Sally White of  http://www.mindclutter.uk/ has kindly written this blog post for you. I hope you will find it helpful and your minds will be less cluttered after reading it. Enjoy!

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I first started decluttering my home to create a calmer environment that would help my over anxious and jumbled mind relax. I considered writing about decluttering possessions, but Colleen does such a good job of it that I thought I’d share something different instead – tips on decluttering the mind.

Begin by identifying the types of thoughts that are cluttering up your mind with worry, stress or negativity. It might seem as if you have a million different worries, but if you start to put them into categories you are likely to notice themes emerging.

Are most of the worries about trying to remember the numerous tasks that need doing or perhaps how you will find the time to do them all? Are you dwelling on things from the past that cannot be changed or worrying about what the future holds?

Once you are aware of the underlying themes, it becomes a lot easier to figure out how to tackle them. Here are some common problems and solutions:

Too many tasks – write them all down so that remembering them all is one less task. Next, prioritise them so you know which to focus on completing first. If the list looks too daunting then simply take a few of the highest priority tasks and turn them into a mini to do list each day.

Putting off larger tasks – break each big task down into several more manageable tasks. For example, cleaning the house could be split by room or type of cleaning (tidying, dusting, vacuuming etc).

Too little time – it is surprising how much time technology can take up without you even realising. Try unplugging by only checking your emails at certain times, turning off social media notifications etc.

Worrying about decisions – trust your initial judgment because repeatedly going over the same information won’t help you make better decisions. Only allow yourself to revisit it if new information comes up. And remember, sometimes there is no right or wrong decision.

Regretting the past – if you can’t change it then it’s time to let it go. Focus on the present and what is achievable.

I’d love to hear your own suggestions in the comments.

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

Having just helped some folks clean their home, ahead of a rental inspection, I am once again reminded of how much more difficult cleaning is when there is so much clutter. 

Things sitting out on display, whether that be for aesthetics, convenience or lack of cabinet space (due to them being cluttered), are prone to get dusty or, in the case of the kitchen area, also covered in grime. The more things out the higher degree of difficulty there is to achieve a good outcome on cleaning day.

Not having a good working system for dealing with paperwork also adds another layer of mess to have to clean around. Not to mention the possibility of being late in payment for important accounts, missed opportunities and added life stress.

Lets talk about the kitchen. This area can be prone to pests if things aren’t cleaned properly. So it stands to reason that the more stuff you leave out on the bench tops the more difficult it becomes when you have to move them all in order to achieve a properly clean kitchen. Not to mention that, to do the job properly all these items will also need a wipe down on a regular basis, as kitchen grime has a tendency to settle on exposed items. To simplify the task it is best to only leave items on the bench that are used numerous times a day. I leave out the tea, sugar, teapot, kettle and our drinking glasses (that we reuse throughout the day). These items are easily moved aside and wiped under and over on cleaning day.

Items can still be in convenient positions in the kitchen without them being out on the bench.  The trick is to store them in a closed space that is the most convenient for use. This positioning is only possible if your cabinets aren’t cluttered with things that aren’t used often enough to warrant the space they are wasting. Cluttered spaces also make it difficult to find what you want when you want.

The bathroom is another area where leaving stuff out makes for harder cleaning. In this space you are combining moisture and dust which adds yet another degree of difficulty. If your cabinet is cluttered with excess makeup, lotions and potions then there won’t be convenient room in there to put things that get used regularly that would otherwise clutter up your bench top, sink or bath edge. Also storing numerous shower and hair products in your shower cubical is a recipe for mould buildup. You may think that variety is the spice of life but there is a limit where it becomes more of an inconvenience than a bonus. Consider what you really need in your bathing and makeup routine and use up and eliminate the overflow.

Bedrooms are harder to clean when lots of tidying up is necessary before the real work can begin. Clothes “hung up” on the floor, kids toys and craft projects all over the place and unmade beds. The same goes for the living spaces in your home when the floor and sofas are cluttered with magazines, toys, throw rugs, cushions, soiled dishes, electronic gadgets, school newsletters… And all this before even being able to vacuum the floor and dust any trinkets and horizontal surfaces.

