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.

Today’s Declutter Item
Rubber Stamps

How about getting the men folk on board with this week’s mini missions. Or if you are a man reading this, and I do hope there are at least a few of you out there, then finally you get a set of mini missions tailored just for you. However in this modern age these missions really are somewhat unisex so if you are reading this and have no man about the house I think you will find them easy to follow yourself.

Monday – Declutter a tool that never gets used.

Tuesday – Declutter an electronic gadget or parts there of.

Wednesday – Declutter a book.

Thursday – Declutter a shirt, pair of trousers or jacket that you no longer fit or like to wear.

Friday – Declutter something leisure related. Perhaps some sporting equipment, fishing gear or hobby supply that are no longer used.

Saturday – Declutter something toiletries related. That old aftershave that stings your face, old shaver handles that are excess to your needs or that extra toiletries bag you received on your last long haul business trip.

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

Find ways to reduce cooking time and save energy. When boiling dried pasta, bring to the boil then turn the temperature down to low and once settled put a lid on. It will boil quicker and at a lower temperature this way thus saving electricity. When you think it is almost done turn off the heat and allow the residual heat to complete the cooking process.

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

I received the following request for advice from a reader last week and decided to post it here for you all to give your opinion on. I have also included my advice for two reasons… 1. because you might find in helpful. and… 2.  my return email to this reader kept bouncing back to me so I was unable to help offline.

Here is what she wrote~

“…Laundry is my groundhog day & it’s really doing my & my husbands head in…. We have an 11 & 7 year old & I am sure that sometimes things go in the laundry basket rather than be put away – there are times I know I an rewashing clean clothes – but after a couple of days in the basket they have associated smells & so in they go…

I have started to think the only way, (which you might approve of) is to declutter the volume of clothes & options they have….. Do you have tips of what you did when your kids were young…

I have taught my daughter where the washing machine is & how it works but from her point of view I am sure she feels that she has no use for this information ! well not yet anyway… As working parents it’s overwhelming the sheer volume of washing that we are doing, & then once washing is done getting it folded & back to where it belongs is grinding. Any thoughts…. Is the answer always declutter ? Or can you help me out with this too. ps: I did think about putting a second tub in their room that’s the “it’s clean but I just couldn’t be bothered to put it away” tub – maybe, maybe……”

And her is my response ~

I think that you have answered your own question. It seems to me, from observation and experience, that people take possessions for granted the more of them they have. If, for example, there is always another outfit to put on when one hasn’t rehung or even used the last one that went in the wash then what incentive is there to be more mindful.

That being said, kids grow out of their clothes soon enough so maybe decluttering yours would be a waste of money unless they have clothes in their closets that are too small. Those I would get rid of immediately.

However from this point forward, as they grow into the next size, my suggestion is to reduce the number of outfits you supply them. On the lead up to this you can use the time to sit both of your children down and explain to them that they are going to have to be more thoughtful with their clothes in future because they are going to have fewer of them. Explain to them why this is without blaming, after all kids deserve an explanation and it may result in them being more willing to comply. Provide them with a system for hanging the things they can wear again, such as a small coat rack or a series of hooks. Explain to them that if they continue to wear things once or not at all and just toss it in the wash then they may run out of clothes to wear before the next wash day comes around (which will be less often than it does now).

The time it will take for their current clothes to dwindle, due to them growing out of them, will give you all time to adjust to the new routine. Your mission is to resist slaving in the laundry trying to keep up with them. Don’t pander to their desire to have whatever they want clean and ready for them at all times by constantly washing to keep up. They will soon learn that life just doesn’t work that way any more. Train them and remind them on a regular basis to wear, more than once, the clothes that aren’t visibly soiled or smelly. Underpants of course the exception to this rule.

You asked how I handled this with my kids and I would say that what I have written above just about covers it. They weren’t over supplied with clothes and they both had a little clothes rack to hang the items they could wear again. Admittedly they often hung their clothes on the floor under the clothes rack but kids will be kids. I must also admit that I probably trained them too well to reuse clothes because I often had to (and still do have to at times) remind them that some items have been worn long enough.

My son’s less than tidy room.

