Showing posts with label 100 Days. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 100 Days. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
17. Puzzles
These are your typical jigsaw puzzle, which I usually like to work on during the Christmas holidays or in the winter time. Over the decades, we've had tonnes of puzzles, and gotten rid of them too, once we got tired of them. Over the years, though, I've hung onto a couple of my favourite puzzles, ones that I remember doing as a kid with my mom and sister. There's one of 3 horses in an orchard. It's only 500 pieces, but just looking at it brings back all sorts of memories. Many of the pieces have bends in them, and are pretty worn out... but... that one is one that I'm hanging onto. So, all told, I probably have 10 or 12 puzzles. I got a set of them for Christmas - a boxed set from Costco. There are 6 in there, and I haven't done all of those ones yet. But the other 6... hmmm... are there any that I could get rid of? Well, there is one... maybe... a 1000 piece picture of pumpkins and squash and a wagon in front of autumn-leafed trees and a wooden fence. But it's also the only 1000 piece puzzle that I've kept so.... sigh.... I'm not sure that I can actually get rid of any puzzles this time around! If push comes to shove, I suppose I could let go of the new ones that I've done already... that would be 3 to go out the door. Which seems doable...
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
16. DVDs
Well, this actually includes VHS tapes as well... not just DVDs. We went to Optik TV a while ago and decided to get rid of our VHS recorder, now that we have a PVR. So with no VHS recorder... or player... what's the point of keeping all these VHS tapes? They are certainly bulky... and take up a lot of space. Yes, there are some great movies in there, but surely we can replace them with a DVD version, if we really need to? Or, in getting rid of them, maybe we'll just forget that we ever had them and not even miss them?
But what do you do with old VHS tapes? Well, a bunch of them are going to Value Village - ones that are still relatively new and playable. But the blank ones, or the ones on which we taped TV shows and movies... are all going into the garbage. You'd think that somewhere they would have recycling for outdated technology... like cassette tapes and VHS tapes... and CDs! Technology is changing so fast though, it's hard to know what's out-of-date when!
And then the DVDs... well, we're keeping most of those, mostly because we don't have a lot. There are a few that are going bye-bye... but the VHS tapes are forming the bulk of the lot. Which means that our entertainment cabinet is quite a bit emptier than it was... which means we have more space... which is always nice!
But what do you do with old VHS tapes? Well, a bunch of them are going to Value Village - ones that are still relatively new and playable. But the blank ones, or the ones on which we taped TV shows and movies... are all going into the garbage. You'd think that somewhere they would have recycling for outdated technology... like cassette tapes and VHS tapes... and CDs! Technology is changing so fast though, it's hard to know what's out-of-date when!
And then the DVDs... well, we're keeping most of those, mostly because we don't have a lot. There are a few that are going bye-bye... but the VHS tapes are forming the bulk of the lot. Which means that our entertainment cabinet is quite a bit emptier than it was... which means we have more space... which is always nice!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
15. TV and Phone cables/cords
So, this is another little clutter spot that resides in our laundry room. We have several boxes full of television cable cords, phone cords, and ethernet cords. Sooo... TV cable cords... we have a variety of lengths and styles. Some are the screw-on variety... some are the push on variety. Do we need them all? Nowadays with Telus Optik TV, they pretty much provide all the cables that you need... so... do we need these or not? Probably not... At least not a dozen cords of various lengths. I'm keeping two smaller cables and getting rid of the rest.
Telephone cords - well, they are always useful. You never know when you might need a huge long extension on the telephone, right? Well... nowadays with cordless phones, that's becoming less of an issue. And some people don't even have landlines and don't use telephone cables! There are also various little doo-dads in there - those internet filters, various connectors to double up phone cords, etc. Those are useful. So maybe it's to reduce the number of phone cables - keep a couple, along with the doo-dads and let the rest go.
And then the ethernet cables. Some are quite long, and quite expensive... Some are shorter, and would be useful for business trips, where you can plug into an ethernet connection in a hotel room. But nowadays, with wirless internet connections, do we need all these cables? Well, yes and no... it depends. Wireless is good, but a wired connection is faster and more stable. So... I think I'll keep these 4 ethernet cables for now... You never know when a need will show up and they represent a significant amount of $ whereas phone and TV cables are pretty cheap.
So, another little area decluttered... and done!
