As anyone who has been reading my blog for a while would know, my decluttering style is usually slow, steady and haphazard. That is, I declutter random items from all over the house, rarely concentrating on one particular area. This method, however,  doesn’t necessarily appeal to everyone of course. If that is the case for you then it is best to concentrate on one area at a time or the task would probably drive you crazy.

With that being said here is a strategy to use when decluttering space by space.

If the idea of letting go of things disturbs you but the annoyance of keeping them is equally disturbing, perhaps it is time to adopt a new focus. Instead of looking at each item, look at the space itself and decide what it will take to master it. What or how much do you need to let go of in order to feel comfortable and happy with and in that space. Sit in the room and imagine the serenity of having this area of your home uncluttered, easy to take care of and only containing items you use and/or enjoy.

With the joyous thought of how good it would feel to achieve such a goal, start choosing the items you care the lease about or have the least use for, and start removing them. Sort them into your sell or giveaway boxes and trash or recycle the rubbish items. All the while keeping your focus on mastering your space rather than succumbing to the temptation of keeping items for insubstantial sentimental reasons. Remembering all the while that YOU ARE NOT YOUR STUFF.

If you only keep the most loved items or/and the most useful items the result will be the best of both worlds. That is, a serene room with just enough items to keep it practical, functional and/or beautiful.

One 365ers example of mastering her space.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter one bookshelf. Not the whole bookcase, just one shelf.

Eco Tip for the Day

Don’t pander to older children by driving them here there and everywhere. The exercise will do them good to walk, ride or take a bus when and where appropriate. I am sure the fuel savings will be quickly noticed and they will grow more independent for it.

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

The biggest cause of clutter in one’s home is believing that giving away one’s stuff is giving away a piece of oneself. Thoughts like that will leave you paralysed from ever getting rid of anything or at the very least make it a very unpleasant experience. Repeat after me…

I AM NOT MY STUFF * I AM NOT MY STUFF * I AM NOT MY STUFF

Consider this idea instead…

With every new day my life becomes a little different to the day before. I get older, my loved ones get older and we all alter to suit those changes. Looking back brings wonderful memories and some sadness at times while looking ahead is a lottery of potential outcomes. The time to live for is now.

 What we needed or enjoyed in the way of material things in our past will likely be very different to what we need now or in the future. Anything that is no longer suitable to our lifestyle may just be holding us back from enjoying the present. Your memories are not encapsulated in your stuff they are inside of you.

 Sure the stuff can trigger those memories but my experience is that we encounter those triggers, unexpectedly, in the most unlikely places every day. Laughter, familiar facial features, a browse through an antique shop, visiting someone else’s home, old photos, names and everyday object can evoke those memories. So storing stuff in your home is unnecessary to remembering happy times and loved ones gone by.

“What if life comes full circle and I once again have a need for some of the items I let go of?” I hear you ask. Once again another futile question unless you wish your home to remain cluttered and to which I ask this question in return ~ “Did you every really need those items in the first place?.

If you regret the path your life is now on then do something to change it and make your stuff useful again. If that is not the case then move on. You are not your stuff.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter one small shelf in your kitchen.

Eco Tip for the Day

If you feel your family could stand to reduce their meal portions slowly reduce them over time. Not only is this a healthy habit but you will also waste less food.

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.

For this week’s mini missions we are going to address a small area each day. Just little decluttering tasks that won’t take long but you will really notice the difference. I love going back to take a peak at and area that has been decluttered and organised and I bet you do to so lets give it a go.

Monday – Declutter and tidy a small shelf in your kitchen.

Tuesday – Declutter and tidy a drawer in your closet.

Wednesday – Declutter and tidy your medicine cabinet or similar storage.

Thursday – Declutter a bookshelf.

Friday – Tidy and declutter your CD or DVD storage area.

Saturday – Declutter and organise a shelf in your linen closet.

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

Some breakfast cereals are full of air and sugar and therefore are unhealthy and require lots of processing. Choose something more natural and healthy such as uncooked whole grain cereals like oats or muesli.

