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!
Thanks for the help!!
oops! I forgot to post! done =)
I am also a couple of days behind as we had company this weekend and didn’t spend too much time on the computer. I got this one accomplished…and I must say, it looks GREAT!! Thank you for the time you put in on helping all of us!!! :O)
I’m behind a few days because I was at a weekend faith retreat (great way to start spring!)
Did day one last night when I got home…took about 5 minutes and even hubby noticed. Then I worked on the dining room table for 10 minutes (catches all the paper that comes into the house)
Today I’ll do days 2 and 3, tomorrow 4 & 5 then I’ll be caught up.
I forgot what the coffee table looked like. My 3 kids kept dumping everything on it. Now they know where to put their stuff and the living room looks great!!
Living room done! Starting this a couple days late but will get it done. Thanks for getting me back on track 🙂
Easy one for me. Livingroom is the least cluttered place.
This took me longer than 5 minutes, but its done! (I think I posted “Done” under the commitment page instead of under the day, so posting here now.)
done!!
one down! didn’t realize the room was this big! even got rid of a loveseat!
Living room done! Thanks for the ‘call to action’!
Wow, Guess I am in better shape than I thought. I did clear off the coffee table. It is a magnet for mail and paperwork. Just making sure the throws are folded and things straighten makes things a lot better.
This took me less than 5. (Just moved into an apartment) But I feel good about accomplishing this. Brightens up my day a little bit. =)
5 minutes….done! Very cool doing 5 minutes at a time. Very motivating.
Just a couple of days late on the 30+5 but a lot was accomplished in that short five minutes. I can see the floor of the livingroom. thanks.
I did this yesterday and am no longer tripping on my son’s toys, or knocking over the pile of papers i had to sort through..thanks!
I did the living room and family room! Felt great!
Plants – deadheaded and old magazines out in recycling! Thanks for kicking off a great month!
Excellent way to start…….we’ve combined three households without a lot of success in the living areas. I could only toss out my stuff. Easy to do really. I’m trying to figure out the books though. I’m looking into kindle for the books I want to keep. Giving the rest away I guess.
Day 1 is done