{day 5}: declutter

Day 5: Declutter for 15 minutes
Author’s Note: If you haven’t yet, read more details about the 12 Days of Minimalist Holidays. You can also read what we’ve accomplished so far in the Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4 posts.

If you’re anything like our family, you’re about to get a huge influx of new toys, decorations, and general stuff this Christmas. You can get ready by decluttering the current supply of stuff. Go to a clutter spot in your house, and with a trash bag, spend 15 minutes decluttering. Pick up everything that you are thinking even might be something you’d get rid of, then once it’s out of the room, you can examine the items in more detail. Donate or throw away toys that don’t get played with, are missing parts, or are broken and awaiting fixing.

There are many great websites that give you more details on how to declutter, so I won’t reinvent the wheel by sharing more information here. Here’s a list of a few resources:

• On my blog: 
• • the art of decluttering
  • the organizing loves of my life
  • organizing loves: kids edition
  • spring cleaning and preparing
  • mise en place: spring productivity ideas
  • spring cleaning and preparing, part two

• Elsewhere:
• • The Fly Lady: Cruising through the holidays
  • Minimalist Mom: declutter toys before the holidays