People often say this to me ~ “Buy yourself something nice, you deserve it.”. They seem to be under the impression that just because I live a decluttered lifestyle and rarely buy anything just for fun that I am somehow missing out. Because they are still on the “buying for fulfilment” treadmill they think I am being deprived of the joys of life. I happily inform them that I have no desire to acquire stuff I don’t need just because I “deserve” it. In fact I get a great deal of satisfaction from not feeling the need to buy buy buy.

If I do decide I might like to purchase a certain item I have a golden rule ~ Where possible I try before I buy, buy secondhand or go without.

I prefer to be very sure about a purchase before I make it so if there is a possibility to try first I take it. Better to be disappointed with an item and avoid wasting my money on it than buying and then discovering it doesn’t live up to the hype. To try an item I will either borrow a similar item from a friend or take advantage of a “try before you buy” offer from the retailer. I also like to buy secondhand, that way I am not adding to the supply and demand of new products and if neither option is possible I usually decide I can live without it.

Generally if I have a mind to try something I bide my time until I can manage to pick one up very inexpensively at the thrift store such as the bench top convection cooker I brought home recently. I consider any such purchase to be on a trial basis only. Should the item not live up to what I expect of it or be worth the space it takes up I donate it straight back to the store. Even so these purchases are rare and usually well considered beforehand and are  mostly only ever something that is environmentally friendly and will lighten my workload in some way.

I also come across people all the time who say ~ “I badly need to declutter. I don’t know where all the stuff comes from. I really don’t buy much.” There are two things wrong with what is being said here. The first is  “I badly need to declutter.” ~ Then why aren’t you. Stop thinking about it and start doing it. Five or ten minutes a day to choose something to be rid of and then half and hour once a month to drop the pile of discards off at the thrift store really doesn’t add up to much time. The second issue here is the delusion that ~ “I really don’t buy much.” ~ then where is the clutter coming from. Unless you have a kleptomaniac in your home the stuff is being acquired by you from somewhere.

The truth actually looks more like this “I want to get organised but I really don’t make enough effort to declutter. I also need to stop the tide coming in in order to stop the problem from increasing.” Unless you can be honest with yourself and make an effort to declutter and also stop shopping nothing is going to change. The choice is entirely up to the individual. Get rid of your clutter and have a tidy organised home, you deserve it.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter an obligation item ~ Something you only keep because you feel you should. Often something someone else gave you.

Today’s Decluttered Item

Here is one of those crazy purchases made years ago that were never used. I was glad to redeem a little of the lost cash by selling them on ebay. Hopefully to someone who truly has a use for them.

Six Inch Slide Clamps

Eco tip of the day

Buy less stuff.

In the spirit of todays mini mission I have dug up from the archives a post I once wrote about identifying and disassociating from guilt clutter. I hope this helps you achieve your mini mission for the day as well as assist you in finding a few more of these annoying items to rid yourself of.

Guilt clutter are items you regret having acquiring in the first place but now feel you should keep in order to justify their purchase and/or get your money’s worth out of them. Just about anything can fall into this category but they are usually items that you…

• Spent a lot of money on and haven’t used much.
• Spend money on you couldn’t afford to waste.
• Really didn’t need in the first place.
• Or a combination of the above.

Some of these purchases are aspirational in character such as that fishing boat that sits in the back yard out in the weather unused week in week out, decreasing in resale value everyday. You had good intensions when you bought it but really didn’t put enough thought into it. Your wife doesn’t like fishing that much and the kids aren’t as keen as you thought they would be because they have their own intests. You soon discovered that fishing isn’t that much fun alone and launching the boat can be a challenge on your own also. Fishing really was more fun that odd weekend that your mate Bill would take you out in his boat.

Other purchases come in the form of bandaids to mask disappointment, insecurities or other feeling of dissatisfaction that occur in life. Like that new handbag you bought to compensate for the fact that you hate your job ~ That new dress you bought so you could feel better about yourself even though what you really want is to loose 20lbs ~ The diamond ring you treated yourself to because you husband doesn’t pay enough attention to you any more. Once the novelty wears off these items you are back at the store looking for another hit because you still have that crappy job, the excess weight and the unappreciative husband and now also some very unhealthy credit card debt and a cluttered home.

