Declutter Challenge 2022 - Day 1 - Garbage
On your mark, get set, GO... And for some of us, here we go again.
Like any long-distance event, it’s best that we start with a warm-up. We want to pace ourselves so that we won't burn out in the first few days.
Today we have two tasks.
#1 Start With The Garbage
Chances are with the busyness of the past month you have dumped a ton of stuff and debris in your sewing space thinking that you’ll deal with it after the holidays.
Boxes
You are going to grab your boxes and put on your timer and set it for 15 minutes. Give yourself a target of 20 items at a time. Then repeat if you have the time.
Tea and Timer
If you have more garbage than a 30-minute session can handle, be sure to take a break in between. Have a cup of tea, read for 15 minutes or go for a quick walk.
The Obvious
What are you looking for? The packaging from holiday gifts. Food wrappers. Old receipts. Flyers. Instructions in another language. Quickstart guides. Old post-it notes. Overflowing scrap baskets. Pens and markers that no longer work, etc.
Containers
And then there is garbage disguised as something else. Mostly packaging. Bags, cartons, tins, and boxes, Some are so pretty, we are sure we can repurpose them. Or the items that look so pretty on display…so pretty we never use them. It’s hard but let the container go.
Papers
And there are papers we are saving just in case we need the information. Unless you have an action attached to it, like the fabric requirements for an upcoming workshop, you can most likely let go of it. Almost everything is available online. And ask yourself when was the last time you referred to it anyways. Nowadays the only manual you’ll find in my sewing room is the one for my sewing machine. If in doubt, take a picture with your phone. Then toss it out.
#2 Dig Out Your Sewing Machine
You might need to clear a path or deal with a pile of stuff that was dumped on top of it. Even if you just take that stuff and dump it somewhere else, have your sewing space clear. (Mine looks clear only because I had to move it into another room for the holidays. The rest of the room is a diaster).
The time will fly by if you have music, an audiobook or Karen’s Quilt Circle playing in the background.
Now it might start today or it might not, but your brain is going to start throwing out ideas aka squirrels. Or you're going to remember all sorts of stuff that you need to do. So have your journal ready to jot them down.
And when you're done, be sure that your garbage and recycling containers get emptied.
Remember that we are investing the time to make our sewing rooms a space where we create and recharge.
What was the oddest thing you decluttered today? Post your photos on our Facebook group and Instagram. And use the hashtags #jgidqdeclutter2022 #declutterchallenge2022. See you tomorrow for Day Two - Stuff That Belongs in Other Rooms.