Telephone cords - well, they are always useful. You never know when you might need a huge long extension on the telephone, right? Well... nowadays with cordless phones, that's becoming less of an issue. And some people don't even have landlines and don't use telephone cables! There are also various little doo-dads in there - those internet filters, various connectors to double up phone cords, etc. Those are useful. So maybe it's to reduce the number of phone cables - keep a couple, along with the doo-dads and let the rest go.
And then the ethernet cables. Some are quite long, and quite expensive... Some are shorter, and would be useful for business trips, where you can plug into an ethernet connection in a hotel room. But nowadays, with wirless internet connections, do we need all these cables? Well, yes and no... it depends. Wireless is good, but a wired connection is faster and more stable. So... I think I'll keep these 4 ethernet cables for now... You never know when a need will show up and they represent a significant amount of $ whereas phone and TV cables are pretty cheap.
So, another little area decluttered... and done!
Monday, July 4, 2011
14. Light Bulbs
Light bulbs... these are a tricky thing nowadays. What with LEDs coming in and CFLs being big (that's compact fluorescent lights not canadian football league!), the question is what to do with the old incandescent light bulbs.... We have lots of them because when we moved in, we replaced them all with CFLs... Which leaves me wondering... Pretty soon, you won't be able to buy the regular light bulbs anymore, so should we hang onto these ones? Or should we let them go? They are perfectly good light bulbs, but we have no use for them, other than maybe for the light fixture outside in the back. Hmmm...Then we have some globe light bulbs, like they usedto have on bathroom vanity light fixtures. Big huge dust catchers is what they are. Now, we don't have any of those light fixtures, so why they are in the house, I have no idea... So, they could probably go to Value Village... maybe...
We also have some chandelier light bulbs, those little ones... and we do have a fixture that uses them, so I think we can keep those ones....
Back to the incandescent light bulbs.. Maybe it's time to reduce the number a little bit?? Keep a few and get rid of the rest? Sounds like a plan!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
13. Laundry Room Supplies
Well, this was a fairly easy one, as there isn't a lot of stuff that can accumulate in our laundry room, other than dryer lint! Mind you, I did review all of the laundry soap and bottles that we have. Yep, they are all OK. There is also an old bookshelf in there that stores baskets of rags and bottles of extra cleaning supplies. Those are all OK too.
So, sometimes decluttering a space doesn't take very long at all! Mind you, I did divide the laundry room into a variety of zones because we store other things in there other than laundry supplies. My way of trying to get up to "Declutter 100 Things"!
So, we also have light bulbs in there, along with boxes of phone and cable and ethernet cords... coming up next!
So, sometimes decluttering a space doesn't take very long at all! Mind you, I did divide the laundry room into a variety of zones because we store other things in there other than laundry supplies. My way of trying to get up to "Declutter 100 Things"!
So, we also have light bulbs in there, along with boxes of phone and cable and ethernet cords... coming up next!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
12. CDs
Alright, so a few weeks back I completed the transfer of all of my music cds into my new desktop computer, into iTunes. Now that that is done, it's time to look at all of those cds and ask the question... do I still need to keep them? If all of the music is in the computer and in my iPod nano, then do I need to keep the originals? Could I just let go of them? That is the question... Because as soon as I think about getting rid of them, there is something inside of me that goes "NO.... what if you need them!! What if the computer dies or the sound files get obsolete or..." Funny how that happens...
Logically, seriously, realistically, I do not need these hundreds of cds. I could get rid of them. I could let them go... I could... But will I? I know from past experience, that cds are very heavy and bulky to move. I don't want to keep schlepping them around with me. I would really like to just let go of them and move on without them. That would be at least 3 less boxes to move in the future. And it would free up some wall space as the cd racks could go as well.
Maybe it's time to use the Peter Walsh method here as well, except a bit more ruthlessly. So, if I have 200 cds, maybe it's time to let go of 20% of them... which would be 40 of them. Could I let go of 40 cds? Probably... I can already think of some that I don't love and that could go by the board. So, maybe that's the way, just start somewhere and start pulling them off the shelf and see how far I get.
Now, that that's done... it's time to take them to the used record/cd store and see what I can get for them. I know that I'll never get back what I paid for them. But even $1/cd is better than nothing, because right now they aren't doing anything for me other than using my space in our house!
Logically, seriously, realistically, I do not need these hundreds of cds. I could get rid of them. I could let them go... I could... But will I? I know from past experience, that cds are very heavy and bulky to move. I don't want to keep schlepping them around with me. I would really like to just let go of them and move on without them. That would be at least 3 less boxes to move in the future. And it would free up some wall space as the cd racks could go as well.
