The Friday Declutter Challenge - 5 Sept 2008

Edited to add - new button courtesy of Amanda - yayyy, thanks Amanda

I decided to not get cutesy with the name although I did like Diane's suggestion of Friday Flings best. The thing is, you can fling, delete (emails), donate, etc. and fling seemed too prohibitive.

Anyway, here we are, just 5 days since the August Declutter Challenge ended and I want to know:

How are those spaces looking?

The Declutter Tip for this week is...
Sweep through those previously organised spaces every week for 5 minutes to check that everything is still in order because you don't want to get back to what it was like before.

Right?

Put a reminder in your phone, in Outlook, on a sticky note, in your planner, somewhere so you don't forget.

So back to this week's challenge:

These slippers are what I'm decluttering this week. I've had them since I got married over 13 years ago. In fact, I bought them the first week after we returned from our honeymoon.

When you give them a wash, they look really cute :) But I've only been hanging onto them because it reminds me of the honeymoon...so now that I'm writing about it and honouring the memory, I feel that I can let them go!


What have you decluttered this week? Link up so we can all see.


Previously posted...
Decluttering by taking pictures

And the GRAND prizes go to...

The August Declutter Challenge has been just FABULOUS!

If you take just 15 minutes and surf a couple of the declutter challengers' blogs, you'll see what a difference this has made in their lives. And I'm honoured to have been part of that - really I am!

One challenger could NOT declutter magazines when we first started but soon learnt that baby steps made it oh-so-easy and by week 3 was a magazine decluttering PRO!

If I had to highlight all the posts that have really impacted me this month, this post would be a mile long.

So, without any further ado, the winner of the Organise your Home ecourse is Patricia from Gifts that say WOW, and the winner of the $25 Stacks and Stacks gift voucher is Marcia from HD Mac's Crafty Blog.

Amazingly enough, when I clicked over to their blogs to get the permalinks and so forth, I noticed that they both wrote BEE-YOO-TI-FUL posts on what they learnt. That's not why they won (random.org picked 10 and 2) but now that I've read their posts, I am glad they won, because they both get "it"!

Read Patricia's post here and Marcia's post here. Those posts (and the comments) are WELL worth your while. I also want to publicly thank Marcia for being such a great ENCOURAGER for all the other ladies. I'd often click over to the blogs and see her lovely comments for the others.

Well done to both of you, and to all the wonderful women who decluttered step-by-step, along with Beth and me.

Remember you all get a $10 gift certificate if you use the word declutter in my store (yes, even the lurkers!) only valid until Sat 6th September.

We'll be back again on Friday for the weekly challenge! If anyone's clever with buttons, I need a button designed for the weekly one. Please contact me! Thanks :)

August declutter challenge - day 31

Wow, this is the last day of the declutter challenge. I can't believe we've come this far!

You guys have all worked so hard.

Today I decluttered an old hand towel and some ponytail holders (still new) to a friend's daughters who love all things purple :)

Future decluttering
Because this has been so great, I've decided to continue doing a weekly round-up. I will promise that I will declutter SOMETHING every week, even if it's something non-photographical like 50 emails, an ebook, etc, because if I can do it, ANYBODY can do it.

So come back on Friday and link up your post showing us what you've decluttered. I still have to find someone to do a button for me so in the meantime, use the current one.


Now about the prizes for this month's challenge...

• You can only enter if you've been decluttering every day from the beginning of the challenge.
• I'd like you to write a short post with what you learnt and where you can see the biggest impact in your home. That's it.
• I will choose two winners - one person will win my bestselling 12-part Organise your Home e-course (currently worth $27) and the other person will win a $25 Stacks and Stacks gift voucher. Please note that for the S&S prize, the person has to be a US resident as the gift voucher doesn't work through their international shopping cart.
• So, when you link up, if you're NOT from the US, please put (non US) so I know to exclude you from the S&S drawing. Thanks for understanding.
• You have until Monday 12PM EST to link up and I'll post the winners shortly after that.
  
• And now that you're used to decluttering, you may want to get your home organised so if you want to get the Organise your Home e-course and you participated at any point during the challenge, please use discount coupon code declutter to get $10 off the price in my store (you only pay $17).
  

August declutter challenge - day 30

Literally, scratching around to find things to declutter.

