Week 6 - Challenge Wrap-Up {Net Zero Clutter Challenge 2016}

It's the end of the month! And the end of the #NetZeroClutter challenge. How did you do?  Did you feel overwhelmed during the month with all the stuff that entered your home? Did your decluttering help you enjoy this festive time of year?

Each week this month I shared decluttering tips and ideas to help you declutter a different area of your home.  Hopefully you found them helpful and you're ending the month with the same number of items in your home (or maybe even less!) than what you started the month with!

This week is a chance for you to look at your overall numbers and see how you did! Even if you didn't keep track, I'm sure you can feel the difference decluttering made :)

Week 5 - Post-Holiday and Storage {Net Zero Clutter Challenge 2016}

Do you feel overwhelmed during the month of December with all the stuff that enters your home? It makes it hard to enjoy this festive time of year.

Yesterday was a big day for items coming into our homes and you might be feeling overwhelmed today as you step over and around all the new gifts and empty boxes. If you've been decluttering all month, you should have space to put those items away into their new "homes". But even if you haven't decluttered earlier in the month, there's still time to do some decluttering to make room for all the new stuff :)

I've found that when I declutter it really helps me feel less overwhelmed and I can enjoy Christmas much more.  Will you join me in the Net Zero Decluttering Challenge this year?

Each week I've been sharing decluttering tips and ideas to help you declutter a different area of your home.  The idea is that you'll end the month with the same number of items in your home (or maybe even less!) than what you started the month with. If you're just joining in, work on decluttering the same number of items as you just received.

This week I'm sharing tips for decluttering your post-holiday items and storage areas.

Merry Christmas 2016!

Yay! It's Christmas!  There's always so much build-up to this big day, and I love seeing everything come together. Being organized and doing as much as I can definitely helps with that :)  That way when unexpected things come up or changes in our lives that make it hard to do things the way we usually do I can roll with the punches.

We'll be spending Christmas morning at home with just the four of us initially and then my parents will be joining us for brunch.  Then we head to my in-laws for the rest of the day to celebrate with them.  We also join my extended family for dinner on Boxing Day. So since I won't have much time to fit blogging in, I wanted to take the opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas and I thought I'd give you a peek at how we've already been celebrating Christmas!

Making Lists: Tips from 25+ Professional Organizers!

Once again, I'm so excited to be included in this month's Professional Organizers Blog Carnival!

What is the Professional Organizers Blog Carnival?  It's a monthly blog post that professional organizers contribute to.  Each month is a different theme and includes posts related to that topic from several professional organizers.  It's a great place to find advice, ideas, and tips for the theme of the month.

This month is all about making lists.  I LOVE lists!  I make them for so many things in my life... to do lists, packing lists, grocery lists, gift-giving lists, inventory lists, and on and on :)  They help me keep things from falling through the cracks because I honestly can only remember so many things in my brain, and if I don't write important things down there's a chance I will forget them.

Check out all the tips in this post and find the ones that will help you make lists that will help you stay organized!

Week 4 - Living Areas {Net Zero Clutter Challenge 2016}

Do you feel overwhelmed during the month of December with all the stuff that enters your home? It makes it hard to enjoy this festive time of year.

If you're entertaining at all over the holidays you'll want your main living areas to be clutter-free so you have space for your guests to enjoy themselves. Rooms like your living room, family room, dining room, and entry / hallway.  If you're having guests stay with you during the holidays, this would be a good time to declutter the guest room too.

I've found that when I declutter throughout the month it really helps me feel less overwhelmed and I can enjoy Christmas much more.  Will you join me in the Net Zero Decluttering Challenge this year?

Each week I'll share decluttering tips and ideas to help you declutter a different area of your home.  If you do that, you can end the month with the same number of items in your home (or maybe even less!) than what you started the month with.

This week I'm sharing tips for decluttering your living areas.

