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 - 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
Random Acts of Miscellaneous Kindness
(Little thoughtful acts for no reason but to make a complete strangers life a little easier.)
Re(gift) has been popular here recently. I was unpacking a box from my parents of my stuff from ages ago, and found a nesting-doll frogs. Friends are getting married–he likes frogs and she displays nesting dolls around her house. While I still like it, I don’t think I’d actually display it so into a pretty box it went. It was a hit at the bridal shower! Given it’s at least 20 and probably 30 years old, it even gets to be considered vintage–I suppose one good thing about losing boxes in a move and finding them years and years and years later is everything in it is old enough to be vintage!
The (re)purpose is a three legged mug with 2 functional legs. I need to go to the store anyway, and have remembered finally to put epoxy on the list. Then the mug will become useful and stop cluttering up the top of my bookshelf. With it gone, then the bookshelf top will be clear, which makes it less of a clutter attractor. It’s much easier to add something to something already there than to mar an empty space!
Monday I won’t get Monday’s done, but sometime this week I want to take a box of DVDs to the used DVD store and trade them for cash. It won’t be a lot of cash, but it’ll be a chunk of space. I also have a box for the kid’s consignment store, but their hours are a horrible match to my available time, so it takes me a long time to manage to get out there (going on 2 months at this point *sigh*). The box is in the car, though, so I’m hoping I can maybe make it work this week.
Recycle is the newsletter of a club I belong to, which I shortly won’t get via paper, meaning less potential clutter. While I very much enjoy curling up with it when it comes in the mail, they are changing over so you have to be at above basic membership level to have the option of paper, and then you have to opt-in. I’ve resisted opting out of paper, because I don’t like reading on the computer screen, but I’ve decided to let it just switch to electronic when it happens.
Nice bit of decluttering there Kayote.
Ah! Some really good ones Colleen. I have two items I would like to re-gift. The two dogs that are now living here at my temporary home for two weeks. Grin. They are good dogs they just seem to think I am their new human and they follow me everywhere and then lay beside me wherever I settle.
Deb J.,
Consider that the biggest compliment on who you are. Animals have a very keen sense of people’s character.
Embrace the moments with them. I knew you were special, and now have additional confirmation from the animal world 🙂
I agree Kimberly. Also they may be putting Deb higher in the pecking order because she appears somewhat aloof to them. Who knows but either way it is a compliment.
Higher pecking order? Hum! That’s a new thought.
Thanks Kimberley!
Lol
I think regifting has to be yours to begin with!
My youngest granddaughter was always wrapping other people’s things & giving them to other people. She was very generous with other people’s stuff.
You made me laugh with your joke about regifting the dogs.
Maybe she hates clutter and was trying to do people a favour by gifting it our of the house. Ha ha!
We are about to Recycle an outdated netbook computer, which leaves us with a very nice neoprene case that fits nothing we own. I thought I might be able to use it for part of my car emergency kit – something that would slide neatly under the seat. When I dismembered the car kit I came to the realization that I no longer live where it is likely, or perhaps even possible, that I would find myself having to survive for three days in my car in a blizzard on a dirt road waiting to be rescued. I have pared the kit down to equipment that is more likely to be used here and the rest is being Repurposed into small emergency kits for our kayaks. The neoprene computer bag may find a use after all.
Well done Wendy. So does this mean you have already sold the new house?
No, the house hasn’t sold. The economy is poor right now so I’m not holding my breath. I’m actually thinking of a previous life before the advent of cell phones, when we lived much farther north with much more rugged winters and travelled great distances on empty roads. Moving from here to a city (whenever that happens) will be another set of circumstances altogether.
Ah, I see. Well yes, the lifetime was certainly some time ago then.
Colleen, I thought these were just THE most creative set of mini missions! I don’t know if you were the one to come up with “RE”, but it was so original and cute!! I’m pretty sure I will not get them all done this week, but will certainly keep them in mind. I am happy to report that I did RElinquish 5 pieces of furniture at my yard sale—–a small humpback trunk and a primitive library table, 2 dining chairs, and a baby bed which I had used as a dog bed. Other large items included a really big basket (also had been a dog bed), a canvas tote, a crock. Other misc small items—at least 45 of them. I had not advertised, and it was an unusual sale as the small “junky” things were not in demand. That’s OK. I can take all that to the thrift store when it is all over if I can just eliminate the large items!!! I sold $277. In my small town I have found that $150- $250 USD is about normal for a day. I did have a $700 sale once but that is rare. For this weekend, I have advertised and have a friend joining me. Then, I will skip the next two weekends due to a family reunion and holidays.
I have 3 small REfurbishing projects awaiting in the garage, which I will get to ASAP.
I took a small bag of clothing to the thrift for them to REcycle. But, I have a large tote of over 20 pieces of clothing to see if a friend can wear. Most of them new, or only worn once or twice. Some of the Things I bought in a hurry to “make do” when I thought I was getting a job that didn’t materialize. The continuation of getting my closet down to things I only use and love.
I have finally admitted they are unflattering and uncomfortable and some a tad too small.
Thankfully, I have nothing to REgift, since I quit exchanging gifts several years ago!!! That is unless someone can help me figure out how to REgift so called friends that are a nuisance. (what Don Aslett calls “junk on the hoof”. ). Some of my husband’s “friends” from his previous life showed up Tue morn at 10am, without calling. They stayed till after 3pm. They brought him a large gift and he already has two of the same item (regifting for the future!). Groan!!!!!!! We were also each given a very tacky pen. The wife always brings really cheap pens that I immediately throw in the trash after they leave. Thankfully, they don’t visit as often as they used to!!!!
Hi Brenda, I had been wondering how the garage sale has been coming along. Glad to hear you have already sold some stuff and I wish you success with the coming weekend’s sales.
I feel you pain when it comes to unwanted gifts, like you I have just about eliminated that situation from my life as well. Some people do insist on giving though unfortunately.
I also wish you success with your continued decluttering and that you reach your goal sooner than you expect.
Thank you, Colleen! I will keep you posted. Everything that leaves is GOOD!
I really like the idea of the mini missions to build momentum and keep the decluttering going each day. I love the feeling of releasing items I have that I no longer use or need or want and giving those items a new life with someone else. Some things end in the trash but most things go on to a new life with someone else. It makes parting with those things much easier. I love your blog.
Hi Cindy and welcome to 365 Less Things. I see you have your own blog and am keen to read some of your posts. I had a quick look already and am curious about Unroll Me. I have a real problem with junk mail, to the point that I am thinking about shutting down my current main email account and starting a new one. Please tell us all more about Unroll Me.