. Other than that we are sick of the clutter. This weeks missions are all about reasons for letting stuff go. So lets get started.
Monday – Let something go that you have more than enough of.
Tuesday – Let something go that causes you work you don’t have time to waste on.
Wednesday – Let something go that doesn’t bring you joy.
Thursday – Let somethings go that make a space overfull.
Friday – Let something go that you haven’t use for some time.
Saturday – Let something go that is of no value to you, either in beauty or usefulness.
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.
Where possible use less of things. You might be surprised how regularly you use more of some things than you need. Here are some products you could probably stand to use less of ~ less shampoo, less conditioner, less laundry detergent, less dishwashing liquid, less toothpaste, hand cleanser, car wash… Quite often advertisements and manufacturers instructions suggest more than what we really need use. So using even more than that is a fools game, wasting product, your hard earned cash and increasing supply due to demand.
It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow
By Nicole V
We said goodbye to an old friend yesterday. It was a hi-fi system that had served us faithfully for many years.
I was with my then-boyfriend (now husband) when he purchased it and – as it was large and really heavy – I remember us taking a cab back to his place and watching him set it up in his room. After we got married, it moved with us to 3 different homes and brought us countless hours of enjoyment and relaxation (thank you, Old Faithful!). After working tirelessly for so long, it finally gave up the ghost and my husband dismantled it and it left our home soon after – I’m blessed to have a husband who doesn’t let things sit around long enough to become clutter.
The corner where it used to stand is now bare and each time I walk in and out of our living room, my eyes are invariably drawn to the emptiness. We have no desire to fill the space with something else or to shuffle our furniture around to fill the space. I feel that when space opens up in our home, it should be left alone – as far as possible – to just be. Our home needs breathing space as much as we do and we love the calm and peace of an uncluttered home. I have been in cluttered environments before and have often felt like the figure in Edvard Munch’s painting ‘The Scream’, as all I wanted to do was to turn and run … fast.
Throughout our decluttering journey, we have felt the impact of pockets of space opening up in our home, and this has energized us and helped to keep up the momentum of weeding out the superfluous. It is amazing how a room can be refreshed, not by adding furniture or tchotchkes, but by removing unnecessary furniture and stuff, and just keeping those things that we love, need and use. The French novelist Antoine de Saint-Exupery said that “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take awayâ€.
I have often wondered about human attitudes and behaviour towards space. I have come across people who simply seem unable to leave any space bare and must find something – anything – to fill it up with. It is almost as if an empty space is a blight on the landscape or an affront to the eyes. “Nature abhors a vacuumâ€, Aristotle said. Sometimes I wonder if human beings are the ones who abhor a vacuum more. Ah, well, different strokes for different folks, I guess.
The concept of space – whether white, positive or negative – plays an important role in design, art, sculpture, music and photography. White space plays an essential role as an element of design that helps to convey the message and make it easier for that message to be processed and understood. Think of your favourite book or magazine – how enjoyable a read would it be if it had been printed with no line or paragraph spacing whatsoever?
Positive and negative space usually refer to the subject and the space that surrounds the subject in an image respectively. Negative space is important as it serves to define the boundaries of positive space and highlight it. The Dutch artist M. C. Escher is known for cleverly blurring the transformation between positive and negative space in ‘Sky and Water’ and many of his other works. But I digress. People perceive space differently – when you look at the image of ‘Rubin’s Vase’, do you see the white vase or the faces in black first? Do you see the old lady or the young lady first, when you look at the optical illusion of ‘The hag and the beauty’? And when you look at an empty corner in your home, do you see breathing space or space to be filled?
John Ruskin said that “There is no music in a rest, but there is the making of music in itâ€. Music is not just about the notes – the silences or spaces between the notes also play a part in the beauty of the composition, giving meaning and adding depth to the melody. Without these pauses, all we would hear is noise. Similarly, a cluttered home can result in a cacophony of “visual noise†instead of a “visual melodyâ€. How can treasured items stand out if there is a veritable babel of “visual noise†emanating from all the clutter in the negative space?
The following quote by the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu beautifully illustrates the essence of empty space:
Thirty spokes meet in the hub, but the empty space between them is the essence of the wheel.
Pots are formed from clay, but the empty space within it is the essence of the pot.
Walls with windows and doors form the house,but the empty space within it is the essence of the home.
What part does empty space play in the essence of your home?