Maybe it's time to use the Peter Walsh method here as well, except a bit more ruthlessly. So, if I have 200 cds, maybe it's time to let go of 20% of them... which would be 40 of them. Could I let go of 40 cds? Probably... I can already think of some that I don't love and that could go by the board. So, maybe that's the way, just start somewhere and start pulling them off the shelf and see how far I get.
Now, that that's done... it's time to take them to the used record/cd store and see what I can get for them. I know that I'll never get back what I paid for them. But even $1/cd is better than nothing, because right now they aren't doing anything for me other than using my space in our house!
Monday, June 27, 2011
11. Bookshelf in Living Room/Dining Room
Well, although I haven't been blogging about it, I haven't been neglecting my little declutter something every day routine. Yesterday, I took a bunch of stuff to Value Village, stuff which had been starting to clutter up the basement. Now that it's all gone, it's amazing how much space is created! Love that sense of space.
I was watching Peter Walsh (organizing guru) on OWN the other day and he was helping some people declutter there books. His method is to take 10 books and get rid of one of them. If you do that every once in a while (and don't buy books all the time), then pretty soon the book collection will be manageable.
So, the book shelves in the dining room and the living room. Well, they have doors in front of them, so you can't see how many books are in there, which is a definite bonus. But... there are a lot of books in there. On my side, there are all of my scriptural textbooks from my master's degree. Have a referred to them in the last 7 years. Not really. Am I likely to read them again any time soon? Probably not. Am I ever going to refer to them again... most likely not. Hmmm... what to do... I could use the Peter Walsh method and try getting rid of 10% of them. That seems reasonable. It's easier to go through and choose the ones that I really am not attached to and leave the ones that I am attached to.
With that done, I can now take them to my favourite used bookstore and try floggin them there. If they don't take them, then it's off to Value Village that the go.
I was watching Peter Walsh (organizing guru) on OWN the other day and he was helping some people declutter there books. His method is to take 10 books and get rid of one of them. If you do that every once in a while (and don't buy books all the time), then pretty soon the book collection will be manageable.
So, the book shelves in the dining room and the living room. Well, they have doors in front of them, so you can't see how many books are in there, which is a definite bonus. But... there are a lot of books in there. On my side, there are all of my scriptural textbooks from my master's degree. Have a referred to them in the last 7 years. Not really. Am I likely to read them again any time soon? Probably not. Am I ever going to refer to them again... most likely not. Hmmm... what to do... I could use the Peter Walsh method and try getting rid of 10% of them. That seems reasonable. It's easier to go through and choose the ones that I really am not attached to and leave the ones that I am attached to.
With that done, I can now take them to my favourite used bookstore and try floggin them there. If they don't take them, then it's off to Value Village that the go.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
10. Cat Toys
Yep, the cats helped me declutter their toy box. They weren't around and I thought it would be a good idea to get rid of toys that they never play with. But as soon as I started rooting through their toy box, both of them appeared like magic with their inquisitive little faces. With their disapproving supervision, I managed to get rid of a variety of things that they have never played with... and managed to empty their toybox by about a third. It's a small thing, but it's something that's been hanging around my space for a while... So now it's done and there's another ziploc bag full of stuff that has gone into the Value Village box.
So that is done, and it only took me 10 minutes! That's what I like about this method of decluttering... it doesn't take a long time, just 10 or 15 minutes a day and a tiny corner of the house is done. Do that often enough, and it's amazing what can be accomplished.
So that is done, and it only took me 10 minutes! That's what I like about this method of decluttering... it doesn't take a long time, just 10 or 15 minutes a day and a tiny corner of the house is done. Do that often enough, and it's amazing what can be accomplished.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
9. Old Computer
With the new computer set up and running well, I don't need the old computer. But... my temptation is to hang onto it "just in case". But I've got all my programs up and running so... there is not excuse really. But, what to do with it? There's the monitor and the cpu and the mouse and the keyboard and tonnes of cables. Time to let go of it. I didn't want to go through the hassle of getting a drive-wipe-out program, so I just openned up the computer, took out the harddrive and attempted to disable it with a little sledgehammer. Those things are tough!! Encase in steel with a screw that uses a weird shape (not slot, not hex, not roberts, not phillips)... so it's dented and rattles on the inside, which is good enough.
