Every week day in May, I’m challenging my readers to try to find at least 7 things to get rid of. These can be big or small things, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you actually throw them out, sell them, donate them, recycle them, or find someone else who can use them. Think you’re up for the challenge?
After a month of clutter-busting, we’re down to the bottom of the barrel here! I cleaned out the play area and craft area and come up with a pile of pretty much just junk and trash to toss/recycle.
On Monday, we’ll be starting a new series called 5 Days to Set Your Summer Up for Success. I’m really excited about it — and hope you will be, too!
How did your clutter-busting go today? Link up your blog post and/or Instagram pictures below. Or, leave a comment telling us how many things you got rid of. Let’s clear our homes of clutter so we can be more productive and efficient!
april says
Im not sure if i should be impressed or appalled at the number of things that left my house(including 4 truckloads of donations, 3 of those from stuff in my garage!). Im planning for a yardsale next week, then im going to start all over and have another after school starts in fall.
Andrea @the Distracted Housewife.com says
I really learned a lot from this challenge! Thank you for creating it and giving me motivation to keep chipping away at the clutter in my home. I am now trying to think of a way to keep the clutter busting train going and would love some input and ideas!
http://thedistractedhousewife.com/2013/06/03/clutter-busting-challenge-finale/
Ashleigh Noelle says
440 items for the challenge! I did all 31 days for May however, and used every bit of it as an excuse to get rid of junk. It’s all reported over at my blog too.. my final day was pretty impressive with 82 items for one day!
Erica Lynn @ Optimal Health Consultant says
I have really enjoyed this challenge! Check out my post to find out how I am planning on continuing this habit in the weeks to come.
kabby says
I LOVED this challenge…something I have been putting off for many years…I will continue this challenge till July (hopefully that will be enough time) to go thru every draw, cabinet, shelf, knook and cranny of my house. The spaces that I have completed so far are WONDERFUL!! When I need inspiration I go to the completed area and gasp with AWE..literally it takes my breath away to see open space in a closet, cupboard or just a shelf space. Everyone has there strengthens … holding on to clutter, I could win a gold medal …thank you for your inspiration
Money Saving Enthusiast says
I know it’s June but I just found a bunch of books that need to go. I wish I found them sooner. I’m thinking of sticking with the “if you haven’t used it in a year, then ditch it” rule. Unless something is SUPER sentimental.
kat says
thanks for such a great challenge, crystal!
here’s the list for week 5:
a bunch of over-the-counter allergy medicine (sending to my brother, who has terrible allergies), 3 pairs of knitting needles (embarrassingly, all sizes i already had–yard sale), 1 vase (yard sale), 8 blank CDs (yard sale), 1 navy skirt (yard sale), 1 pair of black leggings (yard sale), 1 old sewing pattern (yard sale), 2 unused postcards (freebie that came with an etsy order–yard sale), 5 balls of yarn plus a bunch of remnant yarn (pictured above–yard sale, i guess), weight watchers calculator (where did this come from?! yard sale), 1 old school palm pilot (yard sale), 1 pair of ugly man sandals (goodwill), set of brackets (goodwill), 5 wire hangers–NO MORE WIRE HANGERS, NICK (trash) and a pile of unnecessary paper-y things from high school including 5 agendas (trash)
Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates says
This challenge was SO helpful for me this month. I really got rid of a lot of stuff and cleaned out some areas that hadn’t been organized in years! For the last day yesterday I went through an unbelievable amount of recipes torn out of magazines and saved over the years {stashed in several different spots}. Threw away a gigantic pile! Still have a big keep pile, but am sorting & throwing more away {yes, it’s kind of an obsession – LOL}. 🙂 Thank you for all the encouragement this month!
Amy says
We are getting ready for a garage sale and I finally got my husband to go through 10 boxes of books he had packed up and brought home when his mom moved 6 years ago! His dad had just passed suddenly and then his mom decided to move so it was all in haste. He finally agreed to go through the boxes and got rid of a lot of stuff. We also just got rid of a bunch of old paint cans and paint to the hazardous waste facility and some old running shoes that were still in good condition. Those were donated to I.C.T. S.O.S., a local sex-trafficking ministry. I haven’t been able to declutter everyday, but what I did get done was awesome! Thanks for the challenge!
