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?
Most of today’s clutter consists of junk — and I’m not even sure why we still have these items.
But here’s what I got rid of:
- Tray
- Lid that doesn’t have a tub to go to it
- Binder dividers — I don’t even know where these came from!
- Speaker that no longer works
- Dry erase board that is so old and used it doesn’t work anymore (why was this still in my basement?!? :))
- Stack of kids’ magazines that have already been read/used/looked at
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!
Jen says
I don’t think those were binder dividers. They look like some sort of drawer/box divider.
Carla says
Sunday
1. Small rug – donate bag
2. Broken Wooden box- recycle bin
3. Molasses from refrig. – jar recycled
4. Beef stock- box recycled
5. Magazine- Donation box
6. Old Bible Study papers from my Bible Study bag- recycle
7. Old church bulletins from my Bible- recycle
I am Having FUN decluttering one thing at a time.
37 small items so far.
Hope everyone has a good week this week!
Elaina says
I love this challenge. I feel like I have been in the de-cluttering/purging mode for a few months now! And I can’t believe I still have so much we can do without. We’ve easily come up with at least 7 things each day, and I love it. It feels so freeing to simplify and realize you can be happier with so much less stuff!!! My husband is totally on board. We have always felt that too much stuff is not healthy, and we’ve recently moved into smaller living quarters, and have determined that there is no reason that we and our children should have more than we can accommodate in our home (ie: keeping things in additional storage). I love, love, love it. I read a couple months ago on one of several great blogs I follow – can’t remember if it was here, or a different one 🙁 – something that has stuck with me – “A place for everything, and everything in it’s place” If we have too much stuff and can’t come up with a home for everything, we’ll never be able to have everything put away and maintain a tidy home! It seems so simple now, but so profound!!! I can’t believe how good it feels to get rid of STUFF. Thanks for this challenge – it keeps us going on what we’ve been working toward.
Dana says
Better late than never to report this.
2 T-shirts – donate
2 sets of pajamas – donate
2 bottles of lotion – donate
tube of old chapstick – trash
Heather says
Not sure how many things we have gotten rid of this week, but it is a LOT and some of the items are big even. Church is having a rummage sale this weekend so that started it – dog crate, bike, clothes, toys, decorations, etc. I am also straightening out a bookcase so I have a pile of magazines to take to the library exchange and another pile to throw out. Hopefully we can keep this up!
Nancy says
We’ve made a stack of more than four dozen clothing items–socks, ancient sweaters, paint-spattered pants.
Karen says
2 pair of shoes and 5 articles of clothing 🙂
susie says
One kids junk is another ones treasure! My 8 year old boy is wanting that Lego Chima book! He saw it in the book order and has been doing jobs all day to earn the $4 it cost! Does Silas want to sell it? I looked at the library and they don’t have it. I though $4 was a lot for a book that would end up in my junk pile too!
Crystal says
It’s just a little magazine-style leaflet type thing, but I’ll send it your way if you think he’d still like it. 🙂 Email me your address.
susie says
You’re great! No wonder why I like to follow your blog so much!
Kim M says
Our annual spring children’s consignment sale is being held this weekend, so I’ve spent the last few nights sorting clothing and now have a large bag of unsellable items to go in “the green boxes”, and was able to consign an additional 150 clothing articles between my 2 kids. When did they get all these clothes?! they’re 5 and 1!
Hitting my stack of All You’s tonight!
Anna says
We got rid of:
mattress
kiddy jeep
little kid bike
pool net
umbrella frame
big boxes
toy shelf
Yes! The backyard is so much nicer!
Heather says
I’ve been working on our basement this week….. Over the past 3 years its accumulated so much stuff, we literally are climbing over things to get to what we need. It’s embarassing! So on Wednesday, I purged our DVD collection that’s in the bottom of 2 large cabinets I plan to get rid of. Last night, Hubby and I cleaned out one corner of the basement and threw away/boxed up for goodwill a lot of stuff! We had empty boxes for things we don’t even own anymore! This clutter challenge is exactly what I needed to get my butt into gear! And hubby is even helping!
Lana says
We recycled a huge black trash bag full of gallon milk jugs that for some unremembered reason was hanging out in our garage. I also cleaned out the door or my refrigerator and tossed some old ice packs and freezer sticks for water bottles that we do not have anymore.
