One of the books that I am reading right now is The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. Normally, I’m a one book at a time kind of girl but lately I read more than one at a time and it takes me forever to finish any of them. I’m also reading Ella Minnow Pea, Understanding Exposure, Eve and the Choice Made in Eden, The Kalahari Typing School for Men and a couple of Zits comic books. Sigh.
Anyway, in The Happiness Project, Rubin tells about how she decided that she could be living a happier life. She felt she was all ready happy but decided that she could be happier. She assigns each month of the year something to work on. In January she tackles energy and one the things she concentrates on is clutter.
In my house, I notice that the kids love to play in the room that is clean. Then they mess it up and move on to another room that is clean. It’s more fun to be where it is orderly. It’s more relaxing.
I’ve felt surrounded by stuff lately. I have a few different goodwill boxes going. So after reading Rubin’s pages on clutter I was inspired to do what she started with and clean out my closet.
I tackled it yesterday and it feels good.
I had at least 10 skirts. I go to church and wear a skirt once a week. So I got rid of a few. I never wear nylons but I had several pairs. I normally wear either knee highs or thigh highs depending on the skirt length so I got rid of the nylons. I trimmed down my sweat pant and pajama pant selection. Honestly, do I need six pairs of pajama pants and seven pairs of sweats? No. I made it so I have one hooded sweatshirt and one regular sweatshirt. I got rid of last years shorts, because by this summer they will be too big. I put the sandals in a box so they are scattered on the floor. I got rid of the excess shirts I keep on hand for exercising in.
I felt like a weight had been lifted. It felt great!
After that, I couldn’t stop there so I went through our bathroom and got rid of all the sweet smelling lotions and body washes that I seldom use. I got rid of the hair products that I had bought and ended up not liking. I got rid of packaging that I didn’t need. I put all the nail polish together (and now wonder why I have four purple nail polish bottles).
Here’s hoping I can keep it nice and neat!
How do you handle clutter? How often do you clean out your closet?
9 comments:
Ooo, de-cluttering is my therapy. :)
You have inspired me! I've been "planning" on de-cluttering my entire house for years now, but the thought overwhelms me. Maybe I should just start small and do the bathroom. Great idea!
My closet is usually cleaned out at least once a year. However, if I wasn't married to a packrat... ;)
I like to de-clutter. I go through all the closets and dressers at least twice a year and it is a wonderful feeling to be free of all that extra "junk". Plus, I feel really good about donating to DI or Goodwill. A win-win situation.
I have a post brewing in my head about my new decluttering plan. It's dumb and probably obvious to the rest of the world but was a LIGHTBULB to me. Decluttering makes me feel free. And, boy, do I hear you on the kids playing in clean, organized places. Our basement playroom is easily cluttered. There's too much there because I feel guilty throwing things away ("but aunt/grandma/friend spent good money on that - we can't just DI/trash it!" "What if the younger kids want to play with it one day?") My new toy thing: I think my kids have too much and can make do HAPPILY with quite little. So if we're missing a piece or have had something not played with for awhile, I just ask myself if that toy got played with enough for the money (always) and say a little "thank you" to the kind person who gifted our kids with it, then let it go. I'm good at dumping and decluttering everything but the toys. But I'm getting better. And this comment is getting too long.
It always feels good once the decluttering project is done. It is getting started that is kinda hard. I am supposed to read this book for bookclub soon--I think I may just get started on it early as it sounds like a good one.
Good for you. It does feel good, huh? I get rid of clutter by giving my sister a project when she comes to visit. The last time she left I had very organized drawers in my dresser.
you ladies are inspiring...Great job Amanda! I know I like it when I do it, but do it way to infrequently to like it!!
also, dying to hear what you think of the Eve book. I'm reading a book right now by a very popular Christian, non-mormon writer on gratitude that is very good but I was SHOCKED! to hear that she thinks that Adam and Eve's first sin was that of ingratitude to God for what they were given in the garden, and Eve ate of the fruit, in part, because she wanted more more more. Blown. Away. And so sad. Anyway, can't wait to hear your thoughts on that book.
I LOVE to declutter. Love it. It frees me.
My closet gets cleaned out at least 4 times a year. I give whatever I'm not loving to wear to my sisters/sisters in law, etc. and then put the burden on them to DI what they don't want. :)
I noticed last week when I was going through my closet again that I had way too many loungey clothes. I got rid of many of them and have told myself NO buying anymore until the ones I have are worn out. That will be years...
My kitchen pantry, the toy room, and the over the stairs closet in my living room are my three nemeses. I just cleaned my pantry again about 3 weeks ago. I hope it stays organized and clean for at least a few months.
The toy room got a huge overhaul a few months ago. My girls hardly ever play with their toys anymore, so 90% of them either got thrown away or put in the storage room (I want to keep some of their/my favorites for the grandkids some day). For Brigham's toys (that boy loves toys), we made a rule that he has to choose something to put away in the storage room if he wants to get new things out. It has worked really well and I find that when he doesn't have 10 different things to choose from, he's much more likely to play with what's out. AND, it's a million times easier to clean up at the end of the day.
The over the stairs closet....well, I haven't come up with a solution that works yet. It's awkward in its size and shape and it is the only place I can think of to keep our kid craft/puzzle/coloring type stuff. It's a disaster and I fear it will all come crashing down every time the door is opened. I have to solve that problem and soon.
I am making a huge long comment here, but honestly, dejunking is my "thing." There is nothing that makes me feel more peaceful and free than a clean closet and/or home. It's not always that way, but I sure love it when it is.
Also, Brigham and Cannon emptied all the drawers in the kid bathroom and all of my husband's drawers from our bathroom into a laundry basket yesterday. I about lost it, as I was already overly tired and emotional....BUT, as I dejunked the bathroom drawers while putting it all away, I had to say a little silent thank you to them for making it happen. Silver lining, I suppose.
I have 4 or 5 books I'm working on right now, too. It's very uncharacteristic of me and I'm not really loving it.
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