Week 3 - Kitchen Items {Net Zero Clutter Challenge 2016}

Do you feel overwhelmed during the month of December with all the stuff that enters your home? It makes it hard to enjoy this festive time of year.

Kitchens can also feel really cluttered when we're spending so much time with holiday baking, entertaining, and preparing holiday meals.

I've found that when I declutter throughout the month it really helps me feel less overwhelmed and I can enjoy Christmas much more.  Will you join me in the Net Zero Decluttering Challenge this year?

Each week I'll share decluttering tips and ideas to help you declutter a different area of your home.  If you do that, you can end the month with the same number of items in your home (or maybe even less!) than what you started the month with.

This week I'm sharing tips for decluttering your kitchen.

Week 2 - Kids' Items {Net Zero Clutter Challenge 2016}

Do you feel overwhelmed during the month of December with all the stuff that enters your home? It makes it hard to enjoy this festive time of year.

I've found that when I declutter throughout the month it really helps me feel less overwhelmed.  Will you join me in the Net Zero Decluttering Challenge this year?

This week I'm sharing tips for decluttering your kids' items!

Week 1 - Introduction and Holiday Items {Net Zero Clutter Challenge 2016}

Do you feel overwhelmed during the month of December with all the stuff that enters your home? It makes it hard to enjoy this otherwise wonderful time of year.

I've found that when I declutter throughout the month it really helps me feel less overwhelmed and I can enjoy Christmas much more.  Will you join the Net Zero Decluttering Challenge this year?

15+ Clutter-Free Gift Ideas {Including Black Friday Deals!}

I know there are a million deal blogs out there and your inbox is probably overflowing with details of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales! And as you know, I'm not a deal site. I generally don't even really like the idea of big sales because it makes people want to buy things they don't actually need, which means those items become clutter that has to be dealt with later. If you've been around here any length of time you know I'm not a fan of clutter :)

But, I wanted to share some sales and deals for items that you or the people you give them to will actually use. So... not clutter! Hopefully this post will help you save money and be a thoughtful giver this holiday season.

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you buy an item after clicking any of them {at no additional cost to you}. This helps cover the expenses of running this blog and enables me to share free content with you all year long. Thanks for making that possible!

Note: I'll update this post as I come across more deals so keep checking back. Also, the details of each sale vary and are accurate as of the time of publication.  But make sure you read the website carefully before buying in case the offer listed here has expired.

OK, on to the clutter-free gift ideas!

Click the pictures for all the details or to buy any of these items.

Update November 28th: I've updated this post to include several Cyber Monday deals {we're well over 15 clutter-free ideas now!}. 

Update December 1st: Many of these deals are over, but the clutter-free gift ideas are still great! {Just ignore all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday references!}  I've updated all the links so if you click the pictures you'll be taken to where you can buy each gift (some may even have new promotions and sales happening now!). 

Vacation Packing Tips For A Stress-Free Holiday {Video}!

Do you love vacations but hate getting ready for them? It can be overwhelming finishing everything you need to do before you go, especially packing. In this post I will share some tips to help make packing simpler and also some ideas to help you stay organized when you get to your destination so you can relax and enjoy yourself!

Continuing to Declutter Sentimental Items {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 31}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series I'm wrapping things up and sharing ways you can keep your home free from sentimental clutter in the future.

But first, let me say how proud I am of you for all the sentimental decluttering you've done this month! This series wasn't like some of my other decluttering series where you're decluttering a bit every day.  This one was the tough stuff.

Some of you may have only tackled one area of sentimental clutter and it may have taken you most of the month.  Others of you worked through several different types of sentimental clutter.  But whether you decluttered a lot or a little... I'm really proud of you!  And you should be proud of yourself.  Give yourself a big ole' pat on the back and a celebratory high five!

I'm sure you feel lighter after letting go of some sentimental items that have been weighing you down.  Hopefully you were also able to use, reuse, re-purpose, or display some items as well so you can give honour and respect to them and to the people and events these items remind you of.

