30 Day Declutter Challenge : Day #1 Magazines and Newspapers

Intro

Hey. I decided to challenge myself to 30 days straight of decluttering my home… just 30 minutes for 30 days will make an incredible difference, as long as I’m determined to get rid of what I don’t really need. I need this just as badly (or maybe more) than you do, if you’re reading this. But hey, I’m working on it 😉 Soooo….want to join in?

If you recognise the need to do this too, then welcome to the 30 Day Declutter Challenge. Together we’ll tackle the clutter in your home and get control over it in just 30 days.

Let’s get going…

Day #1 Magazines and Newspapers

I’m starting with magazines and newspapers. Join me in getting rid of old mags and newspapers that (let’s not kid ourselves) you’re never going to read again. In one day I got rid of :
– 17 Moneyweek magazines (Many of which were still in their plastic sleeves.)
– Another 30 magazines – an assortment of Time Out, Which, Interior Decor, Health and lifestyle magazines
– Approx 4 newspapers

Now I have a magazine reading pile which is far more manageable, and I’m allocating 30 minutes in the next week to sit down and browse through a few.

I have cancelled my Moneyweek subscription. This prevents it piling up again.

So, how about you?

1. Gather all the magazines and newspapers you have lying around the house

Places you may find them are :
Your bedside table, your bookshelves, the lounge, telephone table, bathroom and kitchen – maybe even in your car.

2. How many are 1 year and older?

Will you really benefit from the out-of-date information in there?
I had Home decor magazines which were more than 1 years old – and I knew I would no longer use them.

3. Chuck ’em.

If you really find some articles in them of use, how about spending half an hour (no longer), going through them and tearing out (or scanning) the articles of use for filing in a subject file.
Otherwise, more than likely via a quick google search you can find the information elsewhere.

4. Keep a manageable amount, which depends on your ‘reading time’ available

This could be perhaps 10 to 15 or less and only if you have time every week to do some magazine reading.

5. Cancel subscriptions

Do this for all those magazines that keep pouring through your door, but are never read.
ESPECIALLY if they are paid subscriptions – because not only are you adding to your clutter, but you’re wasting money too.

6. Put time in your calendar for when you want to have a cuppa and read a magazine.

Or pop one in your bag for when you’re next out, waiting for an appointment, with spare time to read.

7. Finally, DON’T buy any more of the same type of magazine until you’ve read the ones you’ve got
See you for Day #2 of the Declutter Challenge!

{Note: I have to give credit for guidance from the amazing Laura Stack in Find More Time and Marie Kondo in The Life Changing Magic of Tidying. Both have helped me get better at this.}

If you’d like to jump straight to a specific section, here are all 30 days for you :

Day 2 : Paper, piles and piles of paper!
Day 3 : Handbags/Bags
Day 4: Clothes: Blouses and T-shirts
Day 5: Music CD Collection
Day 6: Toiletries and Make-up
Day 7: Jewellery
Day 8: Shoes
Day 9: Your car
Day 10: Kids’ artwork
Day 11: Clothes – socks and underwear
Day 12: More glorious paper (with a plan)
Day 13: Kitchen – Food, Fabulous (and not so fabulous) food
Day 14: Kids’ clothes
Day 15: Clothes – Trousers, Dresses, Skirts, Cardigans and Jumpers
Day 16: DVDs and Video Games
Day 17: Kids’ Toys
Day 18: Kitchen
Day 19: Kitchen drawer – miscellaneous stuff
Day 20: Linen cupboard
Day 21: Cards & gift wrap drawer
Day 22: Day off
Day 23: Fridge, medicine cabinet & alcohol
Day 24: Board games & family games cupboard
Day 25: Purge those files
Day 26: Entertaining items
Day 27: Books & Training course notes & handout
Day 28: Electronic equipment
Day 29: Kitchen (one more time)
Day 30: Maintenance plan