It's time for another New Year's Goal!
Like so many others, I'm really working hard to get rid of some of the clutter in our lives, or at least have a better way to store it. I can not tell you how many blogs I read that have mentioned this as a goal for the new year. One of the Mama's from the board I'm on, Rebecca, had a really great take on how and why she is doing it.
Sometimes I think our house is too small, and then I realize that we are so blessed to have what we have. Heck, if my Dad and his 6 other siblings can grow up in a 3 bedroom house (wait - was it 2 or 1 bedroom? and didn't he have to walk uphill both ways to school? in the snow, year round?), then why are we having so many issues?
So I'm working on two things: utilizing our space better to store what we want to keep, and determining exactly what we want to keep.
I've made good progress in my areas of the house - my side of the closet, the kitchen and utility room, etc. However, one of my biggest issues is getting Eric to take the time to sort through his items. The office was overflowing with his electronics, books and magazines, and the garage is a jumbled mess of cords, tools, wood and misc. items. And then there are the other areas of the house where he has stuff - our bedroom, the living room, etc.
So, can I blame this on Eric?
Just kidding! One of the things that I have realized over this past year is that I can't project my talents onto my husband. I'm a pretty organized person and I love to have a designated spot for everything. Eric doesn't work that way. So I'm looking for ways to use his talents to compliment mine. Eric is a great builder and has an eye for how to use space.
To start with, he put up a second shelf in our utility room. Simple, I know, but I love it! I shifted some things around and ended up moving a lot of our small kitchen appliances to the empty shelf, which created more room on our kitchen counters. Surprisingly, this has encouraged me to keep the counters from getting crowded again. I love the look and I don't want it to get cluttered again!
Next, I'm working with Eric on tackling his stuff in baby steps, making sure that he is keeping what he wants.
And then onto the rest of the house!
Do you have a favorite method for determining whether to keep something? Are you decluttering this year?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
My rule is that if I have not laid eyes or hands on it in the past six months, it's gone (except financial info, of course). This used to be really hard for me to do with clothes, but since I change my closet with seasons, it is easier. If I didn't wear it in the previous season, it goes to Goodwill instead of the storage box.
ReplyDeleteGood job using your complementary talents - it's all about balance!
I love organizing and freeing myself from the burden of extra "stuff" around the house! It's just such a great feeling. I have pretty quick turn-around on clothes that no longer fit well. They leave my closet if I haven't worn them that year. Otherwise, they're just a huge source of frustration each time I go to get dressed.
ReplyDeleteAs far as keeping the rest of the house organized: I think everyone has a "trouble spot." Ours is frequently the office. Papers just land there and only get filed when I can't see the desk anymore. Used to be really good about that, but now that I have a "real" office job, the last thing I want to do at home is file paperwork!
Our rule of thumb is "Get something, Give something." Right before Christmas we made a clean sweep of all the boys' toys. We had to do it again after Christmas because they received so much. The boys have fun picking who they want to pass their toys on to. Sometimes I have to remind them that "Gariah" is not a real person and we can only give toys to real children :). (Gariah is their imaginary friend. Weird that they both have the same imaginary friend?) Anyways, this rule applies to the adults in the family, too. It's helps keep us accountable and ensures our clutter is kept to a minimum.
ReplyDeleteOh yea, we are working very hard to get rid of stuff....but somehow, more stuff keeps coming into the house. Go figure. It is a process, especially for me as I am a self-proclaimed pack rat and clothes horse. I am working on it though. Sigh, what a mess. This year is all about getting rid of stuff, organizing, and no needless clutter.
ReplyDeleteI'm am NOT the person to ask about reducing clutter. I wish I could. I try to. But somehow it always clings to my back when I'm not looking (kinda like Boo does to Sully in Monsters Inc - ya know?).
ReplyDelete