It took a LONG time. We did it in very small chunks at a time so it wasn't too overwhelming. But yeah, she did a great job. I think the re-naming really helped.
Thanks for introducing the "wave" method into my noggin. This really helps me to get started on a project even if the outcome is not "perfect". Also well done on giving your daughter agency in this process. I was helping my niece declutter her wardrobe and my sister came in and told her what to keep and give up. That meant my niece lost the learning experience of what you actually want/need. I guess this is what happens when two pisces kids (me and my niece) meet a virgo (my sister!)
Well done to all 3 of you & your dog for keeping you company. The dolls house looks amazing. I’d never seen one like that before. It’s sad when children outgrow toys. I actually played with toys until I was about 13. You made me chuckle when you said that if someone tries to force you to get rid of something that it makes you even more determined to keep it. I’m exactly the same.
My mom took my toys away at 11 because when she got remarried I had surprised step sisters. Lol they destoryed everything. Ripped head off dolls, broke dressers, mirrors my bed ect lol. Funny now but as a kid I was sad. Now as a kid I let my kids know when I declutter and they help. My daughter is almost 12 and keeps 1 bin of toys and 1 bin of plushies. I rather have her out grow them naturally than take them away. I also taught them about clothes to and how they fit. It's nice to teach them
I think it helps to have another person take our things and they decide where it goes. Like that person removes it from us, and decides what happens to it. For me, getting rid of things is not usually problematic, but I know for some people it is. My mother was a hoarder and would never get rid of anything. But I found on occasions she would bring me a bag of clothes or other items she found in her house that she knew were just "perfect" for me and brought them over, I learned quickly to accept the items, thank her, comment on how wonderful they were, then after she left if they really needed to be discarded or donated, that's what I did. Mother did a kind thing by "gifting" me with things (that were usually just awful in my opinion), and I moved them along to their next lift. She also later liked to gift my husband with items. She would leave and he'd ask me what on earth were were to do with the items, and I clued him in.
Huh I never thought of this before but it really resonates with me. I’ll get motivated to do a bunch of declutterimg but once I’ve picked out everything I want to get rid of I get overwhelmed trying to figure out what to do with it. Sounds like you really helped your mother!
Thanks for subbing! I’ve shown her in one or two other videos so not totally protected, but I try keep it to a minimum. And she gets final say on what’s included and what’s not.
Awwwesome... this really brings back memories. Just when my daughter was starting to outgrow Barbie dolls, Mattel came out with Monster High dolls and made it cool again.
WOW ❤ Amazing! And yes, it can’t get as messy because there just isn’t as much stuff :) Taking on that massive sorting at the end is really tough and something a lot of us couldn’t follow through with. That’s why I love Dana K. White’s method so much - you can stop anytime and actually be all the way done with what you’ve done. Totally get why you made that choice this time but hopefully you never have to subject yourself to that again!
With kids, 6 months is an age, so they often change their mind about things after 6 months. Or certain birthday will trigger a purge, turning 12 and turning 13 seem to be big ages for those purges, and 15 another one rolls along. So just be patient.
Well done to ye all 👏👏👏 The knock on effect was great for ye all. The space looks gorgeous. Hope you are keeping well. Have a great week. Mary, Joes wife 🙇♀️👏💪👍🙏💐🐕🦺
Thanks so much, Mary. Getting this room done lifted a weight. It used to bug me so much, especially because it's right inside the front door so very visible.
Dear parents! When Your kids are very good behaviour all the time and always taking good care of their things, keeping their rooms very clean, loving their favorite things and want to make nice childhood collections of their things: books, clothes, toys, video games, clothes, DVDs and etc, then donataing is very wrong thing to do. If You have few space then storage boxes and shelves will help You out and Your kids will be very happy and thankful then, if they can keep their favourite things. Childhood things are very valuable and it is very sad, if they won’t see them anymore in their life. Every child should have the right to keep their things, if they can take good care of them all the time!!! Respectfully, Astra Viil 🥰🙏
Do these children exist? 😂 Regardless, I get my child involved in the process so the decision is hers to make. I'm not getting rid of any of her favourite things.
