You may know that earlier this month I spent an intense 4 days decluttering my home.
I thought you might like to see some ‘after’ photos. Or as my friends call it, organization porn.
Decluttered Bedroom
Both Craig and I work from home, so I try to create a bedroom sanctuary feeling here. No work, technology, or non-sanctuary stuff allowed!
After the declutter was done I splashed out on this new Sheriden bedlinen. Pretty, huh?
Decluttered Office
I like to have nothing on my desk except the current project I’m working on, and I put that away at the end of each day.
Love my Mac!
And I love this lamp. It casts a fun glow over my office in the evening, which is my usual work time.
Decluttered Library
I’m in a transition stage with my library – trying to decide whether to keep my books or let them go.
At this stage they’re mainly eye candy – I love a wall of books!
Decluttered Closet
To streamline and organize my closet better I applied all the same steps we use in 14 Days To An Organized Closet.
You may notice that you can see everything – because if it’s out of sight you’ll probably never wear it.
I’ve kept only things I wear and love – everything else was donated or ditched.
Decluttered Hall Closet
It’s a good idea to have a place for those little bits and pieces that accumulate in your home.
I found this mini drawer set years ago in a hardware store and use it for all that micro-stuff.
I also keep a shelf free for library books that need returning, gifts for upcoming birthdays – general outgoing stuff. This basket helps to keep it tidy.
Decluttered Kitchen
As part of my declutter I took everything out of the freezer, fridge, and pantry and only put back items that we use.
Habits change over a year and you can end up with stuff no one eats anymore. Not to mention expired condiments!
My kettle and toaster were 15 years old, so I thought we deserved some new ones. As a bonus, these are brushed stainless steel so finger marks don’t show much.
Nothing changed here but Tarquin* wanted his photo included. Hi Tarquin!
* Tarquin is my beloved espresso machine.
Decluttered Dining Area
As part of decluttering this area I replaced my placemats and coasters. It feels great to reward yourself with some nice new things after the hard work of a total home declutter.
I keep nothing on my dining table when we aren’t using it. Everything goes in the buffet unit. My apartment is compact and keeping surfaces clear gives the area a lovely spacious feel.
But the cost is ruthlessness when it comes to what you keep!
Decluttered Bathroom
My guest bathroom is where I keep first aid and medicinal stuff, so it was good to clear out anything expired and make sure I had the basics covered.
I like to keep some Crabtree & Evelyn products and a lovely scented candle in there too.
Decluttered Make Up
Make up has a shelf life, so I got rid of anything that was getting old.
After scouring storage stores for a cute make-up organizer, I found this at Target. I don’t use a lot of cosmetics so I had to go out and buy a couple of extra things to fill it up.
Poor me! 🙂
Farewell Clutter!
I got rid of bags and bags of clothes, papers, magazines, and other stuff that was no longer used or loved. I won’t lie to you – I did not enjoy the process.
But the result. Feels. Awesome.
And it looks pretty good too, don’t you think?
Thanks for sharing this. I like the photos – very inspiring!
I added a comment and question on 1-17 (?). The mind is just NOT working at peak level. Sorry
When I am stressed or upset I clean my kitchen. Once I cleaned my kitchen just because so the first thing my husband asked when he came home from work is “What happened?”. I was laughing explaing to him that I was just tired of messy kitchen. Since Jan. 1 my house is on a diet. I am getting rid of stuff slowly but surely. It is a bonus that a huge Goodwill store is on my way to work so I take my donations in as soon as I have 2 bags.
Michelle and everyone else: if you have too many books like I did just think that you will never read them again and donate them to the library. I already took couple boxes there and they were happy to take them. Now I am working on getting some cooking magazines together and advertising them on Craigslist so someone who is into cooking will come and pick them up.
I just wish I could do as well on a diet as my house is doing.
What a great habit to drop off those bags on your way to work Tatyana! You know you might find that as you feel lighter about stuff you feel lighter in your body too. Sometimes I think clutter and weight are just ways we insulate ourselves from – I don’t know what – life? As you start to shed the clutter padding you realize you don’t need that kind of protection. Just a wacky theory maybe. But maybe you’ll feel a change as the clutter goes. Let me know!
Stunning Michele, this would be my dream. We moved house after my husbands and my parents died, but it all happened so quickly that we ended up moving 3 households into one. The emotional fallout from the losses has made decluttering a difficult dream to achieve.
Decluttering is hardest when it’s complicated by feelings of loss, Ursula. How can you get rid of *their* things when you miss them so much? If you can choose the possessions and mementos that mean the most to you and your husband, and find a way to store them that feels respectful and loving (in a beautiful box? in a showcase?), then you may find it easier to let all the other things go.
Does anyone Live in your house? I’m so jealous! I’m a notorious pack rat, and unfortunately, I have a huge house to accommodate my bad habits. God help me if I ever move!
You did such a great job!
I do one area a month, based on an old article I read-January is home office, and mine looks like a disaster! If I’m lucky it will look picture perfect by January 31.
Cynthia
I think you’re probably right that your large house accommodates your bad habits. I have no doubt that if I had more space, I’d fill it up!
Michele, you are an inspiration to me. I broke the office into sections and finished it by the end of January, and am well on my way in the Kitchen for Feb! I broke the room down using your daily goals and priorities and am well on my way
Cynthia Cameron Chapman Wow Cynthia that’s fantastic! Breaking it down into manageable chunks makes it doable. Yay! 🙂
Totally awesome post! I am looking at a sea of clutter. If I go gung-ho maybe I can get it done as quickly as you did. It’s the starting that is hardest for me! I loved your hardware store bin for the wee stuffs. Loved your makeup holder too…never thought to do that, just keeping mine in a basket drawer, but that gets messy. Oh and two thumbs up for naming your espresso machine! Thanks!
