2019 - Organize Your Life & Declutter Your Stuff

[startsmart]

Time to reboot our annual thread! If you are ready to simplify, get more organized, clear the clutter and track bigger projects in your life then you're in the right place. Members track everything from gift buying, grading assignments and phone calls to laundry, bills to pay and keeping papers organized.

Jump in at any time to share what you need to get done, encourage each other and track your wins.

How does this work?

Post your goals - lists and pictures are welcome and "progress pics" are always fun!
Share questions when you have them and support and encourage each other.
Please don't post simply to lecture, mock or stir things up.


Basics for the thread:
1. Be encouraging to one another
2. Updates as often as you wish
3. You don't need to respond to every post but it is a great way to participate and support each other
4. Feel free to track anything to stay motivated however there are dedicated threads for losing weight, saving money on groceries and eliminating debt so check those out if you want more in depth discussions.
5. Remember when giving advice that we rarely know the whole story and this is not a place of judgment. Try not to take offense when others make suggestions to you and use the private message feature if you'd like something to remain private. You may always edit or delete a post but doing so will not remove quotes from other posters.

Why are some people posting numbers?
Some posters will be attempting to downsize a specific number of items. If you see a "count" this is probably what it's referring to - if you're not sure feel free to ask the original poster. It's not required or even necessary, do what works for you.

Tip! If you are tracking your items going out this year, create a "signature" like mine below by going to:
Profile and Settings - Select "edit profile" button on the right side of the page - Choose the "Personal" tab - Write in the "Signature" block and Save. Update with your count or goals as the year goes on!

Moderators: Please keep the 2018 thread live through Dec 31st.

[TheOtherMe]

My goal for 2019 will be 2019 items.  The first item is already in the trash that will be taken away on January 2.

[mathsplosion]

i plan to start selling some of my craft projects online.  I also want to generally declutter and destress my life

[tcu2003]

I want to declutter some kid stuff (other stuff as well, but kid stuff is my priority), and get more organized, specifically in my kitchen and pantry, and my craft room (which is currently a catch-all).  

Assuming he does them again, I'm going to follow the Peter Walsh challenge in January, as I feel that even doing some of them helps me start my year off on the right foot.  Every other year I fall off the decluttering bandwagon fairly quickly due to life, but I try to be kind to myself and remember that any steps, even a few baby ones, are progress.  

[chapeau]

Dec 28, 2018 13:51:26 GMT -5 tcu2003 said:

I want to declutter some kid stuff (other stuff as well, but kid stuff is my priority), and get more organized, specifically in my kitchen and pantry, and my craft room (which is currently a catch-all).  

Assuming he does them again, I'm going to follow the Peter Walsh challenge in January, as I feel that even doing some of them helps me start my year off on the right foot.  Every other year I fall off the decluttering bandwagon fairly quickly due to life, but I try to be kind to myself and remember that any steps, even a few baby ones, are progress.  

I'm going to try the Peter Walsh challenge this year, too, if he does it.

I have several boxes of stuff in the basement that need to be sorted out, but I'm going to do like they do in the Savers thread and set both a goal and a challenge goal.

So, my goal is 1000. My challenge goal is 2019. We'll see. Can I count pounds lost, too?

[mollyanna58]

I keep saying I should throw out half the stuff in my house.  My dog keeps listening and trying to help by chewing up stuff.  


So, I'm in for 2019.  

[busymom]

Since we recently moved into a smaller house, I wouldn't object to getting rid of another 2019 items.  And, I'll add myself to the list of people trying to "unclutter" some extra weight.     Bring in 2019!

[chiver78]

uncluttering weight here as well. 

in 2019 I would like to unload (FB yard sale, donate, whatever) kitchen gadgets I haven't touched in years. the George Foreman grill in the back of a corner cabinet comes to mind immediately. I'll add a counter to my signature line, increasing as items find new homes. 

[Chocolate Lover]

I always want to unclutter weight, I think I'm roughly the same weight I was at the beginning of the year.   I got a fitbit for Christmas though, let's hope it helps. 

I still have a few areas in the house apt that need help (like the storage closet outside) so I have that on my radar to do soon. I may or may not keep a count somewhere. 

[Happy prose]

In case any of you are interested, starting 1/1/19, Marie Kondo is having her own Netflix show. It's called (something like) Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.

[debthaven]

Hello friends! And welcome mathsplosion !

I "liked" PW on FB years ago and yes he will be doing the 31 Day Challenge again. Some of us post the daily challenges here, but if you have a Facebook account, the easiest way to follow them is to "like" PW on FB. You can always unfollow him later.

Happy prose I would be really curious to see her show. I hope it's on here too. This said, from what I've read, I'm not sure I agree with what she says. I admit I haven't read her book, but I have read that she's all about only keeping what "sparks joy". My vacuum cleaner and toilet brushes don't "spark joy", but they are pretty darn useful LOL. So I would be very curious to see her show.

I'm (still) decluttering weight too ... 4 more lbs to goal (I've lost 40 lbs since late June.) I really hoped to hit my goal by Christmas but it didn't happen. With the holidays and the kids here, my goal is just maintaining (so far so good!) DS3 (college student) leaves on 6 Jan. I'll get strict again once he leaves.

 

[bobosensei]

I bought a set of white metal shelves from IKEA today for my breakfast nook.  I have a really small kitchen (like what you saw in the late 90s versus what you see now and I desperately need more space for stuff.  I am going to get some baskets to hide things like my instant pot from view and I might put my dishes out to free up cabinet space for other things.

