This week I checked off:

• the living room
• the dining room

I purged paper one day. And I entered loads of receipts into an expense notebook that I am trying to keep up with this year instead of using Quicken.

I also bagged and boxed stuff that we had already decided to get rid of that was still lying around the house. I dropped it off at the Salvation Army and felt a little lighter.

This was week three of the Uncluttered course. The assignment was to declutter your vehicle (which I did), and the main living areas such as the living room, dining room, sunroom, etc. The only thing I’m getting rid of in the living room is a large landscape painting we had hanging for about twelve years. I don’t really like how it looks with our new furniture. I’m testing out the Order picture (which I love) that was hanging in the foyer. I’m not sure if I’ll keep it in here yet. I’ll give it some time.

I tested many things above the loveseat, but haven’t found anything satisfactory yet. I’m bummed that Joseph will not allow me to hang his Harvey portrait in the living room. In fact, he won’t even allow me to post a picture of it here.  Joseph played Elwood P. Dowd in his high school’s production of Harvey.  His art teacher created a fake painting of Elwood (with Joseph’s face) and the rabbit, Harvey.  I laughed when Joseph, in character, hung the “painting” above his mantle on stage, and I’d love to see it daily, but no…  so Lego Harry Potter 7 is up there temporarily to make me chuckle for a couple of weeks.

That throw pillow has moved up to Rachel’s bed.  And speaking of moving things around…

Yesterday, I listened to Joshua Becker’s Uncluttered webinar. In it, he talked to the people who were organizing and moving things from room to room, but not really getting rid of much. That’s me!  I know I’ve been decluttering for years, so I’m not going to have as much to purge as someone just starting out, but truthfully, in certain areas in my home, that is what I am doing.  For example, in the school room, it is easier to reorganize all of the extra curriculum, art and craft supplies, etc. then to let them go and trust that we’ll be OK without them. I’m talking about all of those items in my home that I’m not using and I’m keeping just in case. “I might need them someday.”

Joshua said organizing is always temporary. You organize one day, only to organize again another day. Minimizing, getting rid of stuff, is always permanent.  He added some more motivators. Organizing doesn’t help anyone else. (i.e. donate)  And organizing doesn’t force self-reflection. This is so true.  I have reflected a lot over the years on the stuff I have gotten rid of, and this doesn’t happen when you move it around avoiding dealing with the hard questions and truths about yourself.

Here are some more notes I took during the webinar that will help me as I get back to work on my checklist today:

1. Do I really need this?
2. Do I really use it?
3. Why do I have this?
4. Minimize first, before organizing and thinking about storage.

And lastly, I’ve added some deadlines to my checklist.  I think they are realistic, but I’m hoping I’ll finish most of them before their deadline dates.  I’ll post my progress soon.