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?

Delurking to say I would love to join you all here. My house is a shit tip little messy and dirty, and am particularly interested in the 30 day thing- eill look it up!

@MyVisionsComeFromSoup - thanks for explaining the book. It does sound good, but a bit overwhelming. I guess that's the point though, that it will be to start with, but gets better/easier as you go on.

@PigeonPie - dh is very attached to #stuff# so it is irritating. Eg about 2 years ago I kondo-d my clothes. All beautifully neat and streamlined. His wardrobe is so full to bursting with a mix of manky/holey/new but squashed tshirts and 'home' shirts that everything is crushed. He almost cried the last time I suggested thinning them a little.

Until recently he didn't need 'work' shirts so in the last couple of months when he's had to go for interviews I've had to put his work shirts in my wardrobe so they weren't crushed.

Now he's starting a new job, that'll mean formal shirts... We're going to have to have a conversation about where this stuff is going to go!

I can see what kondo means though about focusing on other people's clutter though, as I'm by no means perfect (and this is what he'd say if I comment on him).

@Zippidydoodah - welcome to the thread. Do keep posting with your progress (photos v welcome - if you can work out how to post them).

how is everyone getting on? I've managed to keep surfaces in the living room and hall clear for several weeks now, I'm chipping away at the study, and determinedly ignoring the tupperware on the kitchen worktops .

Bullet journal most days (so I can tick off "shower and get dressed" so will always have achieved something ) which is helping immensely, just not carrying everything in my head which always gets me down. We've had a whole spate of medical appointments recently (and more to come over the next month) and just keeping track of that has been a full-time job.

Hey can I join.

My house is in dire not of a huge clear out. As soon as I get rid of one lot of stuff through kids inevitably get more brought back from a grandparents holiday or random.junk aisle purchase. We possibly will need to move very soon so need to pretty much bin everything so I can keep on top of clear surfaces/rooms

4 people in a small 2 bed house just does not work very well.... not when there is little storage no garage and kids stuff alone has the house full.

Aim this week is to fill as many bin bags as possible.

I feel for you Giles - we did a few years of 4 in a 2 bed, and it's tough. we ended up putting both DDs in the bigger room, and hanging a curtain over the alcove next to the stairwell in the smaller bedroom for wardrobe space for us. I did have much less stuff then though, although it took two full removal van journeys to move us,and one room in our new house was entirely filled with boxes which we emptied one at a time for months.

Can you make a rule - no buying of anything that's not food for a planned meal? That will stop more stuff coming in, and at least not add to the piles?

I did get up off my backside and hoover the downstairs, and empty and load the dishwasher between posts here though, last year I wouldn't have bothered .

Ha I've filled a bag already. Bedside table amd my side of the bed alone

so now focus on keeping that area clear, don't put stuff down there, check it every day, don't leave the bedroom without making sure it's stayed clear. Then clear another place, and keep it clear as well. But, bag of stiff gone, is a bag of stuff you're no longer tripping over

I'm up to 4 now

I will tackle the top of the wardrobes tomorrow or Tuesday. As gotta go out soon.i will then do the actual cleaning and hoovering.then I'll have one room.sorted at least.

Are carpet cleaners any good?

I'm kind of making progress - and can see the benefits of cleaning a bit more thoroughly... Eg a quick scrub (and copious amounts of limescale remover where necessary) to shower screen, doors and tiled walls really making rooms look brighter. I spent an hour or so on the bathrooms and kitchen this morning and the house looks and feels better for it. Still v much a work in progress though!

I kondo folded about 20 of dh's tshirts and put them in a drawer, so he has space for work shirts in his wardrobe - ha!

Dd needed longer trousers and bigger socks, so new ones got and old ones immediately in the charity shop bag (it lives on the kitchen door and goes when full). Plus a huge bag of outgrown kids books have gone to the charity shop. It was really hard saying goodbye to some of the kids' old favourites, but hopefully they'll go to a good home. And actually, never having to read about the sodding, mealy mouthed, bumptious tank engine again is probably a good thing for my sanity!

Can I join? I'm an awful slatten and frequently bloody tired but our little flat constantly looks like a bomb has hit it! I already use a bullet journal although it's mainly turned into my work today list. Tomorrow, as DP is away, I'm planning a blitz of the front room, ironing pile and sewing stuff.

I'm feeling dreadful atm - last week was full on with work and hospital appointments, and I haven't felt on top of anything domestically at all . I have a couple of health issues which make me incredibly tired, and I'm a bit restricted in what I can do without pain, so for eg Monday's appointment (which was two hours door to door away, and lasted 2.5 hours ) should have been followed by a day off, but instead I was out at a clients (so couldn't take breaks in the same way as I do at home). And yesterday needed a lot of touchy feely sympathetic handholding, on top of having to concentrate, so I'm completely drained of motivation . However, I have another hospital appointment this week where I might actually get a diagnosis, which means I can maybe start treatment, and start not feeling so shattered all the time.