Sometimes purchases can just be an honest mistake. Say for instance you need a new appliance in the home and you make what you think is a considered purchase and it turns out not to be what really suits your needs. You though you had all the information you needed to make a good choice but six months down the track you are sorry you ever laid eyes on this thing. You couldn’t live your choice any longer and bought a replacement and now that other reject is sitting in your garage taunting you every time you see it.

There are many more stories behind why we purchase these items of guilt but the fact is that is does no good to keep them in our homes if they aren’t being used. They are never going to realise their worth and it is best to cut your losses now and try to sell them on to someone who may appreciate them more. You may only get back a fraction that you paid for them but that is better than wallowing in regret. The grief they are giving you far outweighs the joy they every gave you and it is time to move on.

What is important here is to learn from your mistake/s. Should you make a habit of this vicious cycle then you are really in trouble but if you realise the error of your ways and address the issues that inspire these kinds of purchases instead of running away from them then you will be on your way to recovery.

So if you have any items in your home that you feel may fall under the category of Guilt Clutter it is time to disassociate from them. Take a long hard look at these items and …

• Recognise why you think you bought these objects in the first place.
• Understand the mistakes you made.
• Promise yourself to make more considered choices if you find yourself in a similar position in the future.
• Forgive yourself.

Now use whatever method suits you to remove this object from you life, whether that be to recoup some of you losses or donate it to charity as penance for your transgressions but either way let it go.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter a Guilt item. Something you feel guilty about acquiring in the first place.

Today’s Declutter Item

Another handmade necklace donated to the thrift store. I finished this one off with a clasp to make it saleable so I could declutter it from my craft area. A little more aspiration clutter out of the way.

Handmade Necklace

Eco Tip Of The Day

Decide what you need from the refrigerator before opening the door. Standing there with the door open while you think about what you want to eat just lets the cold air out. Then the fridge has to work harder and waste electricity to regain its optimal temperature level.

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“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

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.

I love to throw in a good old clutter category set of  missions every now an again to get you thinking about what sort of clutter you have. So this week we will declutter something from each of the clutter categories I refer to on a regular basis and one or two less used categories I have referred to in the past. Declutter at least one item per category.

Monday – A Sentimental item. This is self explanatory really it is an item you feel personally attached to or at least once did.

Tuesday – A Guilt item. Something you feel guilty about acquiring in the first place.

Wednesday – An Aspirational item. Something you aspire to getting around to using or trying one day but you know one day is unlikely to come.

Thursday – An Obligation item ~ Something you only keep because you feel you should. Often something someone else gave you.

Friday – A Lazy clutter item ~ No attachment you just haven’t got around to getting rid of it.

Saturday – An Natural Progression item ~ Something that no longer fits, physically or intelectually or has simply been used up or worn out.

Sunday – A Location Inappropriate item ~ That is something the no longer suits your lifestyle since a location change. Perhaps snow gear if you have moved to warmer climes.

Good luck and happy decluttering

Today’s Declutter Item

Will the archive of decluttered craft item photos never end. Even I am getting sick of looking at them. This batch if things were donated to the thrift store.

More craft Items

Eco Tip For The Day

Share and borrow between friends and family rather than everyone owning/buying everything.

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

key #6 – Don’t over think it

Sometimes when we are faced with what seems like a mammoth task we tend to over think the situation. For my decluttering effort each day I just walk into a room take a look around, peek in a cupboard or too and just find something to declutter. Or I might just spy something on my daily meandering throughout the house. Over thinking can cause procrastination or worse scare you off the task altogether. If you find yourself hyperventilating at the mere thought of decluttering, STOP, and take 5 slow deep breaths clear your mind and start over the easy way.

Today’s Mini Mission

Reinstate something. This might be a bottle of shampoo that has been relegated to second best. Bring it to the fore and use it up because it is always going to be second best and wasting space. Or perhaps an old pair of shoes you love but never use. If you find that even after reinstating them they are not used then perhaps it is time to let them go.

