365 Less Things

Reducing our stuff one day at a time.

Mini Mission Monday – Whistle while you declutter

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mini-logoMini 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.

These mini missions are brought to you by the ever amusing ~ Nicole V.

“Once upon a time, a beautiful queen had a baby girl. The baby’s skin was as white as snow, and she had beautiful black hair.”

From the title and opening lines, you must have guessed that the fairy tale of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” will be the inspiration for decluttering this week. We’ll focus on the seven dwarfs, in particular, for the mini missions. Some suggestions follow below, but you are, of course, free to creatively interpret the missions as they relate to you.

Monday – Doc: Declutter any expired medications, anything past its use-by date from your medicine cabinet or first-aid kit, medical bills or receipts that you no longer need.

Tuesday – Grumpy: Declutter anything that might be annoying to use, clean or maintain. It could also be something that puts you in a bad mood, for whatever reason or something that gets in your way each time you need to access a useful item.

Wednesday – Happy: This could be something that no longer brings you joy like it used to or something that would make someone else happy if you gave it to them or donated it.

Thursday – Sleepy: This could be anything from your main or guest bedroom or anything sleep-related or something that makes you yawn or feel drowsy (a really boring book, for instance).

Friday – Bashful: This could be a cheesy CD or DVD that you might be embarrassed to admit you have in your collection, an item of clothing that is so frayed and faded that you’d be too shy to be seen in it outside the home or even something from your past that might seem cheesy now (neon legwarmers from the 80s, anyone?) or anything associated with a fad that you are now embarrassed to ever have embraced.

Saturday – Sneezy: Declutter anything that exists solely to attract dust, ineffective or expired allergy medications, or even anything related to sunshine, exercising and plucking your eyebrows. Yes, you read that right – sunshine, exercising and eyebrow-plucking can induce sneezing in some people. If this has never happened to you before, who woulda thunk, right?

So that leaves us with Dopey. You can either declutter with Dopey for extra credit or use him as a replacement for any of the earlier mini missions that you might have had difficulty with. Dopey: This could be an item that has you dazed, confused or bewildered as to why it is even in your home or a thingamajig that has no apparent function, with nobody knowing what it is or what it is used for. It could even be a key that doesn’t fit any locks in your home or office.

And now, all that’s left is for me to say:

“And the friendly, creative and supportive decluttering community of 365ers lived happily ever after.

The End.”

Sunday - Sunday is reserved for contemplating one particular item, of your choice that is proving difficult for you to declutter. Whether that be for sentimental reasons, practical reasons, because the task is laborious or simply unpleasant, or because the items removal requires the cooperation of another person. That last category may mean that the item belongs to someone else who has to give their approval, it could also mean there is a joint decision to be made or it could mean that the task of removing it requires assistance from someone else. There is no need to act on this contemplation immediately, it is more about formulating a plan to act upon or simply making a decision one way or another.

Good luck and happy decluttering

Comments

  1. Once upon a time, there lived in beautiful central Virginia a lovely middle aged lady who laughed until she snorted ( quiet loudly, indeed) at these amusing categories.
    So much easier to find something related to Sneezy & Doc than gold, frankincense, & myrrh .

    • Don’t give Nicole ideas Gail, she so likes to keep it interesting that she might just take you up on that. Perhaps it will be the twelve days of Christmas next time. She will have to spread it over two weeks of course.

      • Nicole,
        Your themed mini-missions for the week are fabulous!
        Creative, Clever, Inspiring, Imaginative, and Simple!
        Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho….it’s off to “365” we go!

      • LOL, Colleen!

        Seriously though, you really need to get out of my head, Colleen … my plans for The Magi as well as the Twelve Days of Christmas are still under wraps. 😀

  2. Lol Nivole V., you have a real talent with language and storytelling.

    Today, I cleaned the kitchen. All the dry goods were removed from the cabinets. Disposed of numerous expired items (some were grumpy, dopey and sneezy). We found several items to donate (seriously, who needs 3 packages of cumin!) which will make someone happy. Doc, Sleepy and Bashful are out of luck this week.

    • Thank you, Idgy. Job well done … and who knows, the remaining dwarfs might just pop up before the week is done.

  3. How very clever!
    I saw some Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs ornaments from the 60’s a few days ago,
    While they were darling I didn’t feel like I had to own them. Snow White & crew, who would have guessed they would be this weeks mini missions?!
    Now if I could only whistle….one of life’s small injustices. Lol

    • LOL, Calla … and thank you!

      “While they were darling I didn’t feel like I had to own them.” – That’s a great way of putting it!

  4. I had a good lol at this week’s mini missions!

    As of Saturday night I am officially a retired ballet mum! I have done this for fourteen years and while I am going to miss the community, I am sooooo ready to let that door close. After a busy week of rehearsals and shows, my house needs a good clean and tidy session tonight and there are a number of things earmarked for donation ‘post concert’ so I can begin on that. I will however, keep an eye out for my Seven Dwarfs……..hey, ho, hey, ho, its off to declutter I go!