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

Some weeks back Michelle, one of our fellow 365ers, declared that she was going to finish or ditch a craft project that had turned into aspirational clutter. She gave herself a deadline of two weeks to achieve this. However life got in the way and it took a little longer than promised but she has managed to complete the task and has transformed some lovely old pieces of carved wood into some very functional book ends.

She was determines to achieve this goal which did present some difficulty of its own. Michelle said in her email ~Even though I stripped 8 layers of paint from them and cleaned them really well, when I applied the stain, it separated and created this very funky look.  I kind of like it.  The moulding pieces were not perfect to begin with (nail holes, chipped areas) and that comes through in the final product.  Overall I am pleased.

 And thank you and the rest of the 365ers so much for not giving me a hard time about how long this took – – considering what a super small project it turned out to be.  🙂

Well done Michelle you did well and I like the rustic effect of the separated stain also. It is amazing the relief one can get by converting aspiration into something useful or beautiful. The same goes for converting any kind of clutter into something else. Sometimes that will be a donation to a thrift shop, sometimes being repurposed to be useful again and sometimes simply sent to the trash or the recycling. Either way the items are no longer cluttering up your home.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter something you have more than enough of.

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

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

Favourite Comments. Enjoy!

This was a nice way for Donna B to introduce herself to 365. Read her comment here.

Here is Sanna’s thoughts of gift giving and receiving. And Deb J has something to say in this subject too.

I loved that Angela did not live Deb J’s method of decluttering and wanted to share that with others who also might feel the same. Read her comment here.

Here are three great responses to my post Never Satisfied ~ Deb J, Andréia and Megan S

And here is an update from Lena C on her 365 days of listing her decluttered items. Give her a little virtual pat on the back.

Here is a great comment I received from Danni via email ~ “My husband says we used to play storage jinga – how much can I stack/move before it falls over on me. These days there is actually open SPACE in my closets – first time EVER! and I LOVE it!”

Favourite Web Finds. Happy reading!

Loving Simple Living ~ Simple Living and Simple Kids

Here is a link that Leo Babauta shared with his readers recently. “Yet another number one company and clever marketing has done on us all.” Priceonomics.com ~ Diamonds are bullshit

Here is an oldie but a goodie from Leo Babuata@ Zen Habits

I would not encourage you to go adding stuff to your home but these tips give good clues as to how to use the already lovely stuff you already own to achieve a warm yet minimalist look. It is possible to remove the bulk of the clutter and still have a friendly, comfortable, welcoming home.

Here is the simplest decluttering advice I have seen so far. Substance Over Stuff.com ~ beginners-guide-to-minimalism 

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter something made from fabric.

Eco Tip For The Day

Decorate outside the box with the stuff you already have rather than buying new.

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

Have you ever been in a relationship with a person who was just too hard to please. Someone that no matter what you gave them it was never enough. Your time, your effort and your hard earned money all wasted in vain, that person were never satisfied. You even went into debt buying the things they wanted and they would to be happy for a short while but then it was back to wanting something else. The stuff you gave them accumulated leaving you with the task of taking care of it or cleaning around it, a constant reminder of your foolishness.

Was this relationship worth the effort? Was it satisfying? Are you still in it?

Was and is this relationship with yourself? If so then isn’t never too late to redefine it and begin again. Hopefully you can do this with a little understanding and compassion for yourself, otherwise seek professional help.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter something you are keeping “just in case”.

Eco Tip for the Day

Instead of shopping go for a walk with a friend, a swim at the beach or take in a movie.

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

Little things add up to a lot. Overlooking them when decluttering, because they are insignificant, won’t allow you to declutter to the fullest extent. You would be surprised how much space in your home is taken up with lots and lots of small objects. During my declutter mission it has always been exciting to declutter the big things like furniture or storage systems.  However, I have also taken joy from decluttering the smallest things because without that the big things would not been emptied and able to go.

Likewise, bringing small items into your home, because their diminutive size makes them seem harmless enough, will undermine your decluttering efforts.

Also, small inexpensive objects are often not treated with respect and cared for appropriately because they are just that, small and inexpensive. But the cost of these little things also adds up when we lose, break or waste them just because individually they seem financially insignificant. No doubt landfill sites contain many of these objects.

