40 Hours Decluttering Using Flylady's Timer Method - Dec. 4, 2023 - Feb. 29, 2024

[ejchase]

I'm trying to make a big push this weekend, so did 4 hours today.

I think the theme of today's decluttering was, "But I thought I just decluttered that!" I'm reorganizing some shelves in the laundry room which is just off the kitchen so that I can put a new toaster oven in there. I had done a full decluttering of the laundry room about 4-5 years ago (maybe more recent than that even), but I still found a lot of junk that needed to be thrown out or otherwise dealt with.

Then I tackled the spice cupboard in the kitchen which I also thought I went through in the last 5 years - but I still found 27 bottles of expired spices to toss!

The surfaces in the kitchen had in general been very cluttered, but now they are pretty clear. It feels very good.

New total: 16.5.

[ejchase]

3 more hours today on the cupboards in the kitchen island and the kitchen "junk drawer," which I am hoping to just call "the drawer to the right of the sink" now.

I've included links to before and after pictures of the drawer. As you can see, it was pretty bad! Going through it, I realized I've been tossing things in there that need their own place (information booklets for various appliances, discount offers, take-out menus etc.), so I hope finding new places for those things will prevent the drawer from getting that bad again. And I obviously still need to cull more stuff from it (We don't need 30 birthday candles!), but that's a push for another day. I've hit the wall for tonight!

New total: 19.5.

Drawer before: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v5g...ew?usp=sharing

Drawer after: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vPj...ew?usp=sharing

[rosarugosa]

Wow, EJ, what a difference! It must be so satisfying every time you open that drawer now!

[ejchase]

Wow, EJ, what a difference! It must be so satisfying every time you open that drawer now!

I keep just walking in there and opening it . EXTREMELY satisfying!

[nswef]

What JOY EJ!!! It also helps you see what you don't need to buy! I'm notorious for buying something , usually a small supply and then finding I have a couple already!!! Congratulations!!!

[ejchase]

What JOY EJ!!! It also helps you see what you don't need to buy! I'm notorious for buying something , usually a small supply and then finding I have a couple already!!! Congratulations!!!

So true! We seem to have a lifetime supply of Scotch tape. Good to know! And thanks for the congrats.

[ejchase]

Just 2.5 hours today going through a lot of paper and clearing off the dining room table which is a hotspot. When the table is clear, I feel SO much better. I need to make that a priority going forward.

New total: 22.

[nswef]

EJ Congratulations on the DR table. I continue making mine tidy every afternoon. I was able to have it set for 4 people for pizza yesterday in 2 minutes--I even had a place to put the things without having to move something else!!! So, it can be done and can be kept clear with diligence. I have to remind myself and it's so nice to sit down to write at a clear space.

[iris lilies]

I work on our dining area table but I can always whisk away the papers, laptop, etc. and put them away within 10 minutes.

[ejchase]

During my batches of 40 hours over the last 1-2 years, I've been working towards making our teeny third bedroom into a nice guestroom. The obstacles have been that it's always tempting to throw stray items in there - an extra humidifier we rarely use, a lamp I like but don't have a place for, etc. - and the fact that our guinea pigs live in there and their food and cage take up a lot of space. My general plan is to make it nice enough that when guests come, I can move the guinea pigs into my bedroom temporarily and then that room will be a pleasant place to be.

So now I've got a bit of a deadline - my nephew and his fiance are coming for just one night in ten days - so I spent 2.5 hours today tackling the extra junk in there and trying to find stuff to give away, throw out, or otherwise deal with. I managed to fill up 2 bags of paper to recycle and found 5-6 items to give away and many items that can go to other locations in the house.

One thing I've realized is that our downstairs closet has a lot of storage space in the back that is not really being used, so I may move some items down there for now. I know it's better to reduce clutter than to just move it, but I find when I move it, some reducing happens along the way, and I'm giving myself permission to do that for the moment since I don't have a lot of time. I'm hopeful that later in this 40 hours, I can get some wire shelving from Ikea to put in the back of the closet so I can use the storage space there more efficiently, and I may be able to get rid of more stuff then.

I also spent 30 minutes today tackling some hot spots, so I did 3 hours overall. New total: 25 hours.

I'm obviously not going to finish this 40 hours by tomorrow which was my original goal, but I'm getting there.