As we navigate the new reality that the Los Angeles fires are bringing, I didn’t want you guys to think that I have forgotten you or that I’m not pondering ways to help you declutter your home quickly. One of my best decluttering tips is to join the 30-day decluttering challenge.
You can start it now. You can start it in a week. You don’t have to start at the beginning of the month, but you’ll be amazed at how good you feel just by getting started.
This is where I am with my progress on the 30-day decluttering challenge despite dire circumstances that have landed on Los Angeles over the last week or so.
Day 5:
Five (5) magazines and catalogs made it into the recycling bin today. They had been tucked away in the rack by the “fainting” couch in the living room, so they weren’t taking up visual space. But I wanted to free up space for things that need to be read or saved for later use. Out they went!
Day 6:
That bag of six (6) dead DD batteries is now gone. Woo! I know this bag will eventually exist again, but I’m glad I could properly dispose of the batteries and get the bag out of our cleaning closet.
Day 7-Day 10:
Fire break. Terrifying trying to put together go-bags and then shifting into volunteer mode.
Day 11:
We donated 11 never-worn, label-removed sweaters that Andy rescued from being destroyed by a clothing store going out of business. That’s a very long story I will share once the shock of the Los Angeles fires starts to wear off. Oh, let’s face it, that shock will not wear off. But I’ll definitely share the story later because fast fashion and clothing waste in landfills contribute to the climate crisis we are facing right now.
Day 12:
We donated extra medical supplies, N95 masks, and 4 wall chargers to a fire relief organization in the Marina. It was probably more than 12 items, but that’s roughly right.
Day 13:
I removed 13 long-expired bottles of specialty vinegar, oils, and baking items from the kitchen (the main photo is part of the work in progress. We haven’t gotten to the spices yet, but I feel good about freeing up the areas around Andy’s cooking space and the shelves above it. Now, we can see what we use, what he misses, and what we want to try.