Week 4: Toss the Broken Items!

WEEK FOUR;

By this time, you should have accomplished at least 3 things on your initial list of projects to accomplish this year– so congrats! We’re on our way to a more simplified, organized way of living.

 Once we declutter our living space, we can begin to declutter our minds.

Photo credit: Photos particulières / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

 

THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE: 

This week we are going to go through our apartments, rooms, houses– and either FIX or GET RID OF all of the broken items we have lying around. If you’re like me, then there are vases, ceramic knick-knacks etc, that you have lying around the house with the intention of fixing one of these days. Well, this week is the week to fix it OR toss it. I have had things in my house that I’ve had for years that are broken. Broken cellphones, computers, televisions… all kinds of things. I also have things like DVDs and CDs that are scratched to the point beyond ever playing again. TOSS THEM– there is no need to hold onto these items!

I will have a difficult time with this challenge. I am someone who likes holding onto things for their memory or because someone special gave it to me. Here is how I plan to overcome the difficult task of ridding my life and house of clutter:

Instead of keeping the item because of sentimental reasons, I am going to take pictures of those items and keep them in my Hope Chest (the chest in which I keep all memorabilia). If there is a small piece of the broken item I want to keep– (an example: one of my dogs ruined my high school prom dress, it was so difficult to get rid of but I finally cut some of the fabric from the dress and threw the rest in the trash) –then keep the small  piece in a special drawer, tote, or chest that will store the rest of your sentimental items.

What ideas do you have for overcoming the difficult task or ridding yourself of certain items? Do you find yourself getting attached to “things” or are you one of those that don’t have that problem? 

Week Three: Removing Duplicates

For last week’s challenge, I decided to gather everything I was wanting to sell and put it on our local “Yardsale” page through Facebook. I sold tons of items I’ve been keeping around for my next big yardsale! If you don’t have one of these in your area, make one! Log onto Facebook and create a group. Name it whatever you want. In my town it’s called, “-MY TOWN NAME- Online Yardsales.” A lot of people in the community (over 5,000 members) takes a picture of their item for sale and posts it on this group’s page. When someone is interested, they comment on the picture and the two of you can decide a time and place to meet for the transfer. It’s much easier than Craigslist, in my opinion, because Craigslist can be… let’s face it, kind of scary.

Gone from my life :  13 Items.

This week may be difficult if you don’t have much time, but try your hardest to do as much of this as you can.

Challenge: 

This week’s challenge is REMOVING DUPLICATES. Sounds easy, right? Well it is. Go through your house and do just that…. remove duplicates. Say you have two pairs of earrings that look exactly alike. Two pairs of diamond studs, well… keep one and sell the other. You can go through you whole house doing this. Keep one and sell, donate, or toss the duplicate.

A few (small) examples:

I came across a few duplicates of small items. Items that cost less than 5 dollars.

If you have duplicates of cheap items, why not donate the duplicate? It’s just taking up space… and if one day you break or lose the other, go buy another!

Don’t leave things lying around for “just in case” ESPECIALLY if they cost less than 5 dollars.

Another example: duplicates of the same product.

It’s taking up space. Things like this I understand that you may need more eventually so keep it!

However, to save room once a bottle is almost gone– pour the rest of the liquid into the other container.

This works with items that are the same exact things. Also works well with kitchen items such as ketchup, mustard, etc.

I love fingernail polish. Always have. But sometimes when I’m in a store and see a color that I just can’t live without, I end up buying it just to realize I have a bottle at home that is almost the SAME exact color.

Of course, I keep both because well.. I paid for it.

But now I’m trying to cut back on clutter.

Donate one of the fingernail polishes. People love finding a cheap bottle at thrift stores!

JUST KIDDING. 🙂

Do NOT get rid of duplicate animals!  ❤

.

Another idea for ridding yourself of duplicates is to have a Swap Party.

Bring all of your duplicates that you’re willing to part with (everyone at the party will do this) then trade your items based on pricing.

You’ll get rid of your duplicates, and possibly come home with something you need.

However, if you’re trying to rid yourself of clutter (like me) then donating or selling is your best bet.

HAPPY MINIMALIST MONDAY!

Week Two: Time For Action!

Today is the day we take out that list we made last week and get to work!

First things first. We need to go through our list of projects we want to accomplish this year and star (or underline, highlight, circle) those that are MOST important.

This week’s CHALLENGE:

• Accomplish ONE  (or more if you have the time) project you have written on your list!

 

• Next thing I want you to do–Go to every clothing closet in your house and turn your hangers backwards. Weird, right? Well, each time you wear something, wash it,  and put it back into the closet, you’re going to hang the hanger the regular way. That way by the time the year is over with, you’ll be able to visibly see which clothes you have not worn in a year. You can sell, donate, or toss those items away at the end of the year! 

BEFORE:

AFTER:

 

And I know what you’re thinking…

“But… Shalin, what if there’s a fire?”  My answer is, “If there is a fire, grab something more important than clothes.”

 

So, that’s it for this week. Pretty easy but will make a world of difference at the end of the year!

 

 

 

Comment below and tell me what you’re tackling this week!

Before and After pictures are always great to see as well…

 

 

 

WEEK 1: Where do I start?

I’ve been wanting to simply my life for a while now. I want my house to be organized and I want to be happier. So, how can we do this? Well, I’ve created a 52 Week Challenge. We will work on at least one thing a week (I will post 1 blog per week on what I’m calling “Minimalist Mondays”) I am no professional and am creating this as I go but as I continue my research, I think we can make 2013 the year we get organized and learn to live a happier life. I know what you’re thinking… a WHOLE year!? The thing is, getting your life and things organized is an ongoing process. It won’t happen overnight and it’s not only “cleaning” it’s a lifestyle change.

Week One’s CHALLENGE: 

All you’re going to do this week is create as long of a list as you can of all the projects you want to accomplish this year. Some examples include: clean out the garage, have a yard sale,  make a blanket, organize your kid’s closets, start recycling, etc…  Keep a pad of paper beside you at all times this week so that any time a project pops up in your mind, you can write it down and add it to the official list later. Keep this list to things you need to clean, organize, do to help the planet, or do to rid yourself of “things” that’s right… all they are, are THINGS. If it doesn’t have a soul and you can’t take it with you when you die… it’s a thing. For the projects you plan to organize and clean out… I HIGHLY suggest taking a “before” and “after” picture.

So, get that camera out and get to snapping.

I will be doing this challenge along side you and every Monday when I post, we can have a discussion in the comments so we can help each other and find out what the other followers are up to!

Photo credit: pedrosimoes7 / Foter.com / CC BY

Don’t think of this as a chore. This is supposed to be fun! A great way to organize and simply your life!

I created a template for you to use as your list if you need one:

CLICK HERE TO OPEN THE PDF FOR THE LIST TEMPLATE

Next Monday when we begin Week Two is when I’ll be posting my actions from the previous week. Hopefully, you’ll take some pictures and get involved in the comments, too!