I finished my bookcase on the last day of the month just like I stated in my goal. It never would have happened if I hadn't set a goal. Besides reorganizing, I cleared out enough space that I was able to bring some books up from the kitchen bookshelves. That will give us a leg up when it's time to reorganize those shelves.

I don't know that it looks that much better, but it definitely feels more organized.

So, next up is the northwest corner of my study. I don't have much of a vision for it, but it needs to be much less densely packed than this because things disappear in there forever. It's where projects go to die.

I'll aim for a little progress every day with a goal of completing it by the end of July.

Hi!

So at the market today I got to experience what it is like to be organized and to know where stuff is. I had already packed up my stuff when the market manager came by.
"Oh, I suppose it's too late to ask you to get out your cards for me? I wanted to buy a couple for birthdays this week."
"Oh no. They're right here."

And *presto*I lifted the lid on one of my two rubbermaid bins and because I bought special bright green plastic bucket-like bins for them there they all were, easy to find, and she chose two and paid me and I closed the lid on it.

In the past some cards would have been in this bag, or that bag, or scattered and not neatly together. I hadn't consciously organized my market stock so the bins wouldn't be filled with clutter, but I do recall wanting to "streamline" and sorting/tossing things out of those bins. They were empty when I set them up for the season and have remained in pretty good condition 8 weeks in.

I credit my heightened awareness concerning all things clutter for this small victory today.

Credit as well for unloading the car today, right after I got home from the market. We drove around all week with my market display in the car last week. I wasn't thrilled about that, even though it was great last night/this morning for packing the rest of my stuff in.

No decluttering on the agenda for today.

You guys are all doing so great!

Happy July 1st De-clutters
Our month of liberation from that which bogs us down

I wrote out a list of things I want done by the end of the year. Some have to do with de-cluttering. For this month I have the coat closet. I may do some other things, but that closet's gotta get done. So it's perfect.

One of the organizational items I bought yesterday is a cube file for dvds. It's a beautiful little clear box with a top that holds 120 dvds in multi-colored sleeves. Now it holds my dvds & I threw out a huge bag of empty boxes. Huge improvement. Very pleased. I also went through some vacation photos that I've had in a album for the longest time.

Boy, that corner is really densely packed. I decided I wanted to see if the file carts really "fit" there. In putting them where I want them, I discovered an unused shelf thingy hiding under all the mess. I've now repurposed that to the top of my bookcase. The file carts fit side-by-side next to the desk and I think they'll work.

I'm calling that done for Day 1 of the clear the corner project.

Hi

I decluttered my garden of some weeds this morning. The dishes are gathered up but not done. I really don't want to do them. I'm tired of doing them everyday *whine*
Oh well.
I'll have twice as many tomorrow if I don't do them today.

That was about it for my decluttering today. It just wasn't on my radar. Tomorrow I will re-group. I need a plan for the month like many of you are doing.

Thanks for the inspiration.

I got rid of three large bundles of flattened boxes saved from our move/shuffle of last year. Since we paid like $4 per box, I hated to just put them in the recycle bin. Finally, my DS needed them and is delighted to get them for FREE.

It's a challenge for me that I think all my clutter needs to find such a happy reception. So Yay for succeeding with this one stash. Ouch for reinforcing me naive belief that everything I no longer need will be someone's treasure.

Good morning all!

Was greeted by a clean sink this morning and that was so nice. Also, the dvds are in their proper place in the pretty colorful box.

It's a challenge for me that I think all my clutter needs to find such a happy reception. So Yay for succeeding with this one stash. Ouch for reinforcing me naive belief that everything I no longer need will be someone's treasure.

BillBlueEyes, I was like that for the longest time. Then what happened several years ago is that a friend of mine passed away. He had lots of things in his home that he never wanted to throw out, because they were his things, and when I visited him, there were lots of things, but my friend was there, too, and it was part of the visit. After he passed, it just looked like so much junk.

Something clicked for me, and I realized that the importance of things lie with the person who has them. That's the importance - their usefulness. Otherwise our things can get to own us. I realize that not everything I want to get rid of is going to be cherished by someone else. I call for the local charity to pick up some things and they are picky about what they take. They don't want to drive over for clothes, and the furniture has to be described to a 'T' and meet their requirements. Yesterday, I left some dvds out in the bin in my building's trash room. They were still there when I took out the evening trash. I know people saw them, but they didn't want them...that's just how it is...

Sometimes we just have to take a 'loss' and realize that some of the things we have - have bought, made, etc. are no longer important to us and maybe not really important to anyone. What is important, though, is that our homes and spaces are beautiful and clutter free. So, I've been just taking the loss, but I feel I've gained so much in doing so.

to all of us!

onebyone, yay for keeping those dishes done! Congrats, too, on such a great feeling when you could find your cards at the farmers market!

gardenerjoy, love your pics of the completed project as well as the new one!

