Declutter!
I've just spent the last two weeks reading through a 500 page forum thread about decluttering, that's been running for around 3 years.
It's amazing how inspiring such things can be. 20 minutes of watching tv programs about hoarders, or just reading about what other people have done, and I get this twitching need to clean.
I really don't mind, though, as I am in the process of planning to move out some time in the next 6 months. And yes, that sentance is very wishywashy, but let me put it this way: if it were solely up to me, I'd be looking for somewhere to move out to in the next month. Unfortunately, it is NOT just up to me, and financially my mother needs me at home, helping out and paying significant amounts of board at present.
But, because it is on the cards, I've been working through my room, decluttering years worth of stuff that I've accumulated, since when I do move, I want to start over, rather than take my childhood bedroom with me.
Stuff I've gone through:
My bookshelves. I've been as ruthlessly decluttering my bookshelves as I can manage. Of course, that would be 'ruthless' as 'wavered back and forth, then removed a small handful of books I never intend to read again and actively did not like'. Seriously, it was mostly duplicates from $1 book sales that went, plus a couple of books from school that I am amazed survived past the Year 12 declutter (Steinbeck? WTF were you still doing on my bookshelf? Plus my Shakespeares, since if I'm in the mood, GUTENBURG HAS THEM ALL)
My desk drawer. This one is still problematic, but most of the stuff in there I use, and now all my christmas cards are stashed together so I can use as many up this year as possible.
My wardrobe. This one happens annually anyway, since I'm a firm believer in "if you haven't worn it since last review, you don't need it".
My boxes under the roof. All my ancillary storage: pulled out, examined, and downsized from four big boxes and two small ones to one big, one small. I could probably go further, but I don't feel comfortable doing that right now.
My bedside table drawers. These will never be fully done. My top drawer has been my knicknack drawer my entire life. It's significantly whittled down, but still, where else do you keep tiny clutches, head lamps, glow in the dark glow worms from childhood, the current knitting project and snowboard wax? (Just a sampling)
My filing box. Gone through, sorted out, 15 years of bank statements taken to work and shoved in the secure documents bin. This is now under control.
My little storage chest of drawers. Ideally I need to remove this altogether, but it holds things that have no other home. It has 6 drawers. Only 4 are occupied at present. One is my sewing kit drawer, one has all Tigger's dress ups in it, one has my origami paper, and the last I'm currently sorting through. I just found all my 21st cards. I don't think I need them any more, really. It also has an Ikea allen key, two rulers and my fabric scissors. I think I seriously want/need... the fabric scissors. And the allen key. The allen key can go in my tool kit, though.
My bathroom drawer. Satisfyingly done. Though I chucked the container of nail polish remover that had about a ml left in it... and my sister went looking for it the next day. Oh well. She bought her own.
My pin board. I've had a pinboard since primary school. For the last 4-5 years it's held my calendar and a bunch of random printouts. Most of the stuff on it had been there for at least 5 years, if not more (quotes from Terry Pratchett, pretty cards, scraps of fabric). It was huge and it wasn't doing anything. It's now all gone.
The linen closet. Not 'mine' in particular, but as it's right beside my bedroom I pulled everything out, refolded it, sorted it, and put it back in neatly. It looks so gorgeous currently!
I'm starting to hit a wall. I need to go through a few more old boxes of mostly postcards, and I need to read my way through my to-read pile on my bedside table. It's 18 books strong. I have been decreasing it, making myself promise to read two books for every new one I buy, but it still takes some effort, since for some of the books there are reasons why I hadn't got back to the book when distracted by something newer and shinier.
It's amazing how inspiring such things can be. 20 minutes of watching tv programs about hoarders, or just reading about what other people have done, and I get this twitching need to clean.
I really don't mind, though, as I am in the process of planning to move out some time in the next 6 months. And yes, that sentance is very wishywashy, but let me put it this way: if it were solely up to me, I'd be looking for somewhere to move out to in the next month. Unfortunately, it is NOT just up to me, and financially my mother needs me at home, helping out and paying significant amounts of board at present.
But, because it is on the cards, I've been working through my room, decluttering years worth of stuff that I've accumulated, since when I do move, I want to start over, rather than take my childhood bedroom with me.
Stuff I've gone through:
My bookshelves. I've been as ruthlessly decluttering my bookshelves as I can manage. Of course, that would be 'ruthless' as 'wavered back and forth, then removed a small handful of books I never intend to read again and actively did not like'. Seriously, it was mostly duplicates from $1 book sales that went, plus a couple of books from school that I am amazed survived past the Year 12 declutter (Steinbeck? WTF were you still doing on my bookshelf? Plus my Shakespeares, since if I'm in the mood, GUTENBURG HAS THEM ALL)
My desk drawer. This one is still problematic, but most of the stuff in there I use, and now all my christmas cards are stashed together so I can use as many up this year as possible.
My wardrobe. This one happens annually anyway, since I'm a firm believer in "if you haven't worn it since last review, you don't need it".
My boxes under the roof. All my ancillary storage: pulled out, examined, and downsized from four big boxes and two small ones to one big, one small. I could probably go further, but I don't feel comfortable doing that right now.
My bedside table drawers. These will never be fully done. My top drawer has been my knicknack drawer my entire life. It's significantly whittled down, but still, where else do you keep tiny clutches, head lamps, glow in the dark glow worms from childhood, the current knitting project and snowboard wax? (Just a sampling)
My filing box. Gone through, sorted out, 15 years of bank statements taken to work and shoved in the secure documents bin. This is now under control.
My little storage chest of drawers. Ideally I need to remove this altogether, but it holds things that have no other home. It has 6 drawers. Only 4 are occupied at present. One is my sewing kit drawer, one has all Tigger's dress ups in it, one has my origami paper, and the last I'm currently sorting through. I just found all my 21st cards. I don't think I need them any more, really. It also has an Ikea allen key, two rulers and my fabric scissors. I think I seriously want/need... the fabric scissors. And the allen key. The allen key can go in my tool kit, though.
My bathroom drawer. Satisfyingly done. Though I chucked the container of nail polish remover that had about a ml left in it... and my sister went looking for it the next day. Oh well. She bought her own.
My pin board. I've had a pinboard since primary school. For the last 4-5 years it's held my calendar and a bunch of random printouts. Most of the stuff on it had been there for at least 5 years, if not more (quotes from Terry Pratchett, pretty cards, scraps of fabric). It was huge and it wasn't doing anything. It's now all gone.
The linen closet. Not 'mine' in particular, but as it's right beside my bedroom I pulled everything out, refolded it, sorted it, and put it back in neatly. It looks so gorgeous currently!
I'm starting to hit a wall. I need to go through a few more old boxes of mostly postcards, and I need to read my way through my to-read pile on my bedside table. It's 18 books strong. I have been decreasing it, making myself promise to read two books for every new one I buy, but it still takes some effort, since for some of the books there are reasons why I hadn't got back to the book when distracted by something newer and shinier.