Monday, February 20, 2012

30 days...30 bags

I stumbled upon a list while I was doing a bit of blog hopping... it was about decluttering. 40 places in the house...a bag of junk evicted every day for 40 days.  Then I started to read The Happiness Project. First chapter...decluttering. Everywhere I look people are chucking stuff out. So I thought I'd better jump on the bandwagon. However, it's 30 days and 30 bags for me...40 being a bit too biblical for my liking!  Here are the first three from a very productive few hours in my wardrobe and chest of drawers over the weekend. With apologies for the very uninspiring photo...
That makes 27 over the next 29 days...easy!  Here's where I'm going to focus my attention:
  • kitchen drawers, pantry, under the kitchen sink
  • study drawers, cupboard, bookshelves, files (I tackled the wardrobe over the holidays)
  • bedside tables
  • wardrobe top shelf
  • linen cupboard
  • bathroom
  • cupboard under the stairs
  • studio drawers/shelves/wooden chest
  • living room storage
  • shed
  • garage
  • courtyard
  • car
  • magazines
And in a major change to my normal MO...those bags have already been dropped off to the clothing bin! Have you done a major declutter lately? How'd you go? What was the toughest thing about it? Any tips? I'll feel better once it's all done won't I...as long as I don't get chucker-outer remorse J

20 comments:

  1. We are full to over flowing here! I started a couple of weeks ago but now I've got old clothes in piles sitting in the laundry waiting for the next step...today I will drop them off and maybe I could manage 30 days of 10 minutes per day as a start. Great idea - good luck and no remorse!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well done. It's good to travel through life without the heavy load! xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kerry, I love chucking things out! I do it at the new year. In my mind getting rid of the old makes space (and the opportunity) for new things to come into my life.

    I've never regretted decluttering. Take that back- I gave away 3 pairs of new jeans thinking I'd never it into them again and now I would. Bummer.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mary here - It is always best to get rid of the stuff right away. We are trying hard to stick to the rule that if you buy something new, 1, if not 2 pieces have to leave the house. It is so hard to do with shoes though! It always feels good to get rid of stuff. Basement is due for the next big cleanout! Have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Absolutely, Kerry; you'll soon forget all the vanished stuff and not regret any of it, and gradually more stuff will creep in to take its place as that is the nature of stuff.

    Would you mind detailing your Modus Operandi for ice-cream makers to help those of us who are haunted by Unwanted Presents?

    ReplyDelete
  6. The toughest thing is the starting Millie and you've done that so it's onward &....outward from here.

    Casting my eye around my office this morning, I'm thinking your post may have been a little nudge from the universe to pull my own proverbial finger out and at the very least tidy up!

    Happy day, x

    ReplyDelete
  7. There is so much here I have no idea where to start!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. oh good plan. that's the one thing i love about moving house - chucking stuff out! it's liberating.

    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hello. I'm with Felicity and Jules on this one. I had a hard time starting to cull when I began packing to move, but now I'm ruthless. And I've got to tell you, I'm a newer, lighter, happier woman. I've gotten rid of clothes I haven't worn for years, books which offended my high-fallutin' sense of what constitutes Literature, ramekins which have been waiting for the 'ultimate dinner party' which I'll never have ...

    I think possessions have the ability to suffocate and paralyse. That may be strong words, but by crikey, I believe it!

    I'm even giving away the Christmas tree! You heard it first here, Kerry.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Well even if the photo won't make your top ten it's pretty inspiring all the same. I had a major clean up before packing up all our life pre-renovation last year, and thought I'd been pretty ruthless. However, as I came to unpack some of that stuff just a couple of weeks ago, I realized that most of it hadn't been missed a jot, so several more bags went to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. It does feel great to declutter the not-so-loved things. xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. We've been having a major de-clutter here too. Paul was on holidays last week and we've gone around the house looking for things to list on Gumtree. I've gone through toys finding ones to give to charity that are no longer played with. Next up are clothes :) De-cluttering is so therapeutic!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ha, I am chuckling. Hubby did a clean out pre January holidays. The clothes are still in the back of my car. Some came in handy last week to protect the car from chicken wire scratches.

    ReplyDelete
  13. You are a legend, Kerry. We're still decluttering as The Great Unpack continues in fits and starts. It is *so* therapeutic, I agree. I have a whole box of goodies to sell on eBay but do I have the energy and patience to go through all that rigmarole? J x

    ReplyDelete
  14. A lot of bloggers here in Holland(the Netherlands) are doing kind of the same project, They call it a closet a day(een kastje per dag). They organize and clean one closet , drawer or corner in the house a day and blog about it. I am thinking of doing that also. I have not so many closets and drawers but a lot of stuf. To get started is the hardest part, i think.
    Hugs
    Maria

    ReplyDelete
  15. I never suffer from chucker's remorse - apart from the time I put my silk velvet devoré English Eccentrics scarf into the chuck bag, not the infinitely-precious bag...

    Good chucking Kerry!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Three large bags already?! Way to go! I've been decluttering since the New Year too, my goal is to get rid of three items a day. It's going OK and makes me feel like things are clearing out but I feel like I might be running out of things to declutter. I think it's time to get cut throat :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I did the garage last summer. Took me the whole month and was a horrendous mess while I did it, but it was much-needed and I got rid of a bunch of rubbish.

    The aim was to get a motorbike in the garage so it had to be pretty clear. I bought shelves and boxes and tidied everything up. Looked great at the end.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Six months ago I did this, and guess what it is time to fill up bags again!@!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

    ReplyDelete
  19. This is the great happiness bag.It look so beautiful.Thanx to share with us.I really enjoy it.

    Promosyon

    ReplyDelete

I love it when you comment...I feel excited, chuffed and tranquil all at the same time! Thank you.

Related Posts with Thumbnails