Claribel says
Got started a day late, but was easily able to find 2 pairs of shoes and a purse and 2 shirts and 2 pairs of pants that were already in a pile in my closet waiting to make it to a donation bag. I let my 4yo in on the challenge also. I said go to your closet and see if you can find some clothes that you don’t need. She brought me 4 shirts that she still wears…So, i tried again. How about the playroom! This was clearly much harder. One perfect Barbie doll. Ok, bring me 7 books that you don’t read anymore…Success! : )
Will be doing the Spring/summer wardrobe switch next, so it should be another easy one as far as meeting the at least seven goal for the day.
K Quinn says
I’m a day late in posting but have been decluttering right along. My daughter has gotten rid of a few things so far. My husband dove right in and is actually taking over. He makes the run to the various drop off points to there’s that. I’ve been taking 5 books a week to the library for their fundraising stuff. Whew! It’ll be interesting to see what we part with this month.
Jennifer says
Well I have in a bag by the door ready to toss tomorrow: an old worn out pair of sandels, an old straightening iron, a few broken hairclips/bobbypins, and an unwanted ( and not nice enough to re-gift) wedding gift. A good start I think!
Melissa says
Today I tackled some semi-sentimental clutter. I have a bad habit of keeping cards that I receive. I didn’t go through them all yet. I stopped when I found nine I was comfortable recycling. I’m not sure cards count as individual things, but I suppose there aren’t any hard and fast rules to this challenge and I had a very full day so that was all I made time for. 🙂
Anna says
Good for you! I helped a family clean our their elderly mothers home once-upon-a-time. She had tubs and bins under her bed full of what must have been every card she’d ever received. I had always kept my correspondence, but after that I threw tons of it away. I didn’t want people 50 years from now having to throw away my 8th birthday cards! LOL! It taught me a lesson about keeping magazines and stuff too.
Melissa says
Eep! That is quite a lesson learned! Thank you for sharing. I should probably go through those cards again soon. They do have a way of multiplying and getting out of hand. I also don’t want anyone to have to deal with loads and loads of clutter some day when I pass.
Tassie says
Oh my!! It feels good to purge…
worked on my kitchen drawer, and misc items laying around in the kitchen.
I actually can’t wait for tomorrow!!
Katy @ Purposely Frugal says
http://purposelyfrugal.com/2013/05/02/decluttering-day-2/#.UYMwL_HEv9Q
My 7 things are all small, but not needed anymore.
Carrie says
31 books to go to work tomorrow to giveaway for free to coworkers
24 items to my recycling container
4 socks in the garbage
And cleaned out old produce from the fridge.
I am loving this challenge
Hannah says
Excited that I made today’s goal!!
1. What to Expect the First Year (I already got rid of one copy last night!! Why did I have two?!?!)
2. What to Expect the Toddler Years
3. Incompleted Bible study that I started years ago and did not find helpful or challenging.
4. Pilled and faded 9-year-old black turtleneck
5. A sweater I never did like
6. Two booklets about “New Mother’s Health” that the hospital gave me when my oldest was born 5 1/2 years ago!
7. Broken pitcher
Carla says
1.Shirt.Donation bag
2. Shirt. Donation bag
3. Shirt. Donation bag
4. Pants. Donation bag
5. Under garment. Donation bag.
6.Hand towel. Donation bag.
7. Newspapers/ magazine. Recycle bin.
I am having fun she cluttering slowly, and reading other posts.
Ashley W. says
It was easy as pie to get rid of seven more things! In fact, I was so eager to get rid of them, I didn’t even get a picture… 🙂
Em says
7 books to bring to the used book store in exchange for store credit. I will hopefully drop them off this weekend.
(already have my 7 items for Saturday too: our local National Honor Society is doing a food drive. I found 7 items in my cupboard that I will not be using before they expire so I put them in a bag, ready by the front door)
Patty says
I broke down a couple of dozen boxes cluttering up the garage and put them in the recycling bin. I have a bit of a box addiction (“you never know when you’re going to need a good box!”) so I had to take a couple of deep breaths and not stop to think.
Amy-Marie says
I got rid of over 20 various cell phone chargers we had accumulated over the years along with a cell phone and a few other electronics that I found that no longer work but I had been hanging onto. (Why? No idea!) My husband did comment as I was throwing the phone chargers away that he had a few of the cell phones the chargers went to in his nightstand. Looks like I will tackle his nightstand tomoorw!