Now, I know that I can take the stuff to the electronic recycling depot or to Staples, so I just need to do it. I was reading an article today about rare earth metals, and how they are in practically everything technological nowadays... everything from cell phones to catalytic convertors, to windmills, to computer hard drives. And pretty much all of the world's rare earth metals come from China and questionable mining practices. So recycling all those computer parts is a good thing... recycling rare earth metals.
Now, I know that I can take the stuff to the electronic recycling depot or to Staples, so I just need to do it. I was reading an article today about rare earth metals, and how they are in practically everything technological nowadays... everything from cell phones to catalytic convertors, to windmills, to computer hard drives. And pretty much all of the world's rare earth metals come from China and questionable mining practices. So recycling all those computer parts is a good thing... recycling rare earth metals.
Monday, June 13, 2011
8. Declutter Box of House Repair Thingies
There is this paper box that has a variety of miscellaneous things for the house. I have separate boxes for electrical, plumbing, painting, etc. But this big paper box has all sorts of things: plastic zip ties, tub caulking, steel wool, serious duct tape, curtain hooks, picture hanger wire, rolls of that rubber anti-skid stuff, bales of string, plant hooks, etc. etc. Quite the hodge podge...
So today I sat down and went through the box and was actually surprised at the things I was able to let go of. First off, the curtain hooks... haven't used them in years... and I can always get them cheap again at Value Village so... Also the plant hanger hooks. These are the ones that go in the ceiling and I had about 20 of them. I think I picked some up once at a free garage sale or something. Anyhow... I kept 6 or so and let the rest go. Some of the tub caulking tubes as well. They're probably dried out in there anyhow... and we have a bone coloured tub, so white tub caulking isn't going to work!
So, it's only one box but... it makes a difference. I now have about 4 boxes of stuff sitting downstairs that is destined to go out the door and that is 4 boxes worth less of stuff in the house. Every little bit helps!
So today I sat down and went through the box and was actually surprised at the things I was able to let go of. First off, the curtain hooks... haven't used them in years... and I can always get them cheap again at Value Village so... Also the plant hanger hooks. These are the ones that go in the ceiling and I had about 20 of them. I think I picked some up once at a free garage sale or something. Anyhow... I kept 6 or so and let the rest go. Some of the tub caulking tubes as well. They're probably dried out in there anyhow... and we have a bone coloured tub, so white tub caulking isn't going to work!
So, it's only one box but... it makes a difference. I now have about 4 boxes of stuff sitting downstairs that is destined to go out the door and that is 4 boxes worth less of stuff in the house. Every little bit helps!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
7. Declutter Box of Framed Pictures in Basement
There were maybe 8 framed pictures in this box, little ones mostly... and I got rid of 3 of them. Which is pretty good I figure. A couple are going to a friend of mine, if he wants them. One is going to Value Village. And I'm keeping the rest for now... we'll see... Maybe I'll keep the photographs and ditch the old IKEA clip frame... We'll see. But there we go, another box gone, or at least a half box.
I'm not sure why I hang onto all these things for so long but... I do. And now is a great chance to let go of things. The other day, I read about a condo complex that had a sewer back-up. Twenty units had up to 50 cm of sewage water in their basements. Now, that's a forced declutter!! Far better to let go of things voluntarily... and then I don't need so much space to store things... and there's less to worry about!
Things do create worry... and concern... we have to care for our things and insure them and protect them. But for what? Especially the things that we don't use or love anymore... like these photographs. Good question...
I'm not sure why I hang onto all these things for so long but... I do. And now is a great chance to let go of things. The other day, I read about a condo complex that had a sewer back-up. Twenty units had up to 50 cm of sewage water in their basements. Now, that's a forced declutter!! Far better to let go of things voluntarily... and then I don't need so much space to store things... and there's less to worry about!
Things do create worry... and concern... we have to care for our things and insure them and protect them. But for what? Especially the things that we don't use or love anymore... like these photographs. Good question...
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
6. Declutter Basement Binder Box
This actually turned out to be two boxes, which is a bonus! I knew about these boxes... they had been sitting in the basement for a few years now. At one point, when our humidifier over-dripped, they even got splattered by calcium-rich water and ended up looking like they were snow-sprinkled.
So, today, I sat down there and pulled them out and looked at them. There were 5 course binders with notes from my theology degreee. To keep or not to keep?? That is the question. Have I referred to them in the last 8 years... no... am I likely to refer to them... no... Can I let go of them??? Ahhh!!! So I phoned a friend who basically told me exactly what I already knew... and with that little bit of encouragement, I was able to open up the binder rings and happily pitch the notes into the recycle bin.