The photo above shows a very small selection of the little items that were decluttered from my home last year. There were many more in 2011 and 2010 and also more this year. Seeing this small selection gives you a visual on how they begin to add up. Remember this the next time you consider something small and lean towards the idea that it won’t make any difference to keep it.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter a, not too, sentimental item.

Eco Tip for the Day

Reuse cereal bags to ~ wrap lunches, coat chicken with seasonings, bag carrots to keep them fresh, store cut onions…

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.

Sometimes you really have to put your thinking caps on when trying to come up with an item to match my mini missions. This week however I am keeping it simple for you. Hopefully you will easily be able to find an object to declutter that matches each category.

Monday – Declutter something made of glass, china or similar breakable substance.

Tuesday – Declutter a, not too, sentimental item.

Wednesday – Declutter something made from paper.

Thursday – Declutter something you are keeping “just in case”.

Friday – Declutter something made from fabric.

Saturday – Declutter something you have more than enough of.

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

April Habit Changing Challenge

Endeavour to keep the entrance of your home tidy, clean and clear of clutter, inside and out. Outside ~sweep the porch and shake out the mat regularly, and keep it clean or clutter such as shoes, umbrellas, garden items etc. Inside ~ keep the area tidy and clear of clutter and think about rearranging the area so things are still handy but not out in the open if possible.

Eco Tip for the Day

Encourage children to take care of there school supplies and equipment so they last and can be used for longer.

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

Place a vote for 365 Less Things for People’s Choice Award ~ The Australian Writers’ Centre Best Australian Blogs 2013 Competition

Colleen

Hi readers, today I am doing a little self promoting, well a lot actually. Voting begins today in the People’s Choice Award of the Australian Writers’ Centre Best Australian Blogs 2013 Competition. Although I have no illusions that I will win in any of the main categories of these blog awards I would hate to look like a complete loser in the peoples’ choice section. Once again I don’t expect to win but I would really like the Australian blogging community  to notice what a great community we have here at 365 Less Things. So if you could take five minutes to place a vote for 365 Less Things I would much appreciate it.

If you are reading this message at the blog all you need do is click on the big blue Vote For Me button on the right hand side of the page just below the Join Our Community box.

or

If you are reading this via email then click on this link ~ Vote for Me button ~ an follow the voting process. 

Thank you in advance to anyone who places a vote.

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

Favourite Comments. Enjoy!

Jen sums up the problem with being owned by your stuff in this comment.

Melissa gives us an update on her decluttering efforts with the ten casserole dishes.

Jenny knows her weakness when it comes to finicky little chores and has put strategies in place to avoid avoidance. Read about it here.

Fruitcake gives us her take on deprivation in this comment.

This comment from Deb J is short but so true.

A couple of weeks back Cindy was chasing a link which Jo. H ended up finding for her. Her comment had a couple of other links she wanted to share with you. Thanks Jo.

Favourite Web Finds. Happy reading!

Here are two short articles from the guys at The Minimalists that I enjoyed this week ~  It’s Complicated  &  Never Happier.

And here is a post about escaping materialism from Tony over at We Only Do This Once.

Tohami from Midway Simplicity brings us the latest edition of the Midway Decluttering Show this week, featuring  Lorilee Lippincott of Loving Simple Living.

Cindy sent me this link she found with some great ideas on using up leftover vegetables from www.vegetariantimes.com

This last article has got me stumped and I almost didn’t include it here because I thought the message may not be congruent with what I advocate here at my blog. It was sent to me by Clare with whom I have discussed it with via email. I can’t make up my mind whether the author and I agree on nothing or whether we agree on more than I think but he is coming from a different stance than I. In the end I have decided to share it with you all for no other reason than for your opinion.

Today’s Mini Mission

We all have clutter we would be happier to give to a family member or friend rather then sell or donate. Do this with such an item today.

Eco Tip For The Day

Clean the filters in your home air-conditioning system regularly so it runs efficiently, saving energy and cost and possibly reducing allergy problems.

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