I’ve never liked the onion image. Very unappealing. 😂 And I feel like, with an onion, it implies there’s an end, or that progress is consistent and you remove the same amount every time. The wave analogy works much better for me. I can be strong and powerful and get rid of loads, or just gently lap at the shore. 🌊
I agree with you so much about doing the decluttering in waves or passes. I am on the first pass right now but I can tell that things will be refined at least twice more before I am really content with things - and then of course, there will be "maintenance" decluttering to do afterwards, on a regular basis. It's fine, I've come to terms with this now, but it would be wonderful if I could declutter once and be done with that forever!
I knew where it was going im like that. honestly i dont have that much stuff (moving around alot in the last years), and the stuff i have I all use regularly or enjoy having but I would be happy to give up ANYTHING I OWN if I knew someone else is using it regularly and is enjoying it. I have so many of my favourite clothes that I lent to colleagues and friends and sometimes they put it on and im like you look amazing in it and if they like it I ask them to keep it or they wear it, take it home and months later hey I wear it all the time. i LOVE that, I always tell them to keep it
Well ya know. Lol. Some of us just have to engage in a bit of masochism every once in awhile. 😅😅 But also letting someone else decide things is a pretty big relief to me. I can get decision fatigue so easily it seems like.
She's had the rocker since she was a toddler (and sometimes still uses it as a seat), and the kitchen holds fun memories of playing with my parents. I'm more surprised by the dolls because she's never been much of a doll person.
I'm much much older, and I find the one thing I have trouble with is the little broken/chipped ornaments that were given to me decades ago, but that no one will want. I struggle to put them in the bin. :-(
Yes, certain things are harder to part with than others. I sometimes find it's easier if I put them in something where I can't see them, like a canvas bag or small box. Then leave them somewhere for a while. There's something about not being able to see them, especially when getting rid of them, that slowly removes the attachment.
It’s really hard. But if you keep them you have that dread and pain, thinking about throwing them away, over and over again. If you can push through and do it you will never have to think about that again. Once they’re gone it’s unlikely you’ll give them much thought at all but if you do you can remind yourself they were broken and you were doing everyone a favor putting them in the trash where they belong.
Some things like that - I take a picture and write a little paragraph about how & when I got it, why I’m letting it go and tell it goodbye. Kind of a “Thanks for the Memories”. Then, I post the pic & story in an album in my Facebook account. I titled the album “Memory Book of Bygone Things”. The posts come up in memories and I get a chance to revisit the memory.
I so relate to the "I wanted to set fire to it all." I have several gigantic tubs of paper that need to be shredded and the task just seems Herculean. I don't take them to UPS to be shredded because there are really sensitive documents with my full bank account numbers, social security number, address, etc. - all on my monthly bank statements! I can't believe they used to do that. Also credt card information on sales orders from my online customers. I don't want strangers having access to those papers. No way. Setting fire to it isn't an option, unfortunately, since we don't have a fireplace and outdoor fires are illegal in my town.
Set it up by your couch and then shred a pile every time there’s an ad break in a show or video you’re watching. You’ll be through it all in no time. 😁
It looks like a real representation of a wee girl preparing to grow up a little bit. Bless her. 💖 My youngest grandchild started uni last weekend and they FaceTimed me to show me their room. They are Autistic and for a while spoke only through a stuffed elephant. There was Elly pride of place on Clara's bed and apparently there are strapping 6 feet tall boys in the balls of Residence with their teddy bears and stuffed pandas! Some things from childhood stay for ever. 💖 I missed your Irish farewell at the end there......I have my Irish passport so Bite Sized Irish has been a new UA-cam favourite. 💚😅🙋 Slan !
