15 Minute Makeover

Time Commitment: 15 Minutes in one room
Cost: Free
Results: Every bit as gratifying as shopping 90% off at Steinmart
How'd I do it: Flylady

For over 10 years I have been using Flylady's system for decluttering and cleaning my house.  I am always amused when people walk into my home and comment on how clean it is, even with a house full of boys.  It amuses me because I do not slave away for hours on my house.  I knock away at it in 10-15 minute chunks {most} every day.  At first she overwhelmed me with emails but in the long run it was simple.  Divide the house up.  Spend 15 minutes a day in one "Zone."  That is not overwhelming at all.

Today I'll start by showing you my bedroom.  I'll tell you that in 15 minutes this room was picked up, dusted, windexed, vacuumed and looking like the very last picture.  The only way I was able to whip it into shape that quickly is by throwing stuff away over and over and over through the years.

You can't organize clutter.

You can only trash it! 

I set the timer and got busy.  The first thing I did was clear every surface into two piles.  I had the put away pile and the trash pile.  Easy.  The key is to move fast and not overthink it. 

My goal in my head is always to throw away 27 things when I enter a room.

This is called a hot spot.  A hot spot is a flat surface that is cluttered.  Clutter attracts more clutter.  If you don't believe me see Exhibit A.  The trashcan nightstand.  I hate waking up to this.  It is about the most unpeaceful way to start a day that I can imagine.  It took 30 seconds to clear this spot and put the things away in their appropriate homes.

Ahh, the root of all evil, the unmade bed.  Throw in the fact that I haven't washed the sheets in a few weeks that makes it doubly uninviting. 

 

And then there is this.  While you are decluttering keep an eye out for spaces that do not make you happy.  This little nook is the first thing my eye sees in the morning and I always have the same exact thought.  Well, sometimes my first thought is, "Dang, I am hungry."  But then this is always the next thought, "This space feels so clutter-y-ish."  {I just gave spell check a heart attack}

I have been reluctant to move the leather book caddy because I love the book caddy and think it is cute.  And I use it all the time.  I just didn't love it in this space.  And my phone charger cord looked junky in this space. 

Moving those two little things made this space look a million times cleaner and more pleasing to the eye.  See what I mean?  It is the little touches like this that make your home look and feel cleaner.  I moved the caddy to another room and love it in its new home!

This is the time to insert a friendly reminder.  Spending 15 minutes in one room is not the time to unearth every overstuffed drawer and closet.  The rest of your house will probably look like this.  Leave it!  You are focusing a 15 minute effort in one space that is going to yield very happy results for you.

This is the room after 15 minutes of loving.  It always amazes me how the rest of the house can be in shambles but just knowing I have one space that looks good is very motivating.

The fruit is waking up to a peaceful room. If you are interested in doing this, start in your master bedroom this week.  Get the surfaces cleared as best you can and make the bed.  When I got started it literally took me almost a year to get our small apartment decluttered.  We had so much stuff and I only chipped away at it 15 minutes at a time.  Over 10 years later the results have paid off.  I can breeze through a room in no time and get it whipped into shape.

 {Linked to the Hearts For Home blog hop}