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 we are going to let our feeling help us to declutter. I will name an emotion and you will find something in your home that evokes this feeling. I will of course be focusing on negative emotions because after all who wouldn’t want to get that sort of clutter out of their homes. I will how ever through at least one positive emotion, one neutral one and one undecided. So here goes
Monday – Declutter something that brings you sadness whenever you see it. Perhaps something that reminds you of a lost love.
Tuesday – Declutter something that evokes a feeling of dissatisfaction. Perhaps an item of clothing that never quite suited you.
Wednesday – Declutter something that causes you anger. Perhaps something that you bought but has never worked properly.
Thursday – Declutter something that although it brings you happiness you really would rather the liberated space.
Friday – Declutter something that you feel ambivalent about. Something you have been sitting on the fence about decluttering for a while. Perhaps it is time to let it go.
Saturday – Declutter something that evokes no other feeling except sheer boredom. This could be anything.
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
It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow
Hum! Colleen, you sure have me thinking here. I don’t think I have anything that causes me anger but I think I can find the rest of them. Good ideas.
That’s all of my possessions gone then!
This is really helpful! I Have been putting off cleaning out that ’emotional’ box – but no more – The more space I have,the more liberated I become.Thanks for the inspiration Colleen!
This is a tough one!
Me again: ok, does cutting a tree down count? Turns out no one likes it, its a nuisance in its location (sort of a communal garden triangle between us and our neighbours property) that hangs over the driveway and drops debris everywhere. I’d sent Adrian out to cut back some branches but he does tend to get carried away with a chainsaw. Turns out it gives the neighbour and her daughter allergies, so they decided between them to remove the whole tree and we’ll replace it with something more suitable.
Moni, sure it counts. Why not?! Hope you can find a tree that will end up everything you need for that area.
I have several strings of fairy lights (most of which don’t work) strung up on the back verandah, left from the previous owners. They look messy and I LOATHE them, but they have been hanging there, mocking me, since we moved here over a year ago. Today they are GONE!! Thanks Colleen, for giving me the push to get rid of them.
Update: We just had a rather big emotional clutter item take the first step out from under our care. We kept our first house as a rental, mainly because pre-recession it was a savvy financial step, had good tax breaks attached to it and we were emotionally quite attached to the house that was a do-upper and had a lot of good memories attached to it. Seven years on the tax laws had changed and there was no advantage to having a rental, tenants can be a hassle and it was getting us down seeing the property not being looked after like we used to. Adrian was finding it hard maintaining two properties gardens and general repairs etc. Well, today we accepted an offer on it.
I think houses can become the biggest item of clutter for a lot of people. The reality of keeping this house is more to do with dollars and time than emotion. Real estate agents use peoples emotions to sell houses. The burden will be lifted from Adrian to maintain it and you can relax not having to worry about tenants.
Cheers
Wendy F – I’m not sure when this house went from emotional attachment to emotional burden but its a bit of a shame we hung onto it right thru the recession but onwards and upwards.
Moni, way to go. I’m proud of you. That’s a hard one at times.
I think we could add fear to the emotional stew. Are you afraid to declutter something that involves another opinion? Is it an item that requires permission to remove? Are you just afraid to have to convince someone that you don’t require it anymore?
Then you could add denial. I like denial, it’s the emotion most people hide behind when questioned as to why they have excess. Their explanations for excess are based on other peoples opinion of them. Eg . I need twenty different jumpers because other people expect to see me in different clothes all the time. Or; I thought you wanted me to keep that…Or; It was half price….too good a bargain……
Cheers
I feel you are talking to me Wendy F. 🙂 Fear. I’m gonna have to work on that one.
Wendy F, these are good thoughts. We have so many reasons why.
I gotta say that this has been one of my favorite lists. I don’t know why but you gave me permission to get rid of stuff that I really didn’t have a real reason to get rid of. I mean I usually think of function and you helped me see clearly on a few things that I had for no other reason than I still used them….but I didn’t really like them! Ha! Funny, I know. A big suitcase left the door last night to a church’s garage sale and I could not be happier.
Thank you for these-these very things have helped me since finding your blog and help me still today. I have felt so much relief after especially letting go of the things that bring me negative feelings even if they were gorgeous. The pretty things that I like but don’t have room for are the hardest to let go of now, but I am learning that it is so freeing to share those with others and just keep the MOST special to me of the lovely things. I don’t need to keep them all just because I find them lovely. I need this constant reminder. And today I am enjoying passing on things that are just sitting collecting dust and are just sort of pretty but not noticed anymore…someone else can enjoy them now! It is so funny how I keep thinking I have gotten the decor part of the decluttering done. I don’t have much out, but as time goes by I realize I really do have more decor than I thought. My tolerance for it all keeps changing, that’s all. 🙂 And I’m thrilled that you inspire me to keep changing and growing as I am able. Thank you!