Now imagine a home that is still individualised, warm and inviting but easy to clean each week. With a quick, if any, pick up prior to the main clean and very little dusting and things moved in order to accomplish the task. That is what I live with and I can tell you it is a pleasure.

After cleaning the bathroom of the home that mentioned above I was informed that I spent way more time on it than what is usually spent. I responded saying “That is because I did it properly”. The reply to that was “I do it properly, but only what I have to.”. As you can imagine my response to that was “There is no such thing!”. It was also said “But I don’t like cleaning.”. My response to that was “Neither do I but I hate a dirty house more.”

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.

Time again to do some mini missions to track down those perishable items that might be past their used by dates. This doesn’t just apply to food of course. There are all sorts of things that perish when left unused for a long time. So lets see what we can find.

Monday – Check you medicine cabinet and first aid kit for any medications, ointments etc that are past their used by dates.

Tuesday – Seek out any stretchy things that have lost their elasticity such as hair bands, rubber bands, elastic, underwear etc.

Wednesday – Declutter any makeup that has lingered too long with or without use. Especially used eye makeup as it can harbour all sorts of nasties. Anything with oil can also go rancid from sitting around too long such as lipsticks, lip balms, creams etc.

Thursday – Declutter any batteries that no longer have any life in them. Especially those rechargeable ones that will no longer hold a charge.

Friday – Also round up all the pens, be they ball point, gel, felt, etc, around your house and toss out those that no longer work.

Saturday – And of course the pantry and fridge are good places to seek out out of date items. Don’t be too precious though, food is often quite edible past its used by date but now would be a good time to use it up so it doesn’t get wasted.

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.)

I have dithered many times in my decluttering journey, unable to make a decision about my stuff.  Two of the “ditherees” left my house this morning because I needed soft fillers to keep the glass bowls I was donating from clashing with each other.  One item was a top I bought that always looked better on my younger daughter than it did on me.  When she left home, she also left the top.  I thought this morning that I’m never going to wear that again and it’s not my other daughters’ style, so out it went.  The other item was a pair of nice warm slippers.  They didn’t have an indoor – outdoor sole, which bugs me, plus they were the type that you have to pull on with your hands.  I like slip-ons better.  So, in all the years I have had these warm slippers in a color I like, I have worn them only a handful of times!

All this got me thinking about how many things we dither about, meanwhile these things are taking up space in our homes!  I thought a good mission would be to gather all “ditherees” into a pile in the most spacious area of your home and think about them as a group.  Maybe when you see the volume of space that these items are taking every day, it will be easier to part with some.  If you want bonus points, you can decide ahead of gathering these items that you will commit to donating at least half of them.

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 the mini missions are inspired by a Facebook post by a friend of my daughter. She had posted some clothing items for sale that still had the tags on. I am obviously not an avid shopper because when I do buy a new item of clothing I am excited to wear it and do so quite quickly. That isn’t to say that occasionally I’ll buy something that, after wearing for a few times, turns out to be uncomfortable, falls out of shape or some other thing that deems it useless and has to be decluttered or returned to the store. And that is always a disappointment. Anyway here are you missions for today…

Monday – Declutter something you have never worn or will likely never wear again.

Tuesday - Declutter something you’ll never read again.

Wednesday - Declutter something you have never really liked.

Thursday - Declutter something you have never used enough to warrant wasting the space on.

Friday - Declutter something you have never enjoyed as much as you thought you would.

Saturday - Declutter something you have never felt comfortable in/with/about.

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

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 all about those things that build up until you can’t help but notice. You generally notice when you feel like the clutter is closing in on you again but you don’t understand how that happened. So I have listed some areas for you to check on and declutter if necessary.

Monday – Declutter a couple of items you have just lost interest in. Don’t be concerned about what they cost or how little they were used. Just get them out of your life if you have no use for them.

Tuesday – If you are like me and keep the odd, seemingly useful, container and then later on find they are building up and not being used then declutter a few today. Jars, plastic containers, cans, folders, plastic sleeves…

Wednesday – Sometimes we buy a new item of clothing without letting go of the items that it replaced. Items that are a little shabby. So now is a good day to let go of some of those items.

Thursday – If you have children declutter some items they have grown out of.

