It was the next Saturday. I had another small pocket of unclaimed time, and I decided to try my Two Things strategy again.
This time, I followed my Visibility Rule the way it’s supposed to be followed. Don’t declutter something guests will never see. Declutter something out in the open that I’ve stopped seeing.
Like this:
My pantry/breakfast nook.
It has been the subject of oh-so-many previous decluttering posts.
I removed trash.
I called that one thing. One super quick thing.
Then I moved on to the pantry:
I kept removing trash.
Lids for containers that had broken long ago. Expired “extra” mustard brought home because it was free with some other purchase. We don’t eat enough mustard to need extra.
And, an empty lasagna noodle box. Empty because it was open ON THE BOTTOM and the noodles fell out onto the floor. Whatever. It’s gone.
And . . . not included in the collage (but seen at the very top of the before picture), seaweed. Note to self: Even if seaweed seems like something Hubby would like, buy it in a small quantity the first time. Don’t get it from Costco.
Trash removal, things going to other places in the kitchen where I’d look for them first, and a little consolidating/rearranging, and this was the result:
Not perfect. Way better.
And that was my two things. I had cleared out the mostly-empty chip bags and purged the pantry.
But then, I decided to keep going. It was hard to ignore the space next to and below the two spaces I’d just tackled.
After straightening, consolidating and moving things to their real homes less than two feet away (this flat surface is WAY too convenient), it looked like this:
Far from perfect. Still with a ceramic pumpkin. But oh so much better.
So there you go. My two things turned into three things even though they were really probably only one thing.
Whatever. I made progress. Go me!!!
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--Nony
Love the emphasis on Better – not perfect! I find that a lot of my own decluttering results in better but not necessarily perfect!
That’s three, don’t let yourself be fooled.
Such an inspiration
I love when decluttering turns into more…always something to be proud of there!
Next time you buy a Costco purchase you or your family doesn’t like, take it back! I purchased the same huge package of seaweed and bleh, it is not like the kind I had before! I don’t think I have my receipt but often times they do let you return it at the lowest sale price. Worth a try!
Kelli is right — you can return it to Costco. If you don’t have your receipt, they will look it up in your purchase history. They’ve done that for us before when we’ve misplaced our receipt. If you don’t have the receipt, the value gets placed on a Costco Cash Card.
Yes, Costco takes everything back forever (except electronics). Seriously! I took back Miralax that was more than a year old. One had been opened, and they still gave me a full refund on a gift card. Costco is awesome.
I used your container rule today! I keep a basket with a lid in my living room for bills and various papers. I keep it under a side table and it was definitely overflowing. Moving the table out this week to paint it made me face the fact that the basket needed a major cleaning out. I think your container rule is my favorite thing that I’ve learned from your blog. Thanks!
Hey Girl- you have been so generous with your advice, and honest with all of us about your struggles- putting your before pictures out here for all to see. In the spirit of a slob comes clean, I would like to offer you some advice,
Ditch the decor- it’s not working for you
take the pictures and candle holders and shallow bowls away and just use the shelves for pantry storage
Not your ideal I’m sure- but smart and easy for a busy family
sometimes we have to sacrifice style for practicality-
give it a try
if you miss them, put em back
Good luck J
ok, i disagree. i’d say keep anything food related in the pantry, ie make room for the cereal boxes but leave pretty or useful stuff out. i get overloaded visually and find food packages “clutter up my visual space” as a hippie yoga teacher once said. i find i’m much calmer when anything like that is behind closed doors. so, there are both sides of the argument, now do whatever you want Nony! 🙂 love your cleaning thd bookcase w boys webisode. can i request a decluttering books podcast/post or video? i have thd hardest time and sometimes someone walking through the process helps.
one more thought … I realized the pantry and cabinets were my “container” for food. If I had chip bags shoved on top of the fridge because I had no room, then I would try to make room. Often I’d find stuff we needed to eat up, stale crackers shoved in the back, etc. that could be cleaned out. Or we didn’t need more food till we’d eaten up what was already there. My pantry/cupboards were/are the “container”. I only have the space I have!
Or even one shelf for food stuff and one for decor, instead of food stuff in front of the decor.
I disagree also, that built in is too cute for food items, put them all in the pantry. then rearrange you decor on the shelves.
Go YOU! 🙂