My son is the only one home now and he still has a habit of leaving his worn clothes on the floor until he is ready for them to be washed. If he is around on wash day I do ask him to toss, into the hall, what he wants washed. If he isn’t home I will make an executive decision. In a bid to save on water and electricity I only wash when I have a full load (black, white & lights, colours or neutrals).  However if specific items aren’t available when he wants to wear them then it is just too bad because washing individual items is simply out of the question.

Parenting isn’t an exact science and, as you can see from the photo on the right, I have not been successful in the long term at training my son to keep his room tidy or make his bed. The kids complied under duress when younger but once they reached a certain age I decided it wasn’t worth the continued grief. His is however the only untidy room in the house and the only time his bed is made is when I change his sheets but I can always close the door. I refuse however to behave as though I am running a laundry so it is either comply or go without.

The Weekend’s Mini Missions

Saturday –   Declutter some old cleaning rags that have been used too many times already. Perhaps you could repurpose some of those linen items mentioned above into new rags. Personally I use microfibre and some of mine are getting very thread bare and therefore ineffective so will be tossed this week.

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.

“In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.” Brother David Steindl-Rast

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!

• Mark Adam Douglas in response to ~ Do you have hoarding tendencies.
• Spendwisemom gives us her opinion of hotel toiletries.
• Gail comments on being grateful to have have excess to share with others.
• Jen on being grateful for things that are used and enjoyed.
• Moni tells us in this  comment  about her clever daughters clothing sale.

Favourite Web Finds. Happy reading!

• The happinessproject ~ 12-tips-for-a-happier-home-adapted-from-nursery-school
• Sustainable Choices.stanford.edu ~ Take Action
• Deb J sent me this link to an article about some books you might find interesting ~ www.thenester.com ~ Thoughts on home the creatives who’ve helped me
• Steve found me this one from Life Hacker on  ~ How to permanently kick your clutter habit
• Thank you Sanna for sending through the next two links to great posts.
• smallnotebook.org ~ Don’t make choices based on fear
• missminimalist.com ~ Storage is not a solution

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter any sad old linen pieces. Old towels, sheets, pillow slips, hand towels, handkerchiefs, cloth diapers, wash clothes etc. Remember many of these items can be donated to animal shelters, kennels, vets, wildlife rescue…

Today’s Declutter Item

Motorbike Jacket Armour

Eco Tip for the Day

Irrigate your garden before dawn or, if you don’t have a timer, as early as possible in the morning. The water is less likely to evaporate before it soaks into the soil or is absorbed by the plants at this time when the day is at it’s coolest.

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

We all know there are only so many hours in the day. How many of them do you want to spend…

1. …looking for things you need but can’t find among your excess stuff.
2. …looking for things you didn’t put away where they belong.
3. …choosing what to use or wear among an overabundance of stuff.
4. …moving things in order to clean your home.
5. …running around like a mad thing cleaning up every time someone is coming to your home for a brief or long visit.
6. …dusting trinkets that aren’t even really that special to you.
7. …struggling to make things fit into, what ought to be, your more than adequate size home.
8. …shopping for more stuff that you will have to cram in somewhere just for the thrill of having something new.
9. …feeling ashamed of how your home looks.
10. …procrastinating about doing something about it.

What could you spend your precious time doing instead?

1. Relaxing
2. Feeling less stressed.
3. Spending time with friends and loved ones.
4. Creating beautiful things.
5. Exercising
6. Living in the knowledge that anyone could drop in anytime and your home will be tidy and inviting.
7. Enjoy some time in nature, a walk by the beach, hiking or watching your garden grow.
8. Volunteering in your community, This can be very satisfying.
9. Having extra time to focus intently on one task at a time so you get the best result
10. Getting your home in order so you can feel content there.

It may take a little time to get from list A to List B but it will be totally worth it.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter an item of clothing that you don’t feel good in. Be that because of  fit, visual or comfort reasons.

Today’s Declutter Item

South Park Character Costume

Eco Tip for the Day

Organise your weekly menu prior to grocery shopping. This will help avoid extra trips in the car to the grocery store.

