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?
I’m taking your suggestions and going back through my house another time. Today I went through our bathroom, closet, and bedroom. And I was excited to find 7 things:
- 5 hangers
- 1 pair of very used knee highs
- 1 used up tube of Mary Kay foundation
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!
kat says
another 35 things down! returned 2 items and sold another–not to mention, my yard sale pile is growing!
Crystal says
Woohoo!
Erica Lynn @ Optimal Health Consultant says
My post is so late; I’ve been on the couch with allergies all weekend. I’m feeling about 90% now, thankfully. (A link to how I care for seasonal allergies is in my post.)
I’ve upped the ante, everyday I am challenging myself to find 14 items until the end of the challenge.
Jesse says
I use the same Mary Kay foundation, and I always cut the tube in half when it gets to that point. You would be surprised how you can get several more uses out of what appears to be an empty tube! Just a suggestion…..stretches the dollar a teeny bit further.
Crystal says
What a great idea; thanks for sharing!
Deidre says
Today I decided to ‘gift’ a few t-shirts from my favorite sports teams to my little cousins. They are still in great shape and even though I love the teams, my other t-shirts will be just fine to wear. I know my cousins will be thrilled to have new shirts and so will my aunt 🙂
Ginger says
I have officially completed my Clutter Buster Challenge. (I worked ahead because I’m moving on Wednesday and I knew I wouldn’t have time during a stressful/busy week. During this time, I freed myself of 300+ items.
Now, my place is of average clutter — not a packrat, not a minimalist (although I aspire to it) — and I have no children. I’m rather amazed/horrified that I wasn’t truly pressed to find 300 items! That’s revelation #1. Revelation #2 is that I neither miss nor notice that any of that stuff is gone.
Thanks for this challenge, Crystal. It’s been my favorite thus far.
Crystal says
Woohoo! Way to go! I’m proud of you!
Carrie O. says
Got rid of about 47 items this week!
Charlene says
I don’t know if this applies here or not, but what do you do when your spouse is not necessarily in favor of all the decluttering? We have pack rat tendencies, but we’re both trying to get rid of some things. However, my husband doesn’t give me free reign in getting rid of everything. With toys, when I go through them, he wants to look and see what is in the get rid of pile/box, before we actually get rid of it. And he rarely takes the time to actually go through the get rid of pile/box. It gets kind of frustrating, and there’s not a lot of point to go through stuff if it just sits there indefinitely. I don’t want to go behind his back and just get rid of it, but then again, he’d probably never know. His family is very sentimental about stuff. His mother keeps giving us boxes of stuff of his from when he was a kid. He thinks he has to keep lots of stuff, because that’s how he was raised. It’s hard to work against that. But we’re going crazy in a full house, and have to get rid of stuff. We know this. But brain knowledge is different that actually doing it sometimes. Although, just this evening, I ran across a shoe box of seeds from the past 5 or 7 years. I bought all new seeds this year, because some of those didn’t grow last year. Also, they were given to me, and weren’t the kinds I like (the wrong kind of green beans, etc..) I said I thought I would just throw them out on our back hill, and if something grows, so be it. Otherwise, I could just throw them away. He said that seeds are good forever, and I shouldn’t get rid of them. If I wouldn’t have said anything, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. Now I don’t feel as though I can get rid of them… Just for the record, he’s not like a domineering person or anything like that. At least, not in anything except for getting rid of stuff! 🙂 Thanks for any ideas!
FMR says
No trouble finding clutter here. Been in this house for 30 years!
Today was donation and free cycle day:
at least 25 brand new and 50+ stated skeins of embrodery floss donated
a little 36 drawer organizer–freecycle
4 medium size bags of linen tablecloths and napkins and crocheted doileys–free cycle
Kellie Schroeder says
Since I missed several days of the challenge for different reasons, I am going to carry on through June. I don’t know if anyone thought of it or even mentioned it, but I just went through my fridge and got rid of several things. And, cleaned it while in the process. Go me!
