Declutter Challenge Update No. 3

Declutter Tips: How Much is TOO Much?

Fourteen days ago, I challenged myself to declutter 15 items from my home for 15 days. This would allow me to prepare for my yard sale we are having Saturday and I would be getting rid of at least 225 items in about two weeks time. I posted some pictures of how I did for the first five days. I have still been plugging away at it and taking pictures, but I probably won't be able to post about that until after the sale - I am knee deep in preparations at the moment! But, I wanted to share some more decluttering tips with you to help make the process easier for you if you struggle with letting things go anything like I do!

My last post on decluttering tips was how to help yourself remove some of the emotional attachments almost all of us have to our possessions. This time I am going to post some tips on how to let go of the multiple items we keep in our homes.

I might need this one day. This is a valid concern. You very well might! But think about what holding on to items in your home is costing you. You must find a place to store them and this could be taking away from space you have for things you really do need and love. You also have to put them away when they inevitably get pulled out. And you may have to clean those items as well. This all takes time away from doing the things you really want to be doing.

How terrible would it be to have to go buy this item again if you decide you do need it. If it is something you haven't used in 6 months to a year, chances are you won't miss it once it is gone!

What if the other one (or ten) of these items breaks and I now need another one? This is another reason to hang on to items. It goes along with my first point. You MIGHT need it one day. But, on the other hand you may never need it and then it has just been taking up valuable real estate in your home. If you can purge the extras from your home you went spend time looking for things and try to keep up with finding a space for it all.

I don't have ____________ when I need it. Let me explain. There are times when I think we need more sippy cups or pacifiers or coffee mugs. Or another example would be feeling like I don't have enough clothes for my kids or my husband and I. For me, this is often because things are not cleaned and put away in a timely manner rather than actually needing more of a particular item. If you and your spouse drink coffee every morning, you need two coffee mugs. Maybe you need a few extras for when you have company. So quite possibly you could need 6 to 8 coffee mugs. Do you need 16? Probably not. Maybe you don't have the ones you need in the cabinet because you don't have a routine in place to have the dishes cleaned each night before you go to bed.

The same thing happens with clothes. I will find myself thinking I need more pants or shirts for the kids, all the while their hampers are overflowing with dirty clothes that have not made it to the laundry yet. When the laundry is all done, I can hardly close their drawers they are so full!

So how can you decide how much is too much? To evaluate if you have too many of an item and whether or not you can live with letting some of the extras go, you must first gather up all the like items in one spot. For example, gather up all those coffee mugs. Make sure they are all clean and ready to go. Keep the ones you use on a daily basis. If you have space keep extras for company. Do you really need all of them? Probably not.

I have a confession. I am a pen hoarder. But if I actually go through each room in my home gathering up all the stray pens, plus go through my office supply cabinet, I would probably never need to buy a new pen again. More than likely, the pens will dry up before I ever get a chance to use them! Now is the time to let those items go!

This can be hard, especially if you live with another person who does not understand what you are trying to do. In these cases, try to compromise. Maybe you have too many of a particular item and you want to declutter some of the excess. Perhaps you could agree to have one that is in working order for use in your home every day and keep an extra in a storage space in case you need it down the road. You will still be able to eliminate so much excess from your home.

As you clean out and declutter you will probably find multiplies of items that were purchased because you couldn't find the first one. This happens to anyone who doesn't live in an organized, clutter-free space. Let these extras go - sell them, donate them, give them to a friend. As your spaces become cleared out you will be able to find exactly what you need when you need it.

Do you have any tips that help you when you are going through the process of decluttering your home?

Declutter Challenge Update No. 2

Declutter Tips: Remove the Emotional Component

A little over a week ago I challenged myself to declutter 15 items per day for 15 days in preparation for our yard sale we are having next Saturday. It has been going pretty well, but it has turned into doing 30 items on one day instead of 15 over two days. This is just how it goes being a stay at home mom of two kids. Life doesn't stop just because Mom has stuff to do!

I will share some more pictures and specific updates next week, but I wanted to share with you some of my struggles and how I am working to overcome them in case any of these ideas might help you!

I hate to throw things out. Being a frugal, earth-conscious individual, throwing anything out that has another purpose or life to it is really difficult for me. But, we do not have a huge amount of space and I don't have a ton of time right now to do anything with these items. I am allowing myself a small area to keep items to repurpose and then if it is truly not something I can donate or sell, it has gone into the trash. Every time I throw out one of these items, my heart starts to beat a little faster, knowing I am contributing to the landfills, but sometimes this stuff just has to go! It deos get easier as you go though - I promise!