The second box contained some extra framed pictures and photographs (more on that in the next posting)... and underneath them... two more binders!! These were the infamous Lay Formation binders that I've been looking for for months and months. I figured I must have already pitched them and yet here they were... It didn't take long to let go of them as well.
Seven thick (2.5 to 3 inch) binders are now empty and going off to Value Village as well. And I am 20 lbs lighter... maybe more... or at least my possessions are that much lighter. It feels good to let go of that stuff... and it only took 20 minutes...
So, today, I sat down there and pulled them out and looked at them. There were 5 course binders with notes from my theology degreee. To keep or not to keep?? That is the question. Have I referred to them in the last 8 years... no... am I likely to refer to them... no... Can I let go of them??? Ahhh!!! So I phoned a friend who basically told me exactly what I already knew... and with that little bit of encouragement, I was able to open up the binder rings and happily pitch the notes into the recycle bin.
The second box contained some extra framed pictures and photographs (more on that in the next posting)... and underneath them... two more binders!! These were the infamous Lay Formation binders that I've been looking for for months and months. I figured I must have already pitched them and yet here they were... It didn't take long to let go of them as well.
Seven thick (2.5 to 3 inch) binders are now empty and going off to Value Village as well. And I am 20 lbs lighter... maybe more... or at least my possessions are that much lighter. It feels good to let go of that stuff... and it only took 20 minutes...
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
5. Declutter Computer Stuff
So, this is always a big one too. There are cables that might come in handy. There are the instruction manuals that might be needed some day. There are the cds and dvds of software that might be useful. There are all sorts of things... So, today I decluttered the little mountain of computer paraphernalia (that would be a good spelling bee word!).
I got rid of all the disks relating to my old computer. I got rid of manuals from two computers ago. I got rid of little boxes and containers which used to hold a new webcam or whatever. I got rid of anything that didn't relate to the computer that is actually sitting on my desk. Amazing how much space that created!! Amazing how many disks my old computer came with! I found cables that were for my old personal organizer, which bit the bucket a year or two ago.
Now I have quite the pile of stuff to go to Staples or to the electronic recycling bin. I'm not sure where they will go... just that they will go... In the meantime, there is a mountain of stuff starting to form in the basement... what with Value Village boxes, Second Hand Bookstore Boxes and Electronic Recycling boxes...
It feels good though, feels like I'm letting go of a lot of useless things and creating some space for other stuff to show up!
I got rid of all the disks relating to my old computer. I got rid of manuals from two computers ago. I got rid of little boxes and containers which used to hold a new webcam or whatever. I got rid of anything that didn't relate to the computer that is actually sitting on my desk. Amazing how much space that created!! Amazing how many disks my old computer came with! I found cables that were for my old personal organizer, which bit the bucket a year or two ago.
Now I have quite the pile of stuff to go to Staples or to the electronic recycling bin. I'm not sure where they will go... just that they will go... In the meantime, there is a mountain of stuff starting to form in the basement... what with Value Village boxes, Second Hand Bookstore Boxes and Electronic Recycling boxes...
It feels good though, feels like I'm letting go of a lot of useless things and creating some space for other stuff to show up!
Monday, June 6, 2011
4. Declutter Office Supplies
Well, this was a fun one! You know how you pick up pens wherever you go. Maybe from an old workplace, or a conference or a workshop or... high school. And you keep them because they are perfectly good pens. You test them out every once in a while and get rid of the dead ones, but the live ones are still writing well, so you can't throw them away, so you keep them. Mind you, they aren't your favourite type of pen and you never use them. But you keep them... I'm not sure what for... but I keep them. So, today I decluttered pens and stuff... I went through all of the pens and pulled out all the ones I never use, put them in a ziploc bag and they can go off to Value Village. Then there was this old ruler... I've had it since Grade 5. It's white plastic with cm down one side and mm down the other side. I never use it because I have nice metal rulers that have both inches and cm... But I've kept it because... I've had it a long time... 35 years or so. But now... it's sitting in the garbage can... yup, I let it go!!
So, what with one thing and another, I did pretty good in decluttering the office supplies. There's some more space, and that always feels good... But do you ever wonder... why did we ever go to disposable pens? Pens that we can only use once and then throw away? Whatever happened to the pens where you would just get a new pen insert and keep going? I'm not sure when that transition happened, but we sure do throw away an awful lot of plastic with pens nowadays... Do they even still make the refillable ones?? I found one in all my stuff, and I kept it... you never know when it might come in handy....