• disposable cups (to a friend - I know they're having a party soon)
• communion glasses (to same friend since we don't run cell groups any more)
• egg-holder
• water bottle
• other rubbish :)

What are you decluttering today? If you've been going along with us all month, you deserve a huge pat on the back!

Get ready tomorrow to link up for the GRAND PRIZES!

August declutter challenge - day 29

Only two days left...

I run Virtual Organising Seminars for people all over the world. Isn't the internet amazing?! During our time together, we organise your desk, get your paper and emails organised and set up a planning and priority system for you.

During the last one, I decluttered paper from about 6 file binders that are now totally empty. I'll repurpose the other files...

but this one is going. For me, filing is the same like carrying handbags - the bigger the file, the more paper you collect. So out it goes. Together with a few odds and ends found around my office space. Which just goes to show, there's always room for improvement, even in an organised office :)

Over this month, what have you decluttered from your office? How much paper has gone?

P.S. The next VOS happens on Tuesday 16 Sept at 12PM EST. Are you joining me?

August declutter challenge - day 28

It's the last little stretch now - get ready to link up week 4 tomorrow and then the entire month on Sunday.

I've been threatening to declutter my make-up for awhile and when I saw someone's nicely organised make-up drawer (was it you, Amanda?), I was inspired.

So here's stuff I decluttered from that green triangular thing I use to organise the smallest bathroom in the world. Lotion, old shower cap, lipsticks, make-up brushes (because who am I fooling, right?) and some other tubs of questionables.

After (from L to R) - eye stuff, lip stuff, miscellaneous stuff and eye shadow in the front, all nicely containerised :)

I used to have two tubs on the middle shelf - one is now completely gone. I LOVE SPACE!!!

Have you decluttered your make-up yet? How about your bathroom junk?

August declutter challenge - day 27

Before I get to today's challenge, I want to discuss something with you.

Do you think it would be a good idea to continue doing the decluttering thing on a weekly basis? Say a weekly roundup where you post what you decluttered on a Friday (like Menu Plan Monday)? I think this will help to keep the momentum going but I'm keen to hear what YOU think. Yes, you!

Tell me yes or no, and what can I call it? I'm not the most creative with names and such so I need help!

Okay, now that business is out of the way, here's today's declutter!

This was one of the books I got at this HUGE BOOK SALE over a year ago, also only read recently.

It's about a woman who battles depression and who tries to commit suicide.

I think I'm done with books now, but I may be wrong ;)

What did you declutter today?

The winners of week 3...

The winners of week 3 are over at Beth's place.


Congratulations to ALL the participants.


Here are some posts I enjoyed so I started collecting the links to share with you:

letting go of (or decluttering) expectations

beautifully organised cupboards

It's not too late. If you declutter 7 items or more, you can still participate when we all link up again on Friday.

You can do it!!!

August declutter challenge - day 26

Another pile for the secondhand bookstore. I think that's it for awhile except for another one I'll post tomorrow.

What do you do when you're done reading your books?

And more importantly, what are you decluttering today?

August declutter challenge - day 25

We're in the home stretch now, everybody - don't feel despondent - keep going :)


This is from my baking section. That white thing is an ice bucket but we really don't need it - I actually don't think I've ever used it.

And I definitely don't use the biscuit cutters (cookie cutters) since I discovered my oatmeal drop cookies. Less mess and oh so yummy!

The blue mats are silicone - I bought a big one and cut it into smaller pieces to fit my baking pans. I don't need them anymore since I discovered baking paper. Oh my - my life really has changed since Glad's baking paper. No greasing baking sheets any more - it saves so much time!

Here's how I organise my baking pans. I love it and am pleased to say since I posted that picture in October last year, it still looks exactly the same, so it's working for me.

So that's today's contribution. What are YOU decluttering today?

August declutter challenge - day 24

Some more magazines. House and Leisure is one of my favourites - filled with big, beautiful spaces and every month, they do a House of the Month where we get to poke around and see all the beautiful nooks and crannies of people's homes.

In case you haven't guessed, I LOVE to look at houses :)

I was very good with this magazine - I only pulled out one page for my flipfile.

How do you organise your magazine clippings?

And what have YOU decluttered today?

August declutter challenge - day 23

Okay, so I finally made it in here. I go through the kitchen regularly but I decided to look through the cupboards as if I was with a client.

So this stuff came from my corner cupboard - I bought a whole set of microwaveable "goodies" YEARS ago. I used to use these regularly but somehow, I don't think I've used these things in the last year or so, so out they go.

