Welcome to the 30-Day Organize-athon!
In today’s 5 minutes we’re going to express-declutter your living area.
Take a deep breath, and imagine inhaling a sense of clarity, freedom and order. Then get started!
Day 1: Declutter Your Living and/or Entertainment Area
Step 1: Grab a large garbage bag.
Step 2: Quickly make your way around your living and/or entertainment area, tossing these items into the bag as you go:
- Magazines other than the current month’s
- Newspapers other than today’s
- Knick-knacks – unless you really love them
- Tatty coasters
- DVDs no-one watches any more
- CDs no-one listens to any more
- Games no-one plays any more
- Remotes and technology no-one uses any more (including old game consoles)
- Food
- Books you’ve read and won’t re-read, or will never read
- Videos, cassettes, computer floppies, camera film – any storage device for which you no longer have hardware
- Framed photos – unless they’re genuinely special to you
- Tatty cardigans, socks and other apparel strewn around the furniture
- ‘Displayed’ items on shelves that collect dust but hold no meaning for you
- Dead potted plants
- Threadbare or stained cushions, throws, rugs, etc
- Anything else that isn’t loved and/or used regularly.
Step 3: Put your bag by the door or take it straight out to the car. (Take it to the tip as soon as you can.)
Step 4: If there’s something genuinely valuable in there, and you’d lose sleep over tossing it, then you can put it into a separate charity store bag. But if it’s junk, just let it go. If it doubt, don’t over-analyze – toss it.
And you’re done!
Got an Extra 5 Minutes?
- Return items that don’t belong in the living area to the proper place – the kids’ bedrooms, the office, the kitchen, etc.
- Straighten the coffee table and wipe it down.
- Neaten remotes, DVDs, and anything else that lives in the living room.
- Fluff up the cushions.
Now doesn’t that feel more like a ‘living’ room?
The 30-Day Organize-athon Mantra
Move fast. Don’t overthink. Let it go!
Leave Your Comment Below…
Please leave a comment below to say you’ve completed today’s task.
And I’ll see you back here tomorrow!
Thank you Michelle. This is what I need.
I’ve done my living room
Done!!!
1 task done, 29 to go!!! 🙂
I spent waaay more than 5 mins but it’s all good. Our living room is clean and organized! Putting the trash bags away now. 😀
Thanks..I’ve got a start toward a good month. Not over thinking is a good plan to let go of things we don’t need.
I did it!
Got rid of the ‘ornaments’ that I have received as presents. I will take them to the op shop as they are good but not what I want.
Whoa! All done!
I thought you were crazy to start with the living room. I mean what can you possibly get rid of from the living room to fill a large garbage bag! Now, 3 large garbage bags later and still not finished.
well, I just got this email… late at night and I am sleepy! I am going to do this first thing in the morning however. 🙂
Being in Australia, I will be getting these challenges done the next morning, however, I was lucky and had a head start on this one – cleaned the lounge room from top to bottom two days ago.
Did it. One down.
In 5 minutes I got a lot done in the livingroom now it’s on to our family room!
WOW that helped quite a bit, looks like a new place!
Did it. The cleaning people came on Tuesday so I was a little ahead, but I did get rid of a week and a 1/2 of papers and a basket that I don’t like that has just been collecting the week and 1/2 of newspapers.
phew! Done, and pretty darn satisfied! thanks!
I feel a surge of energy already!
Well it took me a while I am a procrastinator but it is done, Dh wanted to know if we were having company:)
On to day 2!
Yay! Did it! Getting started is always the biggest battle for me- armed with my timer and knowing that I only needed to work at this for 5 minutes-taking longer only if I so desired- really did the trick for me- got me in the room and onto a good start! Looking forward to the remaining 29 days! (and longer- my “new” and “organized” lifestyle!).
Done. Putting away the stuff that belonged elsewhere took the longest.