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 might need it someday is a topic of decluttering that comes up a lot. And that is because it is the cause of a lot of clutter. We all have these items hanging around out house and that is fine, you may just find a use for them sometime but if reducing your clutter is your goal, and a worthy goal it is, then the fewer of these items you have the better. So lets focus on some “I might need it” clutter that maybe ins’t all that essential to the function of your home.
Monday – It is always handy to have some small hardware items on hand but unless you are a handyman, carpenter or home builder then you don’t need to kit your house out like a hardware store. Sure keep an assortment of nails, screws, nuts and bolts on hand but keep it to a minimum. Declutter excess of these items today.
Tuesday – Most peoples linen closets are chock full of “I might need it linens”. Be realistic about what is necessary and what is just variety. Declutter some of the variety that is just wasting space.
Wednesday – Declutter a couple of single use space wasters in your kitchen cupboards and drawers today. Perhaps a melon baller, a pineapple corer or and cherry pitter.
Thursday – Assess what quantities of toiletries you need on hand. Even if buying these items on sale is a passion on yours realise that they go on sale on a regular basis so you don’t need multiples on hand. Personally I keep no extras unless I am about to run out, but I am comfortable with that. Think about what your comfort zone is and whether that is a little excessive and try to change your ways. In the meantime begin a use it up challenge on one or two of these items and vow not to carry so many spares in future.
Friday – How many previously read books do you need on your bookshelves just in case you find yourself with a few hours to waste on a rainy day. Let go of a few that are less popular.
Saturday – Search you home for one item that you haven’t used in the last year. Chances are, if you haven’t used it in that length of time, you don’t really need it and probably never did. Let it go.
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
If you feel like you are carrying a few extra pounds you don’t need then slightly reduce meal sizes. This is good for your waistline, your bank balance and the environment.
It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow
Just a quick comment. This is my Mom’s biggest issue. I understand why because of when she was growing up. Have been quite ill and in the hospital. Now I am home and moving really, really slow I am so very glad we have decluttered so much.
Deb J.,
Your Mom is a depression baby just like mine. Old habits die hard as the old expression goes.
I hope you are on the road to recovery. I will say some extra prayers for you 🙂 Be well.
Hi Deb J, I have been keeping an eye on you through Facebook and am sad you have been unwell. I hope they figure out what your problem is soon and work out a solution for you. It is nice to be back here and see your presence in the comments. I am glad also that your home is decluttered making it easier for you to kick back and take full advantage of recovery time.
I’m glad you are back from your vacation safe and sound. I hope you will be able to share some pictures over time and also at least one of the happy couple and their wedding.
I have decluttered so much and I am very glad. This weekend, hubby and I went out and looked at several antique/flea shops and bought only one thing that I was looking for (a $5 item), but we bought nothing else. One of the shop owners knows me from years past and was surprised to see me. I said that I was sorry but no longer collecting anything. I just don’t want to bring anymore crap into the house. We have other priorities now. We know what we want for our future. Yes, I am very excited to get back into quilting, but I think I can keep it down to specific projects and not become a “fabric hoarder.” 🙂
OMG – I have to tell you all about this. We have a large lot – not acreage but a fairly large lot in a rural town. Small house, a very small garden shed, and then we put in a larger shed from Lowe’s (10×11). Neighbor offered his old shed that has been drywalled, maybe 10 x 15. Oh Jeez, the things we could do if we had the money. Run plumbing and electrical and have it be an art studio. Oh my! But . . . we turned it down. Our house isn’t finished; we are still trying to fund a retirement plan (hubby got started late), and we like vacations. ARGH! I hate that we are refusing something that could be really wonderful, but on the other hand, we really don’t have the money to make it a super cool studio. I guess it comes down to priorities. We plan to be here maybe 12 more years, then out to another place for retirement. We plan on putting minimal money now and retire big somewhere else. We hope – we hope. 🙂
Hi Michelle, I understand how difficult it must have been to pass on this generous offer. I was always a sucker for useful items and bargains so I understand how hard it must have been to turn it down. It just goes to prove how far you have come.
Colleen,
Please keep us posted on your Dad. I will say some prayers for him.
Thanks Kimberley, he is doing well at the moment and getting stronger every day.
Hi Colleen,
I just found your website yesterday and was very inspired by your Mini Missions!!! I have been actively decluttering for two months now and was making slow and steady progress. After seeing your Mini Missions, I went into the archives and started reading through for inspiration, taking notes on areas and items to conquer. There are so many things that I somehow kept missing when I was hunting for clutter! Previously, I have usually found two or three things a day to declutter. Last night, after reading through some of your Mini Mission entries, and armed with inspiration, I decluttered over 80 items!!!
– Lots of electrical items that had been stored away (eg in case I ever need a walkman again? Um…) and I never thought of as perishable.
– A ridiculous amount of extra reels of thread, spare needles (as in, 35 of them! Bought in packets then when opened they weren’t the right ones… Still, embarrassing!) etc.
– Shower gels, bubble bath etc that were mostly used but I got bored with, or gifted at some stage and I didn’t like, now combined into an interesting shade of orangey-yellowy-pink hand gel 🙂
I think a lot of my clutter is things that I think will someday be used – except I end up with far too many of them, eg toiletries and candles (when I first started decluttering, I counted 79 candles. In a studio apartment. Oh dear. New sets got gifted/donated and scrawny ones got used up, I’m down to around 40 now, candlelit evenings are going to be the norm for a while yet!)
The other tough one is obligation/sentimental clutter. That is a toughie to get through! I chipped at it again last night, got rid of a quilt set which I have never used, but someone was convinced I would like one time when they were decluttering!
There are just so many things now that you’ve shone a spotlight on, encouraging me to set them free into the universe for someone else to enjoy. I’d better get back to it I think! Thank you!!! 🙂
Hi Amelia, I was so excited to read your comment today. I must apologise for taking so long to read and respond to it though. I had turned off comment notifications while on vacation and forgot to turn them back on when I returned. I read all comments that came through on the blog but forgot about the ones coming in from new commenters that required approval prior to publishing.
Back to the reason for my excitement. I love to hear success stories when it come to decluttering and it is so gratifying to take a part in those successes. Ultimately of course it is up to the reader to see the sense in what I have to write on the subject so the success is really all yours. I love how you used the mini missions and the reasoning behind them to come to your own conclusions about your stuff. I wish you continues success in letting go and would love to hear more of your story as it progresses. Thank you.