Author Topic: Declutter your home in 15 minutes a day/52 Week Challenge  (Read 6699 times)

NeverWasACornflakeGirl

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Declutter your home in 15 minutes a day/52 Week Challenge
« on: January 14, 2014, 07:45:52 AM »
I'm doing the "15 minutes a day" mentioned below, which ties into that site's 52-week challenge, and wanted to pull it out and give it its own challenge thread for those who are doing it, as I could really use the support.  Is anyone else going to try this?

Congrats, mm1970, on the work you've done so far!  My counters were already clear from some work I did over the holidays, and my kitchen is too small to have different functions, so I kind of skipped over week one.  In week 2, so far I've gotten rid of a broken food processor, a plastic food container for taking relish trays to parties, a whole bunch of baby spoons (my "baby" is 8 years old!), and a bunch of old medicine bottles and assorted trash (who puts empty bottles and bags back in the cupboard?).  I also sent a bunch of teas that no one likes to work with my SO.  It doesn't sound like much, but it feels GREAT to see those cabinets reorganized and not to have things falling out on me when I want to make some tea!


Someone on this site - don't know who, don't know where, recommended Home Storage Solutions printable calendar for "Declutter your home in 15 minutes a day".

http://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/support-files/2014-printable-declutter-calendar-final.pdf

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.

Over the holidays I worked on just decluttering bits and pieces as I had time. I was home with the boys, so I didn't really have that much time.  But I printed January and February and got to work.  January is "the kitchen".

Well, this morning my husband helped pick out a few books to donate.  Then we tackled two kitchen drawers.  Amazing!  We still have 9 more drawers to go, but we do have all of January.  I got rid of half the stuff in that top drawer.  Even if we only do 1/3 of the days in this calendar, we will be SOOO much better off at the end of the year!  I really like the small, focused jobs.  And doing it TOGETHER is better.

greenmimama

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Re: Declutter your home in 15 minutes a day/52 Week Challenge
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2014, 12:08:51 PM »
That looks like a pretty comprehensive list, maybe I can jump in here, we are going to put our house up for sale this Spring so every little bit helps the big picture :)

NeverWasACornflakeGirl

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Re: Declutter your home in 15 minutes a day/52 Week Challenge
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2014, 05:05:07 AM »
That looks like a pretty comprehensive list, maybe I can jump in here, we are going to put our house up for sale this Spring so every little bit helps the big picture :)

Awesome!  I didn't get anything done last night because I had a migraine and was just too tired from work.  Tonight is probably a wash because we have Girl Scouts.  I have thought about what's in some other cupboards, though, and I know there is a broken bread machine in one that I'm getting rid of, and too many florist's vases in another.  It would probably take me all of 45 seconds to fish those things out and put them in the donate box.  Then it's on to the dreaded junk drawer!  I had organized it with nice dividers over a year ago, but I haven't been maintaining it, so I need to clear it out and reorganize it.

-Edited for grammar
« Last Edit: January 15, 2014, 05:07:53 AM by Trina »

mrfilthyrich

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Re: Declutter your home in 15 minutes a day/52 Week Challenge
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2014, 07:51:21 PM »
Count me in for this!  I've been away visiting family but will be headed back home this Saturday and will start working through the calendar.  This should be a good way to organize all of the tasks into something more manageable.

mm1970

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Re: Declutter your home in 15 minutes a day/52 Week Challenge
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2014, 07:04:13 PM »
I'm very happy with this list.  I haven't done a great job since that first week (our family got hit with the stomach flu), but like I said, if I even get through 1/3 of it, I will consider myself a success!

NeverWasACornflakeGirl

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Re: Declutter your home in 15 minutes a day/52 Week Challenge
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2014, 05:26:47 AM »
I haven't done much in the last week -- I've had one of the worst weeks ever at work.  Still want to get something done, though, even if it's something small!  The floor of my pantry seems to turn into a place where my SO just throws stuff if she can't find anywhere else to put it.  Maybe I need some wire shelving in there to make it more structured?  Right now I can't see the floor and don't know what's in there because she just throws bags and whatnot in there.  Does anyone have a good way of storing canvas and insulated grocery bags?

lizzzi

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Re: Declutter your home in 15 minutes a day/52 Week Challenge
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2014, 09:33:23 AM »
Trina--I just nest them all inside of one, and either keep it in the car ready to go, or hang it on a doorknob in the passageway out to the garage.

Greg

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Re: Declutter your home in 15 minutes a day/52 Week Challenge
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2014, 10:01:20 AM »
Does anyone have a good way of storing canvas and insulated grocery bags?

We use a row of coat hooks for this purpose.

mrfilthyrich

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Re: Declutter your home in 15 minutes a day/52 Week Challenge
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2014, 03:06:02 PM »
I'm definitely not going to keep up with the calendar, especially considering I just started today, but I think it will provide good ideas for cleaning.  Today just spent 30 minutes organizing the storage containers in the kitchen.  We can now open the cabinet without them falling!

CanuckExpat

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Re: Declutter your home in 15 minutes a day/52 Week Challenge
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2014, 03:18:04 PM »
I like this calendar. Thanks. I just printed the calendar parts of the PDF, I didn't delve into the site, does it give you tips/ideas on how to do the decluttering, or do they attempt to sell you storage solutions?

NeverWasACornflakeGirl

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Re: Declutter your home in 15 minutes a day/52 Week Challenge
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2014, 05:08:16 AM »
I'm definitely not going to keep up with the calendar, especially considering I just started today, but I think it will provide good ideas for cleaning.  Today just spent 30 minutes organizing the storage containers in the kitchen.  We can now open the cabinet without them falling!

Way to go! 

I like this calendar. Thanks. I just printed the calendar parts of the PDF, I didn't delve into the site, does it give you tips/ideas on how to do the decluttering, or do they attempt to sell you storage solutions?

She does give step by step decluttering advice that I find pretty helpful.  It's nothing I haven't heard before, but it's not bad advice.

Babymoustache

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Re: Declutter your home in 15 minutes a day/52 Week Challenge
« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2014, 03:37:37 PM »
Hi! I'm up for the challenge. I may not stick to it religiously, but I really like the idea. I have a bit of catchup to go for jan, so I will work my way through some of this before I get to feb.  My main goal might be to get rid of one item a day (that would be huge for me). Today I've ditched my old sneakers with holes in them! :)