2014 Clutter Clearing Project

I just looked back over the list of what I’ve accomplished over the last year on this project, and it’s amazing. I’ve slowly moved through each room in the house and decluttering every little nook and cranny to eliminate the items that were no longer needed. Each month I tackled a new room or living space, and tried to leave them organized.

I see a few areas in the house that is started to gain clutter again, and I think it’s just a matter of keeping on top of those junk drawers and spaces. I must say that it’s been fun project. I wasn’t sure what I was in for when I started, but I’m glad that I did and that I finished it. I’m looking forward to next year and my next new project.

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Clutter clearing: The best gift you can give yourself

I like to think of clutter clearing as a gift to myself. Once everything is organized and in its own, place life seems to run more smoothly. Whether it’s getting rid of a dead plant, a bunch of useless items in a junk drawer, or paperwork that’s collected from my classes…it’s important to me to not let the clutter go to far and keep areas in my home clutter free.

A survey conducted earlier this year, show that two thirds of adults say that they attempt to clear the clutter in their homes at least once a year. It’s clearly important to most people to limit the amount of clutter in their life. Give yourself the gift of a clutter free home. It’ll reduce the amount of stress in your life and make it easier to relax.

New blog for 2015: Trying something new every day

As this year is coming to a close, I’ve thought about this year long project of clutter clearing my home and I like the fact that I’ve blogged about it several times a week and it’s kept me on task.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the blog/project that I’d like to do next year. I like the idea of trying something new every day, and blogging about it. Trying new things, opens our mind to the world around us. And like the blog I’ve done this year, I think this project could be life changing.

I’m not sure that I would blog about it every day, but I would try to do something new every day in 2015. These might be things like: trying a new way to get to work, a new restaurant, a new type of food, going to a museum, talking to someone new, or trying a new way to do something. I think these things would not only open my mind, but my world. And I think it would be fun. Once I’ve created the new blog site, I’ll post that link on this blog. I hope you’ll follow it. 😊

Video: Less Stuff – More Happiness

This is a five minute TED Talks video about creating a happy life with less stuff in our lives. It’s a great video that shows we don’t really need a lot of stuff to lead a happy life. Enjoy!

Organizing clutter: Better system for doing taxes

Last year, I created a notes file on my iPad for keeping better track of my tax spending. I still keep the receipts, but I have a line for business and car expenses, medical, buying items at auction, etc. At the end of the year I just need to total each line and I’m ready to do my taxes.

Although during the year, I’m sure I forget to add a few items here and there, but it saves me a lot of time (about 8 hours) when it’s time to do my taxes. It makes doing my taxes so much easier. I still keep a file with all of my receipts and paperwork, but I don’t need to sort all of the receipts by each section just to get a total. It has helped to reduce the amount of clutter in my head, as I attempt to keep track of everything during the year instead.

Clutter clearing: Constantly changing the items we live with changes us

I like this idea about constantly changing the items we live with. There’s something to this idea that by doing this we change our lives in the process.

“To change skins, evolve into new cycles, I feel one has to learn to discard. If one changes internally, one should not continue to live with the same objects. They reflect one’s mind and the psyche of yesterday. I throw away what has no dynamic, living use.” – Anais Nin

Clutter clearing: Just 20 minutes a day

I’ve been slowly working my way through the list I made for this weekend, and I found quite a few things that I can sell online, that I don’t use anymore. I also went through an old box of photos, cards, and memorabilia and that was fun. It’s been a relaxing weekend.

This weekend, on one big project I found it was easier to break up over several days. I planned to spend 20 minutes a day on it, and it was amazing how quickly that one project was done if I was completely focused on it.

One of the areas that I’ve sorted through this year, but didn’t really get rid of very many items in is my numerous bags of clothes. I’ve lost quite a bit of weight this year and some of those old clothes are starting to fit again and I’m glad that I didn’t get rid of them. I suspect that this is the one big project that will have to wait until next year when I’m at the weight that I’d like to be at.

It looks like I’ll get everything else done that I planned to do this year for this project, and I’m happy with that. I’ve gotten rid of hundreds of items more than I could’ve imagined. For the most part, my house feels organize and clutter free and that was my overall goal for the year.