Clutter Free: Counting

One part of the tasks that a reader is challenged to in Kathi Lipp's book Clutter Free is to get rid of 2000 items. I passed out when I first saw the number. However, I am up for the challenge. If you are up for one too, you can sign up for free HERE.

On my first day, which is featured in this post, I cleaned out 89 items. They weren't all from the area featured, but I got rid of them all the same. 

Since then I have purged an additional 54. Slow and steady people. My total thus far is 143. Not too shabby in my opinion. Oh, I didn't really count paper trash, although it is totally approved per the directions. I just do not have time for that.

On Saturday I tackled another peripheral area of paper storage, this sideboard in the hallway. I actually found that there was not as much paper as I thought, but toys that I find in the hallway and put in the green bucket to be put away later. You know because the boys' rooms are not four feet away. LAZY!!!! 

So I dove in. I took maybe 20 min (I always forget to do the 15 min timer part. It may put too much pressure on me.) This area went from this

This is a close up of the over stuffed bucket.

To this

29 items gone and many put in their proper places.

Sunday I was going to take a break, but the I went into my office, which is our cat room as well, to check on Patches. And I decided to take the quick, suggested 15 min to tackle one area of the room. I have been avoiding the room, even though I cleaned part of it out in October (the same part I tackled today). I think I really only took 5 -10 minutes on this area. It looked bad, but wasn't really.

 It's the under area of this desk that is going to be a hassle.

Here is the outcome. With 21 items gone from either this space or random clean up throughout the house today.

 Nice and simple. I do still need to do something more streamlined with that pile of photos, but that is for another day. At least they have a home for now.

Monday I was sicksicksick! So, I had to put off part of challenge two. I did the reading though. I did manage to get rid of 3 items in the morning, just three I walked by and was sick of seeing. 

The bonus of the day. That tray cleaned in day one served me yummy soup in bed. It couldn't have happened if I hadn't tackled it first, so SCORE!

 

As far as today, Tuesday, well we had an important errand to do. We had to pick up my mom and take her to San Diego. While we were there, we had to have lunch with our friends because we don't often get to make the two hour drive. So, although today's challenge was 30 items for the day, I am totaling 1. I am not ashamed of this because the reading for yesterday and today tackle the idea of spirituality and costs. Costs clutter can cause to our relationships with friends, family, and God. Therefore, I was not going to allow decluttering to cost me these things either (Plus, I am still a bit under the weather so the trip today has left me tired. Tomorrow is a new day. And I can tackle two places, if I so choose. Why not?

If you sign up let me know! Also, I will be giving a copy of the book away, so be on the look out in the Friday post.