Making Peace With a Slow Declutter
I knew I’d never complete the AARP decluttering challenge in the 30 days they promised. So far, the only room that moved at their suggested pace was the bathroom. The kitchen? That beast took me two full weeks. It’s technically “finished” now only because I’m assigning the cupboards that open into the dining room to the dining room. They really belong to the kitchen, but at this point I’ll take any help I can get.
The Cookbook Situation (Yes, It’s a Situation)
I’ve sold a few things on Facebook Marketplace and listed all my old cookbooks there as well. Right now, they’re just piled up waiting for a buyer. I have this funny quirk: I cannot throw out books. I may end up giving these cookbooks away, but tossing them in the trash? Absolutely not. It would feel like throwing out my own child.
The Hall Closet/Pantry: My Biggest Victory So Far
The biggest project so far was the hall closet/pantry. I’ve reorganized it as much as I can for now. I’m still debating a few items, so I’m letting things settle to see if the current setup works for me. I bought new canisters for flour, sugar, and other staples so I can actually see what I have — no more half‑open bags lurking in the shadows. These should keep everything fresher, too.
Remember what that closet looked like when I started? Look at it now. I’m genuinely proud.
Before. Is it a closet or a pantry. I don’t think it knows
After- A pantry reorganized and cleaned out
Banner and Balboa’s “Help”
Banner and Balboa gave the newly organized pantry — which has always been off‑limits — their full approval. Of course, that may be because they managed to sneak in and “help” while the door was open. They’ve both protested now that the door is closed again. I’ll admit I’m not as worried if they manage to get in these days, since I no longer have nails and tools scattered all over the floor.
The Spice Cabinet: A Whole Other Adventure
The other big project wasn’t the mugs so much as the spices. Whew. What a mess. I did some serious purging because most of the one‑offs were expired anyway — things I bought for one recipe and never made again. Here’s the before and after of the spices. Much better.
Before, A crowded and confused spice cabinet. A bit disorganized but functional
After. Still full but all organized by spice and type
Next Up: The Bedroom and Closets
The next part of the decluttering project heads to the bedroom, closets, and personal spaces. My bedroom is a mixed bag. I’ve already cleaned out one nightstand, but I have a huge cabinet that holds my winter coats and photography paraphernalia. One closet is pretty organized but full — it holds all my luggage, and it gets pulled out often because the HVAC unit is in the back and needs yearly service.
The second closet is… a nightmare. I’ve had good intentions, but I always get overwhelmed. I’m not sure how far I’ll get. I can feel my momentum and enthusiasm slowly dying, but I can say this: a start has been made. If I can maintain what I’ve already done, I can always pick the project back up.
But I say this firmly: No, AARP. This is not a 30‑day project unless you’re doing a superficial clean‑out.
And Now… The Grand Finale
Press onward, intrepid declutterer — the closet awaits, and it isn’t going to clean itself.
Behold… the beast I’m tackling next.
When my son, Dave and his lady lived here in 2024 for about 5 months Dave cleaned out the garage. He would ask me if wanted to keep something and I asked him, What is it? Heck I didn’t know half of what was in the back section. My word it is so nice and neat now and I told him I could put in a wood stove and live back there. He also started working on the basement but they moved before he could finish that. Bummer now I have to start working on that. At least it is a start. So far your cupboards are looking good. Keep up the good work. I am watching.
The bedroom closet is a good sized closet. there are 2, 2 drawer file cabinets back there with docs from when I moved in…20 year old documents. I think it’s safe to throw those out. There’s a broken vacumn cleaner I was going to get fixed and stuff from when I had my hip surgery like a foam wedge for the bed. I think there are some books too that I put there when I didn’t have room for a book shelf so it’s a mess. Tires me out just thinking about it. I could use someone like Dave to clean it out for me LOL. It’s going to take awhile to dig through everything