Did my Life get too Cluttered?
Blog Note: I have severely disappointed one of my readers, maybe more and I am sorry. I started this declutter challenge back in Jan., 2011. We had 3 months worth of prizes added to the pile and a nice group of readers jumped on board and participated enthusiastically. Then my life took over (one kid graduating high school out of state plus open house, one graduating college, sick mom, another kid moved out, high school senior went to college, 2 kids got licences, a wedding, a bridal shower, yada-yada-yada! ) Anywho, I let the ball drop on this and I am sorry! Especially to my dear reader who is upset with me. But the challenge isn’t ruined yet…we have this month to get caught up!
So Let’s Catch up!
Anyway the deal was, you were supposed to declutter one item everyday for 365 days. Then you were supposed to give your input every month into how you were doing as your entry and I would add a prize to the pile each month. You guys did an awesome job of commenting in the first three months.
Jan. 2011 172 comments
Feb. 2011 68 comments
March 2011 101 comments
Here’s a story from one of our reader’s pictures, Jen S., that she shared on her decluttering efforts this year:
Jen S. sent this shot of her Egress before her Decluttering Efforts
Here’s Jen S. Egress after Decluttering! Amazing Right?
THE PRIZES!
The prize pile has the following items in it so far:
- $25 Pier One Gift Card (February addition to the Pile of Prizes)
- The $70 Grey Serena William Purse featured in our giveaway (March Addition)
So here’s the deal, this was supposed to be the last month and you were supposed to have 9 months of commenting. Also, I was supposed to add 9 more prizes to the pile. Okay here’s the Newest prizes:
- April Addition: Write it Down! Camping Journal ($12.95)
- May Addition: Microfiber Hair Wrap ($5)
- June Addition: Frownies pH-Balancing Complexion Wash and Rose Water Hydrator Spray ($20)
- July Addition: Latika Natural Soap: Handmade Darling Soaps ($20)
- August Addition: Faux Diamond Ring ($10)
- September Addition: 2 tubes of Motives lipstick by Lauren Ridinger ($44 retail)
- October Addition: Elf Nailpolish–5 Colors ($20)
- November Addition: Elf Eye Shadow –Multi Palette ($15)
- December Addition: Organic Shea Butter Soap ($5)
- January Additon: Juice Beauty Green Apple Hydration Mask ($10)
TOTAL: $252 in Prizes to be Won!!
Answer these 9 Decluttering questions in the Rafflecopter and we’ll find our De-cluttering Champion!
NEWCOMERS WELCOME!
Interested in joining the challenge, just fill out the remaining comments in the Rafflecopter below to jump in. While you missed your first three entries–you still can claim nine entries! Will you join us?
THE GIVEAWAY: Ends 11:59 January 23.
UPDATE: The Declutter Challenge Giveaway has ended. The Rafflecopter had 873 entries and has been deleted. Thank you for being part of this event for the entire year. See Giveaway Winners.
Blog Note: Some of these giveaways items were previously provided for review purposes. This post was not compensated and the giveaway was strictly as a fun event for interaction with readers!
Me biggest decluttering challenge was our office. It’s the catch all for everything that doesn’t quite have a place to go!
Cleaning out my mom’s house, have you seen hoarders?? that was her before she passed away
I have two! My back entry way and my kitchen island are the worst. Why does every family member have to put things on the island or as soon as you walk in. I do have a locker room for the kids and my husband has a huge landing on the stairs in the garage. Ahhh! 🙂
My junk drawers! Too many of them (at least 15!).
My Favorite Tip is to buy organizers that help you figure it out…
My Draw under the kitchen counter! I think I stored random electronics while still waiting for my entertainment unit to arrive.
Moving to a small apartment where space is limited is my biggest decluttering challenge!
If it has sentimental value I will keep it. Stuff my grandparents gave me is hard to get rid of.
I cause the clutter!
Garage, because anything that doesn’t have a place gets tossed out there!
My offic and garage! Neither I have finished!
I’ve gotten rid of more than 365 things this year. When we cleaned out the garage this past time (we do it twice yearly), I sold my Coca-Cola memorabilia collection. Since it was stored away in totes, each item packaged neatly in bubble wrap, I agreed that it wasn’t doing me any good collecting dust, so I sold it all. Dishes, candles, tin wall hangings, everything. I got $200 for it, though! Now … to get hubby to sell his Hot Wheel collection that’s just growing cobwebs …
My 4 kids stand in the way of decluttering. Honestly, my house is very clutter-free. But it takes a lot of work to stay that way with 4 pack-rat children + a works-too-hard-to-bother-cleaning husband. Plastic toys from the local pizza place’s vending machines – I say TOSS! But kids say, “But I won that!!”
The biggest factor that makes me KEEP something versus throwing it out is Future Use. Will I use it again soon? Can it be used by multiple people in this household? Is it in good enough shape to make it worth keeping? What’s the future maintenance going to be? I try to plan for the future.
I motivate myself to declutter by reminding myself of how much time is wasted cleaning AROUND items that could be spent reading a book instead because my chores for the day are done.
Baskets! They’re my answer to clutter. If it’s arranged nicely, or hidden under a basket lid, it doesn’t count as clutter. Then it becomes decoration! All magazines are stacked prettily in a basket on the coffee table. There is a basket by the front door for all sets of keys. A small wooden crate sits on my kitchen counter to corral coasters. And there’s a pretty cloth-lined basket sitting by the door to my 2 youngest boys’ room holding bouncy balls.
My husband is horrible, horrible, horrible about clutter!! And since he had to move his business to the house, his desk is now in our bedroom. HE CAN’T KEEP IT CLEAN FOR THE LIFE OF HIM. And it’s driving me slowly insane. (I have OCD, and clutter is my biggest button. I’ve been known to throw away perfectly good items just because I can’t find a place to put them that makes me happy.)
My favorite decluttering tip is to sort your mail right next to the trash can. That way you can put all the excess papers and envelopes in the recycle bin immediately.
The clutter hot spot in my house is the cubbies just inside the front door. Each of the 6 family members have their own cubby for shoes, but the 6 extra cubbies tend to collect JUNK!
My biggest challenge, that I tackled this past year, was my teenage son’s room. He likes to hold on to EVERYTHING “just in case” and it drives me nuts!