Your Turn!

Okay, I've been talking about this journey I've been on for a little over a year now, and it's been fun. Many things have been organised, thrown out and donated.

The Weekend Challenge has become something of a success for both you and me.

And now, I think it's time for you all to jump in and let us know how you're going on your journey. 

Are you jumping in with both feet and being the organising queen/king of your house? Or is it a little at a time - and you're feeling a little as though you're bogged down with it all? 

If you're feeling the latter, that's okay. At the beginning of this, I felt as though I couldn't let anything go - but then I had to because I wanted to make room for new things and ideas for my own place. So, it was a necessity for me to get rid of a whole lot of things before I added anything to my house. 
And yes, it does look like World War III started up in your living room, home office or bedroom at first. But once you get past the fact that you're gonna have to make a bigger mess to clean the out the junk room or other rooms, it does get easier. 

I'm not saying I don't get overwhelmed - I do! This is why I have a great friend to help me out when I know I'm going to get overwhelmed. It takes a good person to know when you're going to get overwhelmed on a project. 

Other than that, how is your decluttering going? Have you made any progress on your more difficult rooms? If you think they're going to be too hard, just take it one drawer, one closet, one glory box/hope chest at a time. It's the smaller things that make the bigger things a lot easier to deal with once you need to deal with them. 

So, please do touch base here and let us know what you're up to with your decluttering projects. We'd love to know how you're doing, if you need some help or if you'd like to impart something you've found useful in your decluttering progress. 

Moving House

Oh! Not me.

Not yet in any case!

One of my neighbours moved house in the last week, and they moved into a bigger place; as they were expecting a new addition to their family. 

However, I have noticed something about people when they move house:  they don't clean out the house until they move from the place.

This is exactly why I'm decluttering my place now! When you declutter your home, and get rid of the things you no longer wish to keep, and have the things you want to keep, you only take the things to the next house that truly belong there.

I know this sounds so very basic, it sounds as though it's the dumbest thing I'm telling you. But really, I've watched so many people move from this unit complex; and they throw out bag after bag of rubbish on the days after the moving van has been. I mean, exactly what did they take with them to the next place for them to leave all the junk behind? 

I'm constantly looking through my cupboards, cleaning out bags of paperwork, donating books, clothes, old sheets, old towels, shoes, Christmas decorations and other things I seriously won't be needing in my house just so I won't be dragging them to the next place to clutter up my home. 

And that's just the thing:  when I do move into a larger place, I will be moving into a place where I'll be spreading out my furniture, hanging pictures on the wall I've had hidden behind doors and in wardrobes and I'll be decorating my next home in such a way I won't be needing to buy anything for it really - well, okay, a new Christmas Tree or a large floor rug, but that's about it!

I don't see how keeping so much crap and not cleaning out a pantry once every 6 months, or cleaning out the laundry once a year can hurt people - especially when you know you have to move at some point in the future. And just like Peter Walsh has been telling us: it only takes 10 minutes to start out cleaning one drawer. You have to remember a couple of things: be honest, be brutal and be positive about what you're doing. 

I'm always that way when I declutter and clean. It takes time and patience, but really, once you get going (and you know you're going to move house in a month's time), you will feel better for it when you have cleaned out the kitchen and you are only packing what you're going to take with you.

Just think:  when you return to clean the house, most of what you'll be cleaning will be just a quick wipe-down... that's if you clean as you declutter. If you don't, you create more work for yourself. 

Charities Are Fussy

Today I was supposed to have my sofa-bed taken off my hands by Life Line. But when the guys showed up, they took one look at it and said no, they can't take it. It was because of the tear on the arm that's been there for 15 years. 

I couldn't believe how fussy this charity was being. And I thought the Salvation Army was bad, when they sent me a criminal to collect my unwanted goods - seriously, they sent me a guy fresh out of prison to collect my old bedroom suite; and he rejected it because he hated it.

Anyway, the guys from Life Line suggested the Salvos and I said not them, and told them why. They were shocked that such a reputable charity sent out a criminal to collect things - let alone drive a truck! - and I told them when I complained to the supervisor of the Salvos, they took the driver's side! These guys couldn't believe how badly I was treated... but still they couldn't take the lounge; that it would end up at the tip. They then suggested Vinnies.

After they left, I had a little cry. 

You see, this lounge has been on gumtree, Facebook and I've offered it to all my friends and relatives... but nobody wants it - especially, I don't want it. So, I called up Vinnies and now, they don't want it, all because it's got a tear in the arm. 

There's nothing else wrong with the lounge. The bed in it is fine, the foam in the seating is in good condition, there's a cover and throw cushions that go with it... so why would there be a problem with any charity being so fussy that they don't want a lounge with this tear in its arm. It's from age, not anyone taking a knife to it. 

So, when you're decluttering and you find something might be a little defective, be careful about who you donate it to. I tried all the big charities with my sofa-bed. They wouldn't take it because it was old - not because it was worn out. This is no excuse to reject something a person no longer wants; and it causes more stress on them. 

Now, I really have nowhere to go with this sofa-bed. I really feel lost. What the hell am I supposed to do with it when no charities I know will take it off my hands?