The lure of a fresh new start at the change of seasons is what gets me up off my bum and into the cleaning mood at the start of spring. But it’s the middle of winter here right now. Today is cold and windy and it feels a long way from the motivation of spring.
But I think a good clean out is exactly what I need to get out of this funk and kick the midwinter SADs. After all, de-cluttering is supposed to be good for the soul. Getting rid of ‘stuff’ and organising your space is good Feng Shui…. and who am I to knock a philosophy that encourages you to tidy up and says that you can fix all your ills by the hanging of a five bar metal wind chime? (though I don’t think any fancy wind chime is going to sort out the mess in the girl’s room!)
Given our current state of renovation there seems to be ‘stuff’ everywhere. Little piles of stuff here, boxes of stuff there, toys here, piles of clean clothes yet to be put away over there. Sometimes when I look around it seems to overwhelming, so insurmountable that I can’t be bothered even attempting to tidy up. But I think that is the point…
All the stuff is making me stressed and narky and unmotivated. I’m hoping getting rid of some of it will lift a little of the heavy winter weight off our home and let us enjoy things a little more instead of wishing away the days until spring.
So in the spirit of good Feng Shui and while attempting to channel the ultra organised spirit of The Planning Queen, and also involving my children…. I declare this week a week of Winter Cleaning!
Who’s with me?
I think decluttering is good for the soul. We still have work to do, so we will keep going this week too!
I am defiantly in with this. My sewing area is… well there is defiantly a sewing machine in there under the fabric…
My kids rooms are horrible. I only sorted them out a fortnight ago and am already back to square one…
And my washing pile, well lets not go there.
I am soooo with you. I nearly killed myself trying to find a particular skirt in my wardrobe this morning… literally, nearly fell of the stool I needed to get waaay in the back of the piles of cloth that are in there. SO, I had this exact thought myself. I need a pre-Spring clear out or I’ll have a very bad winter indeed! Good luck with it, Kate! x
This is exactly how I feel!
I will attempt to be all decluttery and cleany this week too.
This is how I spent the weekend because I decided the only way I’m going to get through the Winter holidays (for which Melbourne weather has decided to bring out rain, wind and HAIL) in a small house with all these energetic people, is if I can see SURFACES! “Surfaces save SAD sufferers from insanity!” – this is my affirmation for the week…
Don’t get rid of too much or you’ll have nothing to fill those nice, new, big rooms! LOL
Taking a break to feed the baby, in midst of reorganize and declutter and clean as I type.
I’m pretty on top of it usually, but needing another bedroom for guests later in the week has been a good excuse to clear out a heap of stuff while I move furniture ;)
I have to declutter too but it’s not really the Feng Shui that’s inspiring me, it’s my twins who are soon-to-be crawlers. My toddler has numerous my little pony bits scattered here and there. Make that everywhere! Finding all of the bits is going to be hard but restricting those litte items to her room will be even harder! Any hints?
Oh it’s such an ongoing thing isn’t it? I find that if I’m lacking motivation I just invite some friends over for dinner. Nothing like a deadline, and I find it hard to find the time to get the vacuum out ‘just because’. Especially when you know the clean effect will only last half an hour!
Good luck with your cleaning week!
I do love a good declutter….
That’s an excellent idea. I think I need to get started too. Mind you, ever since Wednesday, the only thing I’ve been cleaning is mud. Off little boys. Because ever since then, everyday is mud day, apparently.
Sign me up.
Yes our house (2 bed shed) is cramped at the best of times. But of late it is just horrid. There is crap everywhere.
Right… oh gosh where do I start
Yes I too have been de cluttering and cleaning as I am on holidays from kinder teaching. 3 boys rooms done, new doona cover set in middle child’s room, my office decluttered and tidied, now to get to the ironing pile I call Rangitoto(named after a volcano in Auckland). Feeling good and its only day 1!!
It can be stressful renovating don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
I like the organised housewife blog (?) and the one room spend 15mins a day plan. I need to start on windows and out of season / too small clothes.
I’ve got a plan to giveaway, throwaway or sell 100 things in July.
I am 25% of the way in 3 days.
Sounds like a plan! I have so much stuff that I need to de-clutter.
good job Kate! it is such a great feeling when you’ve decluttered an area in your home. i have fixed up a couple of areas of late that have really been bugging me. there is plenty more to go on the to-do list but you just have to keep going!
I started cleaning out my kids clothes that don’t fit anymore, it’s made me realize they really need more winter clothes!!
You’re a smart cookie. It will not only give you relief now, not having to stress about all the clutter, but when the house is finished and you have all this extra space, you can choose what you want to include in that lovely, new space.
I’ve been decluttering the past few weeks, and it feels great now I’m on top of things. For now … ;)
I’m in. @BeAFunMum is arriving to stay with us soon and it is past time our “guest accommodation” (the spare room) had an overhaul. Actually, when i look around, there’s a considerable amount of culling screaming out to me from every room. Maybe covering the dust with books and magazines isn’t my best housekeeping idea to date?
We had a clean-up on the weekend, though we still have a room or two to go. I am soooooooooo enjoying the result….a kitchen where I can actually see and use the benches, and a lounge floor I can see and is free of old food bits tramped all over the place from the dining area. Realistically there is more to do, but it is such an improvement that I feel like a new person! Amazing how good a declutter makes you feel!