Hannah says
My husband holds on to all our old cell phones in case one of the new ones gets lost or broken. Which has come in handy once or twice. But seriously, we don’t need ALL of the old ones!!! Maybe I can convince him to let the oldest ones go this month.
Kim M says
Don’t forget you can donate old cellphones to an organization like HopeLine for domestic violence victims. Here’s a link to one I found online, but we also have a box set up at our local library, or I’m sure the police station would probably take them too.
Elizabeth says
Went through our file cabinet. Threw out more than 7 old manuals, and various paper work. Also gave away several small toys,.
Amy says
Yesterday I took a bag of things to the AWANA store. I didn’t count how many there were. They were already in the get rid of box, but at least they left the house.
Today I organized some books that a friend is willing to rent for her curriculum next year. They haven’t left the house yet, but there are more than 7 that are designated of how they are getting out of my house!
Kellie Schroeder says
Today I nearly forgot, again! It was a hectic day. Thursday’s always are 😛
Today I am going to rid the house of: key chains from when I was a teenager ( if you look at the pic on my blog you can see George Michael’s face…yes, that was a long, long time ago ;), necklaces, a bracelet, sheet music to The Dance, a bag that I believe is used for unmentionables, and a cassette thingy used for the car to play a portable cd player.
Andrea @the Distracted Housewife.com says
I was surprised how much a little direction can help a distracted mind. I sat down and made a plan for the rest of the month and it made it so much easier to find clutter when I knew I had to declutter a certain area. I actually managed to find 10 items right by our back door and it only took a few minutes to do. Planning makes life so much easier!
Crystal says
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
SharingMom says
I got rid of 2 broken watches and other random jewelry I’ve had since the 80’s (and haven’t worn since then!)
Marilyn Ueno says
Today I attacked my medicine and cosmetic drawers and got rid of eight items. Also threw out two pair of panties….too big. Tomorrow I want to go through clothes for giveaway.
Jennifer says
Haven’t done today yet, but yesterday I took 11 books to the local used bookstore to trade in for credit. They only wanted 7 of them, but I’ll donate the others or trade them on paperbackswap.com.
Linda says
Didn’t have a lot of time today, because I work on Thursday and Friday, so I looked for random things as I went around the house this morning:
1 old binder
shoebox
diffuser to a hair dryer that I probably threw out 5 years ago
5 magazines/catalogs
an old sheet
7 pillowcases/shams
a cloth baby toy
a bunch of expired restaurant/fast food coupons
a tablecloth I bought and never used – going in the yard sale closet
Day 2-Check! This is actually kind of fun, like a game.
Mary Ann says
I went through my jewelry box and got rid of 8 items: 1 necklace, 1 bracelet, 1 necklace charm thing (necklace chain broke about 10 years ago; if I haven’t got a new chain for it by now…) and 5 pair of earrings!
Michelle E. says
I definitely need to tackle our magazines…they’re starting to take over! I’m sure I’ll get to them before the month is over. Loving this challenge so far!
Laura says
DH and I went through two GIGANTIC plastic storage bins marked “cords”. When we moved from our last house into this one, I was terrified to throw anything away because he might come looking for it. I am thrilled to report that at least 50% is being thrown away/donated/recycled and the rest is sorted into small bins by type, waiting to be labeled! I think that qualifies as seven things 🙂
Hannah says
I tried to get my husband to go through his cords/random electronics bin last night, but he would have none of it! He’s really excited about me decluttering my stuff, but his contribution last night was trashing the day’s junk mail. *sigh* He thinks that since his cords and stuff are nicely in a bin and a shoe box they are not clutter and besides, we need this stuff. Oh, well, maybe by the end of the month the rest of the house will look so good he won’t be able to resist!
Maureen says
4 more lawn chairs will be put in the car for hubby to take to work. And I listed a beaded purse on craig’s list. Hopefully it will sell.
Julie says
I’m so bad….
I’ve been getting rid of my 7 things a day, but I’m reading these posts thinking it would be great to have some of these things people are getting rid of!! 🙂 I need no more things!
Anna says
LOL! I know! I saw the cute little white board in Crystal’s post and thought “Oh, I’d like that” — even though I have three white boards! What?!?? But I guess it’s a good reminder that when we get rid of the stuff we don’t need, someone else might enjoy it. So go donate it!
