Allsorts Organising Decluttering Challenge
21 June
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

Let’s head back into the laundry this week and deal with those shelves full of washing detergents, soakers, sprays and pegs and everything else that goes with the all-too-frequent task of washing. So how do we decide what stays and what goes? If you need a refresher, revisit the criteria you created during Week 1 of our challenge to assist you in making decisions about your cutlery and kitchen utensils and give yourself a limit. If you are new to the challenge, you can see our Week 1 post here. Let’s start with all of those containers of washing liquids, powders, sprays and potions toRead More →

Allsorts Decluttering Challenge
14 June
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

This week can certainly be a tricky one for some people, especially those creatives amongst us who see potential in so many items. I know myself, I have a stash of fabric and haberdashery that I might use one day. Does this sound like you too? So how do we decide what stays and what goes? The criteria you created during Week 1 of our challenge will assist you in making decisions about your items. If you are new to the challenge, you can see our Week 1 post here. You should also consider the following questions: When was the last time I sewed orRead More →

Allsorts Organising Declutter Challenge
07 June
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

As the weather continues to cool down, we are less likely to head out for picnics or fire up the BBQ so let’s review this category and freshen everything up before we pack it away for the winter.  Decluttering now also means we will have less to pack and store!  We will cover all of your picnic items (including baskets, blankets, cutlery, plates, cups, thermos’ and coolers or eskies) as well as bbq tools and the bbq itself. So how do we decide what stays and what goes? As always, the criteria you created during Week 1 of our challenge will assist you in makingRead More →

01 June
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

Our huge 52 week declutter challenge is underway and features a weekly category with an accompanying blog post providing tips and tools for how to get started, what to do with the keepers and transition options for those items that you decide no longer have a place in your home. Below is a handy summary of the weekly categories for every week of our challenge.  The blog link will also be posted here when it is available. You can post questions, discuss challenges and share successes on our Facebook page. Happy decluttering!   Week 1:  DVDs, Video Tapes and CDs – Ditching the discs WeekRead More →

Allsorts Organising Declutter Challenge
01 June
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

Being the first day of winter, we think about going into hibernation so our great decluttering challenge over the next couple of months will focus on things inside the home including some of the “hard” stuff like paperwork and photographs plus also other categories of items that are less utilised at this time of the year such as gardening tools and picnic/BBQ items. This week in Part 1 of 2 weeks on curating memories, we are tackling one of those challenging categories – photographs, slides, negatives and photo albums.  Part 2 will focus on memorabilia but we are leaving that until Week 50 you willRead More →

Allsorts Organising Declutter Challenge
25 May
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

Whether you are a gardener, home handyman, creator or tinkerer, you need tools for the job.  But, how many do you really need and use? Let’s get out into the garage and garden sheds and review our needs.  We will look at both powered and non-powered tools, including lawn mowers and the like.  At the same time, consider those bottles and bags of nails, screws and little gizmos that we can’t even remember what they were for. So how do we decide what stays and what goes? As we are working on downsizing and moving into a different style of property, our considerations include whatRead More →

Allsorts Organising Declutter Challenge
17 May
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

This is one category that is often neglected but shouldn’t be as it can have effects on your health. So how do we decide what stays and what goes? To assist you in making decisions about your toiletries is to be guided by the product’s expiry dates.  There is no obligation for manufacturers to include an expiry date on cosmetics sold in Australia but most products do expire. As a guide, thanks to Choice, here are dates for some common items: Aerosol products: 2 years Deodorants: Opened 6 months or unopened 3 years Face and body moisturisers: Opened 6 months or unopened 3 years HairstylingRead More →

Allsorts Organising Declutter Challenge
10 May
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

Stationery, cards and gift wrap are things that we often need right then and there making it more important that we can put our hands on them when we need them. So how do we decide what stays and what goes? One big factor in my decision making is that my extended family (all adults now) have decided not to exchange gifts on birthdays and Christmas and rather just enjoy one another’s company.  This has meant that I don’t have much of a need for a stack of birthday cards and wrapping paper on hand any more. The criteria you created during Week 1 ofRead More →

Allsorts Organising Declutter Challenge
02 May
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

Before the chill of winter hits, let’s clear the decks outside and cull the unwanted, unloved (or too loved) and beyond repair outdoor furniture.  Sadly our use of the outdoor spaces at home will start declining, so there is no benefit in leaving surplus items out to deteriorate further in the frost.  Our approach will almost mirror what we did last week with our indoor furniture. So how do we decide what stays and what goes? As always, the criteria you created during Week 1 of our challenge will assist you in making decisions about your items.  If you are new to the challenge, youRead More →

Allsorts Organising Declutter Challenge
27 April
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