P/S: In case you were wondering, we have an existing hi-fi system at home that has stepped up to the plate, so the music plays on. We think Old Faithful would approve.
Find something in your linen closet that you haven’t used for three months and let it go.
“If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we’d be happy with more?†— Unknown
Sort every little thing into your recycling bin that you can. What hasn’t been refused, reduced or reused should be recycled for the good of the environment.
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
Deb J
I have discovered something about myself. I read too much. Yes, I really said that. I definitely read too much. I love to read and I am a very fast reader. I read 2-3 books in an evening depending upon the length of the book. I was pretty happy with the decluttering I have done over the years. I used to have an extensive library. I once sold enough books to pay for one semester of college. While I never accumulated that many books again, I did have a bunch of books that I decluttered over the last few years. Then I started using a Kindle and had over 1000 books on it. I decluttered many of those and am decluttering more. With all that, you would think I would be very happy with where things are today. Then I realized I’m not happy at where I am.
I discovered I read too much. How can I say that? I have acquired the habit of reading the entire evening and into the early morning each day. I need the relaxation and rest of being in my recliner. It makes me able to go to bed and actually sleep because it helps my body have less pain. I also like to have the quiet time once Mom is gone to bed and thus the reading into the early morning. Unfortunately, reading so late is not good for my body and especially it is not good for my diabetes because it means I don’t have a good schedule like diabetes requires.Â
What does this have to do with decluttering? Sometimes decluttering requires ridding ourselves of more than “thingsâ€. Decluttering often means ridding ourselves of or changing habits or people or even jobs. It means being intentional about how we spend our time. I have not been intentional enough lately.Â
Moni, suggested I should set a time to go to bed and announce it to my mother. I should also then go to my room and not let her interrupt my “quiet†time. I can then read some more if I want. I am going to take it a step further. I am going to be pickier about the books I put on my Kindle. I am going to set the standard that I will only read one book an evening. When I go to my room at 10, the time there will be used to read my Bible and pray more or to journal. I need to spend time with the Lord listening to what he has to say and dialoging with him in a journal. And I will not stay up past midnight. I will also continue to declutter my Kindle until the only books left are the ones I really like and will read again.Â
For me, reading so much has become a way to passively deal with things I don’t like in my life. It is not a good way to do this.Â
Do you have any habits that are cluttering your life?
Colleen’s 10c worth
I have often wondered about this in relation to all my blog readers who are avid readers. Not being much of a reader myself it is easy to form the opinion that reading can consume an awful lot of a person’s time that might be better spent doing less pleasant things they are avoiding.
I will be the first to insist that everyone is entitled to a certain amount of downtime in their day. We all need relaxation time in which to wind down and rest mentally and physically. However sometimes it is also good to do the math on how much downtime we are weaving into our day. Also trying to mentally relax while knowing that there are chores you have left undone, leaving your home unpleasant, can be counterproductive to rejuvenation. And never discount the the tranquility of mind that comes from knowing you have achieved something extra in your day. Especially an extra that can be a permanent fixture. Who among you has later interrupted your downtime to return to that drawer or shelf, you earlier uncluttered and reorganised, just to enjoy the feeling of accomplishment again. I know I have, sometimes more than once.
Find something in your closet that you haven’t used for three months and let it go.
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.
I think the title certainly gives away the theme of this week’s mini missions. We are going to search areas of our house for things that haven’t been used in three months. Then hopefully we can convince ourselves to let them go.
Monday – We’ll make today easy. Find something in your kitchen that you haven’t used for three months and let it go.
Tuesday - Find something in your living room that you haven’t used for three months and let it go.
Wednesday - Find something in your closet that you haven’t used for three months and let it go.
Thursday - Find something in your basement, attic or garage that you haven’t used for three months and let it go.
Friday - Find something in your linen closet that you haven’t used for three months and let it go.
Saturday - Find something in you bookcase that you haven’t used for three months and let it go.
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.
Today’s mini mission is ~ Just declutter something that isn’t “youâ€.
In reality all of this weeks mini missions have been about getting rid of things that aren’t you. By this I mean things that don’t spark any joy in you. Joy that something fits you. Joy that something works well for you. Joy that you find something beautiful. Joy that brings back happy memories…
Unwanted gifts. Disappointing purchases. Items that feel like they are nagging you to do something you don’t have the time or inclination for right now. Items you accepted from others only because you felt you couldn’t say no. Sentimental items that don’t give you a warm and fuzzy feeling. These are all items that don’t bring joy to your life. Add that lack of joy to resentment and frustration and you don’t have a recipe for a very happy home.
