Friday, October 21, 2011

10 Minute Clean-out


I've been struggling with balance a lot lately and I'm determined to come out on top. Don't we all do that? Don't we all try to find balance? Why does it have to be so hard? Well, I'm on the quest to find it! I have the type of personality where when I find something that peaks my interest, I obsess over it. I can start a big craft project on a Saturday morning and find myself working on it all day long. That is nice if you are trying to get something accomplished but not if you have other things in your life that needs attention as well.

One thing I hate is clutter! I think a cluttered home creates a cluttered mind. Since I do feel that way, I don't have a lot of stuff laying around that I don't need, but I can also say that there is always stuff you can get rid of. I now begin the task of the 10 minute clean out. I am taking 10 minutes a day to clean and rid myself of unused and unneeded items. I'm beginning with my filing cabinets. There are many places that will follow, my purses (yes, lots of them), my clothes, kitchen stuff, etc...

So do you find it difficult to create balance? I think that creative people probably would. Because like me, I'm sure there are many others out there that get on a creative streak and can't stop.

Photo Above: Just a little fall decorating!

21 comments:

  1. What a great idea! It's overwhelming to think of tackling it all at once, but 10 minutes a day is not too scary!

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  2. I need to clean the clutter and have thought about doing it the same way you are. I haven't got past thinking about it, lol! Have a great weekend!

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  3. Love the 10 minute idea! I'm trying to do a little sorting, cleaning, getting rid of each day and 10 minutes is certainly manageable!

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  4. That is a great idea, I just hauled 5 bags to Goodwill, but every time I look at the filing cabinet, I just put it off for another day. Now I may get it done...one folder a day...thanks for this

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  5. Excellent idea! I wish I had read this a couple of years ago when we downsized from a house to a motorhome. Talk about stressful days of going through too much stuff. Now that the stuff is almost all gone, I feel a lot better.

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  6. You have just described me! Balance just isn't in my nature...I did an hour and a half declutter on Friday. Still way too much clutter here.

    Good Luck on doing just 10 minutes a day! Keep us posted on how well that works for you.

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  7. Yes, I have trouble balancing it all as well. Between a full time job, my business and trying to have a life...it all gets a little much sometimes!
    Some days I just have to stop and do the things that Need done instead of the things that I Want to be doing :)

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  8. Same here, I like the 10 minutes a day idea. Makes the overwhelming seem almost possible.

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  9. I am an Interior Designer and we are trained to alleviate clutter. I was taught that the quickest way to cheer up if your spirit's are down is clean up anything that is on the ground. You can do it! My blog has a few ideas on dealing with clutter :-) Check it out if you get the chance.

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  10. Hit nail on the head. I am the same way. I am in the middle of decluttering too. The scraps of papers I have from cardmaking are put in a cute little package and given to the daughter of someone I work with each month. She looks forward to these bundles of papers and makes all kinds of things with the scrap papers. Cards, school projects, etc.

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  11. what a great idea! I have a horrible situation with beads still sitting in containers, after giving up jewelry making a year ago. I've been having giveaways, needless to say... {:-Deb

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  12. Clutter is a problem for me, too, especially since I almost never work on one project at a time. That can lead to little piles of STUFF everywhere! One thing I do with yarn is to store it in plastic tubs by type (wool, cotton, acrylic, etc.) And with paper scraps, I use a 3-ring binder and store the leftovers by color in clear protector sheets. Before I start a new paper crafting project, I visit the 3-ring binder first to see what I can use.

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  13. I don't usually have trouble with balance, but lately I've had a clutter problem. I agree with you; I know that clutter can affect how I feel about life in general. We're dealing with a lot of books and furniture we inherited. I'm hoping to clear things out before Thanksgiving anyway!

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  14. I like the ten minute clean out idea. The problem is that it is my husband's clutter I would like to get rid of, and he is not for that idea. :O)

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  15. I know what you mean. I am always going through things to declutter. I can't stand having a mess anywhere, even in the closets.

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  16. Oh yes I know what you mean. I do feel the same way. Some times I feel declutterizing is kind of spiritual. The hardest thing is the balance- what to hold and what to let go. Especially, now that I try to go green and recycle many things, it is getting more challenging. But I think your ten minute idea is great. Take care. Dita.

    http://www.alankarshilpa.etsy.com

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  17. Balance is one thing that I am definitely lacking in. In trying to achieve it I came to the startling discovery that I'm not super woman. :)

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  18. Balance and clutter is an issue for me too. I get free e-mails from the Fly Lady. Her website is www.flylady.net She has great tips. She also has a feather duster that I bought and now I actually have fun dusting. Thanks for the reminder on teh 10-minute declutter....I need to get back to that.

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  19. I think the 10-minute a day idea is a good one... too many times it just seems overwhelming! I always have something going on or something I want to work on so cleaning clutter often gets put on the back burner!

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  20. Yes, absolutely! I've ramped up my normal amount of giving to the Goodwill recently, starting before I moved. Staying organized is a constant challenge. But I also want to honor my creative mojo because once you feel inspired, you have to go with it. Otherwise, inspiration fades and the motivation to finish a project can wither away. Having a bunch of unfinished projects lying around just adds to the clutter!

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  21. I learned a habit from years ago when I was a waitress. Never walk up to a table and leave without taking something away with you. You save steps and it keeps you in "tidy mode" all the time. It works all over the house! But, sometimes my family gets upset when I remove a dish before they are finished!!! heehee!

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