So, you've decided it's time to get rid of the clutter in your home and life. Maybe you've decided to launch a "campaign" something like my "1000 things" in which you plan in a certain period of time to eliminate all the excess from your home. Or maybe you are planning on a more little-by-little approach. Either is fine. Both will work, if you keep at it. But the question that is often in our minds is "Where does it end?" Will there come a time when there is no more clutter, and I don't have to declutter anymore?

Well, yes and no. If you stop bringing more stuff in and keep working at it, then yes, you can get to a point where your house is (mostly) free from excess. But, without continuing effort, it won't stay that way for long!

If you live with other people. If you ever bring something new home. If you have friends who send you gifts. If you read magazines or do puzzles. If you buy any item that comes with packaging. If you lose or gain weight, or your kids grow. In other words, if you live life!....clutter will happen!

But it does not have to become that overwhelming, all consuming monster it once was, ever again. The secret to preventing that from happening is some new habits and routines, such as these:
1. Quick maintenance - after you've decluttered a space or a room, you need to sweep through it from time to time, quickly removing any new items of clutter that may have been deposited there. This may just be part of your regular housework routines - as you tidy, dust or vacuum, pick up and deal with unnecessary items as you go.
2. Regular deeper sessions - once a week or once a month, go back through one cupboard, drawer, shelf, room - whatever works for you - and check to make sure nothing there has become outdated, outsized, worn out, or no longer needed. If so, eliminate! If you've already decluttered thoroughly, and you keep doing this regularly, it won't take anywhere near as long to do as the first time!
3. Have a place to put stuff you don't need easily, and use it - to me this means a bin in the foyer for recyclables, a bag in a handy cupboard for clothes to pass on, and an accessible box for things headed to the thrift store. As soon as the bag or box fills, or once every week or two, take those items out to the car and make a point of dropping them off when you go into town.
4. Teach your kids good habits and thought patterns - it's ok to let go of stuff you don't need any more, where to put such things, and to think about where they are going to keep anything new they bring home (is there room, do they really need it, what will they get rid of when they add this?)
5. Adjust your own thoughts and habits too! Do I REALLY need this? And remember, it's ok to pass something on as soon as you've finished using it. Just because that was a good magazine, doesn't mean you need to keep it forever! Don't allow yourself to just bring random things home - it needs to be something you need or truly want, and there needs to be a place for it.

A good rule-of-thumb is to take 15 mins every day to move through your home looking for and getting rid of clutter.

Last week we finally had a nice, sunny day, and I was able to put my collected items out by the road. I put out about 7 boxes of stuff, and 5 hours later when I packed the rest up, there was only 1.5 boxes worth left.

Since then, I've done a little more decluttering, but I've decided it's time to wrap up my 1000 Things campaign - after all, I've exceeded that goal, and there are other things in life that need my greater focus right now.

In the past week, I've added another 58 items to my give aways - including clothing, jigsaws, a radio, binder, wastebasket, crockpot, muzzle, craft things and more, and added a couple more items of furniture to the sell list.

Due to the fact we're now into wintery weather, it's no longer practical for me to put things out by the road, so all remaining items are going to be dropped off to a local charity tomorrow, and I'm going to focus over the next couple of weeks on advertising and selling the remaining books etc I've earmarked for sale. If they don't sell by then, they will also go to the charity.

As I've now decluttered all the rooms in my house, as well as a couple of sheds, I feel pretty good about what I've accomplished. There are more books and DVDs that will go in time, but most of those will be for sale, and there's no point pulling them off the shelves until I've cleared away the ones already for sale.

I also need to spend some time catching up on some other projects - finishing setting up my new paperwork system, catching up on ironing and mending, and so on - these things and more may be the subject of future blog posts.

All in all, despite the fact that eliminating 1000 things seemed like a huge goal, I've got rid of over 1200 items over the last 6 weeks or so, and while my house looks less cluttered, it certainly doesn't look empty! My family are amazed that we could let so much go and not even notice the difference in any negative way - a fact that has inspired them to keep letting go of more of their own stuff!

I hope you've enjoyed my 1000 Things campaign, and have been inspired to let go of some of your own excess!

If you desire to get rid of the clutter in your home, here's an important tip: Stop Adding To Your Stuff!

One of the reasons most of us struggle to get around to dealing with all the stuff we already have, is that we keep adding to it, rather than subtracting from it. We pick up bargains at yard sales and second hand stores, buy more than we need from thrift stores, and get items on sale that look attractive to us. If you’re a homeschooler like me, you’re probably a bookaholic too, and constantly bringing home new finds!

