The Decluttering Project : My 3 Things
I’m so excited that there’s so much interest in our little decluttering project challenge. I know that I’ll be much more thorough and more willing to purge, just knowing that there are so many of us in this together. Do you think you’ll find the same results? I hope so!

Here’s how our decluttering project is going to work:
- Today, pick your three decluttering goals. Think of the outstanding projects in your house that need to be decluttered. Closets? Junk drawers? Garage? You can make your three projects as big or as little as you want. We’ll cheer for you either way!
- Write your goals in the comments section of this post or write them in your heart or tell a family member or friend. The first step is to get your intentions out there. Make them public. Make them known.
- Write your decluttering intentions down on a piece of paper, and put them where you’ll see them. At your desk? On the mirror? On the fridge? That way you won’t forget.
- Blog about your goals. Post your challenge, and post about finishing them. It’s just another way to solidify the idea that, “Yes! I am doing this.”
- We’ll check back in with each other for the next three Wednesdays. Let’s make it our goal to cross off one of our decluttering projects each time.
- DO NOT start decluttering a second item on your list until the one you started is finished. Trust me. That’s a one-way ticket to wipeout. That’s why I’m sticking to one decluttering item a week, and I hope you do, too.
If you need tips on how to approach your decluttering goals, don’t forget to check out The Decluttering Project where we break challenges down one at a time.
My biggest tip is this: have a particular place in mind where you want to donate something. It’s much easier to give away when you have a recipient in mind (like a church, women’s shelter, or children’s library).
There are some beautiful suggestions in the comments of this post for anyone wanting to pass on a wedding dress.
As for my decluttering plans? I’ll be ready to check in with all of you next Wednesday when the first item on my list is crossed off.

Will you be ready?
I can’t wait to see what your three decluttering projects are going to be… (hint hint – broadcast or whisper your 3 in the comments below. Your cheer squad is waiting.)








