One thing: Little people and all their little things

I have hit 2016 RUNNING I tell you! This week there must be the cleaning moon in my 4th quarter or something because I have not stopped with the purging of stuff. The cleaning of stuff. The sorting of stuff. The re-distribution of stuff. It’s been exhausting and exhilarating including new Ikea book cases and general organisation that Kat would be patting me on the back for. It’s definitely been good to get cracking on #onething for the year ahead.

For those of you not playing along, #onething is where I do just ONE THING from my to-do list, but not your every day to-do list. Oh no, this is the list of non essential items that sort of kind of need to get done but it’s no biggie if they don’t get done until next week, or next month, or um, next year. Those things. Just one. Every week.

One morning, I can’t remember which one it was because they have all been the same for so many days in a  row now, I cleaned up after breakfast and then the next thing I knew I was in Daisy’s room with a garbage bag and a box of matches ready to set fire to all of her things.

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If you have girls, you would know their love for collecting things. These “things” can be anything from leaves to rocks, crappy plastic toys, bits of broken things, pencils and textas that no longer worked, that apparently are all very important and cannot be thrown out. Not ever. And while I try to get rid of little things as much and as often as I can, we all know the trouble of said child putting something in the bin and seeing something precious (like the head of an old McDonalds happy Meal toy) that you happened to throw out.

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So I got Daise on board with me, a bag for rubbish, a bag for donation and a cloth and spray for cleaning and soon enough we had a younger sister on board asking to help as well and demanding her room get done immediately after. And we tackled ALL OF THE LITTLE THINGS.

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And I mean we took every single item out of every single shelf and edited. Fiercly edited. Liberating I tell you!

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And then we tackled Harper’s room, because it wasn’t faaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrr otherwise, except hers required a room re-arrangement to her choosing which had me really starting to wish I had just had a shower after breakfast rather than starting all of this mess, but it gets worse before it gets better, so just hang in there….

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And then, soon enough (well a few hours at least) and everything was back in its right place. New place.

Just so. Oh how I love just so! It should be my middle names!

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And we’ll be right for another 6 months or so.

What was your one thing this week?
Or are you still in holiday mode? Lucky you!
Go choose something, right now, just have a look around and there will be something waiting…

Comments

  1. I get it and I’ve been doing much the same! But I must tell you…..boys collect all the little things too x

  2. I finally tackled the fridge after months of saying I was “gunna do it”. After we returned from holiday and before I re-loaded with new food was the perfect time as it was close to empty. Out went all the jars of stuff we were never going to use again and had been in there for probably much too long. It felt SO good. I kept opening that fridge and showing my husband how CLEAN it was. So proud of my efforts ?

  3. I’ve just done exactly the same thing, down to wishing I’d just had a shower straight after breakfast! A trip to IKEA and a somewhat covert sort through of all the ‘things’ and my 5 y.o’s room is looking amazing. I keep just popping in to admire it as I feel it won’t last……..

  4. I have re arranged my kitchen storage. we moved into our dream house in september (well, my husband moved the family as we got the keys on a saturday and i flew out to paris for two weeks on the sunday.. bahaha) and the new kitchen is about, ooohhh, 60% SMALLER than the old one (deep breaths, concessions must be made for the pool/spa/self contained granny flat). my cupboards have looked like they were unpacked by my gorgeous sisters in law using a catapult. time to get in there and SORT IT OUT!.

  5. The same thing has been happening in our house…..well with me! I got onto a organisational guru….Marie Kondo. An exceptional Japanese woman who has it all together. Love your blogs Beth. I look forward to enjoying more this year!

  6. Not by choice….moved my Mum and Dad to a safer house after 55 plus years in their home…OMG every muscles aching even with a removalist…packing unpacking sorting…and Dad in hospital to boot! He will come home to a well set up beautiful new house while my sister and I collapse in a heap along with 81 year old Mum on the floor!!! Well worth it seeing it all come together…..yawnnnnnnnnnn zzzzzzz

  7. I cleaned windows and moved a lounge that had not been moved for ?A couple of yesrs. Tlies underneath yuk. So windows and floor undet lounge for today?