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

On Saturday while writing my gratitude list it occurred to me that one could apply the feeling of gratitude to their decision making process while decluttering. It really is a very simple concept. If the item you are considering doesn’t make you feel grateful that you own it then it probably isn’t something that you need to keep.

There are many reasons to be grateful for things that you own. You might be grateful that an item makes a task easier. You may receive pleasure from the beauty of another item which is also something to be grateful for. Other items may bring you warmth, comfort, joy, security, happy memories or their purpose may be purely utilitarian but help keep your home in order. All these are good reason to be grateful and retain certain items.

Why not give this test a try. Just remember the gratitude must relate to the present. If you find yourself keeping things because you are grateful that they were useful in the past ~ the past being months or years ago ~ then it is time to let them go and just be grateful that you got your money’s worth out of them. Similarly if you find yourself thinking you will be grateful you kept this or that item only when you find a use for it in the future ~ a future that may or may not occur ~ then I think you need to reconsider this decision.

Just imagine your household only containing items that you are grateful that you own. How wonderful would that be? Everywhere you turn and every time you use something you get a warm fuzzy feeling of satisfaction and thankfulness.

* * * * * * *

Quick question :~ Are any readers having problems with accessing 365 Less Things at the moment. I am seeing no problems at my end but one of my readers is. Please let me know if you are experiencing problems so we can investigate what could be causing it. Thank you.

Today’s Mini Mission

 Declutter craft fabrics that you haven’t had inspiration to use in a long time.

Today’s Declutter Item

Now here is an item that I was grateful to have while it was useful to me. I was also grateful that it cost me next to nothing and I more than got my money’s worth out of it. Now that I have decluttered so much I no longer have a use for it. I have given in to a friend who hopefully will appreciate it as much as I did.

Storage Bins

Eco Tip for the Day

Don’t throw those old sheets, towels, blankets and pillow in the trash donate them to an animal shelter, humane society, wildlife rescue service, kennel or veterinary surgery.

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.

After reading today’s title you are probably thinking ~ Isn’t everything we declutter material possessions ~ and you would be right. When I say material here though I mean fabric. So you guessed it this week’s missions are all going to be things made from fabric. Let’s see if I can come up with six things made from fabric that you might have to declutter.

Monday – Declutter some old curtains that haven’t been hung in a while. I don’t have any curtains in my home because to me they are just dust collectors. I prefer blinds than curtains which I can just wipe down quickly with a duster. My vertical blinds must have some sort of dust repelling quality to them as they don’t collect dust at all.  Gotta love that!

Tuesday – Declutter craft fabrics that you haven’t had inspiration to use in a long time.

Wednesday – Declutter a canvas wall art piece that you don’t love.

Thursday – Declutter an item of clothing that you don’t feel good in. Be that because of  fit, visual or comfort reasons.

Friday – Declutter any sad old linen pieces. Old towels, sheets, pillow slips, hand towels, handkerchiefs, cloth diapers, wash clothes etc.

Saturday –   Declutter some old cleaning rags that have been used too many times already. Perhaps you could repurpose some of those linen items mentioned above into new rags. Personally I use microfibre and some of mine are getting very thread bare and therefore ineffective so will be tossed this week.

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

Today’s Declutter Item

I am surprised to be still finding kitchen utensils that I am prepared to declutter. We only need one pizza cutter, I don’t julienne vegetables and I only kept the middle size scone cutter because that is the only one I use.

Kitchen Utensils

Eco Tip for the Day

Drink tap water in preference to carbonated beverages. It doesn’t take a genius to work out how much better that is for the environment. Your waistline and your teeth will thank you for it as well.

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!

Henave has worked out how much easier it is to stay tidy just owning less. Read about it in this comment.

I hope Jane was right about this comment.

Wendy B has the right routine to avoid early morning panics when she had a job in the city. Read about it here.

Jen tells us how she is going to extent the November Challenge right into the new year. She also confirms her reasons for knowing why putting everything away makes life easier in the long run.

Favourite Web Finds. Happy reading!

In this link from One Good Thing by Jillee you might discover ways to reduce the volume of things in you need to stock in your pantry. When my brown sugar runs out I will be buying me a small bottle of treacle for sure but I am not going to bother mixing it I will just add them both to any recipe that calls for brown sugar.

