One Thing a Day
A few years ago, I saw an article in The New Yorker by Ann Patchett, How to Practice (subscription needed, sorry) where she tells of being motivated by the death of a close friend’s father, and the task of going through his things, to declutter her own home, getting rid of things she had been hanging onto for too long. Some of them had a lot of meaning, but she realized that she didn’t need to hang on to them forever. Some of them were beautiful things, but she wasn’t using them.
Then a few weeks ago, Elisabeth had a post in which she described helping her parents to declutter, which she finds extremely satisfying. I mentioned in her comments that I tend to get overwhelmed by the amount of clutter in my house, and I intend to cope with it, but I then get overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all, so it doesn’t happen. I have tried planning a drawer or a closet or something every week, but I get busy and forget and then it doesn’t happen.
But it needs to happen. I hang on to things too long. I have a box in my closet of things that belonged to my mom – letters and trinkets and so on – and I need to let some (most) of them go.
I have a closet full of clothes I don’t wear, but I keep because I like them or someone gave them to me as a gift or maybe I’ll find a use for them someday.
We have kitchen drawers that are laden down with utensils that mostly don’t get used. I’m pretty sure we could get rid of 1/2 of that stuff.
I have books that I have read (and loved) but am unlikely to read again, but I keep them because they were gifts, or because I spent money on them. I doubt that whomever gave me these books expects me to keep them forever. The books is a real paradigm shift, because generally when I buy a book, I keep it, and that’s it. But our house is cluttered, and I need to really consider whether I think I am likely to read this book again. I think that listening to books has helped my brain adjust to the idea of not owning most books. Also libraries in general, right?
The other paradigm shift is getting rid of things that are nice, good quality, pretty, whatever – but that I don’t want. Things that had meaning to my mom or my grandma or my great-aunt, but that I never look at. Maybe I’ll take pictures of them and then let the physical things go.
I’ve tried before, but then I think, ‘maybe I’ll use this’, and I end up keeping it. And sometimes I do use them. I wore an outfit on the cruise that I would have thought would go in the ‘gift’ category, but was perfect this once…sometimes I do find a use for things, but that doesn’t mean I need to keep everything. Sigh.
I believe in the power of intention and that people can change, so I have decided to set a goal for myself for the second half of 2025. Who knows, if I enjoy it or find that there is a lot more to do come January, I may carry it in to 2026. I started my daily yoga as a one month thing back in January of 2024, and I haven’t missed a day since. So bloggy friends, I am going to get rid of one thing a day. Totally manageable. Could be a book, an item of clothing, some random thing from a kitchen drawer, a letter that my mom wrote my Grandma when she was in college, who knows. I will try to donate or give away as much as possible, but some items will end up in the landfill or shredded. Wish me success!
38 Comments
Ally Bean
I think many of us are caught in the “might need it later” thinking trap. However you’ve decided on a sensible plan that seems perfectly doable. Little by little you’ll overcome your doubts about letting go. I’m sure of it!
J
Thanks Ally! I feel like this task is totally doable. 🙂
Tamara
Wishing you success! I think your goal is achievable and is worthy. I understand the difficulty however, especially with books. I pared the household collection down by one billy last month and it was really difficult. This summer I need to tackle the under sink cupboards and our medicine/bathroom/beauty supplies. They are out of control – I can’t go on I must go on!
J
LOL on the Can’t Go On / Must Go On! Is that from Curb Your Enthusiasm? I know Larry said it there.
Books are hard to get rid off, but so are so many other stupid things.
Tamara
It could be! hahaha I was thinking of a scene from a production I saw many years ago of Waiting for Godot that seared itself imperfectly into my memory. Good luck again and also thanks for the recent taco post – I feasted on your sumptuous descriptions and photos :-).
J
LOL, I’ve never seen Godot, I’ll bet Larry was referencing it and it made us laugh even though we didn’t know the source. Even funnier now!
nance
I completely understand. You might find that once you start, it becomes easier and easier and you get chuffed with the success of your plan and get bolder. Or, you may feel that this pace is comforting and Just Right. Either way, you’re decluttering and making progress!
I always feel good about donating things, especially when it’s to the Vietnam Vets. I know they’re going to a good cause and the stuff that was doing absolutely nothing hanging around my house is now being useful and helpful. And when I round up books, I donate them to either a Little Free Library in my neighbourhood or to our library’s twice annual book sale.
Rick is like you in that he attaches a lot of emotional value to clothing that he was given by someone he loves, like Jared and Sam. His closet is…well, let’s just say I’ve learned not to talk about it.
J
I suspect you are right and that my success is going to egg me on. I hope so at least!
