Simplify

Simplifying Check-in (Halfway through January)

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So I’m halfway through the month of January. Here is my latest purge.

1sheekgeek-cleaning-kitchen

I’ve currently sold three books and one pair of shoes for a profit of $37.18. It seemed like it would be more, but once you subtract shipping fees and ebay fees, it decreases quickly. I read that someone got rid of things as a way of paying it forward for all the good deals they got at thrift stores. This is the frame of mind I’m aiming to achieve, but I’m frugal and also conflictingly hope to rack up a nice amount of cash for items I’ve sold.

Here is where I am at on my to-do list.

Kitchen

  • Pantry
  • Cabinets
    • Plate/Bowl Cabinets
    • Glasses Cabinet
    • Mug/Travel Drinkware Cabinet
    • Tea/Coffee Cabinet
    • Under Island Cabinets
    • Under Sink Cabinets
    • Pots/Pans Cabinets
    • Random Cabinet
    • Medicine Cabinet
    • Small Appliance Cabinet
  • Drawers
    • Silverware Drawer
    • Large Utensils Drawer
    • Plastic Bags/Tinfoil Drawer
    • Dishrag Drawer
    • Hand Towel Drawer
    • Tupperware Drawer
    • Big Junk Drawer
    • Junk Drawer on Island
  • Fridge
  • Counter Space
  • Coat/Shoe Closet

Living Room

  • Large Bookcase
  • Small Bookcase
  • End Tables
  • Coffee Table

I have two more weekends left. I feel like I can make it.

So far I’ve learned it is better to keep all the doors open while you are decluttering. The longer you stare at certain items the easier it is to realize that you don’t need/use it. I’ve also learned that I had way too many items that expired in 2013 in my pantry.

Current Simplifying Stats:

  • Rooms Complete -One Half
  • Cash Profit – $37.18
  • Number of Bags/Boxes Full of Items Donated – 6

Jessica-of-SheekGeek

My Plan to Simplify My Home

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sheekgeek-how-to-simplify-my-home

With my aim to simplify, I am setting up a manageable timeline for decluttering my space The two major areas I want to simplify is my space and how I spend my time. Decluttering my home is a huge step in this process. A post that provided a huge inspiration showed before and after pictures of cleaning in a decluttered home.

First, I have set a goal to finish majorly decluttering my home by the end of July.  I am going to take small steps now so I don’t have to do it all during summer. I have summers off, so this make sense for me time wise. Each month I have a different focus planned.

  • January – Kitchen/Living Room
  • February – Office and Laundry Room
  • March – Bedroom and Bedroom Closet
  • April – Spare Bedroom (The infamous catch all room.)
  • May – Craft Room and Bathrooms
  • June – Garage and Car

If anything doesn’t get finished before July, that means I will have to spend summer time finishing it, so there is a HUGE incentive to stay on track. I am also going to reward myself anytime something gets finished by or before the scheduled month.

Most items will be given away.   I’m giving myself a two week deadline to sell any items of significant value on Craigslist or Ebay. If it is not sold in that time than I am going to also give it away.  My goal is a simple house.

I have a list of musts for each space.

  • Finish each space completely.
  • Get rid of all unnecessary items. Is it used? Is it meaningful? Is it beautiful? Is it helping simplify my life? If I am still unsure, I’ll read this. Or even better, if I am unsure, that likely means I do not need it.
    • (Quote of Inspiration: “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” -Will Morris)
  • Find an appropriate home for all items to live. Items of beauty should be in a place to be admired. Items of use should be stored for easy access.
  • Do not buy anything new for any space until I have lived without it for a month. Then I’ll reassess if I should buy the item.

I want to do this right so I do not have to do it again. I don’t want to be shuffling objects from one place to another.  It is not just the act of decluttering now, but it is the act of instilling habits that will continue to keep my home and life simple.

Jessica-of-SheekGeek