Going Through the Children's Toys

It never ceases to amaze me that I can come up with more clutter;  however, I am not at all surprised when it comes to the toys we keep for grandchildren.  There were odds and ends from Easter baskets, ??????, cereal boxes, and items no longer played with. It made their toys disorganized and confusing. 

 It has been a while since I felt well enough to do something about it.  However, I'm happy I have been able to work on their room this week.  It's a small room and it needs to be accessible, not cluttered.  Also, I have moved around some of my books and things, so they can get to toys in the living room, where we congregate the most.  

Now, I need to think about chillin', so I enough energy for tomorrow.  There is just a little work to do in putting some plastic bins out of the way.  I don't want to give those away, because I have other plans for them.

90 Things Decluttered in 2014  ( I can hardly believe it.  Who knows?  I may make 375 at this rate, which I did not think possible.  I never realized how much I actually needed to let go in the kid's room.)

A Lot of STUFF!!

 

By now, I am sure it is obvious to you that I have cut down on my posting for Saying Bye to Clutter.  I still feel like it is phenomenal that I was able to declutter so many things in 2013.

However, this year has been a little harder, because of health and now I have added another blog to my mission.  Now, I am out to declutter my mind of the diet mentality that has plagued me most of my life.  If you are interested in reading that, it is called  Loving Ourselves, Finding Ourselves.  Nevertheless, I am still plugging along, finding things to get rid of on normal cleaning days and as I go through my days.

Today, was one of the cleaning days, I decided I had to tackle the area hidden behind our wooden screen in the guest room.  It has been a mess.  I did not even know what was in the boxes that had been stashed there. In fact, a couple of times it felt like Christmas, as I found things I was missing.

Before I cleaned behind the screen the
 area was entirely filled.  Now look at it.

All in all, I was able to declutter 15 things today.
That makes 78 things that have been decluttered since the beginning of 2014.  That makes me a very happy camper.

Frugal and Practical Decluttering

This old bedspread will never get made into a dog bed.  After it had lain around for over a month on the floor, I knew I had delusions of upcycling grandeur.  Besides, the lining of fluff in the middle would never have held up to washing.  I guess that is why the original cleaning directions were to dry clean.  I now stay away from those kinds of spreads, because it costs almost as much to dry clean a spread as it does to buy one.

Moreover, I have a king size bed, and a dog that likes to jump on it.  That was a no-no years ago in our marriage;  but, when I could not sit on the floor and get up easily,  that all changed.  We crate trained our puppy;  and later, I started letting her jump on the bed for cuddles.  Therefore, I now buy washable spreads that will fit in my washing machine.  It's a matter of being frugal and practical.

Automobiles carry clutter too.  While getting out of the car a couple of weeks ago, I grabbed this air freshener that had lost it's scent.



 63 Items de-cluttered in 2014.

Encouragement to Start Your Weekly Decluttering

Everyday is a new day.  Maybe, you do not have enough energy or time to get the clutter out of your house or clean your house for hours upon hours.  However, if you can walk or even if you are in a wheel chair, you can throw away one thing, donate one item, or put away one thing at a time.  I have an out of the way place where I collect enough items to take for donation.  I use boxes or bags to collect those items.  I do not let them just pile up, making that another place of clutter.  They have to go when the boxes or bags are full.  The best time I have found for making donations is on the way to the store.  Sometimes, I ask my husband to take them if I do not feel well.

If you de-clutter 15 minutes a day it will make a difference.  If you miss a day or two, don't get frustrated.  Jump in where you are.  The same goes for cleaning house.  Work for a few minutes at a time.  If 15 minutes is too long, start with 5 minutes.

I know how it feels to do very little and you cannot stand another minute.  Now, I am able to work for 15 minutes at a time and do several things during a day.  However, that changes from time to time, depending on how I have slept, depending on whether I have overdone, or depending on whether I have an additional illness.  If you have Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue syndrome, you know how it is.

More Clutter Gone

#1

#2 The basket stays, but the papers and catalogs go.
If only the rest of the family would use it, a basket
 is a great way to keep the paper clutter in check.

#3 I have decided to let decorating for Easter go,
 when it means keeping little bags of eggs and things around.
They are hard to keep track of.  Nice flowers or just keeping
the house clean without the hassle is conducive to a better holiday.

#4 is a cracked plastic
 container.  I put the
things inside of it away.

61 Items Decluttered in 2014