Great job with Scout. My how she’s grown! I’ve been decluttering for 11 years now. It was part of my 2013 “Get Real” plan after retirement. I had 9 areas of my life I wanted to improve. I found FlyLady to help me develop new routines. 🔲About revisiting spaces to declutter… I loved FlyLady’s “zones” concept. All that to say… I developed a habit of decluttering in the zones. Each (or most) months - I make a declutter round through our spaces. I’ve discovered I’ll overlook items and the next month - I see them and wonder why I kept them. Clearing out the clutter - reveals more clutter. Items that were once simply part of the landscape suddenly have a questioning spotlight on them. 🔲Naming spaces. Giving them an identity or purpose. I’ve done this all over the house. Rooms, closets, drawers & shelves. It’s helpful. Shelves in the fridge, freezer, pantry - are designated for specific categories of foods. Drawers have names: utility, silverware, gadgets, cooking utensils, knives. 🔲As a crazy list making person… over the years I’ve developed and maintained a whole house inventory. (By category and by space). There are still areas where we have too much inventory - especially in the kitchen and my craft supplies closet. But, those will be getting more attention soon. 🔲One BIG mistake I made - was decluttering around the house these past 2 years since my Mom passed away. Instead of getting things out of the house - they were bagged or boxed and put in Mom’s room. And, I still haven’t dealt with Mom’s things. So, perhaps there’s a psychological twist in there. Honestly, I was happy with getting the other spaces decluttered. Plus, I was dealing with knee pain so not feeling like carting all the stuff downstairs to the garage. I don’t have the knee pain now. Plus, there are 2 kids next door that’ll carry it down for me. I just need to go in there and start. I usually do best with this type of overwhelming project when I take pictures of it - then mentally declutter from the picture. So, I have my next 3 actions. Then, 3 more. Repeat. 🔲Wish me luck!
That's a wonderful name for your plan - Get Real! I'm working on mine, too, but I didn't have a name for it. I was calling it Swedish Death Cleaning, but I was amazed at how horrified people were when I used that phrase. I finally straight-out told my son that I expect to have 10 years maximum left, and even if I live longer than that, I'm not going to be doing jumping jacks or living the big life at that point. He might as well get used to the idea that life is finite. Oh, well, a Get Real plan at least doesn't have the word Death in it, so it won't be so alarming to my near and dear.
@@edennis8578 Thanks! The full name was actually “Get Real - Get Organized”. ✳️ My Decluttering Story. I started in 2013. I retired at the end of Nov 2012. December was a month to relax and feel my new "place" in life. January 2013 - I thought about goals for the new year. How do I plan to manage my life and time? 1. Improve Health 2. Maintain a Clean Home 3. Maintain an Organized Home 4. Manage Mom's Business 5. Spend time with Dad 6. Manage our Finances 7. Advance my Genealogy Project 8. Advance our Jewelry Making Crafting 9. Organize Photos ➡️ I created a list of action steps for each goal. What would it look like when I achieved the goal? I put this all in a spreadsheet and began working on it. I decided each month - I would decide which action steps to complete for the month. And, every Sunday I would check my progress on my monthly goals - and decide next actions for the coming week. Each year - I revise or update the goals and action steps. The "goals" are really more like areas of my life. Areas to balance. Areas to level up. ➡️ For the 3rd goal area: Maintain an Organized Home - I envisioned everything having a place and everything being in its place. I would declutter. Question everything. Get rid of the stuff we don’t want or need. Things would be stored where they make sense. Nothing stored under beds or in the floors of closets. ➡️ But, where to start?!? I was overwhelmed. Every space was stuffed. Closets, drawers, cabinets. I seemed to pivot from one spot to the next - getting nothing done or getting overwhelmed and putting it all back to deal with “later”. ➡️ I searched for inspiration. A system or method. What are other people doing? I found FlyLady. Her system made sense to me. She divides the home into zones then works in a different zone each week. Repeat the zones each month - more decluttering and deep cleaning. ➡️ I started with my vision. A written vision of how I wanted my life and our home. (Husband agreed and suggested tweaks.) Then I created my plan. It was a spreadsheet. Or actually several spreadsheets in one file. I called it my "Get Real - Get Organized" plan. I used the spreadsheet plan from 2013-2016. In 2016 I moved my plan into a bullet journal. ➡️ I’ve made a lot of progress. Every closet, cabinet, shelf has been touched. Many items decluttered. The remaining items have been (mostly) counted and organized. I’ve had trouble letting things go. I keep visiting areas throughout the year and letting more unwanted/unneeded items go. I have to repeatedly challenge my thinking about the reasons I keep things. Slowly releasing my grip. Some days it’s easy. Some days it’s not. There is still more to declutter. But, it’s so much better than before. 🔲Another thing we do now is plan purchases for the year. At the start of the year - we assess our things and make a list of worn or unloved things to replace or items to buy to fill gaps in our needs. Prevents impulse buys. We track the purchases, impulse buys and unexpected expenses.