Victoria says
I can’t believe how good of shape those Lego magazines are in. My boys read them until they are falling apart. I am still working my way through my recipe books. Thinking the next hot spot might be some things in our school cupboards.
Amy says
Parting with Lego magazines doesn’t happen in my house yet!
Erin says
Mine, either! Even when tattered to bits! Thinking I might have to pay my son to go through his artwork and magazines. Might just work if I frame it right!
Cammie says
My first day was sort of a cheat day. I had a bag of giveaways that I had meant to donate. I did add a laundry sorter to the pile. The big thing was, I actually did donate them yesterday. That was big for me. Today however, I found 9 items to get fid of. Some old parts to a carpet cleaner that has long been gone and several warranties for items we no longer own 🙂
FMR says
I found two of everything today: 2 dead houseplants, 2 vases worth of dead roses, 2 bags of used clay, 2 sets of used wooden chopsticks (eew), 2 bottles of hot sauce that no one likes (poured around plants to, hopefully, deter deer)
Julie says
Day 2:
An old printer that had broken
2 pampered chef bread tubes
old wire rack
non-working pencil sharpener
chocolate candy maker pot/molds
set of 3 plastic bowls with lids that are never used
Basement looks so much better already! Thank you for the motivation, Crystal.
Anna says
I have Pampered chef bread tubes, and a cookie press. I’ve never used the former, and the latter has seen the kitchen maybe twice? But they’re Pampered Chef! Expensive! Doesn’t that mean I have to keep them? LOL AHHH!
Erica Lynn @ Optimal Health Consultant says
I completely understand. I have so many items like that around my house; too nice to get rid of, but I never use them. I have actually been calling around to family or friends to try and give some of them away to help ease the guilt. LOL. But I do feel great when they are gone.
Erica Lynn @ Optimal Health Consultant says
Well I found 7 clothing items in my daughters drawer that did not fit or were damaged so they were easy to toss out. I liked your idea yesterday to have the kids find things and pay them. My girls would do anything for a coin and they have several pieces of artwork which are they unwilling to part with. It might just coax them to let go.
Misti O. says
I went through a pile on my desk & got rid of way more than 7 items, but it didn’t get rid of it completely.
Amy says
When we had lots of art work around, I used to mail it to Grandma’s and Grandpa’s, Great Aunts and Uncles. My kids were willing to send art work away much more enthusiastically than attempting to throw away.
Heather says
What a great idea! I never thought of passing artwork on to family members…. I’ll have to remember that!
Marie says
I feel great! I went through my closet and dresser and got rid of 57 items. 15 will go straight to the trash and the rest go for yard sale. I had been holding onto some shirts and pants that don’t fit and hoped to loose some weight. But I realized I didn’t love them and by time I loose the weight I deserve something nicer and have time to save money for clothes that will fit the new me!
cher says
My clean out project for the day was my freezers…one upright, one chest, and two above refrigerators…didn’t count what I threw out but several bags of dried out bagels and some VERY freezerburned old fruits & veggies that had gotten burried…but better than what I got rid of was finding every thing I still have to use! Shopping from the freezer this month!
Shelly says
I went through my craft box and found some items that should have been thrown away and not put back into the box. Along with an old cell phone that was wedged under the box.
Sandy says
LOL! I found an old cell phone today too.
laurie olivieri says
threw out 3 sizes ago underwear..lost 35 lbs and I cant wear them anymore…also got rid of all the unmatched socks in the whole house….that was freeing
Sarah says
Kudos on losing the weight! I kept waiting for my kids’ mismatched socks to reappear and was about ready to call it quits and dump them, when I found one half-way under the rubber gasket on our front-load washer. I took a peek and found 29 random socks! 3 of them were from the previous owner of the washer, but the rest were all ours! If you have a front-load, you might want to check there before tossing them. 🙂
Erica Lynn @ Optimal Health Consultant says
I’m amazed to hear that ! 29 found socks, that’s as lucky as winning the lottery!! I have a front loader so I am going to check also!
Crystal says
Oh, the unmatched socks are a good idea!
The Prudent Homemaker says
Socks. . . hmm. . . that sounds like a plan!
CristinaS says
Not doing the 7 items, but a 3 things per day. For me, the number three has been tested and is less stressful.
Crystal says
Three sounds like a good plan!