Here is a great article ~ How to teach your kids to live simply from over at Midway Simplicity.

This link was sent to me by Snosie it has 10 good tips on things you can declutter fast.

If you aren’t convinced that small home living is for you then take a look at this post sent to me by Ideealistin.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter something from your dining area.

Today’s Declutter Item

I bought these with the aspiration of using them as a crafting tool but never did. I tried selling them on ebay, no success. I offered hem to an acquaintance in a Facebook group I am part of ~ she said yes but never messaged back to arrange pick-up. So they went ~ where I should probably have taken them in the first place and saved myself so much bother ~ to the thrift shop where they sold in a heartbeat.

Shape Cutters for Cake Icing

Eco Tip of the Day

Be familiar with all of the recycling possibilities in your area. Local government websites usually have lots of information on this. Also word of mouth is another way of finding out.

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

Last week I found myself worrying too much about other people’s clutter. I am not referring to my readers here of course but to people in my own personal scope of friends and acquaintances. In the end I decided that ~ as the old saying goes ~ “God helps those who help themselves.”  Which for me meant all I can do is offer my help and advice but in the end if people aren’t willing or able to make changes then I shouldn’t concern myself over it.

Below are a list of the thoughts that came to mind through my frustrations last week that I feel compelled to get off my chest.

1. It is not necessary to own the “correct” household item for every occasion. No need for every shaped piece of cutlery, crockery, glassware, vase etc etc etc to suit every possible situation.
2. When buying things, do so to please yourself not other people. A sure fire way of having a house full of stuff never used, rarely if ever worn, overlook etc  is to buy stuff to impress or please others.
3. Stuff is no substitute for companionship or self worth. These things are acquired through socialising and  being involved in meaningful pursuits. Volunteering, being joyfully employed or local community involvement are just a few thing that can provide both.
4. Don’t keep falling into the trap of buying stuff just because it’s a bargain. Any item is a waste of money and is potential clutter if it isn’t needed. If the most alluring characteristic of a possible purchase is its low price then just walk away.
5. Sometimes long after one has quit physically involving themselves in certain pastimes the eye is still attracted to the material objects involved. It is very easy to fall under the spell and purchase these objects simply because you can see their potential. Be wary of such temptations.
6. Following on from #5 ~ Don’t buy items that have you thinking you might do something creative with them someday unless you know you actually will. Potential projects stacked up on benches, in closets and against the walls is oppressive not just because of the mess but for the aspiration attached.
7. A wise old Jedi once said “Do or do not there is no try.” I say “Do or do not, take it as slow or as fast as you like but don’t keep talking about it and doing nothing.” And if you decide to do nothing accept yourself and your home for who and what they are and no longer feel you need to make excuses for that. We are all entitled to be ourselves and be happy with that. If it turns out that you aren’t happy with that then “Do or do not there is no try.”
8. I think I make the mistake of thinking that just because other peoples’ homes are cluttered that they aren’t happy with that. They may make excuses for it but that might just be because they know what my feelings are about clutter. In future I will only give advice if it is genuinely solicited.

Thank you  for listening I feel much better now.

If any of the above thoughts reflect an issue you have with clutter perhaps it would be a good thing to mull over for your Sunday mini mission this week. That being said if you feel you need some advice or encouragement please feel free to ask. My readers and myself are always keen to do what we can to help.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter something from your bathroom.

Today’s Declutter Item

Much as I love Bubbles (as my daughter affectionately calls him) I really am just not a DVD watcher. So I gave him to my daughter to enjoy.

Michael Bublé DVD

Eco Tip for the Day

Consider getting together with your neighbours to pool your food growing resources. Share space, supplies & tools. If you have limited space each neighbour could grow something different to the other and then share between you.

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

What better time than November to hone your tidy up skills. With all the hustle and bustle that goes on around the holiday season it is always best to stay ahead of the game. So what I am proposing is that you all join me for a month of The Keep Tidy Challenge for the duration of November.

Remember last week when Mark Adam Douglass (@MADouglass) mentioned in a comment a concept he refers to as Reset. When working on a project or task he and his wife make a point of putting everything away and “reset” the space for the next task. This is not a new concept by any means, Mark has just put his own name to it. That being said it is a concept that many people neglect to follow even though is makes far more sense the the alternative.

