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!
I did it! It took less than the 5 min to go over the living room. So less stressful to clean this way. I even took the extra 5 min and used the polish and vacume! 🙂
i am ready for day 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
done, the living room:)
Feels so good to get rid of junk without thinking so much about it. Needed this motivation! YAY!!!
Living room is done!!!
Done!!!! However, my book did not download as it said ti did. Can I get it sent again?
Got the living room doe. Don’t think 1/2 a trash bag is to bad. We have a toy box in here so most stuff went there. Did throw away some older nik nacs and such though. 🙂
done!
So glad I did it. Took about 2 hours though, but I went through everything- two huge boxes to donate and two bags of trash! I’m excited to keep moving forward and do this one step at a time with the whole house!!
done! And now to go to work…
Done! I really like how the task is broken down into small specific steps. Helps me a great deal because the task can seem overwhelming and then I get stuck and do nothing. Very excited to see what’s next and all the positive results. 🙂
Love the idea and what a difference to have a purpose! Livingroom is done.
Just starting. This is daunting for me, I’m hoping it becomes exciting. Have to admit, it’s quick!
Done! 0414 my time Sunday May 8,2011…started yesterday 🙂 Happy Mothers Day! 🙂
Done
Done!
Done!
That was quick and painless. Our Shetland Sheepdog is now sleeping on tidy couch in our tidy living room.
done 🙂
Done with living space. I feel better already.
I like this already 🙂 great to have support 🙂