Day 365

It's here, it's here. Today is the official last day of the 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge! We made it!!

I can't begin to thank you enough for what everyone's involvement in my little challenge has done to propel me during this whole journey. It's also led to me deciding to continue blogging (more details in a later post), which I find quite amusing, since I only started this blog due to the insistence of a friend!

Thinking back about my 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge, it's actually a bit difficult to remember when it was so hard to let go of things. Most times now I rarely even have to question myself to make a final decision. I am very pleased with all of the past clutter that I've finally evicted. I've also done really well at keeping current clutter from entering our home, or from having a long stay anyways.

My official last day was Wednesday, February 18th but I wanted to wait and celebrate our official last day. Your 365th day may not be here yet. It's still OK to celebrate with us; we are all on the same journey together. When your 365th day arrives, please be sure to post on here and let us know so we can share in congratulating you!

Congratulations Challengers!

While reading an article on Time.com titled Ask the Experts: 5 Steps to Clutter-Free Living, I read the following:

If that seems too daunting, there's the 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge, which has people promising to donate, sell or toss one unused item from their homes everyday for — you guessed it — a year.

CONGRATULATIONS to all of you "people" who have accepted your own 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge by way of the FlyLadies & More forum, through this blog or by way of someone else's challenge!!

You have been noticed and recognized for your commitment! Keep going, you're doing terrific!

I am new to the blogging world and am just noticing the use of badges to signify participation in an event. I've created one for us to use too! If you'd like one personalized with your start date, just let me know. I hope you enjoy my present to you. :-)

Badge is no longer available as of 12/31/17.

Focus Challenge - Month 3

First things first...C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S to all of us for working our 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge for approximately 3 months!!!! During this time, there have been ups & downs for each of us but we are still going strong, and still evicting clutter from our lives!

We can do this. Just gotta keep our FOCUS on our CHALLENGE!!!!!

For Focus Challenge #3, I am using Kris’ great idea about integrating it with the current FlyLady Zones. I tried to think up something really creative but, well, it didn’t happen. LOL! Here’s what we finally ended up with; hope you enjoy this month’s Focus Challenge. ;-)

As Kelly says in the Missions, your bedroom is your private retreat and you deserve to not be surrounded by clutter while you sleep.

--> For the 2 remaining days in Zone 4: The Master Bedroom (May 19 - 23), plus the weekend*, the focus areas for finding your decluttered item are:

* Nightstand

* Bed (look under it…use/love/need the linens you have for your bed…etc.)

* Closet/clothing/jewelry & accessories

* Miscellaneous pile, box or such that rests in the bedroom with you.

--> For the first 3 days in Zone 5: The Living Room (May 26 - 30), the focus areas for finding your decluttered item are:

* Entertainment center/armoire/whatever your TV lives on :-)

* Any table in the room

* Miscellaneous anything that lives in the living room with you.

If you find something to declutter in the focus area, that's great, because you're done with your challenge for the day! :-) If not, you'll just have to find one elsewhere. Hopefully, many of us can find at least ONE clutter item there that is ready to be evicted.

* Unlike Kelly's Missions, there is no day off in my 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge. Please remember: if you do schedule a day off in your 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge, you are no less of a very worthy challenger ;-)

Happy Anniversary!

With everyone starting on a different day, I want to define just one day as our “Anniversary Day”. Should it be the day I started and sent out the call to everyone to join me? Should it be the first day that someone did? The first day of the month? So many possibilities.

One of my most inspirational people, Marla Cilley who is known as FlyLady, chooses to use her favorite number as a date to remember an important event. So, in honor of her, I will do the same. My favorite number is 22. Both of my children were born on the 22nd of the month, so I hold that day near and dear already. Now, I’ve just added another reason for importance.

From here forward, the official anniversary of the 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge will be on the 22nd of each month.
H a p p y ~ M o n t h . 1 ~ A n n i v e r s a r y !

On our Anniversary, I will also send out a gift—what I’ll call a Focus Challenge. Decluttering all alone isn't much fun. It can be, if we make a game of it! The Focus Challenge will serve to remind us that, actually, we are not doing this all alone. Many other people are right there beside us doing the same thing, at the same time. Some are going through the same challenges, and some face others, but we are all united in one purpose!

Again I say...Happy Anniversary! This is an important day. You began a journey 30 days ago, give or take, to do something, anything, towards evicting clutter from your life. That determination to make a change AND actually taking action on it is something that should be applauded all on its own. Starting is almost always the hardest part of doing something.

So, are you ready to rev up your engines, have some fun and work on this month’s Focus Challenge? OK, here we go……