Follow Me Over to Inspired to Write

Today, I’m excited to be a guest blogger at Inspired to Write. While Julie is away for two weeks on a mission trip in Croatia, please enjoy the guest posts she has lined up to inspire you.

My guest post is about adapting the 27-17-7 method of decluttering to free yourself to write. You didn't realize the method could be adapted? Oh, yes indeed, it can. Take a look over at Inspired to Write and see for yourself. Please leave a comment and let me know how I did on my very first guest post! I’d greatly appreciate it.

To those arriving here via Inspired to Write, please take a look around the 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge blog. I'm sure you will find inspiration for taking babysteps towards clearing the clutter from your life, in all its forms.

Below are posts especially chosen for my new visitors. They will let you know more about the 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge and provide motivation for you to accept your own 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge!

Introducing the 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge
How I Define Clutter
Congratulations Challengers!
I'd Rather Stay Home From Work and De-junk
Ever felt afraid to declutter?
Focus Challenge - Month 10

Again, thanks so much to Julie at Inspired to Write for allowing me to be a guest blogger and for providing much needed inspiration to us all!

The Mommy-Files Giveaway ~ Toshiba Portege A-600 Laptop

Entries being accepted at The Mommy-Files for a giveaway prize of a Toshiba Portege A-600 Laptop until 11:59 p.m. PST on Wednesday, June 10th, 2009.

Decluttering Made Simple (27-17-7)

A post on the FlyLadies & More forum was very useful so I am sharing it with you all here.

It's called 27-17-7.

As you can see on the link above, the original idea was to do the first part of a 27 Fling Boogie by going through your home and finding 27 items that need to be thrown away. Repeat daily. Once you've cleared the home of the obvious trash, the next step is to choose 17 items that you don't need, love, use or want and donate, sell or otherwise get to a home that is not yours! Again, doing this every day "Until there is nothing left to donate...not even an extra pair of shoes." The final step was to find 7 homeless items and return them to their home or designate a home for them.

And, as we all know, decluttering doesn't have a stopping point. The last part from the post is: "When you've done that, start again." Oh man!

Inspired by these 3 simple steps, I've begun using the 27-17-7 plan in my home.

--> As I collect bits off the floor, empty junk mail off the desk, etc. I put the items into a small bag. At the end of the week, I've usually collected more than 27 things. It's amazing to realize that. Taking the time to do this extra step has reminded me about how doing a little here & there can accomplish so much!

--> I put items that I've defined as clutter in our Donation Station every day, as usual. At the end of the week, I count them as I move them from a temporary bag to the one that I take to the charity. There's always at least 7 items; for one item a day. What can I say? I've been trained.

--> As I live with a messie for a husband and have 2 small children, I can easily find 7 items a day to bring back to their homes.

Each of us is taking a different decluttering journey based on our starting points. None are less noble than another.

If you are completing a 27-17-7 every day, wow, look at you go! If, like me, you've decluttered your life to where it's a weekly event, that's terrific. Or maybe you live more simply (kudos to you) and can not finish a 27-17-7 in a week's time. The important part is that you celebrate your efforts once you have done so.

Every single one of us is taking action towards reducing the physical and mental clutter in our lives. For that, I am so proud of you. Keep going!