Welcome to the first of our 52 Organizing Missions.
In some ways this is a challenging one – but you’ll feel so wonderful, liberated and light when it’s done I think it’s worth diving in the deep end right away.
And remember – it is only 30 minutes.
Ready?
Get Organized Mission #1: Fill a Hu-u-uge Trash Bag
Step 1
Get a giant trash bag. (If you don’t have one find 20 small ones, or ask a neighbor, or go to the shops, or use boxes, or pile things up on a rug until you get to the shops tomorrow. There are no excuses!)
Step 2
Set a kitchen timer (or your clock radio or iPhone alarm, etc) for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Start filling the bag and continue doing so as you move through your house, until either the timer goes off or your bag is full.
Throw into the bag anything you don’t use, don’t like, that has negative associations, is broken or tatty, or is no longer your style. See below for room-by-room examples.
Step 4
Take it straight out to the trash or even the tip if you’re so motivated. Just be sure to remove the temptation to look in the bag or to rescue released items.
Dos & Don’ts
- Don’t try to organize rooms, cupboards or drawers at this stage.
This mission is about getting rid of stuff so do keep an out-it-goes mindset. - We’ll have another organizing mission for charity items, so don’t get bogged down with that now. I don’t suggest giving lame stuff to charity – decent, usable stuff: yes; crapola: no.
So do feel fine about ditching all the dross. - I want you to move fast – so don’t overthink it.
If your gut feel is to release something from your life, then do toss it into the bag.
Examples of Items For Your Bag:
Living Room
- Old magazines
- Tatty rugs and cushions
- Old/no-longer-used videotapes, DVDs, CDs
- Unloved ornaments, gifts, vases, etc
- Dead plants
Study
- School/college notes and texts (unless you just graduated they’re probably out of date)
- Old paperwork, bills, mail (keep if needed for taxes or reference; shred if sensitive or confidential)
- Excess stationery you won’t use this decade
- Knickknacks that provide no meaning, beauty or inspiration
- Reading piles you know you’ll never get to
Bedroom
- Tatty dressing gowns, slippers, and anything you’d be embarrassed to answer the door in
- Tatty bed linen
- Ancient pillows harboring various non-human life forms
- Anything on bedside tables that detract from a comforting bedtime sanctuary
- Anything in your closet you hate (we’ll tackle closets in detail in another organizing mission)
Kitchen/Dining
- Chipped or stained crockery
- Rusty or mismatched cutlery
- Expired food and condiments in the pantry or fridge
- Cookware, plungers, teapots, gadgets, utensils or sundry infomercial purchases not used in the past 12 months
- Cookbooks and recipes not used in the past 12 months
Bathroom
- Tatty towels, bathmats, etc
- Expired or old toiletries, hairbrushes, combs, etc
- Empty or mildewed bottles
- Yucky bathroom accessories – eg rusty shower caddies
- Unloved bathroom ornaments
Kids’ Stuff
- Tatty, no-longer-used toys
- Outgrown clothes
- Torn posters
- Outgrown CDs, DVDs etc
- Outgrown back-packs, drink bottles, etc
Extended Organizing Mission Options
- If you run out of time or your bag fills up and you want to keep going, then do. Put on some music and have fun with it. But your basic mission is only to fill one large bag or keep going for 30 minutes.
- If other household members want to participate give them their own bag and encourage them to let go of stuff.
- If you want to tackle extra, unneeded items that are in good condition, do a second run with a charity bag. (I guarantee you’ll still have plenty to do when we get to our charity-bag organizing mission.)
Ready, Set, Go!
Remember – move quickly, act fast, don’t overthink.
Before You Go – Check In
Have you completed this week’s Get Organized Mission?
You’re now accountable to your organizing mission-mates – so please add a comment to let us know you’ve completed your assignment and you’re keeping your commitment.
(Click ‘Comment’ at the very top of this post or scroll down to the bottom. Depending on how you’re viewing this post, one of those options will be available for you.)
And see you back here next week. 🙂
Update
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Click here to sign up for 52 Organizing Missions.
Image by Material Boy
Done!
I just completed my first task and feel better already! I didn’t do the upstairs because my son was napping but went through the rest of the house with my large trash bag. I’m eager to see what the next mission will be.
I am not one to have alot of un-necessary stuff in my house – very few knick knacks, excess furniture, etc. however it is amazing how much stuff I was able to purge. Surface clutter is definitely my downfall – counters, tables, desks, dressers – all get covered with mail, receipts, school papers, broken toys and more. Using this 30 minute method is awesome because it kept me focused and pushed me to purge, purge, purge. I didn’t have alot of TRASH per se, but filled my entire huge recycle bin for the week, with a box waiting for next week. I also have 4 boxes of books, puzzles, games and other stuff to take to our local bookstore for trade. Also have started a couple of charity boxes for clothes and other stuff. I also have a bag of diapers for the diaper bank (my son is out of diapers now), 3 boxes of food for the food pantry and a box of items to return to family and friends.
What an awesome start!
Just did this yesterday! I think we had 3 garbage bags of garbage,2 recyclables, and 1 lawn bag for charity.
I got FIVE bags filled and taken to charity!
I finished 1! It was great!
I did it. One entire bedroom held lots of junk
That was simple, the bin is full! Hope all the missions are as easy as that
Didn’t have much to bin – knowing I’m not a hoarder made me feel good 🙂
This was such a great idea! Im done!
YAY!!!! done…and I did both my car and my living room.
done and it’s a great feeling
Mission 1 completed – no worries!
I can’t believe I had enough trash around to fill up the garbage bag. I was most surprised by the number of videotapes I’ve replaced with DVD’s but never threw out. They just blended in with the scenery. Yay!
I started this challenge in my car. It’s gotten so completely out of control my poor kiddo can barely get in her seat. I ended up pulling 2 big trash bags and 2 baskets of STUFF out of my little tiny Honda. OH lord. Well it feels really good to have it cleaned out. I think we’ll go do the vacuum and wash at the car wash tomorrow. 🙂
All done. On to week two!!
Done, will do again tomorrow… I’ve got to let it go!
Mission 1 – Completed !! First came relief , then joy to have wonderful space !!
What a relief to get rid of clutter. I am excited to have a plan and have someone keep me accountable! Looking forward to a nice clean and organized home!
one mission down, 51 to go. Bring on the next one!