Challice says
I am so happy about this. I know I did way more the 217 items in the month of May. During the last few days I felt like I was digging around to find something to get rid of. What a fantastic feeling! I am FAR from finished. Most of my issue is finding a “home” for stuff. BUT this was great. Loved it!
Karen says
I really enjoyed doing the clutter busting challenge this month. Thanks for doing this. I am actually going to continue working through June on the project. We just have way to much clutter.
erin says
I’m looking forward to the new series! If it’s what I think it’s going to be it will be a huge help. My kids only have 2 more weeks of school until summer vacation!
Maia says
We aren’t quite down to the bottom of the barrel yet, so we’ll probably keep going with this for another few weeks. I really enjoy these series that you do! Helps me keep on top of things.
Mel says
This was a terrific challenge! I’m not nearly done, but have ditched a lot of clutter. More importantly, I’m starting to look at things that want to come into my home as the enemy. 😀 They have to prove their worth before I agree to let them in, which doesn’t just prevent clutter but saves money!
Sandy says
I appreciated this series Crystal. It really got me thinking about all that I have which I neither need nor want. I’ve made a huge dent in May and will continue this weekend to hopefully complete all that which is left to do. Thank you. This series was a wonderful idea!
Crystal says
Thank you so much for your kind encouragement!
Money Saving Enthusiast says
I definitely ditched a bunch of clutter last month. I’m still going to actively get rid of stuff on a regular basis so it doesn’t creep back in.
I think this was very manageable even for those who are SUPER busy.
Sakura says
I loved this series. We are going to continue it thru June and see how it goes. I think we have a ways to go before we see the bottom of the barrel.
Marie says
Crystal I loved doing this challenge. I am not nearly done. But my goal of having a garage sale before the kids were out of school got accomplished! And the grand total for 4 days was $1175. Now I will go through the garage sale stuff and see what to donate to Good will and other organizations and what I can consign.
I will be continuing through June as I have many items to post on Craigslist. My goal is to see how much extra money I make by the end of Summer.
Jessica says
This challenge has been so helpful that I can going to continue it all the way though the end of June. I have gotten rid of around a thousand things this month. Most of what I have gotten rid of are little things yet this has made such a difference in my organization. Having drawers and cabinets that are not overflowing has made it so much easier to find what I am looking for. Our small house doesn’t seem so small when we have less things. I am more content with our home and what we have. I love it!
StephaniePH says
Thank you, Crystal, for your wonderful upbeat blog! I now have a framework schedule for cleaning my whole house because of the April challenge. Plus I have over 600 fewer things to clean, organize, and store because of the May challenge! Thanks too to all the readers who posted their accomplishments as well. I found so much inspiration in reading about your experiences. Looking forward to the next challenge!
Aubrie says
I loved this series (although I know we have a lot more junk to get rid of!). I’d love if you posted photos of your home for further de-cluttering inspiration!
Karen says
Thank you Crystal for having this monthly challenge. I appreciated the pictures because it made me see the clutter as just ‘stuff’. There were a couple of things you got rid of that I thought “she could use that someday.” That “someday” is what gets most of us in trouble. We let the ‘stuff’ have so much control over us with a high maintenance price on our time attached. Less stuff means more time to spend doing something important.
You are a blessing to me.
erin says
Exactly! It’s that “someday” thinking that I have to battle.
Monica says
Completely agree! Good to know I am not the only one who struggles with the ‘someday attitude’. =)
Jessica says
May 30:
toss: stained t-shirt, worn out underwear
donate: 20+ clothing items
recycle: a whole bunch of end of the school year papers, I did save a couple because they were just so cute.
May 31:
donate: a whole big black trash bag of girl’s clothes, including pj sets, sweaters, skirts, long sleeved shirts. Over 40 items.
Victoria says
Loved this series. I wish I was down to the bottom of the barrel. My hope is to keep it up by posting a picture of 3 things along with my 3 snail paced goals each and every week.
Anna @ Frugal For You says
That is a great idea to add that to the weekly goals. I think I will do that as well because we still have q
Shelly says
I found a few items lurking in our guest bedroom closet. I had put our old folding hampers in the closet just in case I needed them. Well a year later I dug them out to get rid of them. I should really learn not to keep items that those.
I am looking forward to the new series on Monday.