CristinaS says
I´m a firm believer in small bites 😉
Kim says
I’m starting late, but I am so in! Even if I don’t make it every day in May, there are some areas I really have been needing to declutter and reorganize. This is the first house I have lived in for more than a year (14 months and counting!), in quite some time. It’s weird to get to the point of actually needing to reorganize before it’s time to move again, lol
Jessica says
2 large plastic party sized bowls
pair of boys pajamas
assorted garbage from my older daughter’s room
2 50-packs paper lunch bags
3 bags of buttons
floor puzzle
new cupcake / cake carrier that sat unused in my basement for 3 years (I won it in a contest)
Jaimee says
I am embarrassed to say that I found the source of a bad smell sorting out my stuff. A sippy cup that rolled under the sofa!
Crystal says
Too funny! 🙂
Ellen says
Don’t be embarrassed — it’s happened to the best of us! 🙂
Amy says
We had one of those one time that we found behind the tv. Stinky!!
Sharla says
I think all moms have experienced finding the rotting sippy cup at one point in time or another!
Hannah says
Oh yes!!
Kim M says
Too funny.. I just recently found one of those culprits that rolled way under one of the seats in my car. That has to be one of the worst smells in mom-land!
Donna B says
I asked the kids to join me in the challenge today….although I didn’t really tell them why.
My 9 yr ols daughter brought me 11 things after being asked for 7.
My 8 yr old son brought me 8 things after being asked for 7.
I started deep cleaning my bathroom today & so far I am up to 15 things to throw away/donate!!!!
cheranne says
I actually did this challenge for today in just a few minutes…random stuff but it felt good to let it go!
1. A yarn basket 2. An empty jewelry box ( recycled to craft pile) 3. A broken toy ( trash) 4. An annoying toy ( donated) 5. A cuoboard full of old receipts 6. A bag from a subway kids meal(repurposed. It now holds my clothespins) 7. The pile of weekly circulars from last week. 8. An umbrella stroller (donated)
I cant wait for tomorrow!
Kara says
Went through my jewelry box today and it yielded some great results!! I get a lot of jewelry as gifts I feel like, but with such sensitive skin, I have never been in the habit of wearing any jewelry besides the occasional stud earrings. Anyway, got rid of 14 necklaces, a few pairs of earrings, 4 bracelets, a small jewelry holder, a pendant, and some charms. My jewelry box is feeling much lighter. Plus, I organized the whole thing and tossed mismatched earrings and found lots of those elusive backs I am always searching for 🙂
Marie says
if any of the jewelry is gold try taking it to a reputable gold place for money. They will take it even if it’s broken or missing one earring etc.
Kristin says
I definitely second this. I was able to sell a ton of what I considered not great jewelry. I expected to get around $200 but got closer to $800 actually. It was wonderful at a time when I really needed the money. They price it based on karat and weight… my 28K was more than my 18K. 🙂
deborah says
I have a pile of stuff in the closet under our stairs that I need to dig out, box up and take to the consignment store or to Goodwill. I toss everything in there and it’s out of the way and so I ignore it. I keep a recycle container in the garage for magazines. Old magazines get “filed” there-sometimes straight from the mailbox-and hauled to the recycling center when it gets full!
It is amazing the odds and ends that make their appearance at times and leave me wondering why I’m still hanging on to this! 🙂
Ann says
I’ve been working on our clothes clutter today. With three girls and a mother-in-law who loves to shop, we have more clothes than the mall! I threw away 5 garments that were too badly stained for anything else; I took one bag to Goodwill; I have another bag waiting to go to a friend’s little girl tomorrow; and I have a small stack of some things that I will list on eBay tomorrow morning!
Thanks for this challenge! My house is just overflowing with clutter and this helps me to just start instead of being overwhelmed.
Kate says
Goodwill usually accepts damaged clothing to sell to textile recyclers; the money goes to their community programs. Also, many animal shelters use stained, torn, or worn-out towels and sheets for cleaning, bedding, or even toys.
Hannah says
Good to know! I will have to check into that!
Kim M says
thank you for reminding me of the animal shelters!! i have more than a few towels that are beyond use anymore!
Anna says
I went through my mags yesterday. Found out that my church will take the mags for the yard sale.
Monica says
Seriously?! I was going through my stack yesterday. I got rid of two and I plan on finishing that challenge tonight. =) Perfect timing!