Jenny
Yes, it’s REALLY hard to get rid of things that have sentimental value, like things that belonged to your parents. I know! I’ve gotten better about this, because I think about my kids having to go through all my stuff someday when I’m gone. They’re not going to want the trinkets that belonged to my mom, or my books, etc. So SOMEONE is going to have to deal with them, someday- I might as well do my kids a favor and deal with it now. This is not saying that I’m perfect! I still have clutter, just not as much. Maybe you’ll inspire me to do a decluttering this summer. Good luck with it!
J
Yeah, the fact that I’m turning 60 later this year is definitely motivating me to do this so Maya doesn’t have so much to deal with some day. I am never going to be a minimalist, but it doesn’t need to be overwhelming clutter.
AC
An item a day sounds like a great idea. There a a lot of days in a year.
J
Thank you!
K @ TS
You can do it!!! My suggestion would be to start with the less emotional things, like redundant measuring cups or serving dishes, or pants that don’t and never will fit, and then move on to the gifts and expensive thing later in the process. For me those two categories were the hardest to get rid of.
I also scanned or took photos of a lot of things. I know this sounds counterproductive bit a good (fast) scanner will run you a couple hundred dollars but will clear out a lot of stuff!! I scanned postcards and old report cards and letters from my grandma, and then I threw the originals away. It felt so freeing.
J
The scanner is a really good idea. I don’t have room for new, faster one, but I have one included in my printer and it could help me with some letters and so on.
When you freed yourself of so many belongings, it inspired me to do something on a much smaller scale, but without your deadline and payoff to motivate me, it didn’t happen. But still, you are my inspiration!
K @ TS
You’ve got this. Its amazing how many things we have that we do not need. Like old t-shirts from HS (yes, I had those, AND my little league hats, still!) I think once you get into a declutter mindset (after ripping off the bandaid) it gets easier with time. Its those first few things that are the hardest. I expect full reports as you go! 🙂
J
Thanks for the encouragement Kyria! So far so good. Tuesday was 3 items, Wednesday was 2 items, today is 3 items…it’s going to be pretty easy for a while I think.
Allison McCaskill
Yes, yes, yes, we are the same. I go through days-or-weeks-long periods where I am on FIRE for getting rid of stuff, and then months where I could not care less and cannot make myself. I think Swistle was doing the one thing a day, and it makes so much sense, and yet even in that I have not persisted. And especially with the clothing and books, it is badly needed.
J
I’m pretty good if I set a hard and fast rule about something, so one thing a day should be manageable. I have trouble when it’s more nebulous.
Suzanne
Oh wow! What a great goal! Does it count if the things belong to your hoard-prone (but not hoarder) child??? Asking for a me. 😉
I definitely struggle to get rid of things that have sentimental value even if that’s all they contribute to my life. The idea of taking a photo of an item is a great one. The item doesn’t possess the memory or feeling — YOU do, so the photo should trigger the memory/feeling just as well as the item itself.
J
Hmmm…likely it COULD count to get rid of your kid’s things I guess, if there’s a lot of clutter there. I won’t be touching my daughter’s room, though I have certainly done that when she was a kid.
Margaret
I did pack up some tee-shirts I won’t wear again and need to get rid of most of my teacher clothes. I won’t wear them again, not that they would even fit. I get overwhelmed by where to take things and then don’t do anything.
J
Yeah, I have that problem sometimes too. I’m just going to work harder at figuring out where I can donate things. There are lots of worthy places around.
Ernie
This is a great plan. I need to release some dessses that I do not need again. Well there are a lot of things I don’t need. I am thrilled with the fact that Mini is wearing many things that I saved from when I worked outside the home. It makes me so happy that they are getting a second life. When my uncle passed and his children and wife had both died- his photo albums ended up with me. He has no one to hand things down to. The day of his funeral we looked at the albums and ann told me to just toss them. Sheesh. I didn’t but at some point it will probably happen.
Good luck with your project. One thing a day seems doable. Maybe I will take a page from your book. (That does not mean that you should send me your old books). 😉
J
LOL on sending you my old books! HA! Photos are really hard. It feels horrible to throw away pictures of someone I love, but I don’t need 6 copies of the same picture either. A mind shift is definitely in order.
You know, when we moved every two years, this wasn’t an issue. Maybe we just need to move more often! (We’ve lived here since 1998…)
Nicole MacPherson
Oh, good luck, J! This is a tough one for sure. When we moved I was shocked at the amount of crap I had held onto, and I got rid of most of it. I haven’t missed it for a second. Some things were too hard to get rid of so I didn’t, but so much was just stuff that I had in storage.
Probably almost a decade ago I read Marie Kondo’s book and it affected me deeply. I really took it to heart to take on her methods, and they worked (other than the shit that was in my storage room that I got rid of in the move). But she takes it on one small area at a time and it really worked for me. Rather than say “I’ll do all my clothes!” it’s just very specific areas in the house.