Are meditation apps any good? Or would I be better just firing up spotify and JFDing stuff? How do I get out of this "can't be bothered" hole? What's the 80:20 thing that will boost me up a bit? (if anyone suggests the tupperware pile, I will cry )

Sorry that you've been having such a rotten time - did you manage to get a diagnosis? I use the Headspace App which is really good but if you want the theory then try 'Finding Peace in a Frantic World.'

I can't believe that we are already in to March - days are getting a bit brighter (at least between the rain clouds) so a bit more of a mental boost for clearing and organising (maybe..). I'm taking small steps to make everything a bit more manageable mean but it can get a bit overwhelming with all the 'have to's' - i.e 10 fruit/veg a day

Visitors arriving this afternoon so a bit of a spur to have things looking orderly before the weekend!

I got what I think is an interim diagnosis of fibromyalgia, but had a shed load of blood tests this morning in case it's inflammatory or auto-immune. I do feel a bit better knowing that it's not normal ifswim, but as the treatment is get decent sleep and keep taking the painkillers, it's same old same old .

Back to the house though, I'm working my way through the shelves in the study, and chucking stuff out from the kitchen/dining room, so I do feel I'm making progress. And I had a whirlwind day earlier this week where I dragged the hoover out, and hoovered everywhere haven't managed to put it away though, and did several loads of washing, Plus DD3 has mostly managed to have lunch stuff, only resorting to a meal deal on the way to school once this week (and that was her fault more than mine ).

DH is now coming to the end of his busiest period at work, so there's now a chance of him being at home over the weekend to make a start on doing something to the garden, and us sitting down and making a DIY list. That will help a lot I think.

I do feel I've made progress since starting this thread though, hope everyone else has?

You're fantastically busy for someone who is supposed to be relaxing! Our apartment is definitely looking better but the next big tackle are photographs and really random stuff in the room that doubles up as workspace, guest space, laundry drying space

Placemarking with interest

hah Velocity - I've just frittered away most of today pootling on the internet, so not actually that busy .

However, the tupperware is now sorted, and boxless lids and lidless boxes are GONE!

Place Marking! Need to get off my ass!

Sorting out the Tupperware is always a great moment!

Right - it's the mid check-in. Slowly but surely getting the house in order. This month for a bit of inspiration I'm doing the minimalists challenge - halfway though the month and it's getting tough!! www.theminimalists.com/game/

I've had a look through the thread and I'm feeling inspired. I've had a look at the January Cure and I'm so eager to sort the clutter out. I got rid of heaps a while back, we have 'council clean up' every 6 months, you can put stuff curbside and the council take it away. But there's still a way to go. My husband has fuck loads of lego, I'd love to get rid but obviously I can't (argh!) I've already asked my DH to ask his mum to dial back the Xmas presents to one per child because she gets them way too much every year and it makes me feel ill! I used to keep stuff from guilt, but the last two years I've put all the things she sends me straight into a charity bin. It feels mean but I read on a different de-clutter thread (that I agreed with) that she enjoys shopping and buying gifts and giving them but she's not in the ballpark with gifting something I'd like :/ she doesn't even ask what sizes the kids wear so it's often better to open those parcels (we're in Australia) before the kids see the clothes! She can easily spend a hundred quid on postage (normally 6 parcels). She has sent the kids blankets two years in a row, our Xmas is sweats-ville coz it's Summertime. Anyway sorry to derail and moan about Xmas, I knotits 6 months ha away, but I just dread the decluttering of excess Xmas pressies!

Anyway today I've put a couple of bags of stuff in the bin. And filled a bag for the charity bin. I tackled a drawer (as per the January Cure!!)

Great to have you back and inspired - I'm on to decluttering photographs and CD's - so a bit hard going!!

@velocity how did you go? Did you manage to declutter much? We don't have any cd's and maybe only 4 DVDs so that's something I don't have to tackle!

I've just done an hour a half full on decluttering and cleaning in the kitchen! Our kitchen is tiny it's honestly one of the smallest in the whole world, it's a clutter magnet though! I'm happy with my efforts and I'm hoping I've cleared off on if those 'dumping grounds' I hope to keep it clear! I want to wrap barbed wire around it to stop anymore clutter!! I sorted out my 2 dds art work, they come home with so much from kindy and pre school!

I also did two loads of washing, I will hang that out later!

Not sure that worked I'll try again @Velocity :)

I want to join you :)