Today’s Declutter Item

Gone are the days where we buy souvenirs when we go on vacation. I must admit not having kids along with us these days certainly makes that easier. If you do have kids teach them well by not teaching them this habit.  The experience is what vacations are all about and the great memories are the best things to bring home with you.

Disney Souvenir

Eco Tip Of The Day

Turn of lights when leaving the room no matter how long you are gone for. It really doesn’t take much effort but in the long term all the energy savings do add up.

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“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

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

Key # 5 Admire your handy work

There is nothing like a healthy dose of gloating over what a good job you’re doing to inspire yourself to keep laboring on. Just stop every now and again and look around you and enjoy the difference you are making. Why not go back and take a quick peak in that closet or drawer you decluttered and re-organized yesterday to give you inspiration to get back on task today. I do it all the time it makes me feel good and encourages me to move on to the next step.

Today’s Mini Mission

Repurpose something. I constructed a dolly (a small platform with wheels) out of a piece of chipboard and some spare casters in the garage. It is now making the compressor easier to move around. Maybe you have something in your home that would be good to use for a purpose it may not have been intended for.

Today’s Declutter Item

I bought this item years ago when my children and I used to enjoy the Harry Potter Novels and often took one on vacation with us. My kids are well past the age that I read to them anymore and I rarely buy a book so this item is no longer necessary.

Book Carrier Bag

Eco Tip For The Day

Stop using fabric softener some experts say that it is a waste of money and not that good for your clothes. Try using white vinegar instead. Not only will it remove chemical residue in your fabrics but will also help control mould and mildew in your washing machine. If you like to add a nice scent to your wash load add a few drops of essential oil.

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“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

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

Key #4 Don’t reclutter while you declutter

Decluttering is a complete waste of time if there is as much stuff entering your house as there is going out. Limit your purchases to the things you really have put a lot of thought into whether you will get good use out of them or if they really suits your needs. Don’t wonder aimlessly through the stores looking for stuff you didn’t know you wanted. And try to convince your friends and family not to buy you gifts unless they are consumable in some way.- Fresh flowers, chocolates, beauty treatments and the like.

Today’s Mini Mission

Recycle something. Perhaps some old greeting cards, maybe some magazines or even plastic take-out containers you thought might find useful one day.

Today’s Declutter Item

I actually declutter four of these bowls not just the two pictured here. I just forget to take a new photo of the four once I decided that I had more than enough small bowls to do the job these are usually used for.

Small Ingredient Bowls

Eco Tip For The Day

If you have a garden purely for aesthetic reasons why not grow plants that require little or no watering. Purifying water uses a lot of energy and chemicals so the less we waste the better.

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“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

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 for our mini missions we are going to re every day. Yes I did mean re and you will understand what I mean when you read the missions below. If you can’t think of a task to suit each day just repeat Monday over and over. Good luck

Monday – Relinquish something. Anything will do. Send it to a new home just get it our of yours.

Tuesday – Recycle something. Perhaps some old greeting cards like I did last week, maybe some magazines or even plastic containers you thought might find useful one day.

Wednesday – Refurbish something. Maybe something has become clutter because it needs a lick of paint to bring it back to life.  Even if you end up not using it after all at least if it will now be in better condition for whoever finds it at the thrift store or if you decide to sell it.

Thursday – Repurpose something. Yesterday I constructed a dolly (a small platform with wheels) out of a piece of chipboard and some spare casters in the garage. It is now making the compressor easier to move around. Maybe you have something in your home that would be good to use for a purpose it may not have been intended for.

Friday – Reinstate something. This might be a bottle of shampoo that has been relegated to second best. Bring it to the fore and use it up because it is always going to be second best and wasting space. Or perhaps an old pair of shoes you love but never use. If you find that even after reinstating them they are not used then perhaps it is time to let them go.

Saturday – Regift something. We all have received gifts in our lives that we never really had a need or want for. Why not pass one of them on to someone else who might get the enjoyment out of it that you never did. It doesn’t have to be an occasion just pass it on for the fun of it. Make sure the recipient knows there are no strings attached.

