Fresh Start with decluttering.

[Mary]

I like the idea of Fresh Start and think it will work well for my decluttering goals. I've mapped out six big areas to declutter over the six months:

• Home office/hallway/basement--six weeks. All three are connected so if one gets decluttered, the others benefit. And if one of them doesn't get cleaned out, then all three areas are stuck.
• Bedroom--four weeks. This bedroom somehow became the dumping ground for all the extra clothes and sports stuff.
• Kitchen--four weeks. I've got too much stuff in the backs of shelves, stuff that never gets used. It's time to have a kitchen where what I use all the time is at hand.
• Living room--two weeks. The tables here are like magnets for anything that doesn't have a regular home. Also I'd like to figure out a better way to arrange the furniture so it's friendlier for socializing.
• Garage--six weeks. I just dread this.

That's 22 weeks, and June 30 is actually 24+ weeks away, so that gives me wiggle room.

I'm doing relatively well,sort of/kind of, with maintaining around the house, vacuuming, etc. It's the big projects that keep getting moved farther and farther down the To Do list.

I'll check in here at least once a week to give an update. It will be a good way to keep accountable. I'm interested in how others are tackling their household routine. I look forward to reading the other blogs!

Good luck to us all!

[Jan Ferrante]

Hi Mary, how are doing? Congrats on mapping out your Big Rocks!!!

I began tackling my office closet yesterday, yuck!

I'm not finished it yet but I found a lot of things that were handy to have and it is going to be so much more functional - not to mention nicer to look at!

I like how you have identified the domino effect, those can be some of the most rewarding areas to tackle.

I was thinking about that yesterday as well, the different catagories of things we do - maintenance, things that move us ahead - and things that do nothing for us at all, I'm going to do an article about that, it's very important to balance these, I think it's one of the big areas that can throw us all off.

Keep us posted on your progress!