What will you declutter today? Have you been to your kitchen yet?

Week 3 link-up for the August Decluttering Challenge

Hi guys

I've just been going through the participants' blogs through my google reader and I found a picture that personifies, at least for me, what decluttering and organising does.

Doesn't this picture give you a feeling of peace? Look at the sunlight coming through the window.

All together now, let's breathe deeply. In...out... aah :)

I want each of you to have that same feeling of peace - there is nothing like it.


Right, back to business...

This week, my partner-in-decluttering, Beth, is hosting the Mr Linky over at her place.

BUT WAIT!!!!

Before you leave, tell me the biggest thing you learnt this week while decluttering and organising your spaces.

August declutter challenge - day 22

Look what I found in my entrance way.

Ministry stuff that can go back to the church - yayyy!

I need a fresh wind of decluttering energy - how about you? I might even have to go into that kitchen and start getting rid of my precious mugs!

I also have to go through my make-up...because I am determined to FINISH STRONG!

What did you declutter today?

August declutter challenge - day 21

More books!

I read these while recovering from my operation and like the others, they are joining their friends at the secondhand bookstore.

What are you decluttering today?

August declutter challenge - day 20

This is a sweatshirt I bought because I liked the colour and it was cheap, but really it is a size or two too big.

I put it on the other day and realised that actually, I do NOT feel great in it, so why torture myself by wearing it.

I know there are people who could use this so out it goes!

What are you decluttering today?

If you're starting to fade...try some easy decluttering.

P.S. only 11 days left!

August declutter challenge - day 19

Tackled my desk and some files. I like a paperless environment because we only ever look at about 20% of papers ever again.

Deleted things off my master to-do list, made new lists, etc.

What did you declutter today?

August declutter challenge - day 18 & menu plan for week 18 Aug

Promotional "gifts" received

I remember my pastor saying once, "if it's not a need, then it's seed" and so these are going to other people who will be able to use it because we certainly don't need it.

What are you decluttering today?

If you haven't joined in yet, it's not too late. Start small with 1 item a day - that's it. Read more here.



This week, I'm on a conference for two days so our menu is light! Of course, I'm taking my laptop with me so I can at least keep up with my email and blogging.

Monday
On conference

Tuesday
Dion to sort out - I will be home very late (around 7:30 - 8pm)

Wednesday
Out for supper

Thursday
Curry and rice from the freezer

Friday
Pasta with spicy lentil sauce

Check out more menus here.

And this week's winners are...

This week has been so awesome. I am TOTALLY inspired by you ladies who are decluttering along with Beth and me.

Tip - I made a folder in my Google Reader called declutter challenge and added all the participants from last week's Mr Linky. This week I'll add the new people so that it's quick to follow along every day and see what you're up to :)

Okay, without further ado...

The winners are

6 - Diane wins a Simplicity ecourse from Beth
2 - Joan J who wins a Household Organising File
3 - Forgetfulone who wins a Christmas Planner (it's never too early to start)

Will the winners please send me an email so I can get your prizes to you? Thanks

Go tell all the winners congratulations and really, EVERYONE is a winner because we've all got more streamlined homes, closets, desks, hair (!), etc.

I also want to mention Susan's challenge. Susan is challenging all of her friends to join her for the rest of this challenge. Why don't you do the same?

This coming week...
Within your posts, start writing about what you're learning, whether it's still hard or getting easier, what your self-talk is, etc. I love reading it but not only that, if you let me know what's going on (within your post), I can give you some tips and free coaching!!!

For example, in week 1 (and Marcia, I hope you don't mind me mentioning this but you're such a great example), Marcia was almost tortured at the idea of decluttering some magazines. This week, it was so matter-of-fact because she's getting used to the process of decluttering. That really makes it worth it for me to see this kind of thing happening!

Goal for week 3
Our goal for next week is 50 declutterers - can we do it? Only with your help!

August declutter challenge - day 17

This is a bag I used for gym for a while. It is very small so can literally take a towel, small can of deodorant and hair elastics.

These days I'm so lazy so I just shove my stuff into my normal handbag since I get dressed at home.

Out, out you go!

How are you doing? We're just past the half way mark and it's getting harder, isn't it? I want you to create a lifestyle of decluttering and if you persevere, you'll get addicted to the space - trust me!

What are you decluttering today?