DAY TWENTY TWO - CLUTTER MONSTER

I think one of the traits I learned from my mom was not to hang onto "stuff". We definitely have sentimental items that we keep as heirlooms, and photos for memories, etc. but as far as clothing and trinkets, and do-dads and what-cha-ma-call-its, I learned the value of decluttering from mom at an early age, and I actually enjoy doing it.

I often look around my house and think - "Wow! where did all this stuff come from?" And I almost feel anxiety rising up in me the moment it starts to get out of hand. There are a lot of books out there that can help you on your way if you don't know how to get started. For me, I tend to attack it in this order.


CLEANING 1-2-3

1 - Almost every night before bed, I walk around the house first getting rid of garbage and recycling that take up extra space. These are items like opened envelopes, empty beer cans, opened packets, tissues, etc. that have piled up throughout the day. Since it's daily it doesn't take too long to do this.

2 - I put all dirty dishes in the dishwasher and wash anything left over before I go to bed every night. I don't like waking up to dirty dishes so I tend to clean as I work throughout the day, but if there are dishes leftover at night, I do them before bed so I don't wake up to mess (there are exceptions to this rule, but it's rare)

3 - If you are a mother of twins, hire a cleaner to dust, mop, vacuum your house and clean your bathrooms. This helps you keep things somewhat tidy knowing someone is coming to clean, and makes you happy that your bathroom is spotless at least once a week!


DECLUTTER 1-2-3

1 - Go through your clothes and give away anything you haven't worn in the last 1-2 years, or that doesn't presently fit you. I struggle with this one...But I'm working on it. (shoes are the worst!)

2 - Make homes - I try to make sure there are homes for everything I have, so that I know where I can put it when I need to put it back. This helps me from overbuying - if I honestly don't have any space to put it in- I don't get it!!

3 - Get rid of excess junk and organise. We all have extra things lying around that just pile up over time! It's our junk drawer, our chaos corner, our cluttered closet, our spare room full of stuff - It's time to bite the bullet and go through it. If you're a busy person, do a little at a time, or in my case, get your mother to help you clean and organise it over the course of 2 days! Get rid of all the rubbish first, then enjoy giving away whatever you can to friends and family. Give away anything that is usable that you won't use to the second-hand store or sell it online, and finally organise whatever you're keeping into labeled easy-to-access bins or boxes.




Decluttering and cleaning helps your mind and spirit. It helps you to relax to be in a clean and tidy environment. It even helps your health! REALLY! This does not mean that my house is always squeaky clean. It doesn't mean that my house isn't messy or lived in either! No! In fact it allows me to live more freely in my house. It gives me the space to do my projects when I want to...And it encourages me to enjoy the daily activities. So go ahead, be courageous and attack that CLUTTER MONSTER! For your sake, and your friends & families sake. I bet you'll love it!

Come on, I dare you!