Don’t force yourself to wear the clothing item that makes you feel frumpy. Remove that ugly art piece that you have tolerated for years only because a friend painted for you. Don’t assault your sense of smell with the bottle of perfume that you hate just because it was a gift. Pass the family heirloom onto another relative if it doesn’t suit your taste. Resell that expensive electronic gadget that you never could figure out how to use. And those supplies for that craft project you bought five years ago, but never did master the technique for, really would be better in someone else’s hands.
So be kind to yourself, don’t allow anyone or anything dictate to you what you should keep of your own stuff, and remove the items that torment you from your life.
I was browsing Pinterest yesterday and this article, about what to do when feeling overwhelmed, caught my eye. Read it now if you are interested. It go me thinking that although I have a blessed life I still feel overwhelmed at times. More times than is healthy or logical actually, given the relatively easy life I live.
I got to the next to last paragraph and this is what it said…
…and it was those last two sentences that really struck me. It reminded me of something that had occurred to me on Saturday. Yes I have simplified my home and my life in many ways but I do tend to replace the deleted complications with something else. Those something elses, although seeming like good ideas at the time, often don’t necessarily pan out to be as rewarding as I had hoped. The trick is to identify this and move on. And sometimes moving on might just mean don’t replace that thing with anything else. Just take a break and give yourself some breathing room.
The first portion of Peggy’s comment yesterday also had this same message. Here is what she wrote-
“Since it’s the middle of Spring in my part of the world, I’ve been busy decluttering the garden areas of weeds… I decided that in recent years I hadn’t really been keeping up with the weeds very well… I had 5 garden areas that I was responsible for initially… We retired one of them in 2012 when our younger daughter graduated from college, thinking that it would be her parking spot… But I still wasn’t keeping up… So this year, I “weeded†most of our veggie garden area then asked my husband to finish the job & smooth out the dirt, plant grass seed, and retire this area… I really want to be able to keep the 3 remaining areas tidy… If I can’t, next Spring we may see another garden declutter! I love love love gardening AND weeding but I work at a very physical job (massage) 4 days per week… I need to let my body rest on my off days…”
Peggy has the good sense to realise that, although she loves to garden, it just isn’t working for her in her life right now. So rather that allow her gardens to torment her, as aspirational clutter, she is reducing the workload and maybe even removing it altogether for a while.
Like Peggy, I have leisure activities that I love. Also like Peggy sometimes these activities simply complicate my life more than they enhance it. I think it is time to reassess the activities I partake in and perhaps have a trial separation from some of them.
Don’t worry I don’t mean my blog.
Are there things in your life that complicate more than enhance. Give it some thought. Decluttering doesn’t always mean stuff, sometimes it is just about simplifying your life.
Declutter something you keep out of financial guilt. Something you spent your hard earned money on that never realised its cost. So you cling on to it in the hope that one day you will finally get your money’s worth out of it, or summon up the effort to resell it.
“If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we’d be happy with more?†— Unknown
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.
I guess it is about time again for a set of mini missions based on some of the psychological reasons we hold on to stuff.
Monday – Declutter some aspiration clutter. That is something you hold onto because you aspire to doing something with it. An aspiration that has gone unrealised for a long time.
Tuesday – Declutter something that you only keep out of obligation. These items are usually easy to identify because they are the most annoying.
Wednesday – Declutter something you keep out of financial guilt. Something you spent your hard earned money on that never realised its cost. So you cling on to it in the hope that one day you will finally get your money’s worth out of it or summon up the effort to resell it.
Thursday – Declutter something that you keep for sentimental reasons. Especially if those sentimental reasons are really more obligation than personal value.
Friday – Declutter something that you keep out of cultural habit. There are so many things that people own just because most households have one. The simple fact is that if you have no use for such an item then you don’t need to own one. No matter what others might think about that.
Saturday – Just declutter something that isn’t “you”. It could be another something that matches any of the missions above.
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.
Loved reading your bio, add another 20 years and we are almost identical, yes I am outspoken too!
My de cluttering occurred because we have lived in this home for 35 years and unlike friends and family have had no need to declutter due to moving house. I decided I didn’t want to leave unnecessary “stuff” for my 2 adult children to declutter when the time eventually comes ( we are determined to live until we are at least 90!) So I am religiously following your de cluttering advice on a daily basis, with a few extras of my own.