  5. Such a creative idea Nicole V, thank you! I think I am going to have great fun finding items for these this week.

    Also a weird coincidence as I did a mini-marathon of Once Upon a Time on the weekend. One season to go then they are all getting decluttered and sent to Dad (he now understands to watch them and pass them on, so all good, won’t be clutter there either).

    • Thank you, Amelia … do let us know how the decluttering goes … I’m sure you’ll come up with some fun stuff like you usually do.

      And, yes, that is a nice coincidence indeed and your mini-marathon should have suitably set the mood for these missions. It looks like your parents are determined to march to the beat of their own decluttering drum – I remember you mentioning how they watched everything in their collection before decluttering them not too long ago.

      • Nicole V, I feel like your mini-missions have given me permission to do a couple more mini-marathons until I finish up the series, heehee. Don’t worry, I will declutter as I watch!

        I have already thought of Bashful – a dress with a chiffony skirt which I only wear very occasionally. I am moving to one of the windiest cities on Earth, and am quite sure I will not be able to wear a dress that light outside the house. I have others made of sturdier material that will do just fine instead I am sure.

        • LOL! Oh, by all means enjoy what Storybrooke has to offer, Amelia. Any incentive that aids decluttering is good in my (story) book. Good choice of the dress for Bashful.

  6. Nicole,
    Your themed mini-missions for the week are fabulous!
    Creative, Clever, Inspiring, Imaginative, and Simple!
    Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho….it’s off to “365” we go!

  7. This is so cute, Nicole! Very clever. So far I’ve gotten rid of:

    Doc: My house first aid kit (condensed down to a travel first aid kit)

    Sleepy: Sold my bedroom set

    Sneezy: Some actual dust (cleaning windowsills and baseboards and doorways). And yes, looking at a bright light or near the sun can bring on a sneeze!

    Good luck this week, everyone!

    • Thank you, Jo H! I just wanted to come up with something that I hoped the 365ers would find fun. I mulled over several ideas – you should have seen some of the duds that got tossed out! – and then this one just popped into my head.

  9. I just subscribed to your newsletter, and this was the first or second one I received. I have an 11 year old who I think will enjoy this, and let me tell you, her room needs all the help it can get right now. She loves a clean room, but she also has a hard time parting with things. Currently the things are winning. I’m kind of letting it go because I know she only has about a year left of childhood, and then her many things will become toys for the grandkids. (Only the best of them though!) She is the youngest of 6, so I know how it goes. They wake up one day, and they seem to have had a spell cast on them (in keeping with your fairytale theme). I think the spell somehow ends their childhood, and suddenly the things they couldn’t live without seem so “yesterday”.

    Anyway, I just wanted to mention that I had heard the idea of a reverse advent calendar.This is where you put aside something to give away on each of the 25 days of December leading up to Christmas. At the end you donate it all to a food bank, neighbor, family member etc. I am going to do this, and maybe now I will look for things from your list to incorporate. The blog with that idea was called Mum in the Madhouse (or something along those lines). If you’re interested, I pinned it here. https://www.pinterest.com/rachelbenson315/christmas-giving/ Hope that’s ok to share. I’m not affiliated in any way. I just thought that might be something others might want to do as well.

    Thanks for the inspiration.

    • Hi, Rachel and welcome to Colleen’s amazing blog and the equally amazing 365LT community. I hope it helps your daughter – do let us know how it goes. I like how you described the spell ending childhood – very apt.

      The reverse advent calendar is a lovely idea – thank you for sharing. I think that Peggy recently mentioned something similar as well.

    • Ok, that’s IT! This has gone on long enough! There is only so much that a person can take!

      Who are you and what have you done with my friend Colleen???

      Seriously though, thank you, Colleen! I should be able to live for days on that compliment alone! 😀

  11. Aha! I have a good one for Grumpy. I had a small Fry Daddy. I only used it to make hot water cornbread. It was sooo hard to clean and not fun. I gave it to my person who cleans my house occasionally. She was happy. I was happy. Hmmm, maybe this one should be for Happy!!!

    • LOL, Deanna! Btw, did your Fry Daddy puff much? 😀

      Sorry, once again, I blame Colleen. I maintain she started it. 🙂

        • It was a silly little joke, Deanna. When you mentioned the Fry Daddy, it made me think of the rapper Puff Daddy. :-[

          • I knew it was a joke, Nicole…but I don’t know Puff Daddy…should have googled it!!!!!

  12. Doc: It seems that I continually declutter expired medications (9 last week) AND old medical receipts will leave the premises at the end of the year. I’ll file away my 2016 receipts and burn my oldest year’s receipts…I think 2012.