This week we are tackling our indoor furniture so it is time to take a look around the house (and garage or shed) to see what is used and what isn’t, what it loved, what is functional and what we want consuming out space. I am personally tackling this from the perspective of downsizing to a smaller home in coming months.  That sounds relatively straightforward but I know there will be need to be some discussions in our household about what we want to take to our new home, and what style we are going for – will we both agree?  We also have aRead More →

Allsorts Organising Declutter Challenge
20 April
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

We are back in the kitchen and this week is one of my challenging areas – tools and equipment (excluding electrical).  We have already culled our utensils so this is more about the baking/cookie trays, cake tins, cookie cutters, cake decorating tools and the like. I love cooking and baking, and have lots of tools to help me do it, including an array of cake decorating equipment and cake tins of many shapes and sizes.  I may need Jo’s help with this one! So how do we decide what stays and what goes? As always, the criteria you created during Week 1 of our challengeRead More →

Allsorts Organising Declutter Challenge
13 April
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

Sheets and mattresses are the challenge for this week. So how do we decide what stays and what goes? As always, the criteria you created during Week 1 of our challenge will assist you in making decisions about your items.  If you are new to the challenge, you can see our Week 1 post here. For this particular category, you should also consider the following: How many beds, and of what size, do you have in your home? Do you have sets of sheets that: o    have holes or tears; o   are never used because you don’t like the fabric or the colour; o   don’tRead More →

15 March
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

Continuing on from last week we are still in the kitchen and it’s time to review all of your coffee and tea cups and drinking glasses (including those for wine and spirits). So how do we decide what stays and what goes? If you need a refresher, revisit the criteria you created during Week 1 of our challenge to assist you in making decisions about your cutlery and kitchen utensils and give yourself a limit.  If you are new to the challenge, you can see our Week 1 post here. Consider your lifestyle and ask yourself the following questions: How many people live in yourRead More →

02 March
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

After a couple of very challenging weeks focused on your wardrobe, let’s get back into the kitchen and deal with the piles of crockery, serving dishes and platters. I do love to throw a good spread for family and friends and I love to present things nicely but found that I had accumulated many mismatched items over the years, especially in terms of serving dishes and platters and I do like things to go together where possible. I also used to be one of these people who had a dinner set aside for “special occasions” as did my mum, and her mum.  So what wouldRead More →

23 February
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

Firstly, please accept my sincere apologies if you are someone who loves handbags and shoes – it is a big mean to do one straight after another, but you are so good at this now! So how do we decide what stays and what goes? Revisit the criteria you created during Week 1 of our challenge to assist you in making decisions about your shoes and set a limit for each sub-category.  Your categories might be based on season, function, style or colour, it is really up to you. If they don’t fit, out of (your) style, are damaged beyond repair, unloved (or too loved)Read More →

16 February
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

We started with luggage and backpacks last week and honestly, I have been dreading this week.  I don’t think I am a shoe addict, but some (aka my husband) may disagree and also suggest that I have a handbag problem.  I don’t necessarily agree with him, but with our big goal of downsizing and making our move as simple as possible I need to revisit my collection, set some limits and be honest about which ones I do and don’t use. My hubby doesn’t get away scot-free this week though as he has a number of wallets.  We also have a stash of shopping bagsRead More →

09 February
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

Now that the holidays are over and school is back, it is the perfect time to cull your luggage and backpacks. This should hopefully be a relatively quick and easy week for you, so if you didn’t get through all of your bookshelves last week you can keep going with your books as well (and drop them off to the Lifeline book fair this weekend!). So how do we decide what stays and what goes? If they are damaged, unloved (or too loved) or just haven’t been used in years they should go.  If they are collecting dust on a shelf, in the garage orRead More →

02 February
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

Books can be a tricky one for some people as the bookshelf contains so many hopes, dreams, emotions, adventures and memories. There is value in every word on every page, but is it still valuable if the book is left collecting dust for many years? So how do we decide what stays and what goes? Essentially the same as most other categories of items.  If they are damaged, unloved (or too loved), incomplete, irrelevant, out-of-date or age inappropriate they should go.  If they are collecting dust on a shelf, in the garage or the top of the wardrobe, dust them off and pass them forward.Read More →

26 January
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

In 1997, I purchased a beautifully hand embroidered tablecloth and matching napkins overseas. It is made of fine white cloth and took a beautiful lady around 100 hours to hand stitch the intricate patterns from her wicker chair high in the mountains of Cyprus.  It was made with love and she carefully packaged it up for me to take home. At the time I purchased it for my mum who always hosted our family Christmas lunch. The baton, and the tablecloth, was passed to me about 10 years ago and I truly love hosting Christmas as I love the whole planning process and the cooking.Read More →