So, what with one thing and another, I did pretty good in decluttering the office supplies. There's some more space, and that always feels good... But do you ever wonder... why did we ever go to disposable pens? Pens that we can only use once and then throw away? Whatever happened to the pens where you would just get a new pen insert and keep going? I'm not sure when that transition happened, but we sure do throw away an awful lot of plastic with pens nowadays... Do they even still make the refillable ones?? I found one in all my stuff, and I kept it... you never know when it might come in handy....
Sunday, June 5, 2011
3. Declutter Book Shelf in Office
This was actually number 4 on my list, but... it happened today as I was there, and it felt like I needed to declutter in the office! Well... there weren't many books I got rid of, maybe 5 in total. Which is still something, as there aren' that many books in there. So, it's created some space on the bookshelves and that means that I can put away the piles of books that have been sitting on the edge of the bokshelves... Which makes the whole office look neater and more streamlined which... is a nice thing!
I did manage to find a box for the decluttered books, but it is definitely overflowing, so I'm going to need to find another one somewhere. And a visit to the second hand bookstore is in order once I look at the living room bookshelves!
I did manage to find a box for the decluttered books, but it is definitely overflowing, so I'm going to need to find another one somewhere. And a visit to the second hand bookstore is in order once I look at the living room bookshelves!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
2. Declutter Book Shelf in Bedroom
Well, that didn't take very long at all... Admittedly, there aren't a lot of books in the bedroom, but I was able to get rid of a few. The one thing I am noticing, is that I'm finding books tucked away that I have been meaning to read for a while. They get hidden behind this and that, and I end up forgetting about them. The trick is to have them out there, visible where I can see them and remember that I want to read them!
I haven't actually done a recent tabulation of how many books I have that I've been meaning to read. Last time I checked, it was around 30... sigh... So, no more book buying for me! I need to take enough books with me on a trip to ensure that I don't end up in some airport bookstore buying another book or two! Mind you, those are the ones that I do tend to read quickly but still... I'll just "buy" some from my own bookstore!
The one thing I'm noticing is I need some empty boxes pretty quick! I have a few stacks of decluttered books sitting around and I need to get them out of the house before they just migrate to some other spot.
My ongoing to-declutter list from June 1 is always being updated... I'm still trying to get it up to 100!
I haven't actually done a recent tabulation of how many books I have that I've been meaning to read. Last time I checked, it was around 30... sigh... So, no more book buying for me! I need to take enough books with me on a trip to ensure that I don't end up in some airport bookstore buying another book or two! Mind you, those are the ones that I do tend to read quickly but still... I'll just "buy" some from my own bookstore!
The one thing I'm noticing is I need some empty boxes pretty quick! I have a few stacks of decluttered books sitting around and I need to get them out of the house before they just migrate to some other spot.
My ongoing to-declutter list from June 1 is always being updated... I'm still trying to get it up to 100!
Friday, June 3, 2011
1. Declutter Book Shelf in Spare Bedroom
Whoo boy... I've been debating about whether to follow through on this idea of altering 16 little things over the course of 100 days. Do I really want to take on decluttering something everyday? And all the other 15 things that I listed? Sigh...
I was looking at this bookshelf this morning and thinking... there are books on there that I could let go of. For sure, there are. Books that I've read and kept mostly.
The 100-Mile Diet. Great book... will I ever read it again? Probably not.
Non-fiction books about Harry Potter... the spirituality, the theology... etc. About seven of those books. I used them about 6 years ago to do some seminars when the movies and books were all the rage. Do I need them now? Probably not.
The Golden Compass trilogy - I've only read the first book... and not the other two. Will I read them? Probably... so that is a keep.
Decluttering books... they motivate me and inspire me to declutter. When I feel like things are getting out of hand in my life... I just pull one off the shelf, read it for a bit, and I'm good to go. Have I re-read them all? No. Are there some I could let go of? For sure...
Nature books, hiking books, outdoor books. Definitely a keep... But there might be a few things I could let go of...
Genealogy books - now these ones I need to take a closer look at. Genealogy for Dummies... well, I can probably let go of that one as I am no longer a beginner at this... So, definitely a few that could go.
Should I aim for a number? How about... 20 books? Could I let go of 20 books off of that shelf? There are probably 100 books on the book shelf, so that would be 20%. If we go by the old rule of thumb that we use 80% of our things 20% of the time... and only use 20% of our things 80% of the time... then I should be very much able to let go of a piddly 20%!