I am sentimental and put more value on my items than they are worth. When preparing for a yard sale, try to look at your items objectively. For me, this is hard because I know how much I paid for something or how much at one time in my life I loved that particular item. But, when I stand back and say to myself, "Would I pay $XX.XX amount of dollars for this item at someone else's yard sale, it is often easier to lower the price. My prices for this yard sale are MUCH lower than what I would usually do. But, I want this stuff gone. And making a few dollars (or a few cents) is worth it to not have to deal with these items any longer.

If you are having a lot of trouble with how much you paid for something vs. how much you can sell it for, think of the money you spent on it more like you were renting the item. If you spent $25 on a shirt and wore it twice a month for 3 years, you only paid $0.34 each time you wore it. That is not too bad, and can make it easier to let it go for less than what you paid for it.

Someone special gave me an item so I feel the need to hang on to it. This can be a hard one. Especially if it is a gift from a close family member or friend. But, in reality, your home only has so much space. The more you fill it with 'stuff' the less time you have for the important things. Cleaning, putting away and taking care of your 'stuff' takes up valuable time from your day that could be put to better use. Imagine your house having only the items you love and use on a daily basis. What would that look like for you? What if you have a space for each item in your home, so things can get put away and not just thrown on a counter or in a pile! This is what we are aiming for.

I try to remember that whoever gave me an item loves me and bought the item for me or someone in my house because they thought we would enjoy it. I highly doubt there are truly too many people in your life that would want you to be burdened by a gift or an heirloom. Let it go!

I hope some of these tips were helpful for you. I will probably have to print this one out and post it on my fridge while I continue to declutter. These are the big issues I struggle with and have to remind myself of the end goal.

Stuff is just stuff. Memories and the time you spend with loved ones is what really matters! :)

Friday Freebie: My Memories Designer Pack {4/20}

DISCOUNT:

Want your own digital scrapbooking software? My Memories is offering a special deal for my readers. Enter code STMMMS30543 at checkout to receive $10 off the My Memories Suite v3 Software. You will also receive a $10 coupon to use in the My Memories store. (A $20 value!) {Copy and paste the code to avoid typos}

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

The following download includes printable gift bags. Plus you will get all the individual elements and papers used to create the two pages. You can use these pages with the My Memories software, but since these are .png files you can also use these elements with Photoshop or another photo editing/digital scrapbooking program you may have. They are so versatile!


Since you receive all the individual elements used to make these bags, you could easily make up some gift tags or even a matching card to coordinate with your gift bag. So fun!


This week's kit:

Freebie Page 3

Download your Freebie Kit 3! Enjoy! If you make something with this kit I would love to see it! Post your link here in the comments. 

Disclosure: I am able to offer these freebies because I am an affiliate with the Share the Memories program at www.MyMemories.com. 

Declutter Challenge Update No. 1

Last Friday, I challenged myself to declutter 15 items per day for 15 days in preparation for our yard sale. So far, I am doing pretty well! The last several days have been spent deep cleaning and organizing my bedroom. I have accomplished everything on my semi-annual cleaning list in our master bedroom, except for touching up the paint. I need to try to have the store match the paint. I had bought Martha Stewart paint from KMart many years ago, and they no longer have it.

I don't have pictures of everything, but here is an update on how I have done so far!

Day 1: Friday (15+ items)


Trash

• a pair of broken glasses
• 5 pairs of underwear (seriously need to go through this drawer more often)

Yard Sale/Donate

• robe
• massage gloves and massage socks
• shorts

I also had a bunch of items I used when I was nursing my daughter that never got put away with the rest of the maternity clothes.

• washable nursing pads (large stack)
• nursing bras (probably around 8)
• 2 nursing tanks
• nursing gown

Day 2 and 3: Saturday and Sunday (we were out of town on Saturday) (38 items)

Trash

• one t-shirt

Yard Sale/Donate

• 24 VHS tapes
• VHS/DVD stand
• back massager
• tank top
• 5 t-shirts
• sweater

I also had about 4 clothing items that will be saved to repurpose since they have holes or the stitching is coming apart and are no longer wearable.

Day 4: Monday (24 items)

Trash (Trust me. The pictures make these items look ok-ish, but they were not!)

• 3 pairs of shoes
• 3 t-shirts
• belt
• pair of shorts

Yard Sale/Donate

• 5 pairs of shoes
• hanging shoe organizer
• 4 small jewelry boxes
• 4 hats
• 2 pairs of sunglasses

Day 5: Tuesday (16 items)

Yard Sale/Donate

• 3 pants
• 5 long sleeve shirts
• 5 shirts/tanks
• 1 pajama set
• 2 swimsuits

This brings my grand total so far to over 93 items! And this was just in five days! I have a cleared out beautiful space in my bedroom again, all the drawers close and I only have clothes in my room that actually fit. So, no more trying the same things on over and over just to put them back on the hanger. :)

I also allowed myself a bag of clothes that "might" fit if I lose about 10 pounds. I have been starting to work out and eat better, so this is completely do-able! However, I am putting a deadline on it. If I haven't lost those 10 pounds by the end of summer, then that bag of clothes is going to be donated.

