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!
Decluttering the living area in 5 minutes….I gotta keep moving, huh? I love that this is something I can do in the morning before going off to work! Setting the timer and grabbing a bag now….
Done and Done! Who knew 5 min could make SUCH a diff!
Done, but I”m working on this through the whole house and for 1/2 hour instead of 5 minutes! Thanks!
That was easy 🙂
done!
Great idea to carry a trash bag to get rid off unused and no longer used items. I traded in my son’s Wii game console with all games at the Game Stop and received credit for him to use later on the game system he does use. If you have books in your bag, you can donate them to your local library, senior center or children’s books to a daycare facility.
Great way to start the morning! I feel like I have really accomplished something already, and it has set the tone for my day!
Cleaned off the coffee table and wiped it down. Gathered items to take to thrift store for donation. Dusted the TV. I am amazed at what you can get done in 5 minutes!
Did that yesterday!
Still have not got my email but guess what this was the only 5 minute task that i did not want
You read my new blog last night didnt you i know Well looks like if that is my task for today then it is done might even post a before after pic as well in my new blog just to prove it Although 5 mins was not what it took grrrrrr lol
Done and fun!
Yay! It’s started! Got my trash bag and heading off to TOSS! 🙂 ~Michelle
done! didn’t throw a lot but did use another 5min to put things back where they belong
Done. This was an easy one for me; good way to start!
Task # 1 Complete- though I admit that was probably already the cleanest room in the house since it is the first one people see…
Done!
I almost had a panic attack so you can imagine the amount of things I have taken to charity or discarded ……LOOKS GREAT ! Mind over matter, right ? Thanks 🙂
Done! That feels good! haha.
done
Completed, I could fill more bags!