I can't help but think about when Scout has her first dorm room/flat/house and how grateful she will be for the lessons you've taught her.
I certainly hope so! 😂
80%?!!! You guys are awesome!! Good for Scout for making ALL THOSE DECISIONS!! She's a superstar just like her Mum!!! ❤
It took a LONG time. We did it in very small chunks at a time so it wasn't too overwhelming. But yeah, she did a great job. I think the re-naming really helped.
@@HowToGYST I think the renaming of the room was a great idea too. It gives some concreteness to the vision!
Thanks for introducing the "wave" method into my noggin. This really helps me to get started on a project even if the outcome is not "perfect".
Also well done on giving your daughter agency in this process. I was helping my niece declutter her wardrobe and my sister came in and told her what to keep and give up. That meant my niece lost the learning experience of what you actually want/need. I guess this is what happens when two pisces kids (me and my niece) meet a virgo (my sister!)
Also - "I am not tidying my house for the internet" is a brilliant mantra!!
The egg chair is delightful.
Santa brought it a year or two ago. 😁
Well done to all 3 of you & your dog for keeping you company.
The dolls house looks amazing. I’d never seen one like that before.
It’s sad when children outgrow toys. I actually played with toys until I was about 13.
You made me chuckle when you said that if someone tries to force you to get rid of something that it makes you even more determined to keep it. I’m exactly the same.
My mom took my toys away at 11 because when she got remarried I had surprised step sisters. Lol they destoryed everything. Ripped head off dolls, broke dressers, mirrors my bed ect lol. Funny now but as a kid I was sad. Now as a kid I let my kids know when I declutter and they help. My daughter is almost 12 and keeps 1 bin of toys and 1 bin of plushies. I rather have her out grow them naturally than take them away. I also taught them about clothes to and how they fit. It's nice to teach them
I think it helps to have another person take our things and they decide where it goes. Like that person removes it from us, and decides what happens to it. For me, getting rid of things is not usually problematic, but I know for some people it is. My mother was a hoarder and would never get rid of anything. But I found on occasions she would bring me a bag of clothes or other items she found in her house that she knew were just "perfect" for me and brought them over, I learned quickly to accept the items, thank her, comment on how wonderful they were, then after she left if they really needed to be discarded or donated, that's what I did. Mother did a kind thing by "gifting" me with things (that were usually just awful in my opinion), and I moved them along to their next lift. She also later liked to gift my husband with items. She would leave and he'd ask me what on earth were were to do with the items, and I clued him in.
Maybe this was her way of helping herself. 🤔
My family did this when I first moved into our first rent house. It would go on the front porch and donated
Huh I never thought of this before but it really resonates with me. I’ll get motivated to do a bunch of declutterimg but once I’ve picked out everything I want to get rid of I get overwhelmed trying to figure out what to do with it. Sounds like you really helped your mother!
I appreciate you protecting your daughter and not showing her 😊. New subscriber.
Thanks for subbing! I’ve shown her in one or two other videos so not totally protected, but I try keep it to a minimum. And she gets final say on what’s included and what’s not.
Im going through this with my mom right now and this really helps me put it in perspective. Thank you
That's why I keep toys REALLY minimal and declutter regularly))
I'll be slowly but surely whittling these down in the coming months.
Brilliant job Laura&Scout!! 👏🤩 And kudos to Hubby joining in the (active) decluttering this time too! 💗
That's a huge achievement, congrats!!
He got rid of significantly less than we did. 😂 But I'll take the win anyway!
Awwwesome... this really brings back memories. Just when my daughter was starting to outgrow Barbie dolls, Mattel came out with Monster High dolls and made it cool again.
Oh dear. 😂
WOW ❤ Amazing! And yes, it can’t get as messy because there just isn’t as much stuff :) Taking on that massive sorting at the end is really tough and something a lot of us couldn’t follow through with. That’s why I love Dana K. White’s method so much - you can stop anytime and actually be all the way done with what you’ve done. Totally get why you made that choice this time but hopefully you never have to subject yourself to that again!