Tips for Decluttering After Someone Passes Away {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 30}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series, we're talking about decluttering after someone passes away.  This is probably the hardest time of all to declutter... everything feels sentimental because it belonged to the person you lost.

If you're in the position of decluttering after a loved one has passed away, first of all, I'm sorry. And I hope these tips help you through this painful time.

There are LOTS of different opinions out there and I think it's something that's different for each person and each family and each situation. What you keep and what you let go of, as well as how long you take to go through things, will be different from someone else. It's hard no matter what. You know yourself and how you deal with things, so tackle this in a way that you will be best for you.

I haven't had to personally deal with this topic so I asked my friend Danielle to guest post and share her tips and experiences on decluttering after a loss.

Tips for Decluttering Jewelry {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 29}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series I'm sharing tips for decluttering jewelry. I'm not talking about the easy stuff... cheap necklaces, earrings where you're missing one of them, etc. I'm talking about the really sentimental stuff... items you've inherited from your mom or grandma, gifts from your spouse or former boyfriends, etc.

Tips for Decluttering Toys and Stuffed Animals {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 28}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series I'm sharing tips for decluttering toys and stuffed animals. These can be either from your childhood or from your kids.  These days kids get SO many toys and stuffies and if you're not diligently decluttering them, they can clutter up your home.

Tips for Decluttering Photos {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 27}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series, I'm sharing tips for decluttering photos. Now this is a huge topic and I could do a whole series just on this topic (actually I did that a few years ago when I was decluttering my photos!).

I'm not going to tell you what you should keep and what you should let go of... as always, that's totally up to you. But if you're ready to declutter your photos I hope these tips will help!

Tips for Decluttering Hand-Made Items {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 26}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series we're decluttering hand-made items. These can be gifts from friends, gifts from our kids, or things made by older generations.

Tips for Decluttering Journals and Diaries {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 25}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series, we're decluttering journals and diaries. These may or may not be something you feel is clutter, depending on whether you look back at them from time to time and how much space you have. But if you've got years of journals and you never refer to them and they're taking up space you could use for something else (or just to have a less cluttered home), then these tips are for you.

Tips for Decluttering Inherited Items {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 24}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series I'm sharing tips for decluttering inherited items. Let me start off by saying, as with everything in this series, I'm not telling you that you have to declutter these sentimental items. It's entirely up to you what you let go of and what you keep. And if you have lots of space to store inherited items, or you actually use your inherited items, then they're really not clutter and you can keep them if you want :)

But if your home is cluttered with a lot of these particular types of items and the past is getting in the way of enjoying your present and your future, then it's time to think long and hard about what you really have space for and what is most important to you. These tips are to help you.

Tips for Decluttering Cards and Letters {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 23}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series we're decluttering cards and letters. These could be from old friends, parents, grandparents, boyfriends, kids, etc.  Most people have lots of these in their homes... especially if they like to keep sentimental items :)

Tips for Decluttering Cookbooks and Recipes {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 22}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series and today we're decluttering cookbooks, recipe boxes, or recipe binders.  If you're using all your cookbooks or recipes, then they're not clutter. You can skip today :) But if you're not using them and they're collecting dust on a shelf and taking up space you could be using for something else, then they're clutter.

Tips for Decluttering Old Calendars and Planners {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 21}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series, we're decluttering old calendars, planners, and datebooks.  Some of you probably just toss them at the end of the year, but many people hang onto them.  Sometimes for YEARS.  Today I'm going to share tips for decluttering them, as well as share some ideas for repurposing or displaying them.

Tips for Decluttering Items From Hobbies You No Longer Do {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 20}

Today in the decluttering sentimental items series we're decluttering items related to hobbies we no longer do. Could be craft supplies, sporting equipment, fishing gear, gardening supplies, movie or music posters, or any other items you enjoyed in your spare time, but don't any more.

