30 Day Home Declutter and Organizing Challenge- Week 1

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Let’s celebrate the first week of the 30 day home declutter and organizing challenge! This is where we take 30 different spaces, for at least 10 minutes a day over the next 30 days, and we sort it all out together! The best part? I’m doing it right there with you, heck the spaces I’m using as an example are MINE and there is no shame in my organizing game! Let’s be honest, I’m not the only person living in my home and just like gardening or house cleaning or even laundry, organizing isn’t a one time and done sort off situation either! So what did we cover? Let’s get started! Click on the pictures for the YouTube videos in this series.

Day 1 Organizing Pictures

Kids these days will never know the struggle of waiting a week or two to get your pictures back from being developed and pretty much only a few out of the 24 were worthy of a frame or to be in a photo album. Now, in a world of digital pictures the number of pictures at our finger tips reach into the thousands. So what do you do?

1- Print out your photos and create a photo album

2- Create a scrapbook with pictures, stickers, and card stock

3- Keep your photos sorted in a photo box

4- Create a digital scrapbook using services like Shutterfly, Snapfish, or Chatbooks.

To keep your pictures digitally stored, you can get external hard drives or there are several online cloud storage services.

 

Day 2: Pantry Organization

Recently we revamped our pantry kitchen closet, but today we covered how we actually organized it and I talked about when I decant food and when I don’t.

1- Group like foods/ food categories (ex. snacks, baking ingredients, dinner/lunch supplies, breakfast items.)

2- Arrange on the shelves according to frequency of use as well as who can access the food items.

3- Use baskets and containers that help you better see your foods and how much you have.

4- Label items, especially those that look very similar once out of their packaging.

Day 3: Junk Drawer

Every house I’ve ever known, and not just my own, has had a junk drawer in the kitchen and serves many purposes. It holds a lot of the miscellaneous, yet very important items that the family needs at their fingertips. Coupons, scissors, extra keys, stamps, etc. There is nothing wrong with having a drawer like this, but it’s super important to keep it organized and free of trash so you know what’s inside.

Day 4: Medicine Cabinet

Keeping medicine in the bathroom is not the most ideal spot for a number of reasons. First, the temperature fluctuation along with the moisture can ruin some medications. Also, it’s best to keep medicines out of the hands of those they don’t belong to and by keeping them in your kitchen or linen closet up and out of the way, makes it a lot easier to manage. We keep ours in the kitchen  and it’s worked out great!

1- Organize the cabinet similar to the pantry with the more frequently needed medications in an easier to reach space. The things you don’t need every day or only in an emergency keep in higher shelves.

2- Separate adult medication from children’s medication and be sure to keep an eye on the expiration dates.

3- Place bandaids and ointments for cuts and scratches in the same plastic container so it’s readily available.

 

Day 5: Kitchen Part 1

Having a good flow in your kitchen will help to keep it operating in a way that is most useful to your family. Having a place for everything will help to keep everything in it’s space. Depending on the needs of your family, will depend on what you need in your kitchen. For example, we have a drawer designated for our children’s lunch boxes and the containers I use for their lunches. When they get home from school, they know to unpack their bags and they know exactly where to put their lunch boxes for the next day. Incorporating your family into the organizing of your home, makes everyone accountable, not just you.

 

Day 6: Just Start

It’s been my experience that this is the point where people start to lose focus. 30 spaces in 30 days may seem like a lot to many and that’s ok. The important part is just start. Figure out what your end goal is by having an organized space and figure out your plan of attack to get you there. Even you don’t keep up on each day, the videos will be there when you need them! I’m proud of you for wanting to claim back your space. This is YOUR journey.

Day 7: Fridge

Just like the pantry, I want my family to know which food is ok to snack on and which ones I need for our family meals. Clearly labeling and containing those items will help end the confusion.

 

 

Whew!! That was a lot of spaces, but already I am starting to see the yard sale stuff pile up. A couple of months ago I thought I had purged enough, guess I was wrong! Take a look at your space, being honest about what you use and what’s just taking up space. Maybe you looked at your space differently and are changing things around. I know that I am! After going over the kitchen, I’m already brainstorming on how to make our kitchen more efficient.

Regardless of where you are in your decluttering and organizing journey, I’m happy that you’re here and that you’re willing to start. Remember to give yourself grace and if you need to slow down he pace, that’s ok too. Just keep going!

XOXO,

Brooke