Another 40 Hours of Decluttering Using Flylady's Timer Method: Jan. 29-Feb. 29, 2020

[ejchase]

Hi All,

I'm a teacher who is on a reduced schedule for about four months a year, mid-December through mid-February and mid-June through mid-August. I also have a REALLY cluttered home. In the past, I've had some success with setting myself a goal of doing a certain number of hours of decluttering during my periods of reduced work. I set one overall goal (usually 40 hours), then chip away at it in smaller increments of time. Some days I aim for an hour; others for four hours (with breaks!). I basically use flylady's timer method described here, but with longer periods of time than 15 minutes:

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

Last summer, I stumbled a bit and didn't finish the 40 hours - but *did* finally finish them a couple of days ago.

In any case, since I started these batches of 40 hours of decluttering in winter of 2017, I've made a lot of progress. My home isn't perfect, but it is MUCH less cluttered than it was three years ago. And recording my progress here has really helped.

So today, I started another 40 hours which I hope to complete by Saturday, February 29. I made a big push today and completed four hours.

If anybody else wants to join in with a decluttering goal of their own for a certain number of hours, that would be great!

In any case, thanks for "listening" and for the encouragement so many of you have given me over the years.

[Tybee]

Thanks so much for starting this 30 day thread. I am going to try to do one hour a day.

[ejchase]

Thanks so much for starting this 30 day thread. I am going to try to do one hour a day.

Fantastic!

[Teacher Terry]

Like others I keep a box in my closet for stuff to donate. Since I have been at it for so many years it’s not easy to find a bunch of stuff like it used to be.

[Gardnr]

Like others I keep a box in my closet for stuff to donate. Since I have been at it for so many years it’s not easy to find a bunch of stuff like it used to be.

A glorious problem right?

[Teacher Terry]

Gard, it’s a great problem to have) Now if only DH would follow suit in the areas his stuff is confined to.

[Tybee]

1/30: 1 hour, divided between shed, decluttering tools, organizing tools with new hanging system, and kitchen.

[ejchase]

Like others I keep a box in my closet for stuff to donate. Since I have been at it for so many years it’s not easy to find a bunch of stuff like it used to be.

I dream of the day I get to this point.

Even though that's still a long way off for me, I definitely notice a lot of the stuff that was easy to declutter when I first began three years ago (e.g. junk mail that somehow ended up in odd piles in weird places, books and clothes I clearly was not going to read or wear again) is gone, and I'm getting better at getting rid of stuff that I don't love and have no good reason to keep.

Every time I make another push at 40 hours, I feel like I'm excavating my true self - getting rid of all the stuff that is meaningless to me and keeping what is most meaningful. In that sense, it really feels like a spiritual practice.

[ejchase]

1/30: 1 hour, divided between shed, decluttering tools, organizing tools with new hanging system, and kitchen.

Awesome, Tybee.

[ejchase]

I tackled the laundry room today - a space I have never bothered to declutter and organize since we moved into this house nine years ago.

The good news is I found a lot of stuff to toss or give away. But I also realized I have to buy some shelves and baskets to organize the things I'm keeping in there.

I did three hours, so my new total is 7.