Sunday – Refuse ~ Interpret this one to suit yourself. If you go shopping today refuse a plastic bag, take your own carry bag instead. If you are offered a free sample of something that isn’t instantly consumable politely refuse it. Refuse to buy yourself that thing you think you need and give yourself time to think more responsibly about the transaction.

Good luck and happy decluttering

Today’s Declutter Item

These little pie tins came from my grandparents bakery shop from back in the 1930’s. I rarely if ever use them so I have relinquished them to someone who will. I took them to the thrift store and they were sold before I finished my shift.

Individual Pie Tins

Eco Tip For The Day

Only put enough water in your kettle for the reason you are boiling it. More water takes longer to heat using more electricity. What isn’t used just goes cold again.

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

Key #3 – Get the entire household on board

I know it isn’t always easy to accomplish this one because, lets face it, you have no control over it what so ever. If you can’t verbally convince the other members of your household to comply maybe you can entice them with your success. Once they see how much more organised your spaces are and how happy it makes you, they may be more inclined to join in. When you tell them about your eBay successes and how your bank account is growing because of your retail restraint they may be convinced.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter your socks and underwear drawers ~ I don’t know about you but I tend to wear, wash and put these items back over and over and then when things start to wear out I avoid them and then they just languish in the drawer for months. So every now and again I do a little declutter. Some items I might replace but only if I don’t already have too many.

Today’s Declutter Item

I was given these beads by my mother but twelve months later I had not used them for a project. In my bid to reduce my craft space these were one of the things donated to the thrift shop.

String of beads

Eco Tip For The Day

Use a microfibre mop to clean your floors. All you need is a little water, no harmful chemicals. Even green cleaners have to be manufactured so why use them if you don’t need to.

“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

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

Key #2 -Start with the easy stuff

When it comes to decluttering there are always those items that are easy to part with and items that for one reason or another you feel more attached to. My advice is to start with the easy stuff. Things you know for sure that you no longer want or need. Once you start to see and feel the benefits of your decluttering I am sure you will become more ruthless at parting with stuff. By the time you are done, you will wonder why you were ever so attached to those “hard to get rid of” items in the first place.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter something from your garage, basement or attic ~ These areas are often holding places for all sorts of things some useful and used some forgotten and unnecessary. Time to clear out a few of those unnecessary items.

Today’s Declutter Item

Slowly but surely I am decluttering our photos. Poor quality shots, duplicate shots, pictures that mean nothing… are all being reduced from out collection.

Decluttered Photos

Eco Tip For The Day

Use less laundry detergent. The amount the manufacturers suggest is often more than you need. Try cutting back a little at a time. I am doing this, not only is it better for the environment but is also better for my bank account. Win Win.

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“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

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

At the moment I am visiting family interstate and I have limited access to the internet. I also gave myself very little time to write posts to fill the days while I am away. And to be honest I also just want to take it easy and devote my time away to my family who I will be visiting while I am away. Therefore I decided to dig some posts up out of the archives to share with you over the next couple of weeks. I have chosen a series of posts written in 100 words or less that briefly summarise some of my basic principals of simple decluttering. Also during this period I will not be following my usual routine of the Friday Favourites or possibly even the Simple Saturday posts. I hope you enjoy the trip into the 365 archives as I enjoy my trip to my home state.

Key 1 – Don’t bite off more than you can chew

If you are finding the idea of decluttering your home daunting maybe you are thinking too much about the big picture. Maybe you are picturing turning over entire rooms and disrupting the household. That isn’t necessary. Just work on one small area at a time. Even if you want to focus on one room at a time just clean out a drawer, then another, then one side of the closet, then the other, then under the bed… Limit yourself to one hour jobs so you can easily get finished in one time period and leave no mess when done.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter out of date items from your first aid kit ~ Replace the item if necessary but I find that things that go out of date in my kit are things that never get used so perhaps they just don’t need replacing.

Today’s Declutter Item

This is yet another craft item that had not been used for years so was donated to the thrift store. It was an “I might use it one day” that’s for sure. One day never arrived.

Paper Making Kit

Eco Tip For The Day

It is better to refuse and reduce that to have to recycle. So if you can avoid packaging and bags please do.

“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

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