It’s been 60 days since I challenged myself to declutter or improve something around the house every day. Today seems like a good day to reflect on what I’ve achieved in February, how I am feeling about the challenge in general and how I am planning to tackle things in March.
Is the house looking clearer? Yes and no, as I tend to move things around when I’m decluttering. It’s a habit that I need to break; I think that will come with practise. Our bedroom is definitely feeling more spacious since I removed the ironing board. There’s still a lot to do behind the closed cupboards and drawers though.
How can I get rid of more stuff? I’ve bagged up a lot of stuff for charity but for some reason they haven’t actually made it to the charity shop. The bags are still lurking around the house so that I can add to them. It’s not like I’m short of charity bags as they are always coming through the door and I can also pick them up from the local charity shop. (Note to self to get better at tying these up and putting them in my car – maybe add the task to the calendar). I’m doing well with rubbish and other recycling but I think it helps that we have set collection dates so I’m driven by that.
Am I on track? Yes. Still making small improvements daily. I’m not going to pretend it’s been easy but as I’m a very determined person, I’ve kept going. My only deadline is that I do something, however small (10 mins max, but can do more), by midnight each day.
Am I getting buy-in from the rest of the family? Although I could sometimes do with more help from the rest of the family (and I am getting better at asking for it when I need it), this decluttering really is something that I enjoy more then them so I tend to do it on my own. Having said that, they are buying in to the new processes. My eldest daughter is insistent that everyone (including me) put their shoes neatly in the cupboard rather than kick them in, which shows her appreciation of the clear space and what I am doing. I’m also getting questions from my husband and girls about recycling such as ‘where do plastics and glass go now?’ when they open the pull-out bin. (Note to self to create labels or something).
What am I going to do in March? Continue with sorting through clutter and creating pockets of clear space but with more focus on keeping the spaces I’ve already created clear. I need to eliminate the habit of moving temporary stuff into areas I have already done. I call this repeated clutter, and when I notice it now, I try and change my habits.
What’s the feedback from other family members? The house feels a lot brighter and cleaner. When it’s clearer it looks cleaner. Thank you for hovering my room.
Some highlights over the past month
A Multi-Purpose Airing Cupboard (Now Decluttered)
61 Pairs of Shoes and 4 Cans of Paint
Does Emptying the Bins Count as Decluttering
How Many Carrier Bags Do I Actually Need?
When Do You Throw Away Fruit and Veg
Decluttering the Indoor AeroGarden (update below)
Just as I’m moving forward and growing in my 2020 decluttering challenge, so is my AeroGarden.
I just need to find some recipes that include Parris Island leaves or Dill herb :-).
Some highlights back in January…
Clutter is One of My Biggest Problem Areas
Declutter Your Mind… Take a Bath
10 Minutes Away from Having a Clear Desk
Start with a Corner of Clutter
Looking for Something in a Box of Papers Has its Benefits
A Reason to Buy Beautiful Fresh Flowers….
I’ll be back later with today’s decluttering post…
Sandra
Sandra Madeira 
I found that making more trips to the thrift store helped. It probably helped them too. I got small amounts together put them in my car and dropped them off. Dumping a big amount off to a donation site makes more work for them and your items might get tossed because they don’t have the space or time. Think small bags or boxes.
That’s a very good tip, thank you
Well done honey, you’ll get there 😊 x