Yesterday,
I stumbled upon a great article at www.unclutter.com
-
Erin Doland; January 3, 2012
Click
on the title to read the full article.
I
thought Erin really boiled down some of the feelings and thoughts
flitting through my head this past month as I've worked on my January challenge: Small Victories. In
fact, for a bit of motivation, I've printed off the seven routines
and guidelines and posted them on my “quote” clipboard that's
hanging by my desk.
This
is a
big improvement on the last quote....”My brain has too many tabs
open...”!
Here
are some of my thoughts after reading Erin's article about
the seven routines and guidelines...
1.
Have a place for everything. Yes,
everything in your home needs an assigned spot, BUT it's also
important that everyone in the home agrees on that spot! What's
handy for one might be inconvenient for another. That's when the
item in question starts to wander! Also, I'm quickly learning that if
you've lived in a place for a number of years, the “good spots”
often need to change as your family grows.
2.
When you're finished using something, put it away.
Pretty
obvious and something our mothers all told us, but I have to admit, I
still plead, “Guilty!” to this one. I especially liked the
advice, “If
you’re
finished using something for good, put it in the trash, recycling,
shredder, or donation bin.” If
I could do only one thing to improve the organization in our home, it
would be to create a more efficient “exit system” for
items we no longer need.
3.
The fewer things you own, the fewer things you have to store,
maintain, put away, clean, etc. One
of the huge benefits I've
noticed
this past month as I work at decluttering horizontal surfaces is how
much
quicker
it is to clean.
4.
Only own things with utility and things that bring you happiness.
“...things
that bring you happiness.” Hmm...I'm glad that part was added. I
will never be a true minimalist as many of my happy memories are
represented by things. This past year, however,
I
have been trying to find balance by only having a
few
items out at a time and storing the rest away. Changing what's on
display every month or so is enjoyable and
I actually notice the displayed items more.
5.
One
in, one out.
Yes, yes, yes!! This past year I have made a real effort to only
buy consumable items (food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc.). To
underline this, I've changed my phone lists
to CONSUMABLES (basically my grocery list) and REPLACEMENTS.
6.
Everyone does his/her part.
No need to comment on how
everyone
in
a home needs to be involved in keeping
a home clean and comfortable. It is hard to get everyone on board
with simplifying and decluttering, however, especially with shared
areas. Sigh!
7.
Do a little every day.
The more I read, the more this seems to be the best approach. Avoid
burn-out, I remind myself. I've learned that lesson! I allow myself
to take a random approach, a shelf here, a drawer there. Some areas
have a lot of emotional investment and are very challenging – baby
things, photographs, things passed down from family. When I'm not up
to that, I pick a simple space with no emotional ties, like a pantry
shelf. Each small victory is valued!
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