Oh I definitely will NOT be repeating this mistake. 😂 I took the shortcut upfront but paid for it dearly in the end.
Well done - love the little Irish flag on Scout’s storage unit ☘️🇨🇮 Go n-éirí libh!
You are SO real! I just love watching!
Thanks so much! 😁 Maybe someday I'll be able to say that everything went swimmingly and I experienced no issues whatsoever. 😂
With kids, 6 months is an age, so they often change their mind about things after 6 months. Or certain birthday will trigger a purge, turning 12 and turning 13 seem to be big ages for those purges, and 15 another one rolls along. So just be patient.
Lucky for me she's turning 12 next year. 😂
Some amazing life lessons being learnt here - wonderful 🤩
Just raging I had to learn them the hard way. 😂
Well done to ye all 👏👏👏 The knock on effect was great for ye all. The space looks gorgeous. Hope you are keeping well. Have a great week. Mary, Joes wife 🙇♀️👏💪👍🙏💐🐕🦺
Thanks so much, Mary. Getting this room done lifted a weight. It used to bug me so much, especially because it's right inside the front door so very visible.
Dear parents!
When Your kids are very good behaviour all the time and always taking good care of their things, keeping their rooms very clean, loving their favorite things and want to make nice childhood collections of their things: books, clothes, toys, video games, clothes, DVDs and etc, then donataing is very wrong thing to do. If You have few space then storage boxes and shelves will help You out and Your kids will be very happy and thankful then, if they can keep their favourite things. Childhood things are very valuable and it is very sad, if they won’t see them anymore in their life. Every child should have the right to keep their things, if they can take good care of them all the time!!!
Respectfully,
Astra Viil 🥰🙏
Do these children exist? 😂 Regardless, I get my child involved in the process so the decision is hers to make. I'm not getting rid of any of her favourite things.
Thank you for the amazing video 🥰🥰🥰loved every second of it. Going to try this out on my children!🤩🤩🤩
Don't make the same mistakes I made! 😜
Like the wave analogy 🌊 . The Minimal Mom calls it an onion 🧅
I’ve never liked the onion image. Very unappealing. 😂 And I feel like, with an onion, it implies there’s an end, or that progress is consistent and you remove the same amount every time. The wave analogy works much better for me. I can be strong and powerful and get rid of loads, or just gently lap at the shore. 🌊
@@HowToGYST all good points, plus onions make you cry 🧅 😭 and ideally decluttering wouldn’t do that every dang time!
Well done Scout and Laura! Looks amazing! 🎉😊❤
Yay! Thank you!
I agree with you so much about doing the decluttering in waves or passes. I am on the first pass right now but I can tell that things will be refined at least twice more before I am really content with things - and then of course, there will be "maintenance" decluttering to do afterwards, on a regular basis. It's fine, I've come to terms with this now, but it would be wonderful if I could declutter once and be done with that forever!
Oh yes, the dream. 😂 But we grow and evolve, and things come and go so it's nice to have the wave option.
Wise Momma! ❤
Still learning as I go.
Minimal mom suggests a "time will tell" bin where you can store things until you decide you want to let them go x
I personally don't do that because it feels like an extra unnecessary step. I keep the stuff until I feel I'm ready to let go of it.
I knew where it was going im like that. honestly i dont have that much stuff (moving around alot in the last years), and the stuff i have I all use regularly or enjoy having but I would be happy to give up ANYTHING I OWN if I knew someone else is using it regularly and is enjoying it. I have so many of my favourite clothes that I lent to colleagues and friends and sometimes they put it on and im like you look amazing in it and if they like it I ask them to keep it or they wear it, take it home and months later hey I wear it all the time. i LOVE that, I always tell them to keep it
You threw away the Unicorn 😢😢. Great video Laura
It was a (used) piñata.
Well ya know. Lol. Some of us just have to engage in a bit of masochism every once in awhile. 😅😅 But also letting someone else decide things is a pretty big relief to me. I can get decision fatigue so easily it seems like.
Oh yeah, it gets exhausting very quickly. I should know. 🤣
@@HowToGYST 😂😂
I get keeping the dolls and house but surprised she’s keeping the rocking toy and kitchen still as they tend to be played with when much younger.