Oh, and there is another bookshelf in that room too... a little two shelved nightstand... with paperbacks doubled up on the shelves. These are my most favourite paperbacks that I read over and over again... But there might be a couple that I could let go of... maybe... I'll have to check...
The truth is, we outgrow things after a while. We grow into different books. We grow into different music. We grow into different art. We grow into a different exercise regimen. We just grow. So it makes sense that we would be able to declutter and let go of things. If we keep on holding onto the things that we've outgrown well... that could get kind of messy!
Well... the long and the short of it is... 20 books have been decluttered. Not too bad for 15 minutes worth of work. There's a bit more space on the bookshelves and a bit more space in my life.
I was looking at this bookshelf this morning and thinking... there are books on there that I could let go of. For sure, there are. Books that I've read and kept mostly.
The 100-Mile Diet. Great book... will I ever read it again? Probably not.
Non-fiction books about Harry Potter... the spirituality, the theology... etc. About seven of those books. I used them about 6 years ago to do some seminars when the movies and books were all the rage. Do I need them now? Probably not.
The Golden Compass trilogy - I've only read the first book... and not the other two. Will I read them? Probably... so that is a keep.
Decluttering books... they motivate me and inspire me to declutter. When I feel like things are getting out of hand in my life... I just pull one off the shelf, read it for a bit, and I'm good to go. Have I re-read them all? No. Are there some I could let go of? For sure...
Nature books, hiking books, outdoor books. Definitely a keep... But there might be a few things I could let go of...
Genealogy books - now these ones I need to take a closer look at. Genealogy for Dummies... well, I can probably let go of that one as I am no longer a beginner at this... So, definitely a few that could go.
Should I aim for a number? How about... 20 books? Could I let go of 20 books off of that shelf? There are probably 100 books on the book shelf, so that would be 20%. If we go by the old rule of thumb that we use 80% of our things 20% of the time... and only use 20% of our things 80% of the time... then I should be very much able to let go of a piddly 20%!
Oh, and there is another bookshelf in that room too... a little two shelved nightstand... with paperbacks doubled up on the shelves. These are my most favourite paperbacks that I read over and over again... But there might be a couple that I could let go of... maybe... I'll have to check...
The truth is, we outgrow things after a while. We grow into different books. We grow into different music. We grow into different art. We grow into a different exercise regimen. We just grow. So it makes sense that we would be able to declutter and let go of things. If we keep on holding onto the things that we've outgrown well... that could get kind of messy!
Well... the long and the short of it is... 20 books have been decluttered. Not too bad for 15 minutes worth of work. There's a bit more space on the bookshelves and a bit more space in my life.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Declutter 100 Things??
Alright... so 100 Things to Declutter... let's go...
OK, that's all I can come up with for today! I am seriously tempted to start splitting things up, but I'm going to trust the process and see what else will come to me as the days progress. At least I'm good for a month. Anybody else have any bright ideas??
- Bookshelf in Spare Room
- Bookshelf in Bedroom
- Bookshelf in Office
- Office Supplies
- Computer Stuff
- Box of Binders in Basement
- Box of Framed Pictures in Basement
- Box of Misc. Household Repair Thingies
- Old Computer
- Cat Toys
- Bookshelf in Living Room/Dining Room
- CDs
- Laundry Room supplies
- Light bulbs
- TV and Phone cables/cords
- DVDs
- Puzzles
- Games
- Clothes
- Kitchen Cupboard - under sink
- Bathroom - Cleaning Supplies
- Scrapbooking Supplies
- Photos
- Slides (35 mm)
- Pictures on the walls
- Stamps
- Emails
- Inside of Truck
- Gardening Supplies
- Gardening Tools
- Gardening Shed
- Tools
- Workbench
- Canned Food
- Kitchen Appliances
- Cookbooks
- Plastic Containers
- Glove Box in Truck
- Empty Boxes
- Nic-Nacs
- Filing Cabinet Drawer 1
- Filing Cabinet Drawer 2
- Appliance Manuals
- Junk Drawer in Kitchen
- Utensil Drawer in Kitchen
- Cupboard Above Fridge
- First Aid Supplies (old and expired)
- Luggage
- Throw Pillows
- Sheets
- Towels
- Bedding
- Shoes
- Jackets
- Coat Closet
- Office Shoulder Bag
- Records
- Tape/CD Players/Decks
- Bath supplies
- Dresser
- Easter Supplies
- Genealogy cupboard
- Freezer
- Fridge
- Vases
- Candles
- Big Old Trunk in Basement
- Tablecloths
- Napkins and Placemats
(69 and counting)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
100 Days to a New Life
I came across this link the other day from the http://www.lifehack.org/ website... It caught my eye and I'm thinking I might print it out... It's called 60 Small Ways to Improve Your Life in the Next 100 Days. Now that is quite a list!!