Tips for Decluttering Children's Work and Memorabilia {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 19}

Today in the decluttering sentimental items series we're decluttering kids' work.  This can be artwork, as well as school papers, including school work, newsletters, report cards, awards, certificates, etc. Now, not all those things are necessarily clutter. It's up to you to decide what you want to keep, based on how much space you have and how often you or your kids will look through it.  And you can choose whether to declutter your own school related sentimental items, or your kids' items, depending on your life and what items you have.

By the way, I've got a special treat for you to reward all your efforts decluttering sentimental items this month!  Details are later in the post.

Tips for Decluttering Wedding Gifts {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 18}

Today in the decluttering sentimental items series we're decluttering wedding gifts we don't use. I'm thinking especially of practical household items like small appliances, dishes or serving items you use for entertaining, wine glasses, candlesticks, vases, etc. Things you put on your register because you thought you needed them or they were too expensive for you to buy for yourselves, but you never use them.

{I'll cover hand-made items and inherited items later in the series so even if you got those items as wedding gifts, don't worry about them today.}

Tips for Decluttering "Former Me" Clothes {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 17}

Today in the decluttering sentimental items series we're decluttering "former me" clothing. Think about those items you've been holding onto, even though you KNOW you will never fit into them again. They might be from when you were younger or single or before you had kids or before "life" happened.

Tips for Decluttering Formalwear {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 16}

Today in the decluttering sentimental items series we're decluttering formal wear. Things like prom or graduation dresses, bridesmaid or flower girl dresses, and wedding dresses.  These are very special, but if we never wear them, then they are taking up space in the back of our closets that could be used for our daily clothes.

Tips for Decluttering High School and College Clothing {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 15}

Today in the decluttering sentimental items series we're decluttering our high school or college clothes. You know those sweatshirts or t-shirts you've been holding onto because they bring back so many memories? Even though they're tattered and torn or don't fit anymore. They could be clothes you bought with your school's crest on them. Or they could be uniforms you wore while on various teams or clubs.

Tips for Decluttering Ticket Stubs {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 14}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series we're focusing on decluttering ticket stubs! Whether you keep your tickets from theatre productions, concerts, movies, sporting events, or vacations, if you've got a collection of them, take time to go through them and decide which ones you want to keep and which ones you can let go of.

Tips for Decluttering Holiday Items and Decor {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 13}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series we're decluttering holiday items / decorations.  These can be for any holidays, although most people tend to have a favourite season that they primarily accumulate things for.  If Christmas is the holiday you have the most "stuff" for, your things are probably packed away in the attic, basement, or garage, but it's actually a good idea to take some time to go through them now.  The Christmas season is always so busy and it's harder to be objective about what to keep and what to let go of when you're in the midst of the holiday season.

Tips for Decluttering Items From Former Jobs {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 12}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series we're decluttering items from former jobs. It's tough when a job ends, whether it was by choice or not, and whether we loved the job or not.
On our last day we bring home a bunch of stuff and it probably gets dumped somewhere. Other priorities end up meaning this former job stuff gets pushed further and further away from everyday life and ends up in the basement or attic and never dealt with. Some of these items might be sentimental but others likely don't mean much later.

If you need, use, or love these items and have the space to store them, then they are not clutter.  But if not, it's time to look at decluttering some things.

Tips for Decluttering Yearbooks {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 11}

Today in the decluttering sentimental items series we're talking about decluttering yearbooks! Whether these are from elementary school, middle school, high school, or college/university, they can take up a lot of space in your home.  If you look at them frequently, then they are not clutter.  But if yours are tucked away in a box somewhere and you haven't looked at them since graduation, they've become clutter.

Tips for Decluttering Pet Items {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 10}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series, we're decluttering pet items. Particularly, things related to pets that are no longer with you.

