5,4,3,2,1 Happy New Year!!!
It’s a new year, time for a fresh start! Why not clean the house, while it’s too cold to do anything outside?
This session will be a 6-weeks. Our goal is to 1) Clean house, 2) Have less clutter 3) Create a system that will keep us from doing this again. We will organize everything, so we just need to tidy up and not do a deep clean. The final week will be wiping down everything making the house 100% complete.
Ask yourself these questions:
When was the last time I used it?
How often do I use it?
Why are you keeping it? Guilt? Just in case?
If I was at the store, would I rebuy it?
Use these questions to help you decide to keep or give away. If you can’t part with it, give yourself 6 months. If you don't use it, look at it or wear it… it’s time to give it away!
We will take 5-30 mins a day and tackle one area. Your house can be decluttered in 6 weeks. Like any new journey, you must promise yourself, “I will do this and get the results I want.”
I will share tips and will be on this journey with you.
The first room we need to tackle is our bedroom and closet. I chose this area to be first because you need to see the results daily. You need to see the progress you're making.
To tackle each room, you have to be open-minded. You need to be willing to throw things away or sell/donate them. So get a trash bag for the throw-away pile and some boxes for your giveaway. Your goal is to get rid of at least ⅓ of your unused items. Set a timer if needed. This will help you in 2 ways; 1) You’re on a mission and you won’t get distracted 2) You will see it doesn’t take the entire time and you will stop excusing yourself with “I don’t have time for this.”
Ok, let's get started.
The first thing you need to do is tidy up the room. Throw away any trash. That's it. Don’t worry about clothes or anything that needs to be put away. We will tackle that when we work on that area of the room. ( 5 mins)
Day 1 Nightstands (5-30 min)
NOTE: If your nightstand doesn’t have drawers, then choose another piece of furniture or item in the room (like a jewelry box/stand).
For most people, nightstands become junk drawers. It’s time to put everything in its proper spot. You should only keep the things you need in it. Lay a light color sheet or blanket on the bed, that way nothing gets on your bedding. Pour everything out onto the bed. Throw away anything that's trash. Divide the misc things into piles; school supplies, kitchen, bathroom, and hall closet items. If you don’t need it, put it in the giveaway box. Look around the room and see if anything needs to go into those piles. Once the piles are separated, put everything away in their appropriate spot.
TIP The dump and go method. Keeps you focus. It shows you what you're tackling. Once this is done you're done.
If you use your nightstand as a dresser, check all clothes for stains or holes and throw those clothes away. Save mismatched socks to the end… you never know where you’ll find them. Check sizes, if too big or too small, put it in a clothes box for later or donate it. Only keep what you will wear!!!
Day 2 Under the bed (5-30 minutes)
I use to put extra blankets under my bed. If you're like me, check the blankets for stains or holes and throw them away. Outdated? Kid's cartoon comforters put them in the donation box.
If you use it for your fall and winter clothes for a storage area let’s wait til day 4 (when we do our closet).
Junk under the bed. Get everything out. Throw trash away and put everything else into piles.
Put everything away in the right spot.
Day 3 Dresser (5-10 mins)
TIP: Here we will focus on making the clothes more visible. When you put them away, fold them in half then roll them up. Lay them in rows. This will allow you to see everything without making it messy again.
Pull each drawer out one at a time and throw everything on the bed. Color coordinate everything so you can see how much you have of that one color. Throw away anything with stains or holes. Put the clothes that are too big/small to the side. Also, put the things out of season to the side. From the remaining clothes figure out what you wear and what you don’t and place the clothes you wear back into the drawer.
NOTE: f you have something that you are wanting to keep but don’t wear often keep it. You have the 6-month challenge. If you wear it during the 6 months keep it, if not get rid of it when you switch seasons!!
Don’t overthink or get distracted. Say yes or no and move on. The whole purpose is to get rid of things we don’t use. Don’t hold on to the sentimental value. If you wore it in high school and you're now in your 40s it’s time to move on!
Day 4 Closet - clothes only (30 mins)
Today, I only want you to focus on the clothes that are hanging up. I organize mine by t-shirts, blouses, dresses, and dress pants/jeans. First, look for clothes you don’t want, and have stains or holes. You need to get rid of those - trash or give them away. Next, put the out-of-season items into a label box (for example Jen’s summer clothes). If you have clothes stored under your bed, figure out what you are keeping or getting rid of. Finally, regarding the clothes that are too big /small decide if you want or give them away. Label the box with the sizes. That way you know exactly what's in the box.
NOTE: One box for seasonal clothes and one box for too big/small
For the remaining clothes, I want you to hang them on the rod backward (towards you). This will allow you to start seeing what you wear and don’t. Each time you do laundry, hang up your clothes where the hanger faces the wall. In 6 months you will see what you haven’t worn and need to get rid of when you do the seasonal change-out.
TIP: Do this every summer and winter and this will keep your closet from getting too full.
Remember to focus on the task and not the emotional ties they have.
Day 6 The rest of the closet (30-60 mins)
TIP: This might take a little longer, so you might want to set aside more time.
Go through your closet one item at a time. Have a couple of large bags and boxes for this. Throw away anything that is broken or you don’t need. Give away anything you don’t want, have too much of, or won’t use/wear. The goal is to get rid of at least ⅓ of your closet. You can have one or two totes for sentimental items.
NOTE: The rule is if you don’t have the space, you need to either get rid of it or find another spot.
TIP: I recommend you put the” get rid of items” in a spare room or garage. When you're finished with this challenge, you can have a garage sale or sell things online or give it away.
Week one is in the books! Great job! Take a day to recharge and get ready for week 2!
Comments