Sorting one thing a day

[Keffert]

My house feels like it’s got away from me a bit recently. I’ve decided to spend November trying to get it a bit more organised in the hope that it feels more under control by the time we put the Christmas decorations up. I’m going to try to go through one drawer/cupboard a day. Take everything out, clean the cupboard, put stuff back in a more organised way. Decluttering will hopefully be a side effect of this as I come across stuff that we no longer need but isn’t going to be the main focus this time.

Would anyone like to join me?

I’m going to start today with the fridge/freezer. It’s not overly full but it’s a mess and there are probably a few old condiments that can go as well as a few squashed grapes in the fruit box.

Ok well a job not on the above list however moving all things for winter out into the shed and tidying the garden should have been on that list and on the back of this thread that is now done so I have been inspired! I think the personal paperwork that needs dealing with will get done over a glass of wine once I prepare dinner for the oven ;)

For me I do a drawer, cupboard or hotspot I'm not trying to do the whole house just so 1 place most days. Sometimes it's just tidy my bedside table. For me it's an ongoing system rather than a massive one and done. Mentally that allows me to not feel overwhelmed.

Well I failed yesterday, the day just ran away with me. Did get three loads of washing folded and put away though so that was a win. Have done extra on other days anyway.

Today I did the cutlery and utensil drawers straight after work. Nothing got rid of from the cutlery drawer but put some chopsticks back in their box instead of scattered at the back of the drawer. Two big plastic spoons that I think came with my food processor binned from the utensil drawer. I’ve kept them because I let the dc use them for messy play but that’s getting less frequent now so decided I no longer needed them taking up space.

@clary Definitely. I haven’t even got rid of much but it’s so much nicer opening clean and tidy cupboards!

I had a long day in the office yesterday so did nothing last night. I am going to be home early today so need to decide whether to do the rest of the personal paperwork or start taking boxes out of the attic.

This is a great thread, I have started doing a bit of this lately. We moved house 3.5 years ago, and I'm determined that this house, although much bigger, does no get overwhelmed with crap we don't need. So I regularly try to sort out a cupboard or drawer when I have time.

Christmas coming up is a good time to get on with it more consistently.

I started this on Sunday.
Sunday I did my bedroom - just my stuff not DH (he can do that!) Wardrobe, drawers, under the bed all done!
Yesterday I did the baking cupboard in the kitchen. There were alot of out of date ingredients in there.
Today I think I will do the under oven cupboard and maybe the above fridge cupboard or the downstairs bathroom....maybe all three if I have time!
I'm also trying to upload things for sale (Facebook, Ebay, Vinted) as I go so I don't have a huge pile at the end of it all.

I have no plan as really the house isn't that bad but could do with a good declutter ready for Christmas.

Sounds a lot like mine @SJM1988 . House is surface tidy and clean and is reset every evening but inside every cupboard is a mess and had got a bit grotty .

It’s another long day for me today, so when I get home I’m just going to do my bedside table. It’s another area that I tackle fairly regularly but ends up in a mess quickly. Shouldn’t be too much to get rid of but definitely needs a tidy. I’m looking to replace it soon as it’s broken so am thinking of getting one with two drawers that I can separate stuff more easily and hopefully keep it tidier.

On the top I have coaster, lip balm, clock, lamp, phone charger.

In the drawer I have a couple of pens, the cards I don’t carry everyday, tissues, hand cream, an eye mask, headphones, chargers for things that don’t need charging so regularly (kindle/watch/hand warmers/headphones etc), a notebook, a phone/kindle stand and my personal vitamins/medication. Oh and my notes from a course I never finished that I’m hoping I’ll go back to one day and a couple of old cards the dc made. It’s not surprising it gets messy so quickly with so many different functions 😳

After reading this thread this morning, and the weather being awful today, so I couldn't get out for my lunch break walk. I have tidied half of my home office at lunchtime. There was already stuff piled up for the charity shop, and had been for longer than I care to admit. It is now in my car and will be dropped off. I have organised the board games and moved some furniture around . The room feels twice as big. I will try and do a little more this evening, so that I have one space feeling done.

