I’m so excited that you decided to join me for the Home Organization Challenge. This challenge is about so much more than just organizing your home, it’s about putting joy back in your life. One of the parts that I love most about this challenge is that I’ve included challenges for the kids as well. It’s so much fun to get them involved and teach them that organization can add joy to their lives. Throughout the challenge I will be sharing with you some clever ways to get and keep your home in order, tools to help you keep it that way and how to free up time so that you can enjoy life.
Today we are going to tackle the clutter in our homes. I like to call this the 20/20 challenge, because we take a clear look at all of the things that we’ve surround ourselves with. Our homes are suppose to be a reflection of who we are. What is your home saying about you? Is it saying what you want it to? Let’s start by taking a 20/20 look at that one room in your home that drives you crazy, you know that one that I’m talking about, the one that is the catch all for everything that you don’t know what to do with.
Start by grabbing a pair of goofy glasses, the goofier they are, the easier it is to see all of the things that are sucking the joy out of your life. Now take a good look at that room, is it filled with things that you love? or things that you absolutely can’t live without? If it’s things that you don’t love or can live without – GET RID OF IT!!!! Our time is better spent doing things that we love rather than cleaning things that we don’t.
What is clutter?
Clutter is all of the stuff that doesn’t make us happy!
What Do I Need to get started?
- (3) Cardboard Boxes – labeled (1) Donate (2) Relocate (3) Terminate
- A dust rag
- A Timer
- Some fun, lively, shake your booty music
Pick a room, just one, and spend 20 minutes removing the stuff that you don’t love and cleaning the stuff that you do. If you don’t have 20 minutes then choose 20 items.
- If you love it – Clean It
- If you don’t love it – Donate It
- If it’s broken or stained – Terminate It
- If it doesn’t belong in the room – Relocate It
Do this everyday until the room is done. 20 minutes a day is easier to manage than trying to tackle it all at once. Remember this mess didn’t happen over night, so don’t try to clean it in one night. *Be sure not to pull out more than you can put away and don’t exceed the time. Once the room is completed (this includes: drawers, closets, under furniture, in cabinets) then move on to the next room.
If you are just starting out, I would suggest doing it everyday until all of the rooms in your home are completed. Once you have completely de-cluttered your home, pick one room a week and give it the 20/20 (20 minutes or 20 items).
- When was the last time it was used?
- Is it broken or missing parts?
- Do I love it?
- Can I live without it?
- Can it be replaced or rented inexpensively when I need it?
Benefit(s):
- More time to do the things you enjoy
- No longer a slave to the junk
- Having a home full of things that you love
- Less time cleaning
- Having a neat, organized home
The Kids: Have them be responsible for removing the clutter in their rooms. One day have them pick 20 items for the Terminate box, the next day have them pick 20 items for the Relocate box and finally have them pick 20 items for the Donate box. Continue rotating until their rooms are free from clutter. Then use the 20/20 as a weekly chore to maintain a clutter free room.
Join our Pinterest Group Board: Clean & Organize
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I just finished reading The Secret Lives of Hoarders and their clean up method is similar. The idea of keep, donate, and throw away boxes is so helpful. My problem is that even if something has broken or missing parts I can see the potential of using it as something else. For example: broken plates for mosaics. At least those have their own spot. Love your goofy glasses. My kids would love "cleaning glasses." lol
oh i really like these tips robin, i am following along!
huggies♥
rea
This is a great tool to keep you focused on the job at hand, and it helps you to breakdown the emotional side of wanting to keep an item and gets you to think practically, going to give it a try!