31 Day Series: Organize Your Space

While Reading 31 Days to a Clutter Free Life by Ruth Soukup I was inspired! Now, as a teacher, I have these months off every summer I can live at my leisure. So it is easy for me to say, "I accept your challenge Ruth!" with gusto. In the middle of the year...not so much. BUT, the benefit to taking a month long challenge is that you can really get things in order and then all year you are just maintaining. Also, another benefit is that they say if you can do things for 21 days in a row you have developed a habit. If you de-clutter for 31 days you should be well on your way to establishing a habit of an organized home. Now the way the challenge works is you focus on one area a day. The challenges should take 30 minutes to one hour to complete. If it has been a long time since you really went through your areas you may have to do this challenge five (or ten) times to completely complete all the tasks. The trick is to not go over an hour; nobody has time for that! Also, like she says in the beginning of the book, prepare yourself for the process of letting go. If you do not find it beautiful or useful; let it go. If it is broken; let it go. If you are keeping it because it was expensive or a gift but you do not love it; let it go. Play the Frozen theme song in your head on repeat. After you complete the challenge you will be able to start next school year (yes I went there. I am talking about next school year!) on the right foot...the organized foot! So the order for the next seven days starting tomorrow is entryway, mail, living room, books/magazines, DVDs/video games, toys, and junk drawer. I think she starts off on the easier ones so you gain momentum and hone your clutter busting skills. In the book the Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo she also recommends a similar strategy. She explains that its easier to toss or donate an old VHS but harder to get rid of photographs or knick knacks that have sentimental value. That is why she saves those until last when your organization muscles are in top de-cluttering shape after many days of using them. In the morning I am going to post my before picture followed by the after. The process is removing anything that does not belong, cleaning the area, and then making sure all remaining items have a functional home. If everything does not have a place you will never stay organized. Good luck!

Buy the book for yourself at http://www.amazon.com/31-Days-Clutter-Free-Life/dp/0692252711/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8