One of my biggest challenges is that I try to be fairly "green" and I don't like throwing things out if I can 'maybe' use it for something else. If you are like me, try to look objectively at your items. If you truly will do something with your old/outdated/broken items, then by all means keep them. Just have a designated spot in your home for them. And if not, I give you permission to throw them out. No one else wants your stinky shoes, hole-y t-shirts, or broken sunglasses. I promise!

How are you doing on your decluttering? I would love for you to post your progress here in the comments or on my Facebook page!

Declutter Challenge

There is nothing like a looming deadline to put a little fire under you! In two weeks, we are planning on having a yard sale.

Last year we had the epic yard sale flop. Over two days, we made $4 and sold only two items. We literally had only 5 people show up for those two days! (It was really just a bad yard sale day. We have never been so unlucky before.) Unfortunately, that meant all the crap stuff we didn't sell ended up back in our shed. I have been patiently waiting for spring to come so we could have another yard sale to unload all this stuff!

Basically, I have 15 days until our yard sale. I am challenging myself to find 15 items for 15 days to declutter. To some of you, this may sound like a lot, and to others, this may sound like nothing. But, by the end of this 15 days I will have removed 225 extra items from my home! Whew! That is gonna feel so good.

If you want to join in with me, just leave a comment at the end of this post saying, "I'm in!". It is always more fun to work on projects with a buddy. I will be checking in several times throughout the two weeks to show you my progress.

If the thought of eliminating 15 items a day is too overwhelming for you, let me put this in perspective for you. It can be anything! It can be something you need to throw away, sell or donate. Many of us have piles of mail and papers sitting around. I am sure you can find 15 items in that pile to throw away! Winter is finally going (hopefully). Is there anything in your closet that you didn't wear all season? Get rid of it! If you have kids, you probably can find 15 broken, unloved, or unused toys in their rooms. They don't have to be big things. Let's work together to make our homes a place where we love to be!

Follow along with me on Facebook and Twitter to get the most recent updates!

Who's with me?

Friday Freebie: My Memories Designer Pack {4/13}

This week I am offering two freebies! 

DISCOUNT:

Want your own digital scrapbooking software? My Memories is offering a special deal for my readers. Enter code STMMMS30543 at checkout to receive $10 off the My Memories Suite v3 Software. You will also receive a $10 coupon to use in the My Memories store. (A $20 value!) {Copy and paste the code to avoid typos}

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

The following downloads include printable gift bags. Plus you will get all the individual elements and papers used to create the two pages. You can use these pages with the My Memories software, but since these are .png files you can also use these elements with Photoshop or another photo editing/digital scrapbooking program you may have. They are so versatile!


This week's kits:

Freebie Kit 1

Freebie Kit 2

Download your Freebie Kit 1 and Freebie Kit 2! Enjoy! If you make something with this kit I would love to see it! Post your link here in the comments. I might feature you in an upcoming post. 

Disclosure: I am able to offer these freebies because I am an affiliate with the Share the Memories program at www.MyMemories.com. 

The Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg

Many of us will be dying Easter eggs this weekend. Have you ever wondered how to cook the perfect hard-boiled egg? This fail-proof method works every time to create a beautiful hard-boiled egg that is nice and yellow in the center (with none of that yucky green color that sometimes can happen.)

Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg

Step One: Place your eggs in a pot and cover them with about an inch of water.

Step 2: Allow the water to come to a rolling boil.

Step Three: Put the lid on, turn the heat off and set the time for 20 minutes.

Step Four: Place the eggs in an ice water bath for about 5 minutes.

Peel and enjoy!

Tip for peeling eggs: Run a tiny stream of cold water over the egg while you peel it. It helps to have the shells come right off and not stick to the egg inside.

Scrapbook Layout: Garden Baby

This is another layout I did some time ago of my son's first time in the garden. We are big gardeners around our house. One of the first things we did when we moved into our house was build the above ground garden. It is so much fun and we love being able to grow some of our own food.

I started with a two page layout. I had too many favorite pictures to narrow it down to only one page. I used a light green solid colored background paper.

First Page

Second Page

I used polka dot patterned paper and solid navy paper to double mat the two larger photos on each page. I cut down the other photos to create a filmstrip of photos for the side of one page and the bottom of the other. Those pictures are trimmed in thin navy ribbon. Also, along the side and bottom I used a rub-on that coordinated with my papers.

I had two blank spots on each page. I matted a clear sticker saying onto the polka dot and navy paper on the first page. On the opposite page I created a flower with buttons. 

The clear sticker phrase and rub-ons are from Heidi Grace (Cheerful Bee).

If you have done any scrapbooking lately, I would love it if you would share a link in the comments!