Since July was a No Spend Month, I though we’d focus on something new for the month of August. We’re still going to keep an eye on the budget, but I need to think about something else for awhile.
Maybe the distraction will help me spend less? I’ll let you know. 🙂
Clutter cramps my style
I loathe clutter. To me it’s just more stuff to put away, pay attention to, or clean. I would much rather have less stuff so I can spend more time gardening, reading, writing, or hanging out with the family.
Learn more: 4 Tips For Green Decluttering
Found money
Clutter also represents wasted money. I work occasionally as a professional organizer. Whenever I clean my own home, or someone else’s home we literally find money. While cleaning out my coat closet I found 3 overdue library books. I’ll return them so we don’t have to pay $75.50 to replace them.
I once worked with a client who found several hundred dollars in gift cards, savings bonds, and some important tax documents. Another time it was $80 stuffed in a coat pocket.
Beyond that though you may find things which are sellable, and net a tidy profit from a few hours of decluttering. At the very least you can get the value of the items and take a tax deduction.
Learn more: Sell it, Give it away, or Donate it?
The declutter challenge
I’m calling August’s challenge 5 a day to keep the clutter away.
The guidelines are simple.
- Find 5 things a day that you can get rid of. Size doesn’t matter. It could be a spoonrest or an entire wardrobe.
- Put them in a box/bag/bin in an out of the way area (your garage, laundry room, a closet)
- At the end of each week or the month depending on your storage space, trash, give away or donate all the items
- If you find something that indeed is sale-worthy you have the month to sell it. If by the end of August it’s still in your box, it goes, and you get a nice tax write-off.
Learn more: Clear The Clutter From Your Closet
Options for getting rid of your items include:
- Goodwill/Salvation Army/other charities
- Consider a local domestic violence shelter for toys/kid’s clothing
- Craig’s List (free or for sale)
- Freecycle
- Ebay
- Be creative! Maybe you have a friend who could use your old lawnmower, or you create a neighborhood swap.
By the end of the month you should have 155 things to go. Take a photo of it and send it to me via email, or you can tweet my using #5/clutteraway.
I find that most people have issues letting things go for one reason or another, and I’m happy to help you work through yours. Let me know in the comments what your biggest struggles are with stuff.
Looking forward to hearing what you think, and keeping clutter away with you! My house needs it!
Kelly
LOL. I’m not following you, but now I will!
Glad you are participating.
I already have over 150 things, but I’m still aiming for 5 a day. I think it’ll be EASY.
LOL. I’m not following you, but now I will!
Glad you are participating.
I already have over 150 things, but I’m still aiming for 5 a day. I think it’ll be EASY.
Amelia says
My partner and I are doing it. Between the two of us that’s over 300 things that will be gone by the end of August. ROCK!
Amelia says
My partner and I are doing it. Between the two of us that’s over 300 things that will be gone by the end of August. ROCK!
Jason Wier says
Are you following me? Not in a blog type of way either? June was my no spend month and in July we started decluttering. We will see what next month is for you, I am not telling you mine. BTW, I would love to take up your 5/day challenge as we have more “STUFF” to rid our selves of.
Jason Wier says
Are you following me? Not in a blog type of way either? June was my no spend month and in July we started decluttering. We will see what next month is for you, I am not telling you mine. BTW, I would love to take up your 5/day challenge as we have more “STUFF” to rid our selves of.
Kelly says
Leigh, I’ll be away for a week as well, so I’m just adding the extra stuff (35 things) to my first week. I already have enough for the month, but I’m going to do it daily as well. We just have too much stuff!
Carol, thanks! What a great gift to yourself. I’d love to hear how you make out selling things. I have a few items I want to sell as well, we’ll see how that goes. 🙂
Glad you are joining in Brittany and Jenni! Good luck!
Kelly says
Leigh, I’ll be away for a week as well, so I’m just adding the extra stuff (35 things) to my first week. I already have enough for the month, but I’m going to do it daily as well. We just have too much stuff!
Carol, thanks! What a great gift to yourself. I’d love to hear how you make out selling things. I have a few items I want to sell as well, we’ll see how that goes. 🙂
Glad you are joining in Brittany and Jenni! Good luck!
jenni says
my boyfriend and i are in. great idea!
jenni says
my boyfriend and i are in. great idea!
Brittany says
Count me in!!
This will be empowering!!
Thank you
Brittany says
Count me in!!
This will be empowering!!
Thank you
Leigh says
Count me in! I’m traveling a good bit in August, but I’ll aim for every day I’m home.
Carol Ann Wiley says
What a great article about a great undertaking for the month of August. I think that it would be great to find some stashed away cash or gift cards; unfortunately I think that I have rediscovered all of that I had “saved” for later. But I love the idea of taking all the extra “stuff” that I no longer want or need and trying to find a good owner of it on eBay or Craigslist.
I will be doing just that during the month as August is my birthday month; so this will be my birthday present to myself! Thank you.
I would also like offer this suggestion on my Squidoo lens http://www.squidoo.com/declutter-your-life I will of course provide my readers with a link to your site. I’m also sure that there is a re-tweet in here.
Carol Ann Wiley says
What a great article about a great undertaking for the month of August. I think that it would be great to find some stashed away cash or gift cards; unfortunately I think that I have rediscovered all of that I had “saved” for later. But I love the idea of taking all the extra “stuff” that I no longer want or need and trying to find a good owner of it on eBay or Craigslist.
I will be doing just that during the month as August is my birthday month; so this will be my birthday present to myself! Thank you.
I would also like offer this suggestion on my Squidoo lens http://www.squidoo.com/declutter-your-life I will of course provide my readers with a link to your site. I’m also sure that there is a re-tweet in here.
Leigh says
Count me in! I’m traveling a good bit in August, but I’ll aim for every day I’m home.