Tips for Decluttering Wedding Favors {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 9}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series we're talking about wedding favors or wedding party gifts. You know, those cute little things from your cousin's wedding that collect dust on a shelf in the spare room. Or that engraved thank you gift for being a bridesmaid.

Tips for Decluttering Home Videos {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 8}

Today in the decluttering sentimental items series we're decluttering home videos... especially those saved on non-digital formats like video cassettes, super 8 tapes, and film reels. These lose quality over time and as technology changes we stop having a means to view them. So why are we storing all of these videos?

Tips for Decluttering Baby and Children's Clothing {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 7}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series I'm sharing tips to help you declutter baby or children's clothing.  These could be clothes from when you were a baby or child, or clothing worn by your own kids.

Tips for Decluttering Sports Memorabilia {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 6}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series we're decluttering sports memorabilia. Things that were earned or won like pennants, trophies, ribbons, awards, etc. Or collections like sports cards, posters, bobbleheads, souvenir cups, posters, etc. Or it could be jerseys or balls. These items could be from your own life, your spouse's life, or your kids' lives.

Tips for Decluttering Vacation Souvenirs {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 5}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series I'm sharing tips to help you declutter your vacation souvenirs.  Up until now I've shared general strategies and tips for decluttering sentimental items, but as of today we'll be talking about a different type of sentimental clutter each day... starting with your vacation souvenirs!

These can be any objects you or someone in your family kept to remind you of your trip.  They could include trinkets, keychains, postcards, magnets, brochures, pamphlets, plane tickets, hotel keys, etc.

One More Strategy for Decluttering Sentimental Items {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 4}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series I'm sharing one more strategy to help you declutter your sentimental things.  If you've been following along the series you know I shared several strategies yesterday and the day before {check them out if you missed them!}.  And tomorrow I'll start sharing tips for specific types of sentimental clutter.  Today I' want to talk about what you can do with the items you decide to keep but that you aren't able to use or display.  Ready?

More Strategies for Decluttering Sentimental Items {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 3}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series I'm going to share a few more strategies to help you as you're actually physically going through your items.  Yesterday's strategies were general tips to keep in mind, but these will help you when you start the process of sorting through your special things.  Ready for more strategies for decluttering sentimental items?  Here we go!

Strategies for Decluttering Sentimental Items {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 2}

Are you pumped after reading yesterday's introduction to the Decluttering Sentimental Items series?  How about that video from the Minimalists to inspire you to declutter?

One thing I forgot to mention is that decluttering sentimental items doesn't mean you have to get rid of everything.  I'm all for having some special items in your home!  The key is not having so many sentimental items that they take over your home and your life.  So one of the things we'll be talking a lot about this month is not just choosing what to let go of, but choosing what to keep.

Today I'm going to share a few strategies to help you do that!

Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 1

Sentimental items.  We've all got them.  Some of us have more than others.

They are important to us because they remind us of someone or something special from our past.

But sometimes we have too many sentimental items.  Bins in the basement filled with our childhood memories or those of our kids.  Boxes in the garage that were too painful to sort through before.  Items scattered throughout our home on shelves, in drawers, or at the back of our closets.

If you feel like your sentimental items are taking over your home, it's time to declutter.  If your past is getting in the way of your present or your future, it's time to declutter.  If you want to live more simply, it's time to declutter.

It's not easy though.  Which is why I'm writing this series!

I'm back! New series starting tomorrow!

Hi everyone!  So it's been awhile... how have you been?   I hadn't intended to not blog for months... it just kind of happened.  No excuses really... working with clients, tackling projects around my house, keeping busy with my kids, volunteering on several projects / committees, you know how it is.

But I have missed blogging.  And I've missed you :)

I've still kept in touch with lot of you in the 365 Items in 365 Days Facebook group.  And through comments on social media... especially FB since I seem to hang out there most.  But it's not quite the same.

So I'm really excited to be back with a great series that I've been working on for a couple of months now!!