  8. My one thing is chucking out/selling/donating all the old homeschool books we don’t need any more! I am recouping a bit of the cash I have outlayed over the years (oooh, that book might come in handing for homeschooling! Buy all. the. books!). Those that don’t sell will be boxed up and sent to Lifeline book sale. Feels good. Very good.

  9. Lisa Mckenzie says

    The girls rooms look great Beth I have no children at home but I did style up one of the spare rooms with a print and vase of agave pups looks great now!

  10. That is not ‘one thing’…that is like one hundred things.. I feel inadequate.

    You can take the next two years off now

  11. the girls rooms are looking good beth!
    this is my favourite segment because it makes me kick butt! … mine!
    but I still have house guests and that involves small children and that is much more work than i’m used too!
    I wish the fairies to arrive any minute soon!
    moroccan chicken for dinner! sorted! … washing on tick!
    next! lol m:)X

  12. I’ve been slowly decluttering the house and it feels so good! I’ve even put bubs too small clothes into vacuum bags in case they come in handy down the line. Hubby has even gotten on board and cleaned under the house and is even selling stuff on Gumtree!!! So now I have some spare cash to continue decorating the house (but shhsh don’t tell hubby I said that!!). You’re an inspiration Beth!!

  13. I’m with Jodi, boys are just at clever at gathering all ‘those things’. Today I felt the need to take away some more ‘stuff’ and it came out of my wardrobe … my clothes that have escaped the donate pile for 3 laps! Funnily, my husband picked up on the ‘stuff’ is annoying her ‘vibe’ and quickly came out with 2 shirts and a pair of black pants that he thought worthy of donating to the declutter!!

  14. My ‘ one thing’ this week….cleaning the top of the kitchen cupboards, along with washing all the decorative ‘crap’ up there and all the plates on the walls!, Phew, done! As for little girls collecting ‘things’……I’m a very big girl and I still have so much ‘stuff’ I can’t bear to part with. De cluttering is not my strong point, but I do like neat and clean so I just shuffle my ‘stuff’ around and hide it!

  15. My eldest two sons are moving out of home and intogether of a house of their own ? leaving me with just two boys under my roof. Once I get over it all, I will be attacking every room in our house as well x

  16. Today’s one thing took 2 trips to Bunnings and some serious interpreting of some very ordinary instructions but I installed the plantation shutter in the kitchen. Yeah for me. Next is installing the blinds.

  17. Oh Beth, thank you for writing this! Must be the time of year, I have been doing the same in my daughter’s bedroom (aged 6). All the little piles of “things” have been tidied up, tossed, or put in a box for donation. Now I don’t feel so alone, knowing other people are doing exactly the same ?

  18. I’m up at our beach house on the Central Coast, and this cleaning out must be contagious because I have spent the day throwing out old stuff that has been here since the year dot. My MIL doesn’t come here anymore so I am chucking anything that is past its use by date. My only problem is the husband keeps taking it out of the garbage and putting it in the shed. But at least it is out of the house. I’m married to a family of hoarders!! ARGH

  19. I’m also on the cleaning/decluttering binge. Something about January and fresh starts? My one thing for last week was to get a proper first aid kit. We had a need of one last month, and while we got by, I knew we needed a better set up. It arrived last Thursday, and I’m feeling super smug now. Fingers crossed we don’t need to use it often (or at all!).

  20. I’ve got the bug too! I cleaned the downstairs windows the other day, just cause I woke up and thought it might be a job I could manage. I had no idea they were so dirty – they are pretty now!! And I’ve been purging and organising every part of the house bit by bit. I will run out of puff soon, but I think I’ve got a few more jobs in me!

  21. Maaaate, I am hearing you. 4 garbage bags for tip and 1 for Vinnies – Crikey in a 3m x 2.8m teeny room – how is it even possible? Arghhhhhhh

  22. Yep, I did the same on the weekend… it was my wardrobe though – gave it the annual declutter and holy moly it feels good doesn’t it. It really does sooth the soul, you and Faux Fuchsia are so right. Can you just keep reminding us all during the year how good it is…. I need tips on how to actually keep it like this. How the hell do you keep your house so tidy all of the time???

  23. Don’t suppose you remember the name of the paint on the blue wall behind the bunks?

  24. My husband is just as bad – refuses to let me give away shirts he hasn’t worn for years! And he has more pairs of swimmers than Ian Thorpe – it’s crazy making!

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