She's had the rocker since she was a toddler (and sometimes still uses it as a seat), and the kitchen holds fun memories of playing with my parents. I'm more surprised by the dolls because she's never been much of a doll person.
I'm much much older, and I find the one thing I have trouble with is the little broken/chipped ornaments that were given to me decades ago, but that no one will want. I struggle to put them in the bin. :-(
I don't blame you
Yes, certain things are harder to part with than others. I sometimes find it's easier if I put them in something where I can't see them, like a canvas bag or small box. Then leave them somewhere for a while. There's something about not being able to see them, especially when getting rid of them, that slowly removes the attachment.
It’s really hard. But if you keep them you have that dread and pain, thinking about throwing them away, over and over again. If you can push through and do it you will never have to think about that again. Once they’re gone it’s unlikely you’ll give them much thought at all but if you do you can remind yourself they were broken and you were doing everyone a favor putting them in the trash where they belong.
Some things like that - I take a picture and write a little paragraph about how & when I got it, why I’m letting it go and tell it goodbye. Kind of a “Thanks for the Memories”. Then, I post the pic & story in an album in my Facebook account. I titled the album “Memory Book of Bygone Things”. The posts come up in memories and I get a chance to revisit the memory.
I really like that idea. :-)
I so relate to the "I wanted to set fire to it all." I have several gigantic tubs of paper that need to be shredded and the task just seems Herculean. I don't take them to UPS to be shredded because there are really sensitive documents with my full bank account numbers, social security number, address, etc. - all on my monthly bank statements! I can't believe they used to do that. Also credt card information on sales orders from my online customers. I don't want strangers having access to those papers. No way. Setting fire to it isn't an option, unfortunately, since we don't have a fireplace and outdoor fires are illegal in my town.
Set it up by your couch and then shred a pile every time there’s an ad break in a show or video you’re watching. You’ll be through it all in no time. 😁
I love the purple chair you are sitting in. It’s my favorite color. Where did you get it?
Santa brought it. But I’ve also seen them in TJ Maxx.
I think you did a wonderful job, despite having to do the big pile again.
It ended well but there were a lot of swear words along the way. 😂
Good video but what kind of chair is that???? I'm sorry I was distracted by purple fur chair.
It's an egg chair. 😁
❤
💖
Is Scout in 6th grade now? How are the moving plans going?
She is! 🤯 I’m hoping we can start looking for some land next year, and then start the process of building. 🤞
So what was the mistake? I didn't have time to watch all the video and really wanted to get the the point 😊
It looks like a real representation of a wee girl preparing to grow up a little bit. Bless her. 💖 My youngest grandchild started uni last weekend and they FaceTimed me to show me their room. They are Autistic and for a while spoke only through a stuffed elephant. There was Elly pride of place on Clara's bed and apparently there are strapping 6 feet tall boys in the balls of Residence with their teddy bears and stuffed pandas! Some things from childhood stay for ever. 💖 I missed your Irish farewell at the end there......I have my Irish passport so Bite Sized Irish has been a new UA-cam favourite. 💚😅🙋 Slan !
Ah, well done on getting your Irish passport! 🇮🇪 I still have lots of cherished possessions from my childhood. We're never too old for treasures. 💖
Great job with Scout. My how she’s grown! I’ve been decluttering for 11 years now. It was part of my 2013 “Get Real” plan after retirement. I had 9 areas of my life I wanted to improve. I found FlyLady to help me develop new routines.
🔲About revisiting spaces to declutter… I loved FlyLady’s “zones” concept. All that to say… I developed a habit of decluttering in the zones. Each (or most) months - I make a declutter round through our spaces. I’ve discovered I’ll overlook items and the next month - I see them and wonder why I kept them. Clearing out the clutter - reveals more clutter. Items that were once simply part of the landscape suddenly have a questioning spotlight on them.
🔲Naming spaces. Giving them an identity or purpose. I’ve done this all over the house. Rooms, closets, drawers & shelves. It’s helpful. Shelves in the fridge, freezer, pantry - are designated for specific categories of foods. Drawers have names: utility, silverware, gadgets, cooking utensils, knives.