August 18th, 2010 at 8:28 am
My list of three:
1. Magazines – I’ll cut out the few articles and photos that I’d like to keep, and then bring the magazines to the break room at work for people to read. This way, they don’t go to waste! Added incentive to do this fast: Friday is my last day at work. I had better do this today if I want to donate the magazines!
2. Links and bookmarks – ok, they don’t take up any actual space, but they do create visual clutter because they aren’t organized at all. It’s always a trick to find what I’m looking for because everything is saved haphazardly, so I’m excited to create a simple organization scheme for them.
3. First Aid Kit – I need to go through and discard things that have expired (you can take them to a pharmacy for proper disposal) and figure out what I might need to buy so that I’ll have the basics ready if needed.
August 18th, 2010 at 9:58 am
1. Clothes, again! For me, hubby, and 3 boys. This includes shoes, too! Getting rid of anything with in bad shape, or doesn’t fit right. (No more saving until I’m back in the old size!)
2. Basement shelves: canning jars, scrapbooking stuff, misc.
3. Books
August 18th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
1. Garage (Oh My Goodness! This will be monstrous! We’ll have to get grandparents to watch the babies and spend an entire weekend day on it.)
2. Desk
3. Freelance writing files
4. Bathroom
I chose four things, because I’m not sure when we’ll be able to actually do the garage due to childcare and my husband’s work schedule, but I know that I can do the other three on my own. Okay, I’m off to tackle the desk drawers right now!
August 18th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
This blog is equal opportunity for either gender to declutter, right?
1. Desk top
2. Two paper piles on bedroom floor below the window
3. Space above hanging clothes in both closets (about 2 meters vertical space in each closet)
August 19th, 2010 at 2:53 am
ok, i’m in, but as i won’t be at myplace whole 3 weeks, i’ll go digital (and small, but that counts as well, right?)
1. blogs in my reader – i have far too manyandit really takes my time from other non-virtual things i could be doing in my spare time. i started reading blogs as inspiration, and now it’smorereading how other people live. i wanna have more time for my own living, please!
2. bookmarks – i have a system, but i have to check do i really need/want all those links
3. reinstall my operating system – my computer is getting slow and it’s been awhile since the last reinstall. this means full backup, too! it’s been awhile there, too :) and cleaning my computer desktop. does thiscount as a declutter project? the slowness of my computer is really anoying me AND i’m less efficient while i work.
August 19th, 2010 at 7:08 am
Office – desktop, paper box pile, sewing pile.
August 19th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Well, my daughter is moving out this weekend, so the timing is perfect for this!
1. Guest room closet (oh my…our stuff,daughters stuff, extra linens, etc.)
2. Guest bathroom cabinets. (Kind of a dumping ground for stuff coming out of our bathroom)
3. Our bathroom cabinet. (I just did this a few months ago, how did it get so cluttered again?)
Janna – have fun with that garage! We just finished with ours! It was a monumental job.
August 19th, 2010 at 5:46 pm
Joel – you are happily welcome!
I was dreading my list, but I agree with Deedee. Go Janna with that garage! And huge cheers to everyone tackling entire rooms and closets.
Jumping up and down!
(and ignoring paper heap..)
Katie
August 20th, 2010 at 6:05 am
I’m in – I was resisting but I’ve decided if I’m going to do this I may as well do it with you guys!
I’m going to start with 3 boxes – because thats all the time I will be able to spare. We have a room filled with boxes from our move 3 years ago! They need to be sorted, stuff thrown out or given to charity. So I will start with 3 boxes and if I get that done I will move on to the next 3.
August 20th, 2010 at 8:29 am
My decluttering centers on my office, since that’s where I spend most of my time… and I realized recently if there’s ever an earthquake while I’m in it, I’m likely to get crushed. ;b So it’s a safety issue as well as everything else!
1. The shelves next to my computer desk, which are covered with boxes and books that will fall instantly
2. The bookshelves next to my writing desk, particularly all the books I’ve never read or am not sure I still need to keep
3. The CD tower, which is now so full we don’t listen to most of the discs
This is all already on my to-do list :)
August 20th, 2010 at 9:17 am
My areas to declutter are:
1. Paper (I think I have a few years work there). I have a couple areas where I have piles and boxes of papers.
2. My car
3. Clothes (I have lost weight and my closet is filled with clothes that no longer fit me).
August 20th, 2010 at 6:02 pm
Yay Carrie! How enjoyable that will be for you to clear out those clothes.
August 20th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
My three spaces this week were
1) Kitchen– counter top clutter (Mission accomplished)
2) LIving room (put away knitting supplies into office where they belong)
3) Put office back into my office (no more overnight guests). I need my own creative space!!
August 21st, 2010 at 7:56 pm
Hi, I’m a first time visitor to your blog, and I’ll join you on the decluttering. I’ve been doing a little lately and blogged about it.
I like the idea of little steps.. I’m easily overwhelmed if I try to do to much at once.
1. Paperwork in the kitchen.
2. Box of old paperwork in the sewing room ( previously the study)
3. Pile of items on the floor of the sewing room.
August 22nd, 2010 at 6:56 pm
1. Desk top at work.
2. My inbox (work and personal)
3. The trunk of my car
August 22nd, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Awesome post.
1. Papers / junk mail (removing myself from lists) / files
2. CDs
3. kitchen cabinets
thank you for jump-starting us!
September 3rd, 2010 at 5:28 pm
I wrote this in the previous post, but I’m in too!
1. Papers
(I also just signed up for no more mail solicitations. Meaning no more insurance and credit card offers in the mail, no more advertisements, magazines, (though that’s a bit more complicated to do), and all other offers.
For instance, I’m a member of AARP, and they sends me a monthly magazine, a newspaper, and way too many other offers for auto insurance, health insurance, etc. They send me something every week. It’s such a waste.
(If anyone in the USA wants to know where to do this on-line, how please let me know and I’ll post the links. It’s easy, quick and best of all, free).
2. Bookshelves
3. Crafts
September 3rd, 2010 at 5:36 pm
I hope I can catch up with all of you. I just found this site today while searching the Net for ways to de-clutter. I spent quite some time looking for the just the right type of information, & motivation. This is an unique site and I’m happy I found it.
I would like to rid myself of all these things I don’t want or need in preparation for a move in a few months. (I also have a storage locker) Yikes!
Should I skip ahead to where you are now?