Platt Discovery Cottage

Clutter, clutter everywhere…

January 24th, 2010

…and not a spot to think!

We are in the process of de-cluttering (yes, again) and touching up the house.  This post could not have been more timely.

I had the goal of finishing the entire house by the end of January.  However, I’ve not even started.  We had a handyman come in to do some work and he’s been here all month.  It would appear my house is somewhat of a Pandora’s box.  Or our handyman is just a black cloud in that everything he touches falls apart.   Really.  For example, he was rinsing off his paint brushes in the laundry room tub.  I was standing talking to him so I know there was no funny business going on.  However, all of a sudden there’s an inch of water on the laundry room floor - the sink had sprung a leak.  It’s been like this with every task we’ve given him.  For most misfortunes it was a matter of time and it just happened while he was here, which is a positive thing.  At least that’s how I’m choosing to look at it.

I’ll post photos room by room as I get underway in the clean out of 2010.  I’m just waiting for the handiman to move out.  There is such visual clutter here, I can hardly think.   I plan to get rid of so much ’stuff’.  Really, we just have way too much.

I really liked Gretchen’s post since it made me realise I’m not alone!  I also have a coat-hanging up problem.  We have a babygate close to the front door, at the entrance to the living room.  It’s to keep the dogs out - not the kids.  I tend to put my coat over the gate rather than hang it up.  If we ever remove the gate, I’ll be forced to hang my coat up on a regular basis.

The post has as one of the 27 tips to make your bed every day.  It supposedly makes people happy.  I can see it being so in the fact that it’s a small task that’s fast to complete and makes an initial tick on the daily to-do list.  It’s also really, really easy.

I adopted this immediately.  My husband is really good at making the bed (it feels like a big fluffy hotel bed when I get into it after he’s made it), but I’m in it when he leaves for work, so he doesn’t.  He will when he gets home, but I thought I’d put in on my list of daily activities.  I was explaining this to a friend of mine a few days into it and she asked “and how’s that working for you?’.  I was honest - I hate making the bed.  It all came back to me why it stays unmade until Colin gets home.  I hate to do it.

However, I’ve persevered and I do it every morning as a matter of habit now.  I don’t enjoy it and often roll my eyes at the start of the task, but honestly, it does make me just a tiny bit more cheery.  When I pass the bedroom door during the day, the room looks nice and neat.  Before, it looked like an unmade bed.  So, does it make me happier?  I have to very sourly admit it does. 

Here is a photo of one of the beds (we only have two) that I make daily:

What are some of your decluttering tips?

Enjoying the journey,  Amanda

Entry Filed under: This N That