🔲As a crazy list making person… over the years I’ve developed and maintained a whole house inventory. (By category and by space). There are still areas where we have too much inventory - especially in the kitchen and my craft supplies closet. But, those will be getting more attention soon.
🔲One BIG mistake I made - was decluttering around the house these past 2 years since my Mom passed away. Instead of getting things out of the house - they were bagged or boxed and put in Mom’s room. And, I still haven’t dealt with Mom’s things. So, perhaps there’s a psychological twist in there. Honestly, I was happy with getting the other spaces decluttered. Plus, I was dealing with knee pain so not feeling like carting all the stuff downstairs to the garage. I don’t have the knee pain now. Plus, there are 2 kids next door that’ll carry it down for me. I just need to go in there and start. I usually do best with this type of overwhelming project when I take pictures of it - then mentally declutter from the picture. So, I have my next 3 actions. Then, 3 more. Repeat. 🔲Wish me luck!
That's a wonderful name for your plan - Get Real! I'm working on mine, too, but I didn't have a name for it. I was calling it Swedish Death Cleaning, but I was amazed at how horrified people were when I used that phrase. I finally straight-out told my son that I expect to have 10 years maximum left, and even if I live longer than that, I'm not going to be doing jumping jacks or living the big life at that point. He might as well get used to the idea that life is finite. Oh, well, a Get Real plan at least doesn't have the word Death in it, so it won't be so alarming to my near and dear.
@@edennis8578 Thanks! The full name was actually “Get Real - Get Organized”.
✳️ My Decluttering Story.
I started in 2013. I retired at the end of Nov 2012. December was a month to relax and feel my new "place" in life. January 2013 - I thought about goals for the new year. How do I plan to manage my life and time?
1. Improve Health
2. Maintain a Clean Home
3. Maintain an Organized Home
4. Manage Mom's Business
5. Spend time with Dad
6. Manage our Finances
7. Advance my Genealogy Project
8. Advance our Jewelry Making Crafting
9. Organize Photos
➡️ I created a list of action steps for each goal. What would it look like when I achieved the goal? I put this all in a spreadsheet and began working on it. I decided each month - I would decide which action steps to complete for the month. And, every Sunday I would check my progress on my monthly goals - and decide next actions for the coming week. Each year - I revise or update the goals and action steps.
The "goals" are really more like areas of my life. Areas to balance. Areas to level up.
➡️ For the 3rd goal area: Maintain an Organized Home - I envisioned everything having a place and everything being in its place. I would declutter. Question everything. Get rid of the stuff we don’t want or need. Things would be stored where they make sense. Nothing stored under beds or in the floors of closets.
➡️ But, where to start?!? I was overwhelmed. Every space was stuffed. Closets, drawers, cabinets. I seemed to pivot from one spot to the next - getting nothing done or getting overwhelmed and putting it all back to deal with “later”.
➡️ I searched for inspiration. A system or method. What are other people doing? I found FlyLady. Her system made sense to me. She divides the home into zones then works in a different zone each week. Repeat the zones each month - more decluttering and deep cleaning.
➡️ I started with my vision. A written vision of how I wanted my life and our home. (Husband agreed and suggested tweaks.) Then I created my plan. It was a spreadsheet. Or actually several spreadsheets in one file. I called it my "Get Real - Get Organized" plan. I used the spreadsheet plan from 2013-2016. In 2016 I moved my plan into a bullet journal.
➡️ I’ve made a lot of progress. Every closet, cabinet, shelf has been touched. Many items decluttered. The remaining items have been (mostly) counted and organized. I’ve had trouble letting things go. I keep visiting areas throughout the year and letting more unwanted/unneeded items go. I have to repeatedly challenge my thinking about the reasons I keep things. Slowly releasing my grip. Some days it’s easy. Some days it’s not. There is still more to declutter. But, it’s so much better than before.
🔲Another thing we do now is plan purchases for the year. At the start of the year - we assess our things and make a list of worn or unloved things to replace or items to buy to fill gaps in our needs. Prevents impulse buys. We track the purchases, impulse buys and unexpected expenses.
GOOD LUCK!!! Sounds like you’ve already got some wonderful foundational habits in place. 👏👏👏