I cleared out a bunch of stuff in the office closet where I keep the overflow kitchen stuff and put it up in the guest bathroom upstairs.  Things like the 20 roles of toilet paper and paper towels I buy at a time from Sams Club. I'm prepping for putting up the christmas decorations and clearing the clutter in two of my small basement rooms.  I am also in the process of making an entryway table.  Wood is cut and sanded.  Just need to assemble and paint.  Hope to have it done by the new year.  I'll add some tall baskets under it to hide things as well.  I like everything out of sight.

I won't be able to get the boxes out of the house until at least Jan 7th when the new trash company brings the bins.  My bigger worry is disposing of this 10 foot tree.  My boyfriend has a 2 week work trip in NYC after the first of the year so if it isn't out of the house by then I'll have trouble.  He wants to set it on fire in the back yard.  I don't think we are technically supposed too according to the county, and the way the trees flame up we'd have to do small pieces at a time, but if it stops raining long enough it might be fun to do.  There is something soothing about watching a fire.  And I'd rather do that than struggle pulling a 10 foot tree out of the house by myself or asking for a family or friend to drive all the way out to me to help.

[Lizard Queen]

Dec 28, 2018 15:47:13 GMT -5 Happy prose said:

In case any of you are interested, starting 1/1/19, Marie Kondo is having her own Netflix show. It's called (something like) Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.

Weee! So excited! I didn't know that. I need to really konmarie my house.


My goals: 2019+ items.
19 pounds (I gained a bit the last couple months, and I stopped at a sort of midway goal previously)

[Sharon]

Welcome mathsplosion

I spent time over at my Mom's today helping her and that is plenty of incentive to get rid of things.  I helped her get her Christmas tree down and the tree decorations put away.  We also got the out door lights down and sorta put away.  One string blinks and she wanted to check out why it blinked and fix it for next year.  Mom just has too much crap.

[mollyanna58]

I went through two bins filled with dog blankets / bedding, and put half aside for donation, so now down to one bin.

I also resisted buying any Christmas decorations or wrapping stuff while shopping sales the past two days, so that's clutter than never happened in the first place. I did pick up a couple of presents for future birthdays or next Christmas, but now I have an extra bin to store them in.

[WholeLottaNothin]

I'm in again for 2019. I always seem to fall a little bit short of my goal, but I am going to try to get 1000 items out again this year. I too would like to declutter some weight. My weight loss goal is 37 pounds as I'm turning 37 this year.

My problem is knowing where to start. I know there is a lot I don't need and can get rid of, there is still so much that it is overwhelming.

[debthaven]

My problem is knowing where to start.

WholeLottaNothin I'd start either with something easy, or with whatever bugs you the most. You can do it.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Peter Walsh in Rachel Ray discussing toy organization

www.rachaelrayshow.com/lifestyle/23519_how_to_declutter_toys_should_you_have_a_yard_sale_or_sell_online

[moneysquirrel]

I'm in again.  Not going to set a number goal this year but want to get as many as I can.  I already have two boxes waiting to be picked up next week so those items will be the first ones for the new year.  I don't count things until they are totally out of my possession.  

Welcome to all our new members.

More later.  

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

www.becomingminimalist.com/resolve-to-declutter/

7 Tips to Help Keep Your Resolution to Declutter

WRITTEN by JOSHUA BECKER ·

[wvugurl26]

There are definitely things I need that don't spark joy. Dress pants for work will never bring me joy. I can only wear jeans on Friday so they are necessary.

DH is doing more with his stuff so that is helpful. We'll continue plugging away in 2019.

[3catslady]

I MIGHT be selling the house so I need to get rid of everything I haven't used in the past 10 years that is sitting out in the other room.  I'm not counting items, just getting rid if them.

[msventoux]

My northern hillbilly roots are showing. I got tired of shuffling crap from room to room to garage, back into the house, etc. I’ve started throwing crap off my back deck into the yard and covering it with a tarp. No saving it once it’s in the trash pile. I started because a bunch of my stuff got destroyed a month or so ago. It was too much to fit into my weekly garbage can and I wasn’t going to fight the lines at the to get rid of everything.

This summer when the house, garage and outbuildings have all been gone through I’ll have a dumpster delivered and get rid of the junk pile. The only saving grace is none of my neighbors can see into my back yard.

[debthaven]

msventoux could you get a second garbage can? Might that be easier/cheaper for you?

[TheOtherMe]

If DN3 had not gotten all of his concussions, I was going to get a dumpster and have him help me carry stuff from the basement straight to the dumpster.  Then the concussions happened.  Maybe next summer.

[Sharon]

Today was incredibly productive and I got rid of a bunch of stuff.  I'm counting it towards 2019.  Not sure how long I will keep up the count, and I don't have a specific goal.  This is more of a curiosity thing.

Today I got the outdoor lights down and put away.  All the Christmas decorations are now up in the attic.  I also brought down some stuff I wanted to get rid of.  Then I made a run and included my old stereo and it was one of those large 80's type that had big speakers and a rack for all the components.  Very little of it worked anymore so I had bought a smaller stereo and much smaller speakers (with better sound) about a month ago.  I also took some old lawn furniture and an old chair etc.

After the run I made a donation run so between those two things and the the things just plain tossed in the garbage can - 56 items out of the house today.  The office/sewing room is looking so much better.

I also washed all the table clothes and the tree skirt, those are all put away until next year.  YNAB is up to date and I paid a couple of bills that were here.  The majority for the first of the month aren't here yet but those ones will be out the door tomorrow.

My goal for New Years day is to sit and sew, been a long time since I have done that.  I have a quilt that needs to get done for grandson who will make his appearance in February.

[moneysquirrel]

[tcu2003]

Happy 2019, friends!

Here is the start of Peter Walsh’s 31 Days to Get Organized Challenge.


Day 1 -Set up a donation bin. And, everyone in your house finds 5 items to place in the bin.

#31Days2GetOrganized

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

January Cleaning and Paperwork Plan