Exhale15, boy did you hit the nail on the head with your observations! It's great to remember that as I go through more stuff! I am not my stuff AND if something happens to me next week I'd prefer that I had the opportunity to organize/pitch/donate MY stuff instead of someone else doing it for me.
....brings up a story....when I was in Alaska in May, I was taking stuff to the dump. When I got there I saw a friend (the town recycler). He said, "Hey Deb, come on there's a bunch of great stuff here!" I joined in with several others, and took away a plate with a sunflower on it. Ends up, a guy had passed away and the next of kin just scooped everything in the entire house up and sent it to the landfill.
REALITY: I do like recycling and finding another home for my stuff. The next in line will probably not have such a great interest in repurposing. I WILL DO IT SOONER VS LATER

Helping Rachel, have a fun vaca! Glad you got your dining room finished before you left. It will be clean upon your arrival home!

Ann (Newlifestyle), great job getting the new cubby! Interesting observation about the tic tacs. Funny, I have some floating around in my office. I will throw them away the next time I see them.

BBE, great that you found a home for more boxes. How many more do you have?

Me, did some more work in my office this weekend. Found thrift store stuff that went to my car. I have several piles of fabric that will go that way, too. *credit* I had some really nice swimsuit fabric that I'll never use. It will go, along with the old swimsuits I was going to use for patterns.

I did empty the contents of the stash bag I found. The next small project is a cardboard box in the living room with the contents of a beautiful wood chest that DH built that we gave to his DD. All that stuff needs another place until he builds another chest. As I look around my living room right now, I see several items that could find a more permanent spot. I'll move them now.

ETA-One item in my stashed bag was 30 or so packages of seeds...flowers...veggies, etc. Some old and opened others newer and unopened. I keep saving them for "planting". REALITY: I sowed some of the flower seeds in Spring and nothing came up. REALITY: If I have a garden next year I will buy new seeds. OK, I opened every package and dumped all the seeds in a plastic bag. I recycled envelopes and took all the seeds up and sowed them on the hill above my Grandmothers. Probably nothing will come up but I gave them the best chance.
My gift to myself: I can quit moving this bag again and again and again and again....I remembered that there were more seeds in a drawer. I went and got them, too. All gone.

I took another baby step in the corner -- emptied a basket that should be in one of the file carts. I'll have to empty another basket in order for that basket to fit, but it will help that this basket is empty when I get to that.

Lexxiss: great job with the seeds -- I love how creative that is to just go sow them and see what happens. I throw mine in the compost pile. So far, my compost hasn't spontaneously erupted in tomatoes or zinnias!

Exhale15: a primary motivator for keeping my house in order is that I was the one who emptied my parents' house. My mother was a tidy housekeeper, but unbeknownst to us until she died, she was a pack rat -- it was just all neatly packed away in every closet, shelf, and in the basement. I found the canceled check stubs for every check they ever wrote! As Lexxiss wrote, I want to take care of my own stuff as much as possible.

BillBlueEyes: woohoo for a happy home for the boxes!

onebyone: yay for garden decluttering!

gardenerjoy, I've been taking baby steps, too. Each baby step moves me forward. Despite busy days, I've managed to get two boxes readied for exiting the house in my office. I've also cleaned out the box I said I would downstairs.

As I was packing upstairs, I had that "moment of clarity" where I reaffirmed I that I must continue to be vigilant about bringing "stuff" in. When I restrict what is coming in and persist in taking out then I make progress forward.

Happy 4th of July. I'm going to work.

Happy 4th of July

Little-by-little is key, especially for daunting tasks. I used to try to take a weekend day to get something 'done'. I basically wore out. Now, I look at a section or a little project - even 15 minutes' worth, and it happens, and that makes the next bit easier...I've also come to see that neat/uncluttered spaces are brighter, the energy moves about and there's light reflected by the surfaces... it's nice

Have a great day everybody

Exhale15, yes, "little by little" is key for me, too! I love the feel of my spaces after I work on them.

Today is a day off, technically, but I have to take mom and DH to medical appts. I got up early and decided to "just do" one of the top projects on my procrastination list.

~I took all the receipts from our Alaska trip (business) and sorted, pitched, tallyed and made the master list for our taxes next April. When I had the final product in hand I almost put it in a "pending" file I have because I don't yet have my 2012 Tax File. I do now. It was just easier to totally complete it.

After I finished, I put a few more things in the thrift store box. Several items were thrift store/yard sale purchases. A pair of pants I'll never wear and a CD collection of Garth Brooks. I almost pulled it back out but if I haven't listened to it in 2 years I probably wont.

I tried to call about the infamous camera return but they don't open for another 90 min. I'm going to take a bike ride and try again when I return.

After a week of baby steps in my office it's starting to look pretty good.

Good morning all

Lexxiss

Today, I'm going to visit my coat closet

Have a great day everyone.

Good morning,
I was missing in action as my computer had a virus and I had to clear that up.
Thanks again for all the inspiration here. I find that just doing a bit at a time makes it all worthwhile. I am off to work soon, I will post later.
Have a great day everyone.

I skipped a couple of days. I decided the resistance was due to a lack of vision so I scribbled a plan today. And emptied a box. So back to my baby steps. There's still a lot of month left for me to finish this project.