Life without Wincing: My Decluttering Challenge Results

Decluttering Your Home:
for a Life without Wincing

Earlier in the week, I told you that the goal for decluttering your home is to get rid of the wince. And I offered a free printable decluttering tips checklist to get you started with at least one space in your home, encouraging you to join the decluttering challenge starting that day and have some company as you tackled your scariest space.

Well, I chose a corner of my room where a mess grew right after we moved a bookcase out of it, placing it somewhere else. Everything that got left behind, ended up on the floor, making a mess.

It certainly made me wince, but I didn't do anything about it for longer than I care to admit. I was actually pretty excited about the challenge, because I tell you, the buddy system has always worked well for me.

But I felt like I really had my work cut out for me. Not only did I need to get everything off the floor, I had to find new homes for it all. I couldn't just shove it all in a bag and hide it behind something. Mmhmm, I've done it.

This time, though, I wanted to commit to finding a new home for everything and clearing the space. Read on to find out how it went.

But first, I just want to remind you that if you want some expert help in decluttering your home, the free decluttering challenge is available for the rest of the day, today.

Last Chance: Free Decluttering Challenge

Today is the final day for the free decluttering challenge.

Decluttering guide, Dana White, author of Decluttering at the Speed of Life is offering a video, workbook and challenge to help you tackle the room or spot you are most afraid of, so you can finally get rid of the wince. But today is the last day she is offering the challenge, so get it now.

I'm offering a checklist, too, for getting started with decluttering without feeling overwhelmed. Click on either highlighted link to join us in the challenge.

I have been participating since the challenge began on the 23rd, and I'm going to reveal what I've got to show for it. But first, get a look at the scary space I had to deal with this week...

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From Scary Corner to Queen of All I Survey

I know - it's dark and blurry!! But trust me, you're better off not seeing it clearly. It's a corner of the room with a wicker chair, and that bunch of stuff I mentioned that got dumped on the floor.

Where was it all going to go? Here are the 5 steps I took to get rid of the wince...

(1) I threw away a lot of the paper, envelopes, etc. and put the ones I wanted to keep into a folder where I was already keeping notes and other things I wanted to save. That folder now lives on my desk.

(2) The lamps have a new home in my storage unit. At some point, I will move and then, will use them and find a new home for them there.

One of my criteria for keeping things was that I'd have to buy replacements for them if I got rid if them. I don't want to have to buy new lamps, so I kept them, even though I don't need them right now.

The other things on the floor were either thrown away or moved to a new home. So there is nothing in my room, now, that doesn't belong. It has been completely decluttered!

(3) I moved the wicker chair to a bigger wall, and moved the desk into that corner, and I love the way it changed the way they both look in the room.

I've never thought of the chair that way before, but it feels like a chair fit for a queen, now that it's in its new home...

I am so happy I took the challenge and decluttered my room. I got inspired to declutter my closet, too, by the way. Bonus!

And everything I learned from doing the challenge made it so easy, including the part I teach with my checklist.

I didn't feel overwhelmed at all. It was kind of exciting, actually.

Have you signed up for the challenge, yet? Or chosen a room to work on, once you are ready to start decluttering your home?

See you tomorrow!

Love, Jeanine