What Do You Accumulate?
*What does a quilt have to do with the word accumulate? You'll find out at the end of the post.*
The #FiveMinuteFriday word for the week is accumulate. Raise your hand if you're good at accumulating stuff. I confess, I am guilty. Though not all the clutter I find in and around my house is of my own doing.
Still, as I sit here and look around, I see books overflowing the shelves, games and videos spilling out of the cabinet. To the side is a collection of stuff to go to recycling…. Someday….
It would be easy to complain about it all, but that never turns out well. It seems I look at all the clutter at once throughout the house, and then I just want to give up. But that's not a good way to be either.
No, I can't clean it all at once, but I can take baby steps. Yet sometimes even that seems hard. I think the best thing to do is to set aside a few minutes per day, focusing on one small area, and then work each day until that area is clean.
It sounds easy, right? But it's not easy. Often, the hardest thing is just getting started.
Today, I decided to take some steps and I cleared just one small area of the kitchen. It looks so much better that it makes me want to keep going.
My five minutes are up now, and maybe that's a good thing. Time to stop writing and think of ways to declutter. Balancing everyday life with its routines, interruptions, limits of time and abilities seems enough in itself without adding something as mundane as going through clutter and carting it away. Yet, it is something that needs to be done.
How about you? What are your best solutions for ridding your house of clutter? I'd love to know your thoughts.
I'm linking up with: #FiveMinuteFriday.
*The quilt shown in the photo was made by my mom, who accumulated some of my grandma's old dresses and turned them into a big quilt of memories for me.
I love the picture of the quilt, Gayl! It really isn't easy to sort thru and decide what should be kept or what should be donated or tossed. But you are right, every little bit makes a difference. Blessings to you today dear friend!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bettie! Your encouragement means a lot! Blessings to you! xoxo
DeleteMy decluttering strategy is this: There's best way to get motivated to declutter is simply to just START. Pick up one item and decide what you're doing with it. Then, move on to the next. Pretty soon, you're accomplishing what started out as something you thought was impossible.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for that advice and encouragement, dear Peggi! Blessings to you! xoxo
DeleteTo rid my house of clutter
ReplyDeleteI simply look away,
and these words I utter,
"Perhaps another day."
But really I must now admit
that things I might have tossed
when it all came down to it
were better off not lost,
and now they see a second life,
perhaps one unintended.
I think that the sharp pruning knife,
while it can be defended,
should be used on cluttered rooms with care
for riches may be hiding there.
I love it, Andrew! You continue to amaze me, and yes, you are right, there may be riches hiding among the clutter. :) Blessings to you!
DeleteSetting a timer works for me.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great idea! Then when it goes off, I should just stop and do more the next day! :) Blessings to you!
DeleteI have no good advice. I'm agreeing too much with Andrew. I
ReplyDelete