Organizing and Decluttering Tips [Video]

Awhile ago I had the opportunity to be a guest on a television talk show. It was a stretch for me, but it was really exciting!

Check out the video below for some of my favourite decluttering and organizing tips. [Scroll down to the video if you want to skip over the story leading up to it.]

The tips I shared are my favourites!

17 Tips On Organizing For Sports {from Professional Organizers!}

Once again, I'm so excited to be included in this month's Professional Organizers Blog Carnival!

What is the Professional Organizers Blog Carnival?  It's a monthly blog post that professional organizers contribute to.  Each month is a different theme and includes posts related to that topic from several professional organizers.  It's a great place to find advice, ideas, and tips for the theme of the month.

This month is all about organizing for sports.  Sports equipment can clutter up a home in no time and if it's not organized well, lots of time can be wasted searching for what you need (often when you're in a hurry to get to a practice or game!).

So check out all the tips in this post and find the ones that will help you organize for sports!

Small Appliances With Multiple Purposes: How To Make Your Kitchen Feel Bigger!

Last fall I shared a post called How To Make Your Kitchen Feel Bigger - Use Items With Multiple Purposes.  I shared several items that you could use in different ways, rather than having a kitchen cluttered with items that can only do one thing.

Today I want to continue with the idea of items having multiple purposes.  This is my number one tip for making your kitchen feel bigger!  And I've got a small kitchen... so this tip really works!

My 365 Items in 365 Days Update {January 2016}

It's a new year in the 365 Items in 365 Days Declutter Challenge!  If you struggled to declutter in 2015, this is a fresh start for you!  And if you joined the challenge part way through the year, you can just keep right on decluttering!

It's the 28th day of the year today so if you just started in January (or started afresh), your target is to have purged 28 items by now!  If you haven't started yet, just jump in!  It's always a good time to declutter :)

Today I'll be sharing what I've decluttered since my last update at the end of December. By doing these updates I hope to give you ideas of things you can purge from your home!

We Did It! So Can You! January 2016 Edition

Welcome back to the "We Did It! So Can You!" series.  This series is about real people decluttering their homes, one day at a time!  Busy people, with too much stuff, who decided to take the plunge and purge.

Do you have clutter in your home but don't know where to start purging?  Do you feel like you don't have enough time to declutter?  Have you seen all the 365 Items in 365 Days posts and thought "I really should do that", but you keep putting it off?

You're not alone!  But you also don't need to stay in your paralyzed state.  You CAN declutter!  And to prove it I want to share some stories of people Just. Like. You. 

Today I want to share Linda's journey.

Ready to be inspired?!  

Shoe Organizing Tips From Professional Organizers

Once again, I'm so excited to be included in this month's Professional Organizers Blog Carnival!

What is the Professional Organizers Blog Carnival?  I'm glad you asked!  It's a monthly blog post that professional organizers contribute to.  Each month is a different theme and includes posts related to that topic from several professional organizers.  It's a great place to find advice, ideas, and tips for the theme of the month.

This month is all about organizing footwear.  Shoes and boots always seem to clutter up an entry area, mudroom, garage, laundry room, or closet but with the right strategy for your home and your family, you can keep your shoes organized!

So check out all the tips in this post and find the ones that will help you organize your footwear!

Printable Signs to Help You Declutter!

Do you feel overwhelmed when you think about decluttering an area of your home?  Sometimes it's hard to know where to start or what to do.

Today I want to share some free printable signs that will help you as you tackle your next decluttering project!

Top Posts of 2015!

Don't you love looking back on the previous year and looking ahead to the coming year?  It's like the end of December and beginning of January are made for that :)

Today I want to share with you the top 10 posts of 2015.  If you're a newer reader you may enjoy catching up on some of my posts from earlier this year.  And if you've been following all year, you may have missed some posts, or could use the information in them more now.

There's a few themes running through the year... see if you can pick them out!