Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread - Proverbs 30:8

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Boot Camp - Day 1

Boot Camp - Day 1: Master Plan

As the main care-taker of our home, I have a dream and vision for how our home looks and runs. I have done a lot of decluttering over the past 2 years, but it still isn't enough (in my opinion). I want our home to be a haven, but also to be functional.

I dream of everything in our home having a space, and ideally, everything being in its place. I also dream of everything being easily accessible - I can't stand pulling things out of a cupboard so I can reach the items behind. I want easy access. I also want empty spaces.

This will be my mission.

As I mentioned, I have done quite a bit of decluttering over the past couple years, so some areas feel good. However, this is the smallest house we have lived in as a family of four so many areas still feel cramped and too tight for comfort. That being said, I will make it a goal during this boot camp will be to reduce the clutter in each area by at least one thing. There are some areas are not my domain, and I will have to skip them entirely, but I'm certain my efforts will pay off and be noticeable.

I have some personal areas of clutter that are tricky and will be challenging, but these are the areas where I am hoping to make the greatest gains.

I'm hoping I don't get too side-tracked by my desire to organize and create the perfect home. This is one of the tips that Tanja gives - declutter now, organize later. In my head, this process of decluttering is so easy, but when I actually go to do it, I over think it (this is another tip from Tanja - declutter fast, don't over think!).

I won't tell you all her tips - you need to read the book yourself. I've read quite a few books on simplicity and having less and this one is golden!


In Summary....Here is my mission - my master plan

  • A "spacious" place for everything and everything in it's place. (no cramming or crowding allowed)
  • Clear surfaces
  • Clear floors
  • Follow Tanja's tips!
  • Make progress in each area - celebrate each baby step!




7 comments:

  1. I hope 'Day 1' means there are 29 more days! BRING IT! Can't wait to learn some tips...

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  2. Yes - there are 29 more days! I will probably "tweak" the days a bit to better suit my clutter problems. I'm going to try to include as many before and after pictures as possible. I'm kind of hoping there won't be too many people reading this! I am no where near a "minimalist", but am more and more intrigued by that lifestyle.

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  3. I hope you don't mind me reading Jill! Because I'm going to. I think you'd be surprised how many people will get inspiration from you posting your results. Decluttering definitely isn't just for minimalists!

    Your master plan looks awesome. I can't wait to see it all unfold for you!

    Cheers,
    Tanja

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  4. Tanja, I'm honored that you will take the time to read. Your encouragement will keep me going!

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  5. I'm glad I found your blog. I just started the 30 Day Declutter Bootcamp over the weekend. My reason for wanting to declutter is to feel less overwhelmed, spend less time putting the house back together everyday, and to have more time to enjoy the kids (9, 7, 5). My biggest hot spots are the storage rooms, kids' stuff, and books.

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  6. Cindy...I'm glad you found me, too. I've been decluttering for 6 six and never have I had so much fun. I'm also finally getting the results I have desired for so long. Tanja's book has given me the inspiration and encouragement I needed!

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  7. I've decluttered many times, usually room by room. But if I am decluttering a room and I hit my music collection, I just skip it because it's overwhelming. The room may look nice in the end but I've never tackled my music. By decluttering by theme, I'm finally reducing my stuff!

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