Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it. The title of this post is the tag line of Gail Blanke’s book, Throw Out Fifty Things. “If you want to grow, you gotta let go” is Gail’s mantra; and that means eliminating all the clutter – phyiscal and emotional – that holds you back, weighs you down, or just makes you feel bad about yourself. For more information you can also visit the Throw Out Fifty Things website.
I’m excited to be giving away FIVE copies of Gail’s book as this month’s prize for participating in Org Junkie’s Monthly Organizing Round-Up.
It’s pretty easy to enter. This month we are concentrating on organizing any surface or shelf in our home. But that doesn’t mean just shuffling the piles to another area and calling it a day. Let’s clear that clutter once and for all so in a month’s time you don’t have to tackle the same pile once again. Gail encourages us to ask ourselves a few questions about the things we own:
1. Do I really love it?
2. Do I need it now?
3. Can I imagine myself or anyone in my family ever loving or needing it in the foreseeable future?
My favorite part of working with a client is having them answers these types of questions out loud. It almost never fails that as the person is trying to explain their rationale to me, I can see the light go on as they realize that what once made sense when they justified it in their mind now sounds pretty silly when said out loud. In many instances they are then able to make the decision fairly easily to part with the item. I never even had to say a word. It’s very effective.
I’ll be putting up Mr. Linky (if all goes well) on Sunday sometime to allow you to link up to your post showing off your before and after pictures. Later in the week I’ll select five participants at random from that list to win a copy of Gail’s book.
Now get busy girlfriends! 🙂
PS: See also Gail’s Rules of Disengagement
Kim says
Oh how I’ve done this. I’ve downsized and gave away and threw away! I am now convinced that I don’t have a problem. I just need a bigger house!
HUGS
Kim
feener says
hubby NEEDS help, he saves everything, he thinks we will use it in like 10 years. i am better than him but have my own organizational problems. WE need this book….
Theresa Finnigin says
Love it! Cleaned out my husbands dresser last night and we got rid of at least 50 pieces of clothes. Now there’s room for my clothes! hahaha!!! He felt great. I felt great – what a relief!!!
Dana says
For some reason I decided to attack my closets and unloaded maybe 50 outfits. Then we had an unexpected trip to Florida. Then we stayed for the last two months. During this time I’ve discovered that what you need to live two months, is probably ALL you need to live your life! When I go home, EVERYTHING is getting tossed! As for my filing cabinet at home, it will be weeded out also!
Saver Queen says
I think answering these questions out loud is very effective. Working with an outsider to help you sort out your home works wonders. Listening to yourself try to justify crazy things makes it a lot harder to stay in denial.
kat says
I can’t wait to see all the before and after photos!
A few years ago I went through some major decluttering with FlyLady. It’s time to take those steps and questions into other parts of my house now that I’ve kept those other areas beautiful!
Mrs. Wilson says
I SO need that! I’m heading out of town (to YOUR town! well, close to it) and can’t participate in the round up (but I really SHOULD one of these days!)
I’m totally going to use those questions though. I have SUCH a clutter packrat problem!
schwartz says
I am dying to read this book!
Just last week I got rid of 12 shopping bags stuffed with clothing and two garbage bags full of coats and usable shoes and donated them to the local ‘thrift department store’ (goodwill-esque). The kids’ dressers are no longer bursting at the seams with items that do not fit either.
Not only do I have space in my closet and the drawers but I FEEL so much better about it all. Getting rid of stuff makes such a difference!
Betty says
Organizing changes as your needs change. Now I think I need something to store 8 1/2 x 11 size pages in – I had been storing them in file folders as in an office. Is there a type of box or container you would recommend for this?
Jillian says
We’ve been trying to de-junk as well. I saw this book at the library and told myself I’d get it later…perhaps if I won it…
ConsultantCalamities says
I’ve thrown away a TON of stuff in the last year. well, gave it away, I should say. Donated, passed to others. I tried to throw very little of it out.
After a year of doing this very consistently, things are looking really good around the house now! 🙂 I highly recommend it!! just a little each day, over weeks, months or a year! Makes the house much easier to keep clean and organized.
Lucy Marie says
I recently posted some before and afters of my bedroom closets and bathroom cupboard clean sweeps. Am I allowed to join in and link up even though it was from a few weeks back?
Laura says
Lucy Marie, yes definitely that is perfectly fine.
laura says
OMG – I am salivating at the thought of winning this book. I am trying to declutter my life but having a hard time doing it. If I don’t win it, I will go out and buy it, but winning it would be so much sweeter…
laura says
ok, just realized i have to be doing this month’s challenge to be entered into the contest. oh, the pressure! i would be starting with surface/shelf. ack! purse would have been SOmuch easier. sigh.. well, on to do some shelves and surfaces. my kitchen is calling my name..
Liz - Meal Makeover Mom says
I need this book! I am the queen of “piles,” and I’m driving (or shall I say, have driven) my husband crazy. I have this sneaky habit of moving piles from one room to the other and calling it a day. Anyway, lately I have tackled two areas: My dining room and my son’s dresser drawers. I did a major de-clutter of the dining room and gave way well over 100 things that I was not using. I also created two hand-me-down bags of my son’s clothes. I hope I win the book, because I really need it (oooh, will I simply add it to my pile of books by my bed or will I actually read it??!!)
Blissful Babe says
*I* NEED this book. I am the product of two pack rats. Some days I think there is just no hope for me! LOL.
I am getting better, but still need to do a lot of work to change my pack rat status.
Having tubs and baskets to organize with would DEFINITELY help, alas, I am not in a financial position to purchase such things.
I’m a work in progress!
Laura says
Blissful Babe, I find many baskets and containers at the dollar store and recycling depot. Also cardboard boxes cut down such as kleenex boxes, tea boxes, cereal boxes, etc. work well in drawers and closets.
Also don’t forget to check out your local dollar store.
Hope that helps 🙂
christine says
I need this book in the worst way! The combination of retiring, moving, unpacking, and reorganizing have overwhelmed me. Too many bags have already been donated.