Here’s what I want you to do - make a commitment for a certain period of time (at least 3-6 months, preferably one year) to not buy or acquire ANYTHING except basic essentials, and those only when you truly need them! Half measures won’t do - if you tell yourself you’ll get LESS stuff, then you’ll always find an excuse to get this and that. If you make it a firm NO! then it will be easier to be strong.

And how are you going to get by while you’re not getting more?? Two things -

• You’ll learn to be content with what you have. “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6

• You’ll use up or make use of what you already have. There was a saying during the Great Depression:

“Use it up
Wear it out
Make it do or
Do Without”

Imagine actually reading all the books on your shelves. Or using all those wonderful home school materials you’ve collected over the years but not actually used, instead of buying more. Imagine actually looking at all the recipe books you’ve got, and weeding out the ones you don’t need, instead of acquiring more. Think what it will be like to use (or discard) all those patterns, craft ideas and recipes you’ve collected and hoarded. To use the clothing you have to come up with what you need, before looking for new ones. Think of actually playing all the games your family owns, doing the jigsaws, working together on crafts with what you have.

Imagine finally, once and for all, actually dealing with all your stuff and getting rid of all your clutter. It won’t happen until you stop adding to it!

Suggested “Rules”

Here’s what I suggest for the “no adding stuff” period:

• Do not buy or allow into your house any do-dads, knick-knacks or “this would look good in/on my___________” items whatsoever! Make do with what you’ve got in the meantime. Remind yourself the day will come when you house is free of clutter and mostly tidy, and THEN you can get some of those wonderful items you want to make your house look pretty.

• Do not get any more books!! Stay away from second hand book stores and other grounds of temptation. Unsubscribe from the second hand books and curriculum email loops. (Ouch!!) The ONLY exception is purchases of specific, pre-planned curriculum for your home schooled kids or other students that you really need! If you don’t already have plans in place to buy certain items (such as if you are following a specific graded curriculum), then don’t buy anything! Use what you have - come on, I know you have lots of stuff! Get out those unit studies and good books you brought way back and actually use them. If it turns out they aren’t suitable, then sell them! Then, use your library, and free internet resources when you do need extras. But see how much you can actually get done using what you already have on your shelves!!

• For the period of your commitment, you may not cut out any recipes or craft patterns, or collect any papers that “might come in handy one day”. NONE! Until you’ve used, sorted or got rid of all such items you already have stashed, you are not to add to them. Don’t worry, you won’t really miss anything important!!!!

• Avoid garage or yard sales, ebay, sales of any kind, second hand stores and thrift stores! You are NOT in the market for ANY miscellaneous “useful” items of any kind. Be strong!! Only pre-planned purchases for needed items may be made. No extras at all!!

• “Needed” means items pertaining to the basics of life - such as food, clothing and shelter. Plan to buy only the items you REALLY need in these categories, after seeing if you can make do with what you have. Plan to avoid any other spending altogether on “things”. Your bank balance will be much healthier too!!
  

• No purchases of puzzle books etc - use up what you have, or do free crosswords out the newspaper or online. Save your money; reduce clutter!
• When you do need to get something new, make it a rule to immediately get rid of at least one similar item - preferably 2 or 3. So if you buy a new pair of shoes, immediately throw out the old pair, or if you're the type that has many pairs of shoes, select 2-3 pairs you don't really need and let them go.
  

There will be the odd exception to the no acquiring rule that is acceptable - when it's something you've long needed to get or replace to truly make your life better; usually it's an item to replace a damaged or worn out essential piece of home hardware (furniture and equipment). For example, I made an exception for myself recently - I've been looking for a better computer/office desk for 3-4 years, and spotted the perfect one outside a thrift store as I was walking past for only $40. I got them to put it on hold, wrote down the measurements, went home and checked it would fit where I wanted, thought about it overnight and then the next day went and bought it. When I put in the office, I immediately advertised the old desk for sale, and I also identified two more desks from the house that I could get rid of. This new desk perfectly fits what we need, and improves our lives, making things easier in several ways. Considering the bargain price, it would have made no sense to pass up this opportunity because of a "rule" - so do use your common sense. Like all "rules" it's purpose is to improve your life, not make it miserable!

So, how about you? Ready to commit yourself to a "no new stuff" for a period of time? Make a simple poster/contract, fill it in, and post it on the fridge where your family can also see it. Or print my one, and use that. Download HERE.

