Dishes in the sink, dirty clothes in the laundry, toys on the living room floor or shoes scattered all through the garage…does this sound familiar? We all take pride in our home, but at times it can all get too much. Perhaps you have a baby and struggling to create a new routine, you’re working full time, you’re wanting to spend time with family rather than cleaning, you’re not feeling yourself, lacking energy, you’re a hoarder… or maybe you are just overwhelmed with everyday life.
The clutter around us can have a negative impact on our ability to focus. However, by clearing the clutter from your home, it can help you feel clearer, mentally as well.
CREATE SOME GOALS
I want to ask you a few questions. Write down your answers as this will help you to create goals for yourself and determine what’s most important to you, where to start and what you want to achieve in your home.
- When at home I want to feel…
- I want to spend more time doing…
- I want an area of my home I can…
- The most disorganised cupboard in my home is…
- The first thing I want to organise is…
- I don’t need anymore, but can’t part with…
- I always lose…
- I want to be organised by…
CREATE SORT BUCKETS
During the next 4 weeks we will be organising, purging excess items and throwing away rubbish. In order to do this have on hand a number of buckets, bins, bags or storage containers. Create your own labels with marker and paper, or download and print the labels available in the downloads below, you will need to label them as follows:
Keep: something you find in one room that belongs in another. You could put it away once you find it, but if you are time poor put it in the keep bin to put away later
Donate: an item that you no longer want or need but is still in working order for somebody else to use
Sell: items that you can sell if you are going to have a garage sale or sell online
Rubbish: items that are broken, can’t be mended, doesn’t work or is rubbish
[wlchecklist name=’PreTask5′]
DOWNLOAD
Print the goals printable below to help you determine what areas you really want to concentrate and make a start on in your home.
- MY GOALS PRINTABLE –place in your folder in front of the first divider so you always have your goals at first glance – click to download.
- SORTING LABELS – put onto some storage containers to help you sort – click to download.
295 comments
Great way to prepare. I liked thinking about my goals and I can imagine some longer term goals too. Well I’m excited and motivated. Bring on tomorrow!
It’s good to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve!
Goals are DONE!! (after many attempts – lucky I laminated the sheets first)
I have a list that is pretty much all the things that I would like to accomplish by the end of the 20 day challenge (e.g. like going through the containers that have been in my wardrobe for a year untouched).
I wrote down “I lose MOTIVATION” (because sometimes I get overwhelmed and other times I get distracted) But with my MAIN GOAL insight – “To have our house ready for potential buyers”, I will keep that in mind as I tackle each day 🙂
Really looking forward to this challenge!! ONE MORE SLEEP!! READY TO GO!!
Hi Charlene, that is a great goal to have, getting your home ready for sale will increase it’s value. We have recently been looking at houses (we have chosen to stay where we are for now), so many were dirty and untidy and in our eyes will lose them thousands off the sale price. All the best for your end result, it will be worth it!! x
Charlene I do exactly the same, go in big guns then find it is too overwhelming and stop. Hopefully everything will turn around.
Stay positive Sylvia, you can do this!
All tasks complete. Today hubby and I cleaned out the shed, it is the last place in our house things go before they go to the tip. It’s free entry at the tip tomorrow and the trailer is laden, mainly with green waste. That said, the satisfaction of the shed job complete is the kick start I needed for this challenge. The pre-challenge tasks helped my mind set. I’m ready on both fronts, physically and mentally, bring it on.
Great work Karen, love it!
I find I don’t lose material things very often – what I do lose is time, energy and often my patience/temper. I’m hoping that this challenge will help me stop losing these things!! fingers crossed
Time… big factor here too Angie, at the moment I wish the world could pause for a moment so I can catch up LOL, would’t it be nice!
My folder all ready to go with the printable. Still thinking about my goals.
Wahoo!
I have completed all my tasks and am really looking forward to this. I have to say setting the goals has really helped me to focus a bit, which has been really good.
Great work Sarah!
Is anyone else starting to panic? I had a horrid day yesterday with my kids (school holidays!!!) and I felt that as soon as I had tidied and then turned around, the area was messed up again. Maybe it’s the age of my kids, but I just can’t seem to get them to clean up after themselves. I know they can do it as they do it at kindy and school, but when it comes to home, everything just goes out the window. I get so fed up with feeling like I am in groundhog day. Anyone else feel like this???
I was about to ask how old are hey Felicity, but it really doesn’t matter, it’s good to teach children to help put away toys from such a young age. Get the kids to tidy up before they shower or before they eat dinner, give them a 15 minute call before dinner ‘Ok dinner on table soon pack up all your toys please’. Don’t give up and be persistant with your request for them to tidy up. They may feel that they have been able to ‘ignore’ you in the past, but from today forward change their thinking, when mum talks she means it.
I’m 90% ready for this pre-task. Got my goals, and labels, just not the boxes. I’ve decided to leave my car parked outside the garage for the challenge so I can set up 4 boxes and space around them, to really do a big clean out. I’ve been mentally talking to myself through items I’m going to get rid of, that in the past haven’t been able to because of guilt… it was a gift, i paid a lot of money for that, i might need it, its a lovely memory, etc… Clutter is emotional baggage for me, so if it hangs around unnecessarily collecting dust or hidden in the cupboard, it’s time to let go!!! Excited and nervous.
That is so right Taya “unnecessarily collecting dust or hidden in the cupboard” it’s OK to part with it, love that you have set up your garage in preperation for the challenge, go you!!
Kat, I haven’t received an invite to the private facebook group yet. I just checked and my posted address for facebook is the same as the one you have. Thanks!
Hi Kimberlee, I’m going to send out an email this weekend regarding the facebook group and sign up, so many also missed the invite and facebook won’t allow me to send a 2nd invitation.
Done. I think they are concrete and achievable for me and will make a real difference
You’ll see such a benefit Jessica!