a thread for making 2017 a cleaner, tidier and less stressful year?

[MyVisionsComeFromSoup]

I need to declutter, organise, deep clean, and potential redecorate the house as it gets me down. I love the principles of Kondo, but can't quite get the house to the place where I can properly sort one category at a time, so I need to chuck stuff from all the different areas first, before there's any chance of finding eg all stationery bits in order to see which post-its bring joy .

Less crap in the house will clear my head a bit, and let me focus on some health stuff (I'm about to be starting a treatment plan which will make me feel worse before I feel better I suspect), and making everything a lot calmer and more peaceful.

I meal plan and bullet journal sporadically, so I know I need to be more organised with that, I WFH part-time and have piles of paperwork which need clearing, and I really really need to cut down on spending and start properly saving to remodel the house (or move which seems a less stressful option as EVERYTHING in the house needs redoing from roof to floorboards via plumbing, electrics and plastering ). Plus I'd like to free up time and energy to do something about the garden.

Anyone else up for motivational nagging and bum kicking? Or alternatively just posting photos of beautiful minimalism for me to drool over?

[everdene]

Sounds lovely! I have just hired a cleaner to help with the worst of it.

We are renovating our home (slowly as we're out of cash!) and it is frequently dusty, chaotic and full of paint cans!

[anahata]

OP I could've written your exact message. Can I ask how you find a bullet journal helps you, and what you include in your one? Thank you.

[forwhom]

I'm in.

Moving, new baby and a new job for my partner make are in the works and all before May.

Ahhhh

[forwhom]

Make

[Fevertree]

Yes please! I bought the first kondo book which arrived yesterday and got a lovely diary for Christmas, also need to meal plan as my new years resolution (but so bored with all the food we used to eat) x

[Chottie]

Oooh! can I join in too?

Please you elaborate on bullet planning and how it works?

My house looks tidy and neat, but I have deep cupboards which need sorting out.

I would also like to join with meal planning as I have a rota of meals which we eat all the time and it is a bit boring...

[NightWanderer]

Yeah, mine's a bomb site too. Count me in!

This holiday I was utterly ruthless and threw out bags of old children's clothes and old toys. I was planning on eBaying or Freecycling them, but I just have no time. The space I got back from them and the time I saved by just chucking them is worth a lot more than any small amount I would have got by eBaying anything.

I'm working on the living room today. I have a small mound of paperwork and random stuff in the corner of the room. It needs to be sorted. Will give the rest of the room a quick tidy first though.

[forwhom]

Does anybody have any tips for actually sticking with a diary?

[forwhom]

As far as the bullet journal goes, I found the website itself to be informative.

bulletjournal.com

[HollyBollyBooBoo]

I'm definitely in. First 3 top jobs are to clear DDs room, she's a hoarder by nature and what with all the new xmas pressies she's out of room.

Get rid of all her old clothes. Hoping the local facebook buying and selling pages will cover that off.

Sort through my clothes and shoes. I have so much stuff that I am never going to wear or fit into again just clogging up my precious space.

[BellaGoth]

Ooh, I'd love to do this. Unfortunately not sure how much I'll be able to achieve with a 3YO, a 4 month old and plans for a 2 storey extension this year.

I have a bullet journal, but I've lapsed. I'll start by getting that going again.

[SimonNeilshair]

I'm in, we have decorating planned for this year and we have too much stuff for the house to look how I want it to.

I also find my head gets so full of ideas and to do lists that I get quite overwhelmed. I've dabbled with a bullet journal before and found it to be very helpful. I don't know why I didn't carry on with it...I'm going to go out and buy myself a lovely new journal today 😀

[MyVisionsComeFromSoup]

ooh, lots of others in the same boat . I'm going to make a start by writing up my 2017 calendar and running the hoover round make a DC run the hoover round. I did waste a couple of hours yesterday on Rightmove, and unless I win the lottery, looks like we're staying put .

