Today I have created a decluttering project list that will move me forward a few notches on my 2020 challenge. I mean, I’ve only got 141 days to go so I need to make sure that I stay focused!

I started this challenge saying that I would do ten minutes decluttering a day, and now look at me. My list that I’ve added in the evening update section below adds up to 3 hours which is the exact number of hours until I have to start work this afternoon. Better get going.

I’ve also added a list of everyday things that need to be done in order to keep life moving which I will probably do later. In the project world at work, we call these types of tasks BAU (business as usual).

I think I’ve included more than enough to do today! I’m sitting out in the garden and it’s so hot and it’s only 10.45am. I think that the coolest place will be the garage so I think I’ll start there.

Evening update

Decluttering challenge list

1. GARAGE (60 MINS)
   Objective: Spend at least one hour in the garage.
   Result: Done! I sorted out a few boxes and started tidying the area in front of the old bookshelf that I’ve piled up clutter in front of. Took out the empty boxes and flattened them whilst I was doing point 6 below. I had back and front doors of the garage open to let the air flow through. Spoke to my mum for some of the time I was in there until she had to have her lunch.
2. WASH PAINTING SHEETS (20 MINS)
   Objective: Washing the rest of old sheets from painting as they are taking up a corner of the utility room. Wash, dry, fold and store in garage.
   Result: All done and my daughter helped me bring them in from the washing line and fold them up. I’ve stored them in a basket in the garage. Ideally these should be in a cupboard, but we don’t have proper storage in there yet. Just the thought of getting storage in there makes me feel excited as I can imagine it all organised and labelled.
3. DINING ROOM (20 MINS)
   Objective: Clear corner of dining room and possibly move easel.
   Result: I spend the allotted time moving things from around the easel and other corner of the room but didn’t move the easel as my husband wants it left there.
4. CLOTHES (20 MINS)
   Objective: Put baskets of clean clothes away that have been sitting in the bedroom for a while.
   Result: I mentioned this to my daughters when they wanted to know what I had left to do on my list this evening. They helped me sort it into piles and then put their own clothes away.
5. SPARE ROOM (30 MINS)
   Objective: Spend 30 minutes in spare room to shift clutter castles that have built up.
   Result: In the allotted time I only managed to pile things up around the outside, although there is a pile that needs to leave the room. I’m a bit disappointed with myself for not focusing on this room much over the past couple of weeks, but I have Friday off work so I can do some of it then. My husband works in this room so it’s difficult when he’s on calls etc. so I may leave it until the weekend.
6. RECYCLING (20 MINS)
   Objective: Flatten large boxes in the garden ready to be put out for recycling next week.
   Result: Flattened all but one box so that I could store all of the flattened cardboard in it.
7. UTILITY ROOM (10 MINS)
   Objective: Spend 10 minutes in the utility room, tidying up and working out why it looks like a bomb has hit it again.
   Result: I just removed some recycling that had got dumped in there (need to remind everyone where cardboard goes!). I also put away some items that had been left on floor. I will maybe spend another 10 minutes on this tomorrow.

Everyday things list

1. BATHROOM
   Objective: Quick wipe round of bathrooms (that I meant to do yesterday).
   Result: Done, and felt better for doing it.
2. WORK
   Objective: As it’s Wednesday, I only need to work for half day (pm).
   Result: Done, and I kept to my hours and logged off on time.
3. DINNER
   Objective: Cook dinner… probably stick a roast chicken in the oven as I can work whilst I’m doing bits and pieces with that.
   Result: My husband cooked the sausages and burgers that were in the fridge as we noticed that the date on them was today/tomorrow. They were ready when I logged off work, so we ate earlier than usual which was lovely.
4. WASHING
   Objective: Normal washing and putting clothes away straight away once dried.
   Result: Did some white washing today and this all got put away when we were sorting through the baskets of catch up washing this evening. I do love it when it’s hot weather and everything gets dried on the washing line quickly.
5. KITCHEN
   Objective: Kitchen duties
   Result: Just the usual – dishwasher, declutter dining room table, tidy and wipe surfaces, sweep floor

The whole day went according to plan

As you can see I did everything on my ‘decluttering challenge list’ and my ‘everyday things list’. It was much better planning what I was going to do rather than just decide after I’ve finished work as I have much less energy then. It’s also easier to move forward with decluttering when I don’t have to work all day.

A colourful manicure

Has a bit of fun this evening after dinner. I found a container of old nail varnishes and starting painting each nail a different colour to see if they were good enough to keep. My eldest daughter joined in and she said afterwards how much fun she’d had. She took her varnish off and painted them all the same colour but I’ve left my multi-coloured nails just the way they are. I don’t think I have ever been that brave to have odd nails, but as I’m not going anywhere it doesn’t matter.

My new fan

My tower fan arrived today and I had it pointing at me the whole time I was working this afternoon. It was only a cheap one but it’s 50W output is quite good.

That’s it for today. Not too late!

Until tomorrow…

Sandra