The fourth week of my 1000 Things Challenge was just that - a challenge! A week full of bad weather, injury and illness, as well as other things going on. I managed to get some decluttering done - focusing on items in my "storage shed" - a place where I keep things like preserving jars, fabric, extra bits and pieces, and which currently has to double as a garden shed as I don't have one. It was good to give it a clean out, and in the process I added 30 items to the give away piles - 2 insulated lunch bags, 1 stacking stationary container, 1 jelly mold, 3 small baskets, 1 pack of scrapbooking supplies, 2 pencil cases, 1 tablecloth, 3 plastic plates, 1 sprinkler, 1 bird house, 6 candles, 1 dynaband, 4 packs of Newspapers in Education resources, 1 pack of ANZAC photos and resources, 1 office chair (not pictured) and 1 roman blind (not pictured).

At the same time, 121 items got added to the for sale items - 1 automatic pet feeder, 1 set of caligraphy gear, 1 box full of caligraphy books and resources, 21 pieces of dinnerware, and 97 homeschool workbooks and answer books - though I strongly suspect the vast majority of those will end up transferred to the give away pile after I've sold what I can.

So that brings the grand total of items eliminated over the last four weeks to 1140!

Constant rainy weather has prevented me from putting give away items out by the kerb, but I'm still gathering them up into boxes, ready for when I can give them away. In the 3rd week of my "campaign" to eliminate the unnecessary from our home, I identified another 76 items to give away, and 74 to sell - a total of 150 for the week, and 989 so far over the last 3 weeks!

From this point out, I'm going to need to change the way I do this each day. Because I have other areas in my life I also need to focus on, I've decided to schedule in 1 hour each day for decluttering, and rather than just focusing on items to give away or sell, I need to focus on completely decluttering or dealing with a particular part of the house in that time. So some days it may mean I eliminate a lot of trash or recycling, but don't add much to the give away/sell totals. And that's just fine, and probably natural at this point in the process - the initial easy-to-deal-with areas (piles, boxes, surfaces) have been gone over once. Now I need to do things like finish reorganizing my filing and paperwork, dealing with piles of mending and ironing, work my way through cupboards and shelves more slowly and make more considered decisions about what they contain and so forth.

Eliminating clutter and excess is very like peeling an onion - there are layers. The outer layer is the obvious stuff lying around, or those things already waiting for you to deal with them in boxes and so forth. The next layer is giving each room a good clean up, perusing all shelves and drawers for unneeded items as you go. And then comes the deeper stuff, bit by bit, layer by layer.

How about you? Are you decluttering? Got any comments or questions? Leave a comment

When I was a teenager, I used to have a poster on my bedroom wall of a beautiful lion lying with one front paw over the other, captioned "Every time I put my best foot forward, someone steps on it." It can feel a lot like that when one decides to "get organised" or start following a schedule. Almost guaranteed, just when you think you've worked out the perfect schedule, someone throws up on it. Or "life happens" - a sudden illness or injury by anyone in your family will throw your schedule off, the car breaks down, the cat gets stuck up a tree, the toilet backs up...any one of a myriad possibilities. And it can make you groan and ask yourself "WHY do I even bother??"

So what is the point of a schedule? And is it really a useful, workable tool in a busy life full of unpredictable people and events?

The point of a schedule is not to program your life down to every minute. Its purpose is to give a guiding structure to your days - a chosen focus for a given time period. It's designed to be a tool that helps you get more done, not a task-master that slaps you around and makes you feel inadequate! Here's how I come up with a schedule:
1. I start by thinking about all the major focuses of my life right now - what am I trying to get done? What balls am I juggling? Life is full of seasons - there is constant change as kids get older, needs and desires and interests change, health gets better or worse, certain projects are being worked on etc. You can't create one schedule and expect it to carry you through the rest of your life. You probably need a new one at least every 6 months, or if certain projects are for a shorter period of time, then even more often.
2. Once I've made a list of my current obligations and ambitions, I ask myself if ALL of them are important enough to deserve my focus right now? Could some be dropped, or delayed? And then I ask myself, for the ones remaining, approx how big a block of time do I realistically need to focus on them each day?
3. I start outlining a schedule - what things serve as essential framework? I need to get enough sleep - when am I going to go to bed and get up? Are there fixed daily commitments I need to allow for (eg getting someone off to work or school, or a part time job or course)? What other things are important to me to make time for? Daily prayer and Bible study? Personal exercise? Housework? Plot these in.
4. Now look at all those main focuses you listed  - where do those blocks of time best fit in? Can you fit them all in every day, or do some need to alternate? Do you need to adjust how much time you allowed for them? We all have only 24 hours in a day, a good portion of which needs to be set aside for rest, eating, self care and family responsibilities. It makes no sense to then expect we can fit in 14 hours worth of work or commitments in the remaining, say, 8 hours of available time! And this is one of the main benefits of creating a schedule - it helps you be more realistic!
5. I keep fiddling and adjusting, dropping or curtailing things until I have a schedule that seems workable and realistic, with enough breathing space in it not to turn me into a crazy, frustrated madwoman!
6. Most important, I acknowledge to myself that days are seldom going to go according to plan, and that this schedule can and MUST be flexible! So why bother with one in the first place? Because.....

