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Thread: Setting a Decluttering Goal in Units of Time Using Flylady's Timer Method - Dec. 2016

  1. #1
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    Setting a Decluttering Goal in Units of Time Using Flylady's Timer Method - Dec. 2016

    Hello All,

    I'm returning to this method because it really works for me when I am on a reduced work schedule - as I am for the next two months.

    What I do is set a timer for whatever time I have 15, 30, or 60 minutes, and I work toward a certain number of hours over a set period of time.

    I'm on a reduced work schedule from now until February 20th, so my goal for the next two months is to do 40 hours of decluttering by Feb. 20th. It's much easier for me to deal with my hoarding issues this way because it makes my efforts concrete and finite.

    If you don't know about flylady here's a little bit about how she suggests you use the timer:

    http://www.flylady.net/d/getting-sta...ng-15-minutes/

    I'm also using other methods - trying to establish routines with the Sidetracked Home Executive card file and counting the number of things I give away - but my issues with clutter are so serious I need to work from a lot of different angles.

    If anyone wants to set a decluttering goal of their own using units of time, please feel free to join in. In any case, I'll keep reporting here on how I'm doing!

    Feeling very grateful today for the support this group has offered over the years. It's always a three steps forward two steps backwards process for me, but this group has helped a lot.

    Elizabeth

  2. #2
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    Hi again! How did you do today?

    as you may have noticed, nothing motivates me like a brand new thread....

    currently I am focusing on a different room or space each day with a focus on light/warmth/comfort/cleanliness and order in my home. I plan to evaluate and refocus January 7th, but between now and then I will commit to 30 minutes or more a day and check in with you.

    today my focus was the living room. I dusted everything, removed some objects temporarily, finished decorating it for Christmas and tasked my dd with sifting through her piano and choir music from high school (she graduated in 2014) So that we can get rid of what she doesn't want and reclaim some shelf space.

    yesterday was the laundry room, which is better, but not done. Dh is currently searching the shop for hooks to mount on the wall so I can hang winter barn coats in there as my reward for progress.

  3. #3
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    Hi, Chicken Lady, so glad you are joining me on this and congrats on your strong start.

    Unfortunately, I found out an old friend was in the hospital today, so much of my day was spent with his teenaged kids and his wife. I may have to table getting started on my goal for a few more days while I focus on that - hard to tell.

  4. #4
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    People are so much more important than stuff.

    i focused on my dining porch today - swept, vacuumed the throw rugs, took out the things that didn't belong, finished decorating including a table cloth I haven't had out in years, and had the fire going for an early "Christmas dinner" with dd and dsil.

    Dd suggested I might want to get rid of a ceramic cookie jar she made in high school (8 years ago). I think I might at least move it to my classroom, it would be a good idea spark for some of my students, and it could be used to store something like extra sponges.

    my Christmas gifts from them were a beautiful tabletop succulent garden grown by dsil in a bowl dd made, and a replacement for my favorite (but broken handled) bucket, so, as I will be discarding the old bucket, I would end up even on space and category (buckets and countertop art) with an increase in quality.

    i did get hooks and two inches of shelf space yesterday.

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    Congrats, Chicken Lady, on your progress.

    I had a good day today: 4 hours decluttering. On my way finally!

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    Yay! That's a big chunk - You are 10% there!

    i didn't do anything on Christmas Day. I meant to haul a bunch of stuff away yesterday, but I got sidetracked - did a bookshelf and made more than enough room for my new DVDs, and then finished off the hanging bar in my closet. I didn't get rid of any clothes, but I hung the five things that are just a little too small (I've regained ten of the twenty lbs I lost and buttons pull) on red plastic hangers, threw away a broken hanger, and rearranged all the hangers in all the closets in the house -

    the coat closet has all wood, dh has metal because he likes those and wood for pants and coats, I have a variety of mostly white based on what is hanging on them, and dd has an assortment of colorful plastic. ALL the bent wire and clear/white plastic store hangers are in the clothing free guest room closet along with a few extra good hangers. I am probably going to need to recycle/throw the unwanted ones away, but I'm giving myself to the end of January to find a place that can use any of them.

    i also did part of the pantry and found a couple of expired things for the chickens (need to do this more often) and a couple of food items I should donate because we have changed our diet and probably won't eat them. (canned tuna, jello cups)

    i need to hit it again today.

  7. #7
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    EC: since you are on a reduced work schedule I would try to carve out big chunks of time to really make things happen. Anywhere from 2-8 hours/session will make the process go quickly and you will feel like you really accomplished something. I did this when I was working f.t. but used the weekends. Then you will be done so much faster and can move on to do things you want to do. Once you have decluttered well then you just need to maintain by taking things our every time you bring something in. So if you buy a shirt one goes out, etc. It is a great way to keep your home from getting cluttered again. Good luck! There have been times when I thought that I didn't have anything else more to get rid of but then our local humane society will ask for donations for their twice/yearly garage sale and I start looking and find I can often fill my car. At the least I can always find a couple of big bags. Only once have I ever re-bought something I got rid of.

  8. #8
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    I think a full day of decluttering in the earliest stages is better than short bursts. Once you really reduce, then you can discard occasionally to maintain.

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    Thanks, All, for your support and suggestions.

    A full day of decluttering sounds great to me, but I'm single mom to a five-year-old and also will be working part-time, so decluttering 30 minutes or an hour at a time may be more realistic many days, and baby steps do work for me.

    Also, since I have such big issues with hoarding, four hours of decluttering tends to be pretty emotionally exhausting for me. I might be able to do five hours in one day, but I doubt I'm up to much more.

    In any case, this system has worked really well for me in the past, so I'm hopeful it will again. And as I said before, I am also working on establishing better habits to avoid getting cluttered again like dealing with every day's mail (into the recycling or putting it where it belongs immediately so that it doesn't end up in one of the piles).

    It's hard for me to imagine ever being "done" with decluttering just because my issues with it have been so huge. I've never in my life lived in a home without a pile of unsorted clutter somewhere - not just too many of one thing, but literally, a pile of papers or other things that just are not put away. But I do know it is within my reach if I keep working towards it, though after I get there maintenance will be a whole other challenge.

    That said, I do think I'm ten times better at getting rid of stuff than I was ten years ago, so I feel good about the methods that I'm using.

  10. #10
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    Ejchase, I am right there with you! And any progress is good!

    yesterday I worked on decorations a little and found a really big tin (bigger than a wastebasket) and a bag of bows I could pass on. I sifted through the pantry a little more, but am having trouble with the organizing - the space is deep and I can't see the stuff in the back.

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