The 30 Days to An Organised Kitchen Challenge Rules

Challenge Rules:

Everything must have a home

Homeless Clutter is one of the top causes of clutter.  It often piles up because we don’t know where to put it, to tackle the problem of homeless clutter is ensuring that there is a home for everything, and putting everything away in its home.  If it doesn’t have a home, and you can’t find a home for it – then it needs to be discarded.

Everything must have a purpose

All too often we keep things because they were a gift, because they were expensive, because we feel like we have to. We may need them someday, right? The truth is that keeping items in our life that have no purpose just gives us extra work to do.

Everything must be in good working order

If it doesn’t work then it is time to either fix it or discard it. Broken items only add additional stress and chaos to our lives.

Everything must have a label

It might seem like overkill at first, but labels allow not only US to know where things go, but let everyone else know as well. In a family, this is pretty essential. Once we give our items a home, we must give their homes a label as well. This makes it easy to hold the children accountable too.  If you don’t want to label things, get a pack of post-it notes and use them as temporary labels until everyone in the house gets used to the new locations of things.

If it needs to go, get it out FAST

When things sit around in a box in the garage or in your car trunk, they inevitably make their way back into your home and your life. As soon as you clear a space, make sure to finish the job and actually get the clutter out of your home - do not hang on to anything for more than a few days.

 

How to Prepare: 

Prepare your mind.

Mentally commit to the process of letting things go. I know it is hard to part with things, but you will appreciate the mental clarity that comes from a de-cluttered home. If you would like to down the FREE 10 page Decluttering Workbook – to help get you prepared then feel free – the workbook helps you to organise you goals and visualise exactly what you are working towards.

Prepare your family.

Let your spouse and children know that change is coming and that you plan to drastically purge the clutter that is currently weighing you down. Let your kids know that if they have things they don’t want to lose, they will need to find a home for them. Discuss with your spouse what kind of changes you are both comfortable with so that you are on the same page. Keep your family as involved with the process as you can. 

My husband doesn’t like change – he is quite ok with living in an unorganised space.  However – once I started decluttering and organising the bedroom – this gave him the impetus to declutter his clothes too.  I managed 7 bin bags and he did 2, which is really an amazing feat for him.  Not only his clothes are getting the declutter treatment – but he has started containerising and labelling his tools and his fishing gear – It really is contagious.  

Even the children have changed their habits – my daughter would come home from school – dump her bag in the living room – leave her empty cups on the coffee table and when she went to bed at night – would leave her drawing pad and pens on the table too.  But now she is taking them upstairs with her.  

Prepare your schedule. 

Reserve 15 minutes each day this month to focus on The 30 Days to an Organised Kitchen Challenge.  Try your best to complete the tasks – the tasks are only bite-sized so that you can feel that instant hit of motivation when you complete them. 

Prepare your supplies. 

Gather the items you will need to complete your tasks.  This could be boxes for collecting the items you plan discard of, a camera for taking before and after pictures (this is a great motivator in itself) but also for taking photos of the things you plan to sell, and a label maker for labelling everything. I recommend a few boxes or bags – Rubbish (binbag), donate (box), keep (a container – even your washing basket – so you transfer the items that need rehoming to their new homes).  Dont forget to download your FREE printable supply list

Prepare your space. 

The 30 Days to an Organised Kitchen Challenge is about de-cluttering, so we will not be spending time on cleaning your dishes or doing your laundry, this cannot be counted in your 15 minutes, this is extra. Try to catch up on your day-to-day chores, or even get ahead, so you can start with a relatively clear space. 

I hope you’re as excited about The 30 Days to an Organised Kitchen Challenge as I am.  I can’t wait to see your before and after pictures, #GODeclutter30dayChallenge

 

I really appreciate you stopping by, and want to say thank you - because without you I wouldn't be here. Believe in Yourself, You got this, NOW Go Declutter!