Oh dear I'm feeling a smidge guilty that my idea of tidying my bedside table this morning was putting the dirty cotton wall pools in the bin, crochet hooks in a pot and wool ends in their pot. Then sweeping all the hand creams and pots into the drawer that's already pretty messy and full. In my defence I've got this horrible flu cold covid hybrid. Tomorrow I'm hoping to tackle all the light fittings give them a quick dust and clean in theory they get washed in the spring.

Hey there are no rules on this thread! Anything counts and any small improvement is a win!

Quick tidy of another drawer in the bathroom – chucked some very out of date Nair cream (not sure who it was for! not me (shave) or DD (nothing)). Likimg the small steps as it doesn't feel overwhelming.

I cleaned out the second bookcase in my office last night. I feel calmer at work today, now it is tidy. I can't even see it while working, it is behind me, but it still feels good.

I am hoping to do my sideboard this evening. It is not too bad, but the stuff could perhaps be better organised

I’ve done the animal cupboard this morning. One box still needs going through but the cupboard is tidy overall.

That’s brilliant that it’s helped create a calmer working environment. It’s amazing the difference small things can make.

I've just done my dressing table and got rid of some perfumes that I no longer like. I now have a perfume for evening, a daytime perfume, and two perfumes that have almost run out, so I'll use them up first.

I did the kitchen window sill, which accumulates a lot of crap and the shoe/hat/glove storage area by the front door and now have gloves and hats organised

Kitchen windowsill and dressing table both good.

I did the last drawer in the bathroom – nothing to chuck but I know what’s in there now. Also sorted some books and selected a few I don't want that the WoB app also doesn't want, so I will take them to work where we have a sort of book swap in the kitchen.

As a PP said above even one thing a day makes you feel better so on them grounds while waiting on dinner to cook last night I sorted out the cutlery drawer and the drawer underneath that houses things like wooden spoons and all manner of random shit which has now been tossed out and only things I even remember buying live there now so that was my small thing for yesterday so I did that rather than mindless scrolling which is better all round.

Today is the home office desk in between meetings. It is not too bad just personal paperwork has gotten clogged in one drawer which needs to be dealt with so two birds with one stone and all that.

Oh that’s a good one @ticktockitsNCtime . My perfumes are a mess. I basically wear three, one in winter, one in summer, one on occasions but I have at least five other full size and lots of sample size. I reckon if I wear a different sample every day I can eliminate the ones I don’t actually like and can then try to use up the rest. I will tidy them up today and make a start on that.

My planned task for today was to clean the tops of the kitchen cupboards. I can do that too after work.

I got the under sink cupboard done Tues and the food pantry cupboard yesterday - some things had been out of date for over a year!!!

Today - maybe the above fridge cupboard. DH is out tonight so going to tackle the vinted upload pile later when the kids go to bed

I’m in. Deep cleaned and decluttered bathroom yesterday, I hope to do downstairs one today. It’s the under sink cupboard that’s especially bad.

Kitchen windowsill is a great shout, Mine also gathers crap. And the under sink cupboard in my kitchen is always a disaster, so that is going on my list.

Last night I did my sideboards, 3 cupboards and 3 drawers, but it is not so bead, just needed a tidy really.

Today I am doing the shelf on a side table in my living room that possibly still has kitchen brochures on it, when I got my kitchen fitted 3.5 years ago.

I did the dining room cupboard today. Sorted out my napkins, placemats and table cloths. Got rid of a lot of them.

Today I have done the paint/playdoh/moonsand etc shelves. Doesn’t sound like much but they were in a state and it was impossible to get anything out without stuff falling out everywhere. Now they’re much better organised. Threw a few random craft bits away and have put the rubber stamps to go to charity as they barely get used.

I’ve also attempted to tidy the base of my wardrobe but it’s full of Christmas presents/advent calendars/stocking fillers etc so a bit pointless. It’s a little bit tidier and got rid of some packaging but can’t really do it properly until the Christmas stuff is out of there.

Hope everyone else has been successful!

Arrgrhh moonsand nooooo

Yesterday I tidied my eBay area – does everyone else have this? Basically a stash of small boxes, packing materials, tape, plastic bags for clothes, and anything I am currently selling on eBay and Vinted. Threw out some unneeded items and it is much better now.

Today – wardrobe in the study which is where I keep coast and shoes - i do tidy it now and then but I suspect it also includes tut.