  13. Nivole V, these mini-missions are a hoot. Love your ideas.

    Just wanted you all to know we received a call today about an apartment for Mom. We go Wednesday morning to see if all her ducks are in a row. Praying it goes through. I’m praying her surgery is the last week in Dec and we can move her while she is in the hospital. I’m also praying the house sells by then, they will let me stay with her for the first few weeks while she can’t be on her feet if needed and that a place for me opens up by the end of the month so I can move soon after her or at the same time. Don’t want much do I.

    She is busy right now decluttering. Nothing like getting notice she will soon move. I’m sure we will declutter several things in each of this week’s categories.

    • Hi Deb J, I put my “2 cents” in for you to get all that you requested and then some… I believe He heard me 🙂

    • Thank you, Deb J!

      You deserve to receive everything that you’re praying for. I’ll echo Deanna’s lovely words: “Praying right along with you!”

    • That is good news Deb. I hope all goes as you would like for you and your mother. What a nice Christmas gift that would be. And YAY, your mum is decluttering. Better late than never.

      • Well, a call today told us that the person moving out changed their mind so the apartment isn’t available. Mom is on the list for the next one though and it shouldn’t be too long.

        • Oh no Deb. That is so unfortunate! Well you have us all praying for you and your mum, so I am sure it will all work out. Maybe the universe is just setting you both up for something that will be even better. And at least there is a little more time for some extra decluttering.

        • Deb J – ohhhhh, so near but so far! Darn!!!! On the upside it might be easier to look after your mum post-surgery in your house. Still, encourage her to keep up the momentum, possibly the person who was meant to shift out (and changed their mind) may change it again over the holidays.

          • Moni! Mom is still motivated and talked about getting boxes so we can get the clutter out of the house and also start packing. the only issue about staying in this house while Mom is recuperating is we have steps and she will be in a wheel chair for awhile. I will have to get some friends to build a ramp.

        • Deb J,

          I was just about to add my Yay! and then saw this. Darn. Keep praying and working toward your goal. Good luck with your mom’s surgery. I hope she heals well and that you are both able to move soon.

  14. Today I decluttered a “Dumpy” (cousin of the 7 Dwarfs haha) pair of undies. You know the ones… they aren’t your favorites anyway and then they get all hangey so you don’t feel secure…

    I also decluttered a mess of softening apples by making chunky applesauce with cinnamon. I guess that one might be Happy 🙂

    • LOL, Peggy! Dumpy – I love it! You’ve got me thinking about the dwarfs’ family tree now – third cousin once removed and all that sort of stuff. 😀 Great one there for Happy. I hope you get back to us on the rest – I can always use a hearty laugh to brighten up the day. 🙂

    • Pity you can’t distribute some of the results of your Happy to the rest of us Peggy – I would gladly clutter up some of my house with some homemade applesauce. That said, I don’t think it would last long enough to be clutter!

      • Hi Amelia, Thanks for your comment 🙂 It is unusual for me to cook anything… but I was watching those apples becoming clutter day by day… crisis averted haha

    • Dumpy…..that is funny! All my undies are dumpy. I can’t find anything that I like! Grumpy face. I need some of that applesauce. 🙂

      • Oh Melanie, I’m sorry that all your undies are “Dumpy” and that you didn’t get any applesauce… Your comment tickled my funnybone though 🙂

  15. Happy: I used up two rolls of wrapping paper and a set of tags. Happy to have used them up and the recipients of the gifts will be happy too.

    Sneezy: I have an assortment of perfume samples that I am trying to use up. Guaranteed to be at least one that makes me sneeze!

    That’s 3 dwarves sorted, 4 to go as I always go for extra credit, lol.

      • Thanks Nicole V 🙂

        My Doc items are a bit unfortunate but they still count!: I’ve managed to have an assortment of things go wrong with one of my big toes, including getting some tropical bacteria in there, so I’ve been using up a lot of my first aid supply of dressings and ointments. In for surgery next week. Sigh. Still, in order to see a silver lining I am claiming a decluttering victory.

    • None of the Sneezy items have made me sneeze yet. But today’s seems like I’ve got a gardenia stuffed up my nose… :S

  16. This was too clever by half – the categories. Glad to know I have a compadre in central Virginia who is a 365 er!

  17. Dopey: a spare pedometer. I think this is obvious as to why it is a Dopey! Still shaking my head over how it has survived the decluttering efforts thus far. Just Grumpy to go now! 🙂

    • Grumpy: I got a gift set a while ago, the perfume part which I have been using and really like. I’d been looking forward to getting into the lotion once I’d used up some others. Finally started it yesterday – but it just smells like rubber! It is awful!!! I am very annoyed that this wasn’t at all what I was looking forward to. Off it goes. Sigh.

  18. LOL, Amelia … you sure are focused! I forsee a 365 valedictorian for this week’s mini missions in our midst! 😉