ORC Spring 2021 - Week 4 | To Purge or Not to Purge

Back on the home front.....it is half way point time during this One Room Challenge, sponsored by Better Homes & Gardens.

It's about this time in the challenge that  I really start to feel the pinch in time! There is so much still to do. And while I haven't really started any of the construction part of the project, I feel pretty confident that all will work itself out, naturally. I just have to keep reminding myself that it is a progression. Even from all the sorting and decluttering I've attempted this past week, I have managed to discover plenty of containers that will hold all of the remaining 'stuff' that I will redeem as necessary. I have also learned a thing or two in my research attempts to mastering decluttering! Here's some of what I learned-

Different Clutter Types

Yes, even a Designer may need to research a thing or two when it comes to designing a space that will efficiently serve one well. A trip to my local library turned up the recent title "Decluttering for dummies" a Wiley Brand book by Jane Stoller which I highly recommend. While a Professional Organizer in her own right, she covers the gamut in space clearing. It was so informational. For instance, I learned that early on in this process one should determine their cluttering style: 

1. The Emotional Clutterbug
2. The Just-in-Case Clutterbug
3. The "I'm not a Clutterbug" clutterbug
4. The Collector Clutterbug
5. The "I'll Do It Later" Clutterbug
6. The "I Can't Decide" Clutterbug
7. The "Techie" Clutterbug
8. The Knowledge Clutterbug 
9. The "I Can Use It Someday" Clutteterbug

While I am not one to usually catapult myself into one category, I have come to the conclusion that I can claim a few of these titles as my own as I am sure most people can as well. But while many folks that know me do not consider my home to be "clutterful" there are some spaces in my home that can use some improvement, and that sore area has been my home office space (read about it here), and definitely my garage (that's a future project:)) So my clutterbug tendencies would fall into #1, #2, #4, #5, #8 and #9. Whoosh!! That about covers it. This helpful analysis has opened my eyes up to some lingering bad habits. Read Jane Stoller's book and you will find it quite fascinating!

While I don't plan to conquer all the tasks outlined in her book for this particular challenge, what made me pick up her book was Part 3 of the book devoted to 'Decluttering Your Workspace And Digital Life'. Many books I came across did not refer to this, so I was pleasantly surprised that this one did! It covers Decluttering Your Office - Shifting from Paper to Digital - Decluttering You Online Life - and finally, Photo Decluttering Once and for All. Well I have a great reference now for all those haunting organizing tasks that pertain to my home office, and with the new useful tools now in my toolbelt I feel pretty confident I can achieve some successfully.

Office Features to Come

Moving on to some other fun aspects of the home office remake, let me take this time to bring into view some elements I want to bring into my space that are not so 'officey'. Such as the tea cart I want to repurpose in a nook in my new space. It was purchased many many moons ago and might have been a World Market import. I have always wanted a place upstairs in my home that I can set up beverages and since I love to drink tea in the summer and winter this will be perfect. Also, my cart needs a new home out from my dining room which now is holding a few emotional clutterbugs!

Another accent piece I wish to bring into the new space is an antique plant holder passed down from my beloved mother. It is a dark walnut stained accent piece that once belonged to an estate located in New England and was a beautiful acquisition to her antique filled home.

One more accent piece I will be relocating from my downstairs and clearing some space, is an upholstered slipper chair that has proved to be a wonderful transitional piece. It was a Home Goods find sometime back and I might recover to give it an update.

It's time to close out this week of my Challenge and move on to future endeavors, which will consist of tasks 4-8, as I mentioned in my first blog of the Challenge. I can't wait till week 8 is upon us where I can finally relax and reflect all that's been accomplished.....but for now it's a trip to the paint and wallpaper store I go!! Check back next week and see how far I've come and how pretty the room is starting to bloom!

This week I curated an organic environment for a serene nook for Tea time! And as always, if you click through to purchase, there is no additional charge to you-

* Happy Shopping *

...from the light of my home to yours,

*Deb*