• With a schedule in place, generally more will get done than if one just "flies by the seat of one's pants," even on those days when disaster strikes.
• A schedule gives you a focus - you know what you're needing to work on in a given time. Yes, you definitely lay aside your agenda when a child or husband needs you, but the rest of the time, you know what you are supposed to be focused on, and can train yourself not to get sidetracked by other things  - email for example.
• When interruptions have come and gone, you can get back on track more easily. If a big chunk has been taken out of my day, I then chose whether to ignore the things left out and just pick up at the current time on my schedule, or to go back to important things, and adjust the rest of the plan for the day.
• The process of creating a schedule has the very desirable effect of making us take a realistic look at our lives and what we are expecting to fit into them, and discover whether it's possible, or we're setting ourselves up for a sense of failure. Once, many years ago when my children were small, I made a list of everything I felt I needed to get done every day, with approximate, realistic times of how long it took. I discovered that my days included some 32 hours of responsibilities, for every 24 hours period. This did two things for me - it stopped me feeling so guilty that I wasn't "getting it all done," and it caused me to adjust my expectations of myself!

So, let me give you a real life example:
This past weekend I realized I needed a new schedule to help me better manage my current aims and responsibilities. I have several things I'm focused on right now:

• Keeping up on housework
• Making sure I set aside time to spend in Bible study and prayer
• My 1000 Things decluttering goal - until the end of May - including giving things away, and advertising items for sale as well as posting sold books etc.
  
• Blogging about the decluttering, and also maintaining my gardening blog
• A Permaculture Design Course I'm enrolled in - it's online and from home, but needs a couple of hours a day study, until the end of July.
• Homeschooling my remaining two students - they learn mostly independently now, but I need to be present and available to help with problems, administer tests etc
• Keeping on top of all the administrative tasks of running a household and my husband's business.
• Doing the gardening and homesteading that provides much of our food etc
  

It took a bit of juggling to figure out how to fit all these things in, along with the other usual responsibilities of having a family. I had to acknowledge that the amount of time I wanted to allow for some of these things would simply not fit into the schedule, and so I had to chose to reduce the allocated time - knowing that it's better to do SOMETHING often than to wait for "enough" time and end up doing little or nothing at all towards a particular goal!

I finally came up with a workable schedule for the next few months. It's not perfect, and will certainly need tweaking as I go along. Of course, it will only work for those days when I'm mostly at home. But it does help me get more done.

I started using this schedule on Monday, and was doing well, until 9:50am when one of my daughters fell off a chair in the room she is renovating for her sister and impaled her foot on a crowbar. (There's something about Mondays and schedules....). The next several hours were spent in first aid, doctors etc....BUT despite this, my schedule had already helped me get much more done that I otherwise would have by that time of the morning, the majority of the important items on my running to-do list for the day were already crossed off, and when the situation was over, I knew exactly what I needed to do to get the rest taken care of, and where to pick up with my schedule!

Yes, I think a schedule is definitely a useful, workable tool, even in a busy, crazy life full of the unpredictable - so long as you use it to help you think and plan, then hold it loosely day to day.

Due to a lot of unexpected interruptions last week, I wasn't able to keep up with daily blogging about my 1000 Things, though I was able to declutter most days. So here I'm combining the items assigned to give away or sell over three days of last week.

50 items were added to the give away boxes, including: 3 books, 2 sets of kids writing paper, 1 DVD, 12 CD cases, 2 blank DVD-R discs, 1 set origami papers, 1 set of invitations/envelopes, 2 audio CDs, 2 calendars, 1 knick knack, 7 post-it pads, 1 bookmark, 1 notepad, a bag of gift tags, 1 CD holder, 1 notebook, 1 compendium, 1 homeschooling manual, 1 tray and 8 highlighters.

12 DVDs, 6 Videos and 45 Books joined the for sale items, for a total of 63.