Jill says
Haha crystal, I wish that was all I had to get rid of! You crack me up 🙂 in a good way of course! Jill
Pam says
Those metal hangers can be recycled if you bring them to a dry cleaning business. They will gladly take them off your hands.
Maryalene, Social Media Angel for SavingsAngel says
Yay for clearing out all the excess!
Since you seem to be having trouble finding more items, maybe now is the time to look at what you have that isn’t necessarily clutter but something you could live without. Examples from my own life include looking in my closet and thinking, ‘Do I really need 10 t-shirts?’ Or being in the kitchen and realizing I have two 9×13 pans but I only ever use one at a time.
Heather @ My Mothermode says
I really like the idea of combining this challenge with another, such as the 30 Days to Clean. That way, you have a specific area to work on each day. Listing a closet, drawer, or other storage area for each day of the month could also work well.
Teri says
Decluttering bookmarks on my iphone.
Starla Kreider says
While I am not a pack-rat by any means (my mother-in-law does a fine job of that so I don’t bother) I simply cannot imagine having this problem! We are currently going through closets and cupboards and boxes and preparing for a yard sale! What a good feeling!
If you struggle to find 7 items a day to get rid of, your house is likely a very restful place to be, Crystal. Way to go!
Anna @ Frugal For You says
A year from now, I hope to be where you are Crystal! It’s amazing to be able to say that you are actively searching for clutter to get rid of instead just wanting to run away from it, which is more like at my house.
A suggestion if you really want to get rid of more stuff:
– maybe time to give away the best of what you have; a favorite shirt or purse or piece of jewelry to a friend to cheer them up. Or a wall hanging or book that has inspired you or an extra Bible.
Victoria says
Have you tried your vehicle yet? Under seats, in the trunk, the glove compartment? I bet you could find something in there. Our couch alone probably swallows up 7 pieces of clutter daily! Said but true when ever the children say they need a pencil or a pen I tell them to try under the couch cushions and sure enough seconds later they have one if not several.
Katy @ Purposely Frugal says
I’ve been able to get rid of a pair of shoes, coupons, toys, coloring books and a stuffed animal recently.
Mandy W. says
I would check the backyard. Surely there are some broken sand toys, old boxes from Sidewalk Chalk, or deflated balls back there…or is that just at my house? 🙂 Also, if you’re desperate, you can check your holiday decorations boxes.
Good luck!
Jessica says
May 24:
trash: expired bottle of medicine, 8 unmatched socks, pair of tights
toss to squirrels: partial bag of forgotten animal crackers from my minivan
recycle: 12 metal tomato cages
donate: 5 2-piece sets of girls’ summer pajamas
Sandy says
Beautiful day here in Milwaukee. 50 degrees and sunny skies so, I decided to weed the garden. After all the rain we had the weeds came out so easily that I weeded my neighbors flower garden too. I’m on a roll! Thanks for the daily motivation Crystal!
Susan says
This just cracks me up! Having to really search hard for 7 things to get rid of is a good problem to have. 🙂
I’m in decluttering mode lately, and a “thing” to me is a box or bag of stuff or one large item, like a piece of furniture or an old computer monitor. My goal is three “things” a week. I don’t even count how many items I’m getting rid of, but believe me, it’s a lot more than 7.
Cathy says
I know! So funny but in a great way! 🙂
Shelly says
I am still finding things to get rid of but we have lived in our house for 15 years so things can really accumulate. I went through my husbands shirts and found quite a few that he just doesn’t wear.
Did you check your purse or garage for more items?
Crystal says
I cleaned out my purse already (I try to do that once every other week or so), but I need to spend some more time in the garage. I’m sure I can find some more things out there to toss or donate.
Shelly says
I wish I had trouble finding clutter to get rid of. It seems in my house the clutter multiplies overnight. But I am slowly making progress. 🙂
jennifer says
I cleaned out a bathroom cabinet drawer and threw out a half used jar of body scrub, which triple ick, had begun to get a little mold, a really old shower cap, a nearly empty bottle of hairspray, two exfoliating mittens that had holes in them, a stained makeup case and an empty bag.
Crystal says
Great job!