The idea is to not walk away without tidying up after you have completed a task. For example, once you are finished eating a meal clean up after it. Don’t leave things on the table and dishes in the sink for hours or Heaven forbid days. If you pull items out of your wardrobe while trying to decide on the days attire make sure you put everything you don’t chose to wear back neatly in the closet. When you get out of bed in the morning make the bed there and then. If you go to the beach or to a child’s sporting fixture make sure you remove all the items required for the task from the car on your return and place them back where they belong.

Many of these tidy up tasks will take just a minute but may in the long run save you a lot more time. Take the wardrobe task for instance. Lets say you are in a hurry to get dressed because you are running late for work. Tossing clothes all over the place while trying to decide may cause greater delays the next day when not only are you late again but the clothes you want to wear are now scrunched up somewhere on the floor. The few minutes it would have taken yesterday to put things away could well have saved you ten or more today because now the clothes will require ironing to be acceptable to wear to work. *

Same goes for the sports or beach gear. If everything is returned to its rightful place after the previous use it will be easy to locate the next time you need it. This is mighty handy should you be running on a tight schedule.

When we are stressed, tired or in a hurry it is too easy to neglect to follow this concept but trust me you will be sorrier in the end when you can’t find what you need, have to replace an items when it can’t be found or allow the mess to build and instead of taking one or two minutes here and there you will find yourself with a task that now will take hours to put right.

So who would like to challenge themselves to adhere to the rule of putting things to rights before moving on to the next task? I am only proposing you attempt this for one month. In reality though my hope is that over that time this behaviour will stick and become a new good habit for you and your life will be changed for the better.

Always remember that continuing with the same unproductive behaviour will only ever yield the same result. That is disappointment and unnecessary stress.

For those who are adept at tidying as you go perhaps your challenge could be to throw in a ten minute challenge everyday to fine tune your already neat home. Such as clean and reorganise a pantry shelf, tidy up your utensils drawer, make sure the car is free of trash, pull the sofa away from the wall and clean behind and under it. I am sure you can find many a little task to keep you busy.

* Note ~ When it comes having mornings run smoothly it can also pay to arrange your clothes the night before. Also going to bed and setting the morning alarm a half hour earlier would do a lot to remove stress from your life.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter something from your kitchen.

Today’s Declutter Item

This corroded shower rose is an example of my post ~The insanity of putting up with the status quo. We went all through winter with less than wonderful water pressure in our en-suite shower. I finally decided to pull the shower arm off and check if there was a problem. As it turned out one of the joints was corroded and pretty much fell apart in my hand. This corrosion had been blocking the water supply. Needless to say the whole thing needed replacing. I have included it as a declutter item because we did in fact have a spare one in the garage. So with this one gone that is one less thing in the house.

Corroded Shower Arm

Eco Tip for the Day

Consider doing some things by hand rather than using an electrical appliance. Mix that cake by hand, tighten that screw with an old fashioned screw driver rather than and electric drill, sweep the floor rather than vacuum…

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.

This week’s mini missions should be easy. All you have to do is fine one item per room per day. If you have a small apartment maybe that will be one item per space per day. I will name the room/space and all you have to do is find one item in that area to declutter. It can be anything. How simple is that? If I mention an area you don’t have in your home then choose an alternative of your own.

Monday – Declutter something from a bedroom.

Tuesday - Declutter something from your kitchen.

Wednesday - Declutter something from your bathroom.

Thursday - Declutter something from your living room.

Friday - Declutter something from your dining area.

Saturday - Declutter something from your basement, attic or garage.

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

Today’s Declutter Item

I hadn’t used this muffin pan for a while and was surprised to find it all rusty. The combo of rust and rare use made it an easy decision to let it go. I have another option should I decide to make another batch of choc chip muffins.

Rusty Old Muffin Pan

Eco Tip for the Day

 Watch less television. Find something to do for amusement that doesn’t require electricity in place of at least one session of your weekly television viewing. This of course will only work if the television gets turned off and not watched by someone else in the family. Perhaps you could instigate an old fashioned games night.

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