I have been using FLY Lady for cleaning for years now and she has helped me with getting rid of things. I have been steadily de-cluttering using her tips but then I was reading Apartment Therapy and they were promoting their January Cure. I had reached a stalemate on the de-cluttering. Everything had a place but everything was too crowded. It got frustrating when I had to empty out a bunch of stuff to get what I needed. I signed up for THE CURE and was devouring all of their advice on purging and I came across a link and read:
AHA! That was my problem. I need to empty out the WHOLE THING and really LOOK at everything! I was getting too complacent with de-cluttering and I would just kind of poke around inside drawers, closets, and cupboards looking for stuff to get rid of. I FORGOT! I used to do this- not even too long ago in this house. Even if I was frustrated before, with decorating, I would EMPTY OUT THE WHOLE ROOM so I could really look at it!
I didn't follow the Apartment Therapy schedule because I prefer my FLY Lady schedule I already use. Every month is divided by week into room(s) that I clean.
WOW.
I couldn't believe how fast the pile of stuff to get rid of grew! I wish I had taken 'before' pictures but on each thing I worked on....I honestly thought 'after' wouldn't be much different!!! Boy howdy was I wrong!
In the kitchen especially!
I have an EMPTY drawer and EMPTY spaces on my shelves!!!!!
UPDATE: (I have since re- arranged things and my kitchen is even better!)
My craft cupboard was the biggest surprise though....
I have an EMPTY drawer and EMPTY spaces on my shelves!!!!!
UPDATE: (I have since re- arranged things and my kitchen is even better!)
My craft cupboard was the biggest surprise though....
This was filled front to back, top to bottom.....
Now I have room to grow! :D
I also had a bunch of craft stuff in the living room hassock. I emptied that all out, emptied this cabinet, and grouped like things together.
Then this tip helped....
And also, as FLY Lady says....
"There is nothing more depressing having to finish last years clown when everyone else is doing ducks. Be brave. Get rid of the old so that you can make room for the new."
So I decided to put all my craft projects in the living room hassock.
This looks like a mess but I gathered each project I want to do in a gift bag. Now I don't have any excuse to not start! I also told myself that if I haven't started any of the projects within three months, I have to be brave and let last year's clowns go!
Another tip that helps (especially with clothes):
If you were shopping, would you buy this?
LOL! I was going through my clothes....some of them I wouldn't have even bought at GOODWILL they were so old and worn out!
(Sorry! My room doesn't get much light so these photos are of very poor quality)
Last fall(?) I jumped on the Capsule Wardrobe wagon. It helped SO MUCH on weeding out unnecessary clothes! Now when I did this purge, I emptied out my whole closet and really looked at everything. And I whittled it down even more! Now I only have clothes I absolutely love. Bill said my closet now looks like a display at Gap or somewhere like that. But I say it's especially because of the beautiful maple closet organizers he made! I absolutely love my closet!
Last fall(?) I jumped on the Capsule Wardrobe wagon. It helped SO MUCH on weeding out unnecessary clothes! Now when I did this purge, I emptied out my whole closet and really looked at everything. And I whittled it down even more! Now I only have clothes I absolutely love. Bill said my closet now looks like a display at Gap or somewhere like that. But I say it's especially because of the beautiful maple closet organizers he made! I absolutely love my closet!
Here's what's on the top shelf. A plastic bin with stuff from my childhood, a bag of summer bedding and two bags of summer clothes! It feels so good to have everything organized and some breathing space!
Some more advice from FLY lady.....
"When you walk through your home I want everything you have to bring a smile to your face. In order for this to happen you are going to have to examine the first thoughts you have when you see an item. If you have a bad feeling the item needs to go away! I mean this! There is no room in your life for anything that makes you feel bad or self punishment." Source
I chose these when I was a teen from my grandparents house after my grandfather died. My tastes changed. I felt obligated to keep them though. Guilt. Are all heirlooms sacred? Maybe if I had a memory of my grandparents using these I would have felt more but in fact, they were in stored in the attic and basement! I did what was suggested- took pictures of them and then asked family members if they wanted them. The theory is, if NO ONE in the family wants something, YOU do not have to be THE OFFICIAL KEEPER OF ALL THINGS out of some misplaced sense of responsibility.
It has been 2-3 years since I did this....and I do not regret it one bit!
It has been 2-3 years since I did this....and I do not regret it one bit!
And your kids and future generations might be spared.....
Hahahaha!
I love the cover on this book! That's why I bought it and will never get rid of it. It makes me laugh every time I look at it!
Another type of guilt- having to get rid of something I spent money on but never used. People make mistakes. Is it going to help if you hold onto your mistake forever? Let it go and think of it as- Lesson Learned.
End result? I estimate that I got rid of a truck full of stuff from my house! When I really thought I couldn't find anything more at first! I had been procrastinating because I thought I would have to start getting rid of stuff I LIKED. Lo and behold! I got to keep everything I liked AND I have lots of extra room now. Room to breathe...... Ahhhhh.... It's a wonderful feeling! I am now comfortable with the amount of stuff I have in my house. And I wrote on my calendar to do this again in June and next January too! Hopefully it will keep my house under control from now on. :)))))
This turned into a long post!
But I am just so excited to FINALLY. After 5 years! To FINALLY feel like I have succeeded in downsizing!!!!
This turned into a long post!
But I am just so excited to FINALLY. After 5 years! To FINALLY feel like I have succeeded in downsizing!!!!
Two more pearls from Apartment Therapy:
10. Smile at the little things
You've probably put a lot of work into decorating your home, filling it with art and furnishings and collectibles that you love. Don't forget to take a moment every now and then to touch and feel a favorite object, remember its story. Smile at how it came into your life. Source
Appreciate the progress you've made together.
Do you look at your home and only see its flaws? Find your rose-colored glasses. Put them on. Does your home look better than when you first moved in? I'm guessing it does. You've fixed things, cleaned things, bought things you love. You may still feel like you have a ways to go, but give thanks for what you have done and feel good about it. Source