Declutter Bug strikes again!!!

Earlier this week, the declutter bug must have bitten me as I got an overwhelming urge to purge the house of unwanted, unloved and unused items in the hope of creating a more simpler and clutter-free life.

First on the radar was the linen cupboard in the hallway. I found quite a few bed sheets and blankets which we no longer need... especially ones for a double bed.... since we don't even OWN a double bed???

Next up, I set the girls up in the lounge room with a movie whilst I set to work decluttering their bedroom. It was paramount that I made sure that they were suitably distracted otherwise they would want to 'help', and then nothing would get done, or disposed of!!! Two hours later and the result was a car boot loaded up with clothes and toys to be donated. 

I also did a quick declutter in Jack's room whilst he was at school and gave my next door neighbour a bag full of clothes for her son. He didn't have much in the way of toys to get rid of, as now that he's getting older, he tends to only play with a few things, and the things he didn't need found new homes last time I did a declutter in his room.

Well, the declutter bug struck again today, and this time I decided to tackle our bedroom and walk-in-robe. Well, the end result was 2 huge garbage bags of clothes, and a large stripy bag full of other bits and pieces which were too good to throw away, but which we no longer needed and were just cluttering up our cupboard and drawers.

Even Tim got in on the act and he had a really good sort out of all his clothes and got rid of heaps! (He had so many clothes, but as he works all week and is only home on the weekend, all he ever wears is his work uniform and a few outfits at home, yet his cupboard hanging space and drawers were overflowing with unused clothes!)

I even managed to free up a drawer in the top of my chest of drawers, and have now turned the chest of drawers into a dressing table as well. No longer are my pretty bottles of perfume and jewelery box hidden away inside the walk-in-robe, but they are now proudly displayed onto of my new dressing table/chest of drawers. The top drawer is now home to my makeup and hair accessories instead of them all being crammed into the top drawer in the bathroom... which also meant that I inadvertantly did a declutter in the bathroom whilst I was at it too!

It was a such a good feeling taking all the bags of rubbish and things to be donated out to the car and knowing that these things would no longer be adding to the clutter inside our home, but also knowing that by getting rid of these things, I have been able to better organise the space in these rooms. Not only do I now have a lovely dressing table, but I also have an area set up in my room for my sewing machine and all the fabric and bits and pieces to go with it! No longer is it tucked away underneath my computer desk, but is sitting ready and waiting for me to let my creativity loose!

Still on the 'Declutter To-Do-List' is the loungeroom, kitchen/dining room, laundry, computer desk area, and the really scary one... the garage!! That one's going to be a doozy!!!

There's one particular item in the house which I'm eagerly eying off but think I'll wait another day or so... Melody's dummy! I hid it first thing this morning, and she has gone the whole day without it! I'm really excited about the prospect of getting rid of it as her dummy is like an extra appendage for her. The fact that she has managed to cope reasonably well without it all day is a really good thing! Think I'll keep it hidden for another day or so before the declutter bug steals it!

Laundry Declutter

After signing up for the  'Trash It, Or Treasure It' challenge on Brocante Home, I was inspired to take one of the steps for the first week of the 26 day challenge a little further.

The step was simply to clear out all washing from the laundry so that the bottom of the basket was empty, and that all clean washing was put away. Well, with 2 loads of washing waiting to be done, I decided I would give the entire laundry a clean whilst I was at it. 

I decided to take some before and after photos so that I could see the evidence of my hard work once it was completed.

Before - view looking in from laundry door

After - view looking in from laundry door

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Before - under the laundry sink

After - under the laundry sink

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Before - inside laundry cupboard

After - inside laundry cupboard

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I have to say, it did not really require all that much effort, and I was able to declutter quite a bit of unnecessary rubbish which was hiding in the cupboards for no apparent reason! I'm rather happy with the end result too... now the room I use to keep everything clean for my family is now sparkling clean too... which makes it a much more pleasant place to be :)

Fingers crossed I can keep it this way!

Declutter Challenge... and we're off!!!

Well so far my de-clutter challenge has gotten off to a great start.

This is a photo of just some of the items I have decided need to go to a new home.

Some of these items have been lucky enough to go to a new home already, as they were snapped up by members from Freecycle. It felt great everytime my doorbell rang and someone took yet another bag of stuff away! 

The rest of the items are either waiting to be collected, or will be donated to charity. There is even more items in the box in my walk-in-robe which are ready to find a new home, but I didn't count them in this challenge as I had already set them aside as things to get rid of.

Hubby was a bit funny about me getting rid of all this stuff (even though it is pretty much all my things). He made the comment "just don't get rid of TOO much stuff. Don't forget, we have paid for it so it would be a waste of money". To which I answered "what difference does it make? If its not being used or is no longer needed, its a waste of money anyway. I might as well give it away to someone who WILL use it!"

Challenge: Declutter Time!

I've been looking around my home and am amazed at the sheer magnitude of "stuff" we have accumulated. Some of this "stuff" is things we use... but a lot of it is things which just sit there gathering dust, and, in all honesty would not be missed.

You know the sorts of things I mean... those gadgets filling up your kitchen cupboards which you just 'had  have!'. The trinkets lining your mantelpiece covered in an inch of dust. The CD's you haven't listened to in years (and quite frankly are now rather embarrassed to admit you actually own!). Toys which have been buried at the bottom of the toy box and haven't seen the light of day for months or even years. The mountains of clothes that no longer fit, or that you just wouldn't be seen dead wearing in public...

I'm sure if you REALLY looked around your home, you could come up with quite a substantial list of things that you don't really need. Things that you are holding on to 'just in case' you need them... although you haven't needed them in over 5 years. Things which you paid too much money for just to throw away. Things that are sentimental for some reason or other, but now they only really help add to the clutter.

Clutter only creates more work and helps contribute to stress. I have therefore made it a mission to rid myself of these items, which in turn will hopefully create a more harmonious and stress-free home. Purging my house of this unnecessary "stuff" will also have a flow on effect to our budget, as I'll now look at things more closely before buying them and assess whether we do really 'need' them, or if they are merely a 'want' which will eventually just become clutter.

I have decided that each day, I will go around the house and find 10 things that need to go... and if I find more than 10 that day, great! Also, for every new item which is brought home, an old item has to go. For example, if a new pair of shoes is brought, an old pair must go, etc.

I have already made a start by going around my house and gathering together things that don't get used... a set of 6 red wine glasses which I received as a gift, only I don't drink wine... countless tea light candle holders... scrapbooking and craft items which have never been used... computer games which haven't been played in years...

I have dedicated a box to place these items into. It is in my walk-in-robe so that I do not have to look at the pile of clutter before it leaves the house, therefore it already feels as if its gone.

I've been listing some of these items on Freecycle some of which have already been happily claimed by people who DO actually need/want them. It feels good to know that they are not just going into the rubbish and adding to landfill.

Sure I could probably sell some of this stuff to make some money back, but quite frankly, I've tried selling things on Ebay in the past and it only ended up being a hassle. The amount of money made (or in some cases lost) was not worth the effort. I'd rather have the immediate benefit of removing the clutter from my home.

I'll end up donating a lot of this "stuff" to charity for them to either give to people who need them, or sell in their thrift stores to raise money. Charity needs the money more than we do.

So, now that I'm feeling all inspired... I'm off to declutter some more :) Care to join me?