Falling Behind the AARP Timetable (And That’s Okay)
Well… I’m not keeping up with AARP’s decluttering timetable. The kitchen turned out to be a much bigger challenge than I expected. You’d think a tiny kitchen would be easy, but I forgot one crucial detail: the hall closet, which has slowly evolved into my pantry over the years.
And then there are the cabinets added during the 2014 kitchen refresh — the ones under the counter between the kitchen and dining room. I needed storage space desperately back then, and boy, did I fill it.
The Hall Pantry: A Time Capsule from 2006
I started with the hall pantry/closet. What a mess. I pulled out things that have been sitting untouched since I moved in back in 2006. Some of it went straight onto Facebook Marketplace. If it doesn’t sell, it’s getting tossed. No guilt, no hesitation.
I didn’t think to take a “before” picture of that frightening closet, but here’s what it looked like after my first 30 minutes. It’s still pretty bad, but progress is progress. I’m determined to get that space cleaned out if nothing else. Honestly, I may need two weeks for this part alone.
The Mug Situation (A Partial Victory)
The mug collection is trimmed down… a little. There are still more mugs than any single person needs, but I just couldn’t part with all of them. Still, they’re better organized, and that counts.
New Organizers Incoming
Speaking of organization, I ordered some new organizers from Amazon — including a fresh set of canisters for flour, sugar, etc. They should arrive by Monday. Once those are in place, I think I’ll finally feel like I’m making progress.
A Little Cooking Validation from Quora
In the middle of all this decluttering, I had a fun moment of validation. Someone on Quora asked how to keep chicken breasts tender, and the top answer was exactly what I’ve been saying for years on my blog:
Use a cast‑iron pan.
It’s always nice when the universe confirms you’re on the right track. And yes — my cast‑iron pans have a permanent home in the kitchen. They’re not going anywhere.
A Condo Meeting Twist: Yard Sale Opportunity
We had a condo meeting Wednesday night. They’re planning a “Community Day” to socialize and meet neighbors. I asked if we could add a yard sale to the event — and they loved the idea. So now it’s a combined Community Day + Yard Sale.
Maybe I can unload some of my clutter there too.
The Long Game: Maintaining Momentum
If I can maintain the areas I’ve decluttered over the next year, I think I can do a spring clean each year and slowly weed out the unnecessary items. I can’t even imagine tackling the storage unit with its boxes of ornaments and photo props. Just thinking about it gives me nightmares. But I’ll get there eventually.
At least you can see my countertops now. Next post, I’ll share the finished kitchen pics.
Banner and Balboa’s Review
Banner and Balboa love the empty spaces. They think I’ve created new real estate just for them.
According to AARP, it just takes a bit of planning and time management. They claim you can declutter your home in 30 days.
My medicine cabinet is pretty empty thanks to Banner, who likes to open the doors and pull hairspray and other items onto the floor. My meds aren’t kept in the bathroom — too humid after a shower — so they live in a pretty box under the coffee table.