In terms of books, I am a rereader and I get emotionally attached to physical books, so it is very hard for me to donate them (unless I bought/ received them and ended up hating them, even then it’s hard).
J
I think it would be easier if we were moving, because I would have to confront things and decide whether it is worth the hassle and expense to bring them along. Not that I enjoy moving…MOVING SUCKS.
Daria
Best of luck, Julie! One thing a day seems totally manageable. My parents’ place here, in Chelyabinsk, is kind of packed… But I cannot or not willing to touch anything. Unfortunately, we have to wait since we have a big of a situation with dad not being able to move. I opened the kitchen drawers, and they have things from when when I was a baby…
J
Yeah, this is definitely not the time for cleaning out your parents house. I think there are things in our kitchen drawers that really need to go, though.
Birchie
It’s funny how when someone else writes about it, the phrase “sunk cost fallacy” jumps off the page, but when it’s my own stuff it gets muted to “I should do something about that someday”.
If it wasn’t for the log in my own eye, I might do something like take all of the clothes out of my dresser and put them back only after I’ve worn them.
I’d like to join you in the “get rid of one thing a day” quest. Let’s see how it goes!
J
Yay! Cool Bloggers Decluttering Club! Of course for a minimalist like Elisabeth, getting rid of one thing a day would have her homeless.
Elisabeth
Trust me, I have TONS of stuff (my kids see to that – *SIGH*).
I am insanely jealous and want to fly out and help you do a huge declutter. Maybe instead of CBWC, I can do a “Fly Elisabeth everywhere and she’ll clean out your closets for you, challenge?” Doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, but I just love, love, love decluttering.
One item a day sounds great and so doable. I agree with Kyria to start with things that have low emotional attachment (redundancies are a great place to begin). It will be incredible how much will accumulate and leave with just a single item a day. And I bet some days you will clear far more than that!
In terms of clothes, my new rule is if I can’t currently fit into it, it needs to go. My weight doesn’t fluctuate *that* much and my goal this year is to be comfortable in whatever I’m wearing. So anything that’s too tight just simply needs to leave my house (or get passed down to my daughter who can now wear a lot of my clothes)!
J
Elisabeth, the rule about clothes that don’t fit is a good one, and now that so many of my clothes that are too small are also out of date, it should be easier!
I would love it if you would come and declutter my closet. What fun we could have!
Lisa's Yarns
I am a total purger but still have things I could get rid of. Before I moved in with Phil, I did this challenge where for each day in Feb you got rid of a # of things corresponding with the day. 1 on the 1st, 2 on the 2nd, 3 on the 3rd and so on. I think at the end of the month you would have gotten rid of 435 things or something like that. It was a fun way to handle purging/de-cluttering. I think over 200 of my items were books. My reading tastes changed so much and no longer reflected the books I love. So I got rid of all but my absolute favorites. And now I try my hardest not to buy more books because I am not a re-reader so it feels wasteful to buy a book when I could borrow it from the library. I make exceptions of course, but 99% of what I read comes from the library. Kids books is a whole other deal, though. We own hundreds! I did get rid of a bunch of board books this spring and we could get rid of more.
Of course there is always more de-cluttering that I could do. I try to stay on top of the boys’ clothes but luckily we have a family that happily takes our hand-me-downs!
Good luck with this challenge!! You can do it!!
J
Yes, I’m re-evaluating my relationship to books. I used to mostly buy books and keep them, and now I mostly listen to audiobooks via the library app, and it makes the physical books seem less necessary. I say as I have at least 30 books within 5 feet of me, and not a bookshelf in sight.
M
Oh, what a great idea! I will have to join you — but because I have so much clutter, I will try to do 2 per day.
I read your earlier post about Oceanside — what a great few days spent with your cousin! Those tacos – yum!! I’m very partial to fish tacos — so yummy!
J
I love a good fish taco! Whenever I try to make them at home they come out meh, so I usually just enjoy them in restaurants.
Yes, join me! I can probably do at least 2 items a day also, but wanted to make it easy on myself to start.
Stephany
I love this goal! It drives me crazy when I don’t have perfectly organized closets and drawers, so every now and then, things will get out of hand and I will spend an afternoon decluttering and reorganizing everything. I am definitely the OPPOSITE of a hoarder in that I often donate things that I later find out I need. HA. Everything needs a place and if there’s no place for something, it gets donated.
I’m also ruthless with my clothes these days. I adhere to the one-in, one-out rule and if I wear something and it doesn’t make me feel good, into the donation bag it goes!
Good luck!
J
I need to take that mantra on regarding my clothes. I have SO MANY CLOTHES, and most of them I do not wear, either because they don’t fit or someone gave them to me and they’re not really my style. I need to be RUTHLESS.