I have finished decluttering.... wait for it.... One Room!!!
Now, it may not sound like much, but it has shown me exactly what I can achieve when I put my mind to it and roll up my sleeves. The room in question was the sitting room and I can categorically say that it looks fabulous.
It took me about three and half hours to do and despite having done a Look and Chuck a few days earlier, I still managed to fill a bin bag! I also gave the room a thorough cleaning, including the skirting boards, windows and moved all of the furniture out to vacuum underneath.
One of the big problems in the sitting room were the nooks and crannies that could get filled with junk and be relatively unseen. Out of sight, out of mind. One of these places was down the side of the sofa. Here I found my wedding album, Trivial Pursuits, a basket containing knitting, assorted batteries and a Wii remote, numerous out of date papers and a selection of pens.
As they were all piled up, none of these items were at all accessible and the pile had just been added to, so really I had no clue what was there. Having cleared this space out completely now, both Husband and I have agreed that it will be a dumping ground no longer! The knitting now has a home courtesy of a basket I received a Christmas Hamper in, the wedding album, Trivial Pursuits and Wii gear has similarly found a new place to live.
Having made a significant amount of extra space in the sitting room, I decided to have a scout around the house to see if there was anything to fill a newly created void in an alcove. About two years ago, we had bought a second hand display cabinet. It have been shoved into a corner in the dining room and I had never got round to doing anything with it.
In fact I had grown to be annoyed by its very presence.
It didn't look right, it covered a double plug socket but wouldn't fit anywhere else, it needed relining. I hadn't so much as unwrapped the glass shelves.
I measured the alcove. 31''. I measured the display cabinet. 31''. I decided to just get on with it.
I knew I had some wallpaper that I had bought on impulse in the loft. I knew I had some glue sticks left over from some project or other. I had been putting off relining the cabinet thinking that I needed wallpaper paste, sharper scissors, at least a full day etc etc. See, I told you I am the Queen of Procrastination!
Anyway, a full glue stick and 25 minutes (yes, 25 minutes) later. This was the result.
So not only do I have a thoroughly declutted and beautifully clean sitting room, I also have a fab new piece of furniture that I can use to put in objects that I love. No doubt these are still buried somewhere else in the house, but I will get to them eventually!
So, I really have made a start, and yes I am a bit smug about it. But I have to be careful not to rest on my laurels and think that a Mary Poppins effect will take over the rest of the house. But seriously, I feel so motivated about every room at home looking this good, I can't wait to get going.
Oh, and I found another £1.83.
The Declutter Diarist
Hooray- now you have a place of refuge while you tackle the rest of the clutter. As your first room success, be ruthless about keeping in clean. Not a stray anything that doesn't belong! I'm cheering you on from Baltimore, Maryland, USA!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I get motivated by success stories like yours. My problem is, that, I have too many books and magazines, and I find it hard to part with them.
ReplyDeleteI watched a few times, the show "Hoarders" and it scared me, I don't want to end up like that. If you watch it, you have to have a really strong stomach.
Now, that I read your post, I feel motivated to tackle the computer room, which has become a sort of catch it all, for books and mail. The bed is clean, but you have to see the closet.
Keep writing about your progress, it is very encouraging
Meximissus, what are your goals for books and magazines?
ReplyDeleteI finally told myself that we are no longer in the Medieval times, so each and every book is not an extremely valuable treasure. I decided I only wanted to keep books I would read again and again, force all my friends to read, and/or use repeatedly as a resource. (And the last group keeps shrinking as the internet becomes more and more awesome.)
I tear out articles I want to save from magazines and file them. Of course then I have to clean out the files periodically. Like I recently got rid of all recipes that I hadn't yet tried that call for two sticks of butter--I know I'm never going to make those.
It may be easier to part with books and (non-torn-up) magazines if you know they are going to a good cause. You can donate them to thrift stores or libraries or schools or hospitals or a shut-in neighbor. Or you may be able to sell some of your books to a used bookstore (in your neighborhood or online).
You can try packing a bunch into a box and storing the box elsewhere to see how your life goes without them; living with all the extra space may make it easier to part with the books.
These are all things I'm telling myself. The problem is that when I see some of my books, I can't remember whether I like them or whether I've even read them before, so I feel like I have to at least keep them until I read (or re-read) them. Ha! Although recently I did look a bunch of them up on Amazon to read the reviews and based on those--not just the number of stars, but the descriptions of why people liked and didn't like the books--and based on reading the first page or two, I was able to get rid of quite a few books without actually reading them.
Now I'm going back and forth between reading one of my books and reading books from the library recommended by friends. If I find I'm never in the mood to read a certain one of my own books, that's a sign I'm trying to listen to.
Declutter Diarist, you've already done a whole room? Are you sure this will take all year? Still, suspense builds. What are you working on now? (I cleaned off my desk (except for my pencil cups and part of my inbox) and decluttered my receipts. We won't talk about how some of the things from my desk top just went into a bag to be sorted later.)
Hi All!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. Its lovely reading your comments and getting support.
Books and magazines are a big part of my life and both my husband and I did English Literature at University and have big collections. With magazines, I am pretty ruthless and periodically dump them. If there is an article I really like, I see if it is online and bookmark it.
I have just posted about my recent decluttering and my next project, so pop back soon!
Take care lovelies - DD
I have been bringing many books to the second hand store, but the problem is, that , sometimes, I come back with more.
ReplyDeleteMy books would not be a problem, if I had a place where to put them. I have a few bookcases, but they are in the basement, and I don't like to go there, specially at night. I have asked friends and relatives to help me bring them upstairs, they say, they will, but they won't, I guess I will have to call the movers.
I am just going to keep in the shelves, reference books, and get rid of the works of fiction, that, I can borrow from the library.
I canceled my subscriptions to magazines; it was hard to part with "The National Geographic" which was a great part of my childhood, but I can read it at the library.
Two books, that, have helped me in my decluttering efforts, and that, I must read again, are:
Clear Your Clutter with FENG SHUI, by Karen Kingston, and
Does this CLUTTER Make My BUTT Look FAT? by Peter Walsh.
Another help, are inspiring blogs like yours, from real people. Thank You!
Meximissus - could I suggest you invite friends or family round for some food or a drink - and then make them work for their supper?!?! ;)
ReplyDeleteDD
It doesn't have to be a horrible surprise. Just make it the sort of a party where moving bookcases upstairs fits in with the theme. Perhaps a caveman party (and none of the foods need silverware) or an Incredible Hulk party. Or a pirate party--and they need to loot the treasures out of the basement. Or one of those reality shows where you demonstrate your strength with challenges. Or, depending what make the basement scary, a dragon slaying party (and you put paper crowns on all the bookshelves/princesses that need to be rescued).
ReplyDeleteOr maybe you need to just bribe some of your friends/acquaintances whose knees and backs are still good with pizza or beer.
the cabinet makeover is just darling!
ReplyDelete