Happy 2014!!!! I hope you all had a fun New Year’s Eve with your friends and family and are ready to get organized!
Today is the start of the 2014 Household Organization Diet! We are going to be doing things just a bit differently this year and will be starting off the plan with a 30 day purge! Think of it is a detox diet for your house to jumpstart your organization. For the next month we will be doing a quick rundown of our homes and getting rid of at least 10 items per day {I’m actually aiming for 20 so don’t let this limit you!} We will be going more thoroughly through each room during the year so we are not going to be doing any time consuming projects and re-organizing during this time. Just 15 minutes per day – anywhere you would like. 
For this task, you will need two bags or boxes – one for garbage and one for donations. The most obvious place to start are those areas of your home that are in most need of help. You are looking for any items that you no longer need or use, items that you may have too many of, or anything that is broken or worn down. Throw out garbage, expired items, or paperwork that you no longer require. Condense large bottles into smaller ones. Just get rid of that extra clutter! If you have a few extra minutes, tidy what you have left. Remember that this is not a major re-organization. We are just skimming that first layer of clutter off the top.
For those of you that think that 10 items is a lot – trust me. It’s not. There is always something that you can get rid of! I will be posting my areas each day throughout the month on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook using the hashtag #OrganizationDiet. You can follow along with me or choose your own areas to tackle. Either way, I would love to see what you are doing so don’t forget to include the hashtag if you are posting about it anywhere!
In case you need a little help figuring out where to start, here are some ideas of what to look for…
Kitchen
- kitchen gadgets
- utensils
- cookbooks
- junk drawer items {batteries, pens, paper pads, etc.}
- random paperwork
- cleaning supplies
- old or expired food items
Front Entry
- old shoes, coats, outerwear
- purse/wallet
- drop zone {extra keys, old receipts, piles of loose change, etc.}
- extra bags
Bedroom
- closet {clothes, shoes, accessories, bags, jewellery}
- bedside table
- sock and underwear drawer
- old linens
- books
Family Room
- toys
- movies/CDs
- books/magazines
- old remotes
- shelving units for collectibles or other items that you no longer love
Bathroom
- first aid supplies
- outdated or expired cosmetics and toiletries
- old shampoo bottles, soaps, etc.
- towels
- cleaning supplies
Kids’ Rooms
- toys {outgrown,unused, broken}
- clothes
- sock and underwear drawer
- knick knacks and other unused “treasures”
- books
- old linens
Garage
- sports equipment
- old paint cans or other household supplies
- yard equipment
- random “junk” that is no longer used or needed
Home Office
- office supplies
- old paperwork
- craft supplies
Obviously this list isn’t exhaustive so go ahead and find whatever you can! Try and move as quickly as you can during the 15 minutes and collect/organize as much as possible. Maybe you can even shed a little of those extra holiday pounds too! 🙂 I also always find that I get more done if I set a timer – for some reason this focuses me more and I am way less distracted!
Hopefully you guys will be able to join me – there is always more strength in numbers! And don’t forget to follow along here: FACEBOOK / PINTEREST / INSTAGRAM / TWITTER / GOOGLE+
Wishing you all a wonderful 2014 filled with joy, good health, and, or course, some good organizing! 🙂
I shared this post at Live Laugh Rowe, Liz Marie Blog, Design Dining and Diapers, Savvy Southern Style, Home Stories A to Z, Tip Junkie, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Under the Table and Dreaming, Lil Luna, and Tidy Mom.
Yay! So excited to start purging!
Glad you are joining me! Happy New Year!
This is a fabulous idea Jenn! Pinning and sharing on Facebook- thanks for the tips!
Thanks Krista! Hope you had a fun New Years with your family and all the best for 2014!
I’m joining the fun! A newbie to your blog! Happy New Year everyone! 🙂
So glad to have you join in! Happy New Year to you too! 🙂
I am so happy to have discovered your blog recently! With welcoming our first child into our home this year (he was born 4th of July) we are in desperate need of oranization and decluttering tips/ideas. Who would’ve known how much stuff this littke guy would actually come with! With the new year it is the perfect time to simplify and I will be looking for inspiration from your posts. Thanks!
What a great idea, I have already started. Cleaned up my Kitchen desk area and organized it using Martha Stewart Avery products. Thank you Jennifer for the inspiration!
Awesome! I love those Martha Stewart products too! 🙂
This is such a GREAT idea, Jenn!! I’m totally participating and I can’t wait to see all the photos and interaction you get. It inspires me to know that others are doing this along with me. Thanks for the push! 🙂
There’s definitely strength in numbers and we can always use the push when it comes to getting organized!
I didn’t get to read this post until later last night so this morning I played catch-up. Purged the kitchen utensil & gadget drawers, next stop the junk drawer. Liking your tips on FB too.
I am new to your blog. I found you on Pinterest. I will try to stay caught up with your process. Here is my update thus far, old papers from bank statements, electricity bills, insurance, etc… all purged so they are current. That took me 2 days to get through. School papers from 3 kids since August 2013… purged and organized. My lipsticks are next… I love to buy them, but only wear about 4 throughout the year. I can easily toss 10 pieces!
You’ve been busy! Great job! I can totally relate to your lipsticks too! 😉
Found your blog this morning and am excited to start decluttering the home! Got rid of 2 items already…. 8 more to go by midnight!
