Spring/Autumn Cleaning Challenge

Well, this challenge is over.

Unfortunately I was not successful. Sometimes moving isn't the best time to sort through things, even though it would reduce the amount of stuff you have to move.

I had planned to sort through things under my bed an desk. This will happen eventually, as I go through the boxes of things that have been packed ready for moving on Saturday. Right now I just have to have things ready to be moved, and since I'm working full time, I just don't have the time to go through things.

I now plan to go through each box as I open it, and sort through things then - either to keep, throw away or donate.

There have been a couple of things as I've been packing that I've put in a bag to go to the Op Shop. It's a pretty full bag, especially after putting a sombrero in it.

Hopefully Monica and the others doing the challenge were more successful than I.

Spring Cleaning Challenge Update

I'm so glad Monica decided to extend the time for this challenge. I've really been struggling to find the time to do any of my decluttering tasks and when I do have time I'm just too tired.



Hopefully over the Easter weekend I will be able to find time to do some.

Just to remind you (and myself) my goals are:

~ sort through the things under my bed
~ sort throught the things under my desk

I'm now adding:

~ catch up on all filing and recording business things

Every time I do the last thing, I tell myself that from now on I will keep up with things. That generally lasts a week (if I'm lucky) and then I go back to letting things pile up until my trays are full to overflowing and I can't close the tray drawers.

Spring Cleaning Challenge

I'm joining this one too.

Some of you may remember that I was involved in the Throw Out 50 Things challenge at the end of last year. Well, I've still been decluttering since then, so joining a new declutteirng challenge seems to be a good idea. I already have 1/2 a bag full of clothes for the op shop, plus a few other little things, and I'm still giving away some books.

Of course, for me it's really an Autumn Cleaning Challenge because I live in the southern hemisphere.

Plus this will help me get oganised for when we move house (sometime this year when we actually find the right house).

Ok, so my goals for this one are:

~ Sort through the things stored under my bed.
~ Sort through the things under and around my desk.

I know these seem very general, but there will be a lot to do within these areas.
I may even add some extra things as the challenge progresses.

Oh, and in case you are wondering, this challenge finishes at the end of April.

Throw Out 50 Things - The final count!!

Yes, I did complete this challenge by 1 January!!! I just haven't been blogging since completing until now.

The final 2 items (or groups of items) were decluttered on 31 December.

I still have the Op Shop bag, but it is sealed up and ready to go when I next go past a donation bin. My sister also added a few things to the bag and I have also continued to add things after the challenge finish date, so I have thrown out/decluttered more since then, but haven't counted them.

So here they are, the second half of my list

26. 2 rolls of Christmas wrapping paper (used on 2008 presents)

27. 2007 page-a-day calendar (very nice, but taking up space and obviously out of date)

28. 2 pairs of sandals (one was never comfy, the other has become uncomfy and doesn't match any of my clothes)

29. 2 charm clips (came in a bag of mixed things that I purchased for about $5. I didn't want these)

30. Mini photo frame (came from a bonbon/Christmas cracker)

31. Large key tag (alsos from a Christmas cracker)

32. About 10 floppy disks (I no longer used them and haven't even looked at what was on them for several years)

33. 4 floppy disk cases (since I no longer have the floppy disks, I no longer need the cases).

34. Packet of chewing gum (well past its use by date)

35. Tiny portable radio with ear phones (came as a free gift with a cross stitch order - it doesn't even pick up my favorite radio station)

36. Halogen Desk lamp with spare bulb (I have a new lamp, and this one buzzes when you use it)

37. 6 kiwi fruit spoons

38. bunch of twist ties

39. a business card pouch

40. Cross word puzzle book (half done - the words were very obscure and the clues impossible, I mostly cheated and looked up the answers at the back)

41. Note book (couldn't read what was written on the pages because there was a grid pattern printed on each page)

42. Pen case (not sure what happened to the pen)

43. Paper scraps

44. 2 index books (information in them I no longer need)

45. 'Gumnut' vase (a Kris Kringle gift from a couple of years ago that I never liked and is taking up space)

46. 2004 Melbourne UBD Street Directory (I have an updated one)

47. a HUGE stack of scrapbooking magazines (with the inspiring bits pulled out and put in a display folder)

48. Single bed sheet set (extrememly pilled and the fabric doesn't feel nice. I kept the pillow cases - one for washing delicates in the washing machine and the other is a cover for the scroll frame holding my current cross stitch project)

49. Books that I have double ups of (given to my sister)

50. 28 paddle pop sticks fro scrapbooking rub-ons (I kept a couple to use and the rest went to Mum's craft stash).

Throw Out 50 Things - part 5

I am now half way through this challenge. I'd been wondering if I would make it, given that I'm working full time and with all the Christmas events going on at the moment, but there are some activities that have finished for the year, so I do have a little time to clean out some of my clutter.

So, without further ado, on with the next part of the list:

18. Hair clips - some cute little ones that I wore with a costume one time and will never wear again.

19. An exfoliating glove - came free with some shower gel

20. 70cm decorated Christmas tree - I bought it for my one and only Christmas alone (so far), but looking at it now it's rather boring, and taking up valuable storage space under my bed.

21. An unsused will kit

22. A wad of old payslips - I know longer work for that company and all my tax returns are up to date.

23. Multiple copies of old references - I've still kept the originals though.

24. Several old calendars - extra ones that I didn't even use the year they were for, but they had been sent to me free.

25. A book "Miracles of Life" - shock!!! I've got rid of a book. It was sent to me free, and I've never been interested in it, plus it's taking up space on my bookshelf.

I may have a couple of other books to get rid of soon, so keep checking because I'm thinking about offering them here - FREE to a good home (or if my church library would get started I may donate them there).

Throw Out 50 Things - part 4

I've really been working on this over the past few days. Last night as I waited for the kitchen bench to be unoccupied so that I could bake some tiny gingerbread men (116 at final count), I went through some things at my desk and resulted in the following items either going in the rubbish bin or the donation bag.

13. A bag of cameral film canisters - I'd been saving them for craft, but they are black plastic and I prefer to see what's in my containers

14. A pencil sharpener - every time I used it it took a big chunk of the penicil wood with it

15. Some rusty safety pins and paperclips

16. Pens - 10 or so plus a couple of pencils

17. A soft toy white rabbit - it has a pull cord at the back which makes it vibrate

Throw out 50 things update

Yes, I am still completing this challenge. And today I have some more items to add to the list.



7. A pair of shoes - still good
8. A DVD - I've never liked
9. A top - I wore to work last summer, but I've decided I don't really like it.
10. A santa hat & beard - it came in a mixed package of things I bought at Spotlight last year
11. Some personal care products - I'll never use them again
12. A container - I'd been saving it for another use, but it's time to let it go.

Throw Out 50 Things Update

Add to my declutter list:

a stack of work magazines

a bunch of old papers

an out of date train timetable

That leaves another 46 to go!

I've added a list on my sidebar, so have a look at what I'm getting rid of.

Throw Out 50 Things Challenge

I'm joining Monica's Declutter Challenge.

My desk area has got a bit too crazy with all the stuff parked there. It's so bad that I can't even sit at my desk!

Actually, I did start this challenge the other day without even realising it - I donated 2 reams of paper to my Mum for the family computer. Yesterday she told me that one has been used already.

So that's 1 down, 49 to go!