This last week I decided to attack my sewing /craft room, as our two granddaughters are now 8 and 10 they no longer want to do as much craft as previously so that was the first box to be de cluttered , old dried up paints were binned,some paints in little pots were washed out and the pots used for the beads which I was able to consolidate from the different cupboards and drawers. Next was my material/ lace stash, I rang a school teaching friend and she was thrilled with my offer of a huge box of very usable material, she has her students make clothes for a children’s charity as an assignment.
I regularly take a box of usable stuff to my local Salvos and they are always very appreciative, so what my friend couldn’t use will go to them.
My only dilemma has been decuttering the box of greetings cards, some from my childhood are 60 years old. Advice here please? I have collected a box of some of the cards from my children, they didn’t want them! To be donated to the local kindy for craft. What about the letters from and to my boyfriend, now my husband (of 47 years), they are the poignant writings of 18 year olds! I have followed your advice and photographed many documents and transferred to my computer. If we dispose of all of this memorabilia, will future generations not have anything nostalgic to reflect upon?
Thank you for reading this and for your weekly decluttering advice.Today’s Mini Mission
Here is a reflection from my crazy day yesterday (names changed of course):
Yesterday I experienced an amazing contrast. A friend, Jill, was moving out of town. Another friend, Rocky, is contemplating a move shortly.
Over the course of several days, Jill sorted and boxed. She was travelling by ferry and could only take what she could carry. That meant a lot of paring down and choices as to what was important. I helped find outlets so her castoffs would not end up in the dumpster. The last day, I arrived to load her give-aways into my vehicle, not sure how many trips I might need to make. We filled my vehicle, once. There were still a lot of boxes in her apartment.
The next thing she said stunned me. She decided to keep her 40 suits, figuring she would never have to buy another suit. I was speechless. I am 61 and I don’t think I have owned 40 suits over my lifetime much less all at once. She boxed them up and was willing to carry the extra baggage. Later she texted me that instead of a taxi she had needed a ten passenger van to take her to the terminal.
That same afternoon I met Rocky and some friends for coffee and conversation. He is retiring soon and hopes to spend time in another country for an extended period.  We quizzed him about visas, insurance, and travel plans. Someone asked what he was taking.  One suitcase for clothes and a briefcase with his laptop. Period. All he needs.
I am somewhere between those two extremes in my life but the contrast of those two persons on the same day will stick with me for some time.
“If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we’d be happy with more?†— Unknown
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I received the following comment on Thursday for Joanie and I am hoping those of you who have been through a similar experience might have some good advice for her.
Hi, Colleen!
You are talking to me. My mom passed away in October at 93. I was her main caregiver and, at her death, inherited her home of 45 years. I’ve been sorting, shredding, recycling, donating and throwing out ever since. I didn’t want to stay here but didn’t know how I would get rid of an old house in a fraying neighborhood.
Then my niece approached me with a very sensible plan. She is weighed down with student loans and can’t buy a new house but she loved Grandma’s house. I showed her all the problems and potential problems; she showed me a budget and estimates for a security system, new bathroom and eventually kitchen. She has the energy to paint and polish up the rest of the house. She even wants to keep all the furniture because she doesn’t have enough to fill a four bedroom home. Deal! She’s moving in October 1.
I’m relieved, pretty much ecstatic. But I still have to plow through papers, pictures, books and clothing and I’m losing steam. I’ve been working on the living room and dining room for months and it looks like I haven’t done a thing. I thought it was better to stick to one area instead of jumping around but now I’m feeling panicked because this still isn’t done and I’ve got the kitchen, bathroom, two bedrooms that are bedrooms, one bedroom that’s a study/library, one bedroom that’s a junk room I can’t walk through and a similarly junk filled sun room that I haven’t touched. The basement and attic are good to go because I cleared them years ago. The two car garage is unusable but it’s filled with my sister’s junk – not my problem!
I’m a list maker and I sketch out some to-dos for each day. I’ve been keeping a list of all the things I’ve disposed of, donated, gifted, recycled (1,418 so far) and I found it helpful at tax time to track my donations. Do you have any ideas to help me? Everything I touch is so personal and sometimes I feel like I’m throwing away my life and my mom’s – and my grandmother’s because her stuff is here too.