Bins collected tomorrow, recycling next week, so that will help immensely.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

I could have written your post too and had a few days this week to help sort but I've been too ill. Am determined though to get the house sorted, I'm sick of living in a mess.

[monkeywithacowface]

I've just done a car boot full of stuff to the charity shop. It's right next door to where I get the kids haircut so plan to make sure that every four weeks when they have their hair done to take stuff to the charity shop. I did my big declutter over the last year but gave finally realised that it is an ongoing process and you have to keep on top of it even if it's just one carry bag of clothes that need to go. As soon as something is too small or bit useful get shot if it don't pile things up or wait until you need another big declutter.

[monkeywithacowface]

Not useful

[NightWanderer]

I did the living room yesterday apart from the mound of stuff. I steeled myself to do three things from the pile and actually did more. Will motivate myself to do more today and then start on the kitchen.

A friend of mine blogs every day. She just makes it a habit and sits down and blogs in the evening after dinner. I think trying to form good habits that you do every day is the key to success.

[BonnyAnnie]

Can I join?
So little time here.
But so much mess....

[minisoksmakehardwork]

Can I join too? Every year for the last 4 I've been saying I will clear the loft. It now desperately needs doing due to a mice invasion, far too much stuff elsewhere and Christmas of course bringing in a world of new stuff. 4 dc and a 2 bed house use do not mix!

So far I'm working on taking a few loft bin bags to the tip each day.

[cookiefiend]

My bullet journal has lapsed and the hoise is a state. I'll go and get it shortly and list all the many chores that need done...

On the plus side as I write, DD2 has just pulled my house keys out of a toy aeroplane- I'm glad she found them as I never would have...

[Akire]

Me too! Though I live in small flat so easier for me as less mess to fill it! I'm planning starting on the problem areas so instead of sorting post it's I'm going do Tupperware cupboard that buries me alive every time I open it. So saving self 5min every time need to go in there andess frustration when it all falls out. using those saved minutes to do even more tidying

I'm also going to stick all my cleaning stuff on one box instead of under sink, on sink, in basket, in the bathroom. As I'm to lazy to check what I have when go shopping so throw one in trolley, when have 3 already!

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

Can I join please? I just need to get it together in general. Think the distraction of sorting the house might help me

[spiderbabymum]

Three words : the January cure

www.apartmenttherapy.com/make-a-fresh-start-in-2017-join-the-january-cure-for-your-best-year-yet-239869

Who will join me

[Afreshstartplease]

I might join you too! I am already on the fly lady thread but the more motivation the better!

[LegoCaltrops]

I'd like to join too. I'd already planned to start KMing my stuff (& hopefully DH & DD, who is 4.7, will follow suit to some extent). However like you, our house is difficult to start with. I'd struggle to declutter by category initially as I would not be able to find it all straight away... I suppose I could do a room at a time, by category (if that makes any sense). I'm waiting for the KM book to be available at the library online. I've also started decluttering my books & have decided I'm going to go through them all, get rid of any I can get for free or very cheap on my Kindle (I read a lot of classics; public domain books are usually very cheap) & read the rest & then charity shop them as I go.

I've also spoken with MIL, (who means well but is a hoarder with, DH & I suspect, a shopping addiction) & told her not to bring any more toys, clothes, books over for DD as we don't have room. Even she could see we don't & their house is, frankly, a classic hoarder house. She & FIL usually bring something over for DD every time we see them, about twice a week. I did say if they wanted to buy things for her & keep them at their house that's fine as they know how much space they have. If they do carry on bringing stuff we'll ask them to take it back or tell them it's going to the charity shop. We've asked them enough times now.

We usually meal plan (well I do as DH just goes along with it as long as I stick in the occasional curry & hot dog / burger night!) I do it on a 3-week plan once I get DD's lunch plan from school - we were supposed to get it at the end of term but it never arrived. I don't want her having sausages twice in one day, for example (she'd be thrilled but it's not a great balance of daily nutrients).