Mini Mission Monday is about finding ten minutes a day to declutter. To make it easy for you, each Monday I set seven declutter missions, one for each day of the week for you to follow. It takes the guess work out of decluttering and makes it easy and “fun” for you to achieve some quick decluttering.
This week we are going to remove some clutter that might be bothering someone else in some way. If you decide to take on this weeks missions be prepared for it to be confronting at times.Â
Monday – Ask your partner/husband/roommate if there is something of yours in your shared living space that they wish you would declutter because they don’t like it. It is up to you whether you comply of course.
Tuesday – Remove something from your yard that a neighbour might be able to see and think looks out of place or unsightly. Ask the neighbour if you aren’t sure and are game.
Wednesday – Ask a family member if they have anything you have given them that they really don’t want but keep because it was a gift from you. Give them permission to declutter it.
Thursday – Return something that you have borrowed from someone else that you should possibly have returned some time ago.
Friday – Declutter an area where your items may have spilled over into someones else’s space. For example ~ Your clothes in your husbands side of the closet.
Saturday – Ask a family member if there is an area of clutter in your home that you might have overlooked that they think needs attention. This might possibly be an area that is OK to you but annoying for them.
Sunday – I think you have earned a rest today so take it easy and rest up for another week of decluttering to start tomorrow.
Good luck and happy decluttering
Today’s Declutter Item
This bottle opener was one of those “I shouldn’t have bothered” ebay sales. It sold from 99c but cost the person $3 in postage. Nothing ventured nothing gained though. At least it is out of my house. It is also the answer to the What Is It puzzle from Simple Saturday.
There were lots of readers who got it right this time but the first was Marilyn who is a new reader and this was her first time commenting. Well done Marilyn and welcome to 365 Less Things. This was her guess ~Â At first I thought ice scraper, but metal on glass is probably a bad idea. Extreme close-up of part of a bottle opener?
But Di was the one with the most complete answer which was this ~ I really think it’s a bottle opener with a red handle embossed with a Coca-Cola bottle…..a novelty item. Gibson also made sets of flatware with the Coke handles also. I am impressed Di that was so exact. Do you have one of these among your clutter by any chance?
Coca Cola Bottle Opener
Something I Am Grateful For Today
This may seem a little unusual in the way of gratitude items but it stuck me and I appreciated it. My husband, son and I went out for a coffee yesterday afternoon before doing the grocery shopping. The young girl who took our order looked me right in the eye and smiled when done. She did the same when she asked if we wanted an extra fork for our sweet. So often staff are overworked and rushed or just doing their duty but this girl made me feel special and I like it. She was not around when we left so I didn’t get a chance to thank her but I will if I see her again.
These are great mini missions. I think it is helpful to ask others what they think.
You did a good job hiding the true identity of the object.
Hi Deb J,
have fun with those mini missions it is a good way to open up some communication as well as getting a little decluttering done. Glad you enjoyed to What Am I, they are always fun. I couldn’t believe Di was so accurate.
Nice! I never would have guessed but I’m not very “up” on kitchen gadgets.
Hi Lynn,
thanks for playing Lynn I hope you enjoyed the challenge.
Nice set of mini missions. Good job Colleen.
Hi Cindy,
thanks for the inspiration for the mini missions this week. It was actually that funny little jibe at you from your mom that delivered this idea into my head. I hope you have fun with them.
Perfect challenges this week -= given mum said on the weekend that she doesn’t think my room looks very uncluttered! (well i did get rid of two stacks of her magazines that were on top of the bookshelf in my room). I think the key to an uncluttered look is nothing on surfaces, so I will work on that.
Meanwhile, my Thursday desk clean up was well noted by a collegue (who usually sees more of a horizontal paper wall paper affect!!) I even cleared out the drawers (again) to have less, taking red pens home for the teachers to use.
Hi Snosie,
I am glad you like this week’s missions. Don’t discount your mum’s opinion, delve a little deeper and ask her what she thinks would look better. It can be a little confronting and you may not agree at first but consider what she has to say because it may open your mind up to possibilities.
Well done with the desk. I wish my son would declutter his dest there is more space taken up with clutter than there is space to actually work on his uni subjects. He does love having all his little trinkets out where he can see them though wich is a good thing really because they would truly be clutter if he just stashed them away somewhere.
I am so proud – one month on from clearing all clutter from the floor in our living room and no new piles have appeared! I actually put in my diary for one month’s time(i.e. today) to clear the space again, to stop the mess getting too bad! My dear H2B has excelled himself. He has been rewarded:O).
Off topic from today but the good principles from this blog are working: as I may have mentioned, lol, I am getting married this friday…I had decided to buy a little trug (a traditional type of wooden basket) for my lovely little bridemaid to carry our rings in.
However, went to by one last week and 1a) they were twice the price I was expecting and b) I didn’t actually love them. Liked, but not totally loved. And then I thought, but what would I use it for after and where would it go?
So I didn’t buy one in the end. Got a cheap little purple satin tiny cushion for a 1/4 of the price and my bridesmaid will love it and and keep it, so no clutter for me or the risk of future sentimental clutter (“I can’t get rid on that, it was part of our wedding”). Result.
And I think the key to that result was understanding the term ‘sentimental clutter’ and the thinking before bringing anything new in to the house. All as a result of this blog just daily reinforcing the new thinking.
Thanks everyone.
Hi Katharine,
I was ploughing through your old comments just the other day trying to find out if you ever mentioned when the wedding was going to be because I knew it was coming up soon. Now I know. Congratulation again and I hope you have a beautiful day and a wonderful life together. Well done on the floor clutter I think you might have got him trained just in time. You made a good choice with the cushion and it is a good example of thinking before you add anything to your life that could become sentimental clutter. Well done and once again have a beautiful day on Friday.
Many thanks Colleen. We are marrying on the Autumn equinox, but we are planning to have a very long Indian Summer together :O)
Hi Katharine,
I recall your updates on wedding plans that you have shared with us, and I just want to say I think you are doing a great job with planning your wedding to avoid the “clutter of tradition”. And I am very impressed with your “no new piles” as both my husband and I are “pilers” and I know how hard this is – it must be a very, very good feeling! …Enjoy your special day Friday, and may you have many years of joy together …
Jo
Many thanks Jo. 3 days to go and I am actually sitting here twiddling my thumbs (is that an Internationally known expression or just British?) as everything for the wedding is now organised.
Hi Katharine,
we certainly say Twiddling my thumbs in Australia. Better to be twiddling your thumbs than getting itchy feet. 😆
Hey Katharine, I’m from one of the colonies (Canada) haha, so I am familiar with this expression also! Good for you for having everything ready ahead!
I love these mini-missions although I fear it will be another six months to a year before I could ask these of anyone else in my house with a straight face – I see only too clearly what has yet to be accomplished! But someday I WILL get to this point, and I WILL use this suggestion.
Hi Jo,
be brave there are only three days in the week where you have to involve anyone else in the decision making process. Surely your family aren’t that scary. 🙂
What I was thinking was that I needed to be “finished” with fixing what I could see were problem areas, before asking for family opinions … but I am realizing I only need to ask them a slightly different question. Instead of asking if they see something I missed, instead I could ask – which cluttered spot bothers you most? It will be interesting to get their answers. (and I will commit to doing those areas next)
Well done Jo, what a great way to work the mini missions and keep your family members happy at the same time.