The first thing to do is look at 100 different ways in which you can declutter things in your life. Day 1 - declutter books. Day 2 - declutter Cds. Day 3 - declutter empty boxes. Or whatever. The first thing that came to me is... I don't have 100 areas of my life to declutter!! Unless I turn Declutter Clothes into various things like: Declutter Socks, Declutter Jeans, Declutter T-shirts... At that rate, I could probably turn one thing into 20 things! But I like the idea of it!
Now, I have to admit, keeping track of doing 60 things in one day might be a bit much... I'll be lucky if I can tackle 10 of them... But it's an admirable idea... and given that they have put the list into categories, maybe the trick is to choose 2 from each category to start with... Eight categories... two from each... that's 16 small ways to change my life in the next 100 days... Cool idea...
So let's see... which ones... which ones...
Home
#1 - Pick one thing a day to declutter for 100 days... I like this one
#3 - Walk around house and fix/repair/handle one thing a day
Happiness
#4 - Write down 5 to 10 things I am grateful for each day
#5 - Write down 20 things I enjoy doing and do one a day
Learning/Personal Development
#8 - Choose a book requiring effort and concentration and read a bit for the next 100 days
#12 - Keep Morning Pages for next 100 Days
Finances
#15 - Scourt Internet for frugality tips, choose 10 and implement them for the next 100 days
#17 - Don't buy anything I don't need for the next 100 days
Time Management
#20 - For the next 5 days - track how I spend my time, create a time budget and stick with it for the 95 days
#22 - Identify 5 ways in which I waste time and then limit the amount of time I waste...
Health
#32 - eat at least 3 servings of fruit/day
#36 - drink water instead of pop
My Relationship
#47 - write someting positive about my partner each day
#49 - three actions to strengthen the relationship and do them each day
Social
#53 - don't pass judgement... period
#54 - do a kind deed for someone each day
There, that doesn't look so bad... now I just need to print this out or write it out and keep it with me. It is affirming to know that I already do some of those 60 things, so I've got a start already! I figure it's one way of making our world a better place!
The first thing to do is look at 100 different ways in which you can declutter things in your life. Day 1 - declutter books. Day 2 - declutter Cds. Day 3 - declutter empty boxes. Or whatever. The first thing that came to me is... I don't have 100 areas of my life to declutter!! Unless I turn Declutter Clothes into various things like: Declutter Socks, Declutter Jeans, Declutter T-shirts... At that rate, I could probably turn one thing into 20 things! But I like the idea of it!
Now, I have to admit, keeping track of doing 60 things in one day might be a bit much... I'll be lucky if I can tackle 10 of them... But it's an admirable idea... and given that they have put the list into categories, maybe the trick is to choose 2 from each category to start with... Eight categories... two from each... that's 16 small ways to change my life in the next 100 days... Cool idea...
So let's see... which ones... which ones...
Home
#1 - Pick one thing a day to declutter for 100 days... I like this one
#3 - Walk around house and fix/repair/handle one thing a day
Happiness
#4 - Write down 5 to 10 things I am grateful for each day
#5 - Write down 20 things I enjoy doing and do one a day
Learning/Personal Development
#8 - Choose a book requiring effort and concentration and read a bit for the next 100 days
#12 - Keep Morning Pages for next 100 Days
Finances
#15 - Scourt Internet for frugality tips, choose 10 and implement them for the next 100 days
#17 - Don't buy anything I don't need for the next 100 days
Time Management
#20 - For the next 5 days - track how I spend my time, create a time budget and stick with it for the 95 days
#22 - Identify 5 ways in which I waste time and then limit the amount of time I waste...
Health
#32 - eat at least 3 servings of fruit/day
#36 - drink water instead of pop
My Relationship
#47 - write someting positive about my partner each day
#49 - three actions to strengthen the relationship and do them each day
Social
#53 - don't pass judgement... period
#54 - do a kind deed for someone each day
There, that doesn't look so bad... now I just need to print this out or write it out and keep it with me. It is affirming to know that I already do some of those 60 things, so I've got a start already! I figure it's one way of making our world a better place!
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