Starting IS the hardest part Krista! But once you start the momentum and the joy of letting stuff go will keep you going. Just START! http://www.getorganizedwizard.com/blog/2011/07/3-great-reasons-to-start-today/
Do you have “before” photos? Would be great to see.
Next time I’ll include them Kevin. I thought they’d spoil the post but I can see that they’d help show the journey. 🙂
Hi Michele, thank you for sharing! We all love to see each other’s stuff and before and afters don’t we? I have to say, 1) I was really inspired by your January declutter and am planning to do the same thing in Jan 2014. 2) Thanks to the closet decluttering project (which I loved, thank you), my closet now looks amazeballs! I LOVE going in there every day, and having a fab closet has been a dream of mine for 20 years! 3) My bedroom looks truly showcase. Some of this is down to investing in some really gorgeous new bed linen (so I get that part, totally!) and a lot of it is down to the ruthlessness that you speak of. I have hardly anything in there and all the furniture is white. Luckily, I moved into a very contemporary, spacious home last September (a converted chapel) so I got rid of a lot of stuff before I moved, but now with a separate home and office space there is still more to be done. Hence why your office reorganisation project can’t come a day too soon for me. Do you have a launch date yet? 🙂 Thanks again for sharing, very grateful and inspired x.
Wow Karen – your new home sounds gorgeous! A converted chapel! I’m so happy to have had a small part in making your (closet) space lovely. I’m hoping to run 7 Days To An Organized Home Office in late February. Thank you for your support, which you know means a lot to me, especially as you were one of my first supporters. And your wonderful success has inspired me. I hope we meet IRL one day. xx
Thanks Michele, me too! Your success is more than well deserved, and I look forward to being more involved this year especially as I am re-organising EVERYTHING. Hugs x
great job!
Concerned about having your toaster plugged in when not in use. I personally know 2 people who had significant house fires from them. Heat making items (curling iron, toasters, glue guns etc) should be unplugged when off or not in use…..I am told. Never hurts to be on the safe side.
I was under the impression that the NEW toasters do not generate heat when they are plugged in, ours is old and we need a new one,I still leave the old one plugged in most of the time, I know I shouldn’t but I do.
Great inspiration! I now know what I’ll be doing this weekend. My clutter is driving me crazy!!!
Good on you Sindie – DO IT! You’ll be so glad you did! 🙂
I get tired trying to figure out where to start, but this has inspired me also. Thanks!
Wow! Do I ever need this!
You can do it Cathie! You might like to start here (programs): http://www.getorganizedwizard.com/home-organization/
or here (posts): http://www.getorganizedwizard.com/blog/category/home-organization/ for ideas. Good luck!
Cathie Olmsted You can do it Cathie! You might like to start here (programs): http://www.getorganizedwizard.com/home-organization/
or here (posts): http://www.getorganizedwizard.com/blog/category/home-organization/ for ideas. Good luck!
Would love to see the before pictures as well….to give us organizing want to be’s some hope. LOL
LOL Becky I did have some before pics as well as pics of the bags of decluttered stuff – but they looked so ugly! I didn’t want to spoil this page!!
It doesn’t spoil it but helps us to really know that it’s possible for us to re-organize and declutter as well.
I can’t imagine that you were cluttered at all. lol Pictures please?
Just make a different post!
Michele Connolly There needs to another page….we sad unorganized people won’t believe you decluttered unless we see evidence!!
Happy Faith Little Next year I’ll take pics of my bags of decluttered stuff!
Wow! Wish I could be minimalistic. My biggest problem is I just have too much stuff, especially a jewelry collection that is scattered in boxes, bags, drawers, etc. I just cant part with the collection at this time.
You CAN be minimalistic, Dolly. When you feel ready to let things go, listen to that little voice and start purging! Trust your instincts. 🙂
Ha! Love the “poor me” comment. Great job opening up your life! I have done that a little on my blog, too, but could always get a little more ruthless! 🙂
🙂 Every year I get a little more ruthless in what I get rid of, and only once or twice in the 15 years I’ve been doing this have I missed something. And I survived without those things. I can’t even remember what they were now!
Love that you have this routine to declutter and you’ve been doing it for 15 YEARS!!! Inspiring!
Tracy Hoth And it gets easier every year because I have less stuff every year! Except for shoes. 😉
I”m jealous. I have so much ‘stuff’ and so little time. I did somewhat declutter my home office before Christmas but I still have so much work to do in there.
Ah yes, time – there’s never enough of it!! Which is why my programs are based around short chunks of decluttering – 5 or 30 minutes. It’s all most of us can manage. You’ve made a start, Maureen – get back to it before you lose momentum completely!
PS I’ll be running 7 Days To An Organized Home Office in the next couple of months – keep an eye out if that interests you. 🙂
this was great Michelle. How do I began?
this was great Michelle. How do I began?
Terri Camden Start here: http://www.getorganizedwizard.com/home-organization/ A clutter-free home is achievable. All it takes is the determination to start and a simple system to follow.
This has giving me some new ideas. Have been decluttering so it really helps. Thank you.
I love sharing ideas because I really think decluttering makes you happier. Good luck Lynn!
thanks michelle.
Wow.
True organization porn. Love it!
I LONG for my home to look that way. I can’t make decisions for the other people living here, but I can do it for my things. Thanks for the photos. How encouraging! 🙂
What a great attitude Gayle! And don’t be surprised if you inspire others. The comments on many of my programs are filled with people whose families get converted!
Amazing!