While we don’t have a whole lot of clutter, I know that there is still room to be had by paring down stuff to what’s useful or beautiful. But the hard part is deciding that something’s not useful anymore, or doesn’t add beauty to my home. It’s the letting go that is the challenge. But I’m determined to go ahead with this. So here’s my update of where I am so far in my decluttering efforts:

Day 15 – stack of old Parenting magazines, from 2004 – 2007
Day 16 – 3 more refrigerator magnets
Day 17 – half-consumed and expired box of cereal
Day 18 – crumpled cellophane sheet I’ve been “saving” for a craft
Day 19 – already-past invitation to a birthday party
Day 20 – 3 library books I’ve kept renewing but never read
Day 21 – a handful of sheets of my children’s scribbles (not drawings, just scribbles)

To see what I’ve thrown out on the first 14 days,

Decluttering Challenge: Days 2-4

Decluttering Challenge: Days 5-13

Decluttering Challenge: Day 14

Post from: Keeping the Castle

Here’s how I did over the past days:

Day 5 – Two really dirty old rags thrown away for good

Day 6 – Threw away a bag of potpourri that is past its fragrant stage

Day 7 – Threw away three promotional refrigerator magnets from different stores

Day 8 – A bag of clothes taken to the dry cleaners

Day 9 – Given away 2 skirts I’ve overgrown

Day 10 – Threw away pieces of a broken Slinky toy

Day 11 – 1 more shirt for the Morsbag pile

Day 12 – Freecycled a broken bicycle

Day 13 (today) – Five sample cans of baby formula, donated to a mother-baby charity group

Post from: Keeping the Castle