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 set of mini missions is a little different to the usual format. Instead of finding something different every day I want you to pick a area in your house that you feel is too cluttered and choose seven possible declutter items regardless of whether you are sure about decluttering them or not. Just pick seven items that you feel are cluttering up the space, physically or mentally.
I want you to set them aside somewhere that they are clearly visibile to you. For the rest of the week I want you to contemplate these items. Use my Declutter Decision Making Guide to help you decide if these item should stay or go.
At the end of the week make the final decision, what stays and what goes. The point of this mission is to train yourself to be objective about each item for what it really is and not just what it represents to you emotionally. In some cases it my be about weighing up emotions ~ do I love this item more than it is an inconvenience to me.
Good luck! I would love some feedback on whether you kept all seven, decluttered all seven or did a little of both. Remember be objective.
Good luck and happy decluttering
Today’s Declutter Item
In an attempt to once again reduce my craft supplies I sifted through my mat board and threw the small scraps and scarred pieces into the recycling. This allowed me to relocate the remainder into a smaller container thus freeing up a little more space.
Mat Board Scraps
Something I Am Grateful For Today
My husband and I had a lovely ride on his motorbike up to the vineyards in the Hunter Valley today. The weather looked a bit iffy but it got better as the day went on. The scenery was lovely and it was nice to get out of the house for a few hours.
It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow
So it has to be my stuff? I can’t put anybody’s else’s stuff in the pile? It’s not like I don’t have enough of my own to deal with 🙂
This is good, Colleen–I’ve been thinking this week that my bedroom needs a clean out.
Hi Willow,
I look forward to hearing how it went for you and the thought process that occurred.
I haven’t had a chance to comment on the most recent posts. Hurricane Irene hit and left our town with 4 feet of water. Our basement is flooded and everything in there looks like a total loss. We are busy bailing water and pumping and are hoping we don’t lose the furnace and water heater but won’t know for awhile if they can be saved. We brought some stuff upstairs before the storm but things that were left there were raised up higher……still the flow of water kinda tossed things around.
So there won’t be any need for “decisions” down there, it will all have to go. Our power has been flickering on and off and we are praying it stays on so we can keep pumping. The real cleanup won’t start til we can remove all the water. Funny, it makes me sad, even though I have been wanting hubby to clean up the basement.
Hi Amy,
I have been wondering how you were getting on. I am glad you and your family are OK. I am sorry though that you were flooded and have a big clean up to do. Like you say though at least you have eliminated a bit of decision making in the basement. There is nothing like being a cup half full kinda gal. I hope though that your power stays on and you don’t end up having to clean out the refrigerator and freezer as well. Good luck mate!
Amy, I’m glad you and your family are ok. Sorry to hear about the water/damage. Yuck. Don’t envy you that one. Maybe it makes it harder to have to toss stuff out (even though ya’ll might of wanted it to go anyway) because it was due to the storm, and that was not your final (or your husband’s final) decision. Colleen, do you have a post relating to the emotional aspects of having to declutter (aka: clean up), but due to something beyond our control???
Hi Colleen,
I’m dropping out for 6 weeks while we go on our fall trip, but I’m going to save this one for when we get back. There’s some ‘very valuable’ items in boxes in the basement which fit in with this mission.
I’m setting my own mini-mission for the trip. I am going to list EVERYTHING we take, and when we get back I will see what we used, and what we didn’t. We’re very good when we backpack but when we go in the trailer I take way too many clothes. And books. And food….
Hi Wendy B,
I will miss you while you are away. I hope you have a very nice trip. I look forward to hearing how the packing went and what didn’t get used. Bon voyage mon amie!
Ok, so I got this weeks project done in one day. Maybe that is considered sorta cheating? Let me first explain that the kids just returned to school today after summer break, and I found myself with a large amount of free time on my hands. So, as instructed for Monday, I gathered up the seven items from one place and set them where I could see them. Then I was going about my day, and I kept looking over at that (darn) pile of stuff. After having a hardy lunch, I ended up going through the entire house and gathering up more items from all over and adding those items to the large pile in the living room. I stepped back and looked at the pile and knew right away in my heart that it was time to load it up and get rid of it. I truly didn’t want to go through my week gazing at the stuff sitting in the corner of our living room.
So it all got loaded into the car and I hauled it away.
Some stuff could’ve been sold on ebay or at a resale shop (‘been there, done that’); free stuff could’ve been listed on craigslist (or some Internet site like that; again, ‘been there, done that’). However, the money and my time and efforts have already been spent on the stuff, and I didn’t want to invest any more time, money or energy into it. I just wanted to get rid of it. So I did. I just gave it all away and drove home from the thrift place with a huge smile on my face!
I must also add that I had been contemplating what to do with all that stuff that made it onto the pile for some time now. So when I saw it all stacked up together, I just told myself the heck with it and away it went. I didn’t need to wait any longer or think any of it through, I knew what to do at that moment.
Hi Annabelle,
well that set of mini missions certainly had the desired effect on you in a hurry. Well done! It is amazing how much more annoying those clutter items become when they are not only there but right there in your face. Hard to avoid making a decision when they are out of place and in your way isn’t it. And good for you opting to just donate them. I think I may use your comment here linked to an experience I had a couple of days ago for an upcoming post.
I would like to suggest that you repeat this weeks challenge since you achieved it so fast but perhaps you should just be rewarded for your effort with a cyber pat on the back and allowed to wallow in your victory. I say again, well done!
Colleen, thanks for continuing to inspire me. I finally began tackling our storage room this weekend. Removed about 30 half-empty paint cans from previous home projects. Took them to the hazardous waste drop off at our landfill. What can be reused is left for the public to take, so it does gets recycled there. I also finally painted a bench that I’ve been meaning to do for over a year. It was a great weekend. Anita
Hi Anita,
good for you. Doesn’t it feel goooood! The joys of decluttering are doubled when it inspires you to finish a project you have been meaning to do for some time. And being able to take those paint cans to a place where you know that what can be will be recycled is a good feeling too. I am glad you had a great weekend.
The area needed decluttering here is garage – for garage sale, We were going through things the other day and there isn’t heaps of stuff but there is still “stuff” that won’t be used. But it does go to show that decluttering and the mindset of decluttering is an ongoing process. Me, who said the other day “l don’t have a problem getting rid of stuff” ………..mmmmmmm………….well l found a brand new printed plate, dip bowl and spoon set that was an engagement present…like 11 YEARS AGO……and l’ve NEVER used. I really want to keep it….why….because it is pretty and “too good” to get rid of. I will probably change my mind between now and the garage sale, but l feel a bit disappointed in myself that l had a strong desire to keep it.
Hi Felicity,
when I had something at a garage sale that I was sure I wanted to get rid of I would put top dollar on it. Then if it sold I could at least be satisfied that I got good money for it and if it didn’t I was also happy. What I suggest is if you do decide not to sell it start using it. I would prefer to see things get broken from use than wasted collecting dust. Good luck with the garage sale!