Friday – Declutter some entertainment items that you no longer care to enjoy. Board games, digital games, outdoor fun equipment etc

Saturday – Declutter shabby linens that have hung around too long waiting to be used as rags.

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

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.

How often do you buy something to replace something else that has either become old and shabby or because the novelty has simply worn off. Items that although functional you don’t really wish to use any more. While at the same time you don’t want to through away the old one because it still has some life in it. Like that old handbag you once loved but replaced it a while back with a new model. The old one is still fine to use, and you might someday, but for now you are excited about using the new one. The thing is most of the time the old one is never used again and just sits there to perish. So this week we are going to be realistic about what we are ever likely to use again and get rid of the things, if we are to be honest, will never be used again. So let us get started.

Monday – Declutter a piece of jewellery you haven’t used in a long time and probably never will again.

Tuesday - Declutter a old item of clothing you haven’t used in a long time and probably never will again.

Wednesday - Declutter an old handbag, purse or wallet you haven’t used in a long time and probably never will again.

Thursday - Declutter some sort of gadget you haven’t used in a long time and probably never will again.

Friday - Declutter an old décor item up tucked away somewhere a long time and probably never will again.

Saturday - Declutter a fashion accessory you haven’t used in a long time and probably never will again. That might be a scarf, a tie, a belt, shoes, hat…

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.)

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.)

I often get comments from people contradicting my suggestions regarding what to declutter and pleading their case on why they keep certain items or collections of things. Avid readers love their books, baking enthusiasts love a good range of pans and utensils, crafters, like myself, will cater to their craft, perhaps even over cater. There are also shoe lovers out there, fashionistas, modellers, family history caretakers, plant enthusiasts, collectors of all sorts of things…

The purpose of my blog is not to insist that we all live a completely minimalist lifestyle. I don’t, so it would be totally hypocritical of me to suggest such a thing. My intention here is simply to draw your attention to areas of your homes that may need considering when it comes to culling of unused and unloved items. And I am sure your intention here is to consider that advice in a bit to declutter your homes, which is why you read my blog in the first place. I don’t explain this in every article I write because I presume my readers are all aware of this however it doesn’t hurt for me to reinforce this, every now and again, in a post like this.

So lets talk a little about what decluttering is to each individual, because I would hate for people to spend time regretting decluttering items that they loved or were still useful to them, just because I suggested it in a post.  So here are a few examples to explain the concept of what is clutter and what isn’t to the individual.

I have one bottle of perfume is that too few? Some women would think so because they like to mix it up a little, something floral one day, something oriental the next. Some may even think I am very unsophisticated for this. I care little about their opinion because one is enough for me. I am sure also that they would have the same opinion of me because I only use one handbag and it doesn’t match all my shoes. Once again, I don’t care. I find life simpler with less choice.

On the other hand I have a plethora of craft supplies. And although I have way less than I did prior to my decluttering journey there is still an overabundance. To the less creative person my collection would seem ridiculous but to me they are a good variety that allows me to achieve the creativity I desire. It really is my only vice so I am happy to live with that. And I continue to use up supplies that I have no intention of ever replacing.

Someone else may only have two towels, two pair of shoes, one set of sheets but a display cabinet full of china handed down from a relative long passed. So what, minimalism is one thing to one person and something else to another. It is not up to anyone to decide what you care about and what you don’t, what is too much and what is too few.

Anyone reading my blog is here because they want to reduce what they own in order to free themselves of the restrictions that clutter can cause. Space restrictions, time restrictions, cash flow restrictions etc. Having the intention to declutter will set you in the right direction, then I am sure you are all capable of deciding in what areas you want to reduce and by how much. As momentum takes over you may get more adventurous but that is up to you. Be an individual and do it your way.

At the same time, if you are here reading my blog and defending every little thing you own as precious to you, while you home is cluttered to the rafters, then perhaps you need more help than I can give. Hoarding can be a serious issue and professional help is require to overcome such an issue. And in that case I would strongly suggest you seek medical help. Your GP is the first person to turn to and they will refer you on to the professional that can help you best.

“If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we’d be happy with more?” — Unknown

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 on a regular basis 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. 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 have aspired to getting around to using or trying one day but never have.

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

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