Excellent! 🙂
i am not an organized person at all i hope this will guide me where to start and what to do
well my hubby will like you for that hahahha
I am so doing this. My craft room is a huge mess!
Thanks so much for doing all the thinking so we can get straight to the organizing!
My next round of 10 items per day… I went through belts/scarves. Where did all those come from? Really? Who needs 4 different leopard print belts? hahaha Purged!! And then the jewelry…the everyday type stuff. I am embarassed to say that that stuff went out by the bag loads. Purged!! I absolutely love your idea of 10 items per day. This works for me.
I’m new to your blog and excited to have the extra help and motivation!! THANKS!!!!
Awesome! So glad you’re hear! There will be a new Household Organization post this week so stay tuned!
I found you on pinterest today and I am going to join the purg. I really need to do this. I got rid of four black trash bags of clothes before Christmas but had to stop for the holidays. This is just what I need to get me motivated again.
Excellent! Glad you are joining in!
Jenn, We LOVE this idea! I suggested the idea to my family of 4 on January 10 and we’ve all found ways to purge or pick up daily. My youngest quickly did the math “If we all start today, we will throw away, donate, or recycle 840 things from our house this month! We’ve each found ways to make this work: my preteen has been very productive cleaning out her craft supplies and old school papers; my 15 year-old is “picking up” 10 articles of clothing from her floor each day. I have worked my way through the house — organizing entire closets (mudroom, craft closet, storage closet, linen closet, MY closet) and purging as I go. Hubby still needs to do a little catching up, but he is impressed with our progress!
When I have time to tackle a new project, I’m eliminating more than 10 things a day! Other days, the “10 items” is enough motivation to make a “dent” in a new area and keep up the habit.
Thank you so much for this wonderful suggestion — I’d love to find a way to keep up this practice each month (perhaps just on the weekends Feb-Dec) and then do another “30 day detox” next January.
I can’t thank you enough for this wonderful idea and I look forward to what you will recommend for February!
That’s amazing!! I love how you were able to get your whole family involved! I’m hoping to continue it in some way throughout the year too. I have been doing at least 20 items per day and still have lots more to go! The February plans will be up on the blog next week so stay tuned! 🙂
I’m late getting started on this, but am making this a priority along with regularly visiting your blog for more ideas. I’d like to have the house purged before lambs begin to be born in April. Thanks for all the valuable advice.
Anytime is a great time to start so don’t worry about being late! How sweet it will be to have baby lambs around! {but I bet a lot of work!}
Love your idea of donating. I’m sure we all have too many soaps/conditioners from Bath&Body that we can donate to Salvation Army or Goodwill. Remember,,if you have an appliance that quit working…Goodwill takes them to train people how to figure out the [roblem and fix it. I’m taking a Keurig this week.
Love the white mirror in your bathroom. I’ll have too scrounge garage sales to look for one.
I also have to look for thr avery product another oerson brought up.
My hint: If you have a bath with a built-in shower, or just a shower, Walmart has 2-3 tier white organizers that hang from the shower head. You can put your soap, shampoo bottles et, in the racks. Saves clutter of all bathing products sitting all around the tub/shower.
I cleaned my tub and grout with Fuller brush tile and grout cleaner. What a difference! The tile and tub are so shiny. Don’t make the mistake I did..I used a colored cloth to wipe the frout and it is colored now. I’ll redo it tomorrow.
Thanks for all of your tips Cheryl! Good luck with your mirror hunt! 🙂
Just found your blog on pintrest. Its awesome! What a great idea to plurge 10 items everyday! I know its not January – starting the year off fresh and all that but this is so perfect for me right now. I have a hubby, who loves to “collect things”, a 5 yr old, and a baby coming in October. Totally going to do this in prep for the baby while I have the time and finally getting some energy back! Its summer in southern az , averaging 107 degrees, and we are staying inside almost all day anyways.
I designed it so you could start this at anytime – now is always the perfect time! 😉 Good luck with your baby and stay cool!!
Ian a 67year old retired chemo -hospice nurse. My home was so much more organized and clean when I was working. Doesn’t seem to be so important now but I still what it to be like it was before I retired. I plan to put some of your plans and ideas to work. Don’t know it I will be successful but i am willing to try. Wish me luck, I figure I am going to need it!!!!,!
Good luck! I hope it is going well for you!
I notice the dates are 2014 and 2015, is this site still active? In regard to your book, The Home Organization 30 Day Detox, there were a great many comments on the typeface you used. Has this been updated? You have some great ideas. What got me here is the “How to clean your front loader washing machine” I am on a electricity plan so I will have to do this in the evening. I can’t wait to try it. If you are still doing books a gentle suggestion (if it’s not to pricey) use spiral binding, it is GREAT for the go to reference type books. I have taken quite a few of my quilting books to have this binding put on. Hope you are still in the business of giving out your tips to make life simpler and cleaner.
Hey there! Thanks so much for dropping by! Yes, I still do a monthly organization plan. You can find them all here:
https://www.cleanandscentsible.com/category/the-household-organization-diet
For my book, I unfortunately don’t have any input into the font and binding as my publisher chooses those aspects. I do understand that some people find the font a little small but it’s definitely still read-able and there are lots of awesome tips! I hope that you’re still able to enjoy it. If the first printing sells out, I am hoping to negotiate with the publisher about the print. 🙂