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!
Done! See you tomorrow!
Done! Be back tomorrow!!!
Day #1 – done the first living/entertainment area and now I will do the other 2 living/entertainment areas! I like the idea of just doing and not thinking on it too much 🙂
Leanne from April 4–I like you! I can’t believe everyone says this is easy! Framed pictures? DVDs & music? I sense a traumatic 5 minutes (more likely, an hour), ahead!
Day #1 – Living room was already clear of clutter so only the entertainment unit to declutter. Gave it a detailed clean as I went through each drawer/shelf…. looking great now 🙂
Just Finished Day #1.. My living room looks great.. Wish I could say the same for the rest of my house!
Done!
Done – cleaned up bookshelves in family room
Completed. 🙂
done
I did day 1 organizing my livingroom
Yeah! Living room looks great after just a few minutes! Feel like I can breathe a little better.
Day one is done!
Downloaded the book. Starting it first thing on Monday!!
ok – I am playing catch-up but this one is done
done on facebook
This one I’ve done 🙂 We bought a new TV cabinet the other day and completely decluttered as the old one was so big it just collected junk – tons of videos went in the bin!!!
I’m really late in starting this but I am going to do 2-3 a day! Got done with living room only took 2 minutes including dusting! That room must be the most organized!!
I’m jumping in now. I got this plus did the extra 5. Amazingly my living room is done. thanks
Done