It is Week 3 in Carla’s, @ My 1/2 Dozen Daily’s, Decluttering Challenge. This week was meant to be all about being productive…to be honest, I haven’t been all that productive.
A sinus infection, brought on by all the dust raising from my decluttering, slowed me down. Added to that, I was prepping for our weekend away visiting my brother’s family for Family Day Weekend. Being away for the weekend took up a good chunk of my time.
Excuses aside, I was left with yesterday to pull it all off.
My goal was to have reviewed and organized the many magazines, recipes, and bits of information I have collected over the years. Ultimately, creating an organized filing system for easy access that will assist me in my research for yummy recipes and useful information to share with my family and others.
The starting point was all the newspaper and magazine clippings seen here in the forefront. The piles of magazines that I have scavenged from various nooks and crannies in my house will eventually be tackled.
This will obviously take more than a day to accomplish…it may need to be carried over into Week 4…perhaps March?
I am pleased with the fact that I have at least initiated the decluttering process. Sometimes that is the hardest part of all…just getting started. Once started…’the ball just keeps on rolling!’
A stop at the Dollar Store to pick up some essentials for organizing and filing recipes/information.
I also purchased some products from Martha Stewart’s new Home Office line…a small red binder, paper dividers, secure-top sheet protectors for my recipe cards, and a zipper pouch to keep go-to information. The red bordered labels are from the Dollar Store.
With all that…I got started on the piles. It was quite fun, reviewing recipes and articles I had clipped.
I even stumbled upon some recipe clippings dating back to 1991! Shocking…and a little embarrassing! To think I have left it for this long untouched…oh my!
At the end of the evening, this is the pile I created for the recycling bin. A good start!
I also managed to get started filing some of my posted recipes into my little red binder.
I am thinking of getting another little binder for the recipes I have adapted but not yet posted.
The other 8 pocket folders will hold recipes that I want to adapt for future posts.
Carla @ My 1/2 Dozen Daily, commented on her Productivity post, the cost of having to get organized. She cleverly cut her costs by making her organizing tools. Very creative indeed!
I like to think the combo of my Dollar Store finds help to offset my splurges on the Martha Stewart line.
Mini Challenge: to help someone.
As this was meant to be a simple challenge and I was short on time, my mini challenge was fulfilled by helping my son with his course selections for Grade 11. He is taking the Specialist Highschool Major in Business next year that his high school offers. It’s a great opportunity for him to learn more about what a Business Degree offers in the line of jobs and to have some hands on experience in the field. It includes a Cooperative Education Program.
Update on Mini Challenge: On my morning run, I had to be careful of the thin patches of black ice. Our beautiful sunny day is a bit deceiving! As I was waiting at a busy intersection, an elderly gentleman walking with walker turned in the opposite direction to where I was about to run. I often see him out for his morning walk…we smile and say hello. Without even thinking, as soon as the lights changed, I ran up from behind him, careful not to alarm him. I warned him of the shiny patches on the sidewalk…he was ever so grateful! I do hope he makes it back to his retirement home safely!
Week 4: The Dreaded Challenge: I will be clearing out all the drawers in the guest bedroom in order to move the furniture into Michael’s room. His furniture will be divided between the Matthew’s (desk) and the guest room (twin beds, side table and set of drawers).
I hope I haven’t gone in over my head with this challenge! I think I may have underestimated the amount of time I will need to completely fulfill my goals.
There is no time to waste…I better get going!
P.S. As I pursue my goal of decluttering my magazine and clippings clutter, I seem to be discovering new decluttering projects. It is like I am seeing my home with new ‘decluttering eyes’!
P.P.S. I have discovered 4 pairs of pants that hang in my closet I never wear due to the fact that they need hemming. Turning the coat hangers back to front really does make you look at your wardrobe in a new light!
Question: Do you find you turn a ‘blind eye’ to all your clutter…hiding it in places, making it invisible?