08 December
On
In Celebrations, Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

I have made a little change to the schedule and the next two weeks we will be focusing on making way for Christmas, specifically toys and games. This is an opportunity to get the kids involved.  Provide them with the opportunity to make decisions about their toys and games and also use it as an opportunity to chat with them about those less fortunate who may not be so lucky this Christmas day. So how do we decide what stays and what goes? Broken, unloved (or too loved), incomplete and age inappropriate toys should go.  If you can’t close the door/lid or things keep fallingRead More →

01 December
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

The weather is heating up and we are shedding all the layers so let’s deal with the under layer this week and tidy up those undie and sock drawers so that they can close properly! So how do we decide what stays and what goes? There are some really quick wins you can make with culling your underwear: Elastic is going or gone and you don’t want to risk them falling down while you are on the dance floor at your work Christmas party! (and I am not just talking about your socks here!) There are holes or stains or that old fave is justRead More →

10 November
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

Towels are a necessity in every home but we often find that people buy new ones and hang on to the old favourites, or those that have seen better days. If that is the case for you, or you no longer have any order or space in your linen closet, now is the time to attack those towels. How many do you need? That is a common question and it all depends upon your household composition, your lifestyle and also available storage space.  There is no one-size-fits-all, but I would suggest the following: Bath towels: 3 per person (that covers one in use, one inRead More →

27 October
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

I know that last week’s challenge was a big one so you might be feeling like a break from all of this decluttering (like my cat Sam pictured hiding under a blanket!).  I don’t want us to lose momentum, so let’s do a smaller category this week – our doonas, blankets and doona covers. If you whiz through this one and have a little bit of time up your sleeves, you can head back to the clothing category from last week if you haven’t managed to get through it.  If you did, yay you!  Use the time as “me” time and pamper yourself! So howRead More →

13 October
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

I hope you managed to lost some layers whilst tackling our overcoats category last week! I let go of three and now have one long coat and one mid-length off at the dry cleaners in preparation for packing them away – such a good feeling! This week we start on one of the easy categories of paper that clutters up our homes – those piles of magazines that collect. I do have a confession to make before we go any further. I love flicking through magazines! They are full of short reads, beautiful imagery, inspiration, puzzles, recipes…..so many opportunities. My favourites include Donna Hay magazinesRead More →

29 September
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, Organised Thoughts

In the age of Spotify, iTunes and Netflix, so many of us rarely reach for a CD or DVD these days.  When was the last time you watched a DVD?  For me, I can’t honestly remember, but those movies and TV shows I have collected over time seem to have a hold on me.  You know the ones, the classics, the ones that made you laugh or cry, the ones that marked significant milestones in our lives. Boy, they take up a lot of space though, and I have to be honest, it is probably over 5 years since I have put one on.  ThereRead More →

29 September
On
In Declutter Challenge, Homes, News, Organised Thoughts

The Allsorts household have some exciting news – we are moving! After a challenging year with the devastating loss of my mother-in-law just a couple of months ago, we have revisited our lifestyle and our priorities and decided to downsize from a 4 to a 3 bedroom home. We weren’t ever blessed with children and found that our formal lounge and dining room are only used a handful of times a year as even with guests, they tend to congregate around the kitchen and family room despite my best efforts.  We are also not gardeners and looked at it as a chore rather than aRead More →

13 January
On
In Homes, Organised Thoughts

Are you holding on to those remnants of the 1980s in your wardrobe because: a) you might need them for a fancy dress party? b) you can’t bear to get rid of them as they represent your best years? c) you are determined to fit back into them *one day*? d) you just haven’t gotten around to getting rid of them? If it is any of these, it is time to let them go. If that fancy dress invite comes along you can always go to Vinnies or buy a crazy wig and some flouro accessories from a $2 shop (and then part with themRead More →

28 April
On
In Organised Thoughts

Today I would like to highlight a fabulous initiative that I came across recently that not only supports people in our community when they need it most, but… [here comes the organiser!]… it also means that you can de-clutter with purpose. Angel Gowns Australia and New Zealand are a community organisation of volunteers who hope to touch the hearts of everyone who has suffered the tragic loss their baby.

  From donated wedding gowns they lovingly hand craft Angel Gowns which are then gifted to families, Neonatal Intensive Care Units, and Hospitals all around Australia & New Zealand. I had the most amazing pleasure recently to meet theRead More →

01 June
On
In Homes, Organised Thoughts

Winter is so its time to declutter the wardrobe, pack away your summer gear and make room for the winter woolies!  Not only are you making some space physically, it is a great way to clear your mind as well and donate some much needed items to local charities. Allhomes and Communities@Work have their annual drive on 17 June.  They are calling out for are blankets, sleeping bags, jumpers, scarves, beanies and gloves to help keep the most vulnerable members of our community warm this winter. Communities@Work’s Best Dressed Store also need good quality business attire & accessories, including: suits for men and women, dresses and skirts, ties, jackets and pants,Read More →