Thursday, January 17, 2019
Favorite Organizational Storage Options from Amazon
Last week you worked on decluttering your house and getting rid of the stuff. (If you missed any of the declutter posts, you can click here.) Now it is time to make sure everything is nice and organized. To help you out, I've pulled together lots of my favorite organizing products. Several of these items I currently have in my home and use everyday.
Everything can be found on Amazon and can be shipped using Prime 2-day shipping! You can shop straight from this post; just click on a link and add the items straight to your cart. I'd love to hear what items you find the most useful! And if there is any area in your house that you are having trouble organizing, send me a message and I'll be happy to help!
Everything can be found on Amazon and can be shipped using Prime 2-day shipping! You can shop straight from this post; just click on a link and add the items straight to your cart. I'd love to hear what items you find the most useful! And if there is any area in your house that you are having trouble organizing, send me a message and I'll be happy to help!
Friday, January 11, 2019
Decluttering Challenge Day #5 - Toys, Books, DVDs and Games
Congratulations! You made it to Day #5.
Today I'm combining several items into one blog post because I recognize not everyone has kids or the massive amounts of toys that go along with raising children. Or some people might not keep real books anymore and instead have adopted a tablet or Kindle. You do you boo!
Feel free to pick and choose what category you want to declutter as time allows.
TOYS
1.) Get your kids involved and first select their favorite toys to keep.
I do recommend that you get your children involved in this activity to save yourself any tears in the end. Also, this is a great opportunity to talk with your children about donating toys and giving them to people who might not have as much as you do.
Gather the toy bins, the boxes, the crates, the stuffed animals, everything into one place so you can see what you are working with.
Have your children go through and select their absolute favorite toys to keep. This will help your children relax, knowing that their favorite toys are safe.
2.) Throw away anything broken.
After the favorite toys are safe, go through the toys one by one. If anything is broken beyond repair (or might take too long to fix, making it a hassle), it needs to be trashed.
3.) Get rid of duplicates.
Just like getting rid of your excess shampoo bottles, you need to do the same with the toys. Does you child really need five toy cell phones? Or three harmonicas? Keep the favorite of the duplicates and set the others aside to clear out of the house.
4.) Determine what stays and what goes with the remaining items.
As you go through each item, have your child tell you the last time they played with the item. Then ask them if they want to keep it or give it away. Remember, you do have veto power, but it is a good idea to let your child make some decisions.
I normally go through everything one time with my daughter and let her tell me if she wants to keep something or get rid of it. If she decides to keep some items that I haven't seen her play with in awhile (and I think need to go), I will put those items into a separate pile and go back through them at the end. When we go back through the pile, I will ask her why she hasn't played with it and we will determine together if we really do need to keep it.
Do this with stuffed animals, cars, games, baby dolls, dinosaurs, legos, everything.
A helpful tip if you have a child that doesn't want to get rid of anything is to tell them that they have to pick at least 10 toys to donate. Knowing that keeping everything is NOT an option will help them say goodbye to some toys.
5.) Group like items together.
Once you have finished going through the toys, group the like items together. This will make it easier to find places for them to be stored and will also make it easier for your child to find a certain item during playtime.
Here are a couple categories that we use to group toys together:
-Things that move (cars, trains, trucks)
-Dinosaurs
-Baby dolls
-Doctor supplies
-Games
-Dress up items
-Musical instruments
6.) Sell toys in good condition to Once Upon A Child or donate the toys.
If you want to earn some quick cash, take your toys to Once Upon A Child. If your Once Upon A Child is anything like mine, they are always looking for toys. They will give you cash on the spot for any items that they take. This is also a terrific place to sell the clothes that you got rid of on Day #1.
If you don't want to sell anything, then consider donating your toys to a local church nursery, rescue mission or local thrift store.
Books (both your books and your children's books) and DVDs1.) Go through each item one by one.
When going through your books ask yourself "Will I read this soon or do I plan to read it again?" "Is this book one of my absolute favorites?" If you answer yes to those questions then you can keep them. Go through every single DVD. Is it a DVD that you watch all the time? Do you plan to watch the DVD again? Is it a family favorite? If those questions can be answered with a yes, then keep those DVDs.
If it is a book or DVD that you absolutely aren't interested in, get rid of it. Do not feel obligated to keep something because it was a gift. If you don't like it or don't plan on reading/watching it, get rid of it.
2.) Get rid of any duplicates.
Often with children's books, you have duplicates that were given as gifts. And sometimes you find you have more than one of the same movie. You don't need to keep them all; keep one and ditch the duplicates.
3.) Donate unwanted items.
Check with your local library or a thrift store to donate your unwanted books and movies. The important thing is to get what you don't want out of the house as quickly as possible.
4.) Sell anything that might be valuable.
Consider posting some items for sale on Facebook Marketplace or ebay if you think they might be valuable.
Games
1.) Get rid of games that you don't play with.If you or your children don't play with it, it needs to go. Otherwise that game is taking up space and collecting dust.
2.) Get rid of games if they are missing important pieces.
If a game is missing an important piece, I'm willing to bet that you don't play it anymore. So get rid of it!
3.) Ditch the games that your kids have outgrown.
As your children grow, their interests will change. It might be time to get rid of the games that they played with when they were really little. Look into donating them to a local church or thrift store or try to sell them to Once Upon A Child or on the Facebook Marketplace.
I'm so happy that so many of you decided to join me this week as we cleared out some clutter from our homes. There are still plenty of spaces in your house that could use a good going-through, so feel free to continue the decluttering into next week. The most important rule of decluttering is to get the unwanted items OUT OF THE HOUSE. If you aren't able to donate or sell your items immediately, gather everything into one space. Then make a plan to clear out the unwanted items as soon as possible.
Be sure to keep me up to date on your progress. Tag me on instagram (@lindsaytolar) and use the hashtag #PursuitOfPinkPURGE.
Day #2 Linen Closets and Bathroom Cabinets
Day #3 Kitchen
Day #4 Living Room
Today I'm combining several items into one blog post because I recognize not everyone has kids or the massive amounts of toys that go along with raising children. Or some people might not keep real books anymore and instead have adopted a tablet or Kindle. You do you boo!
Feel free to pick and choose what category you want to declutter as time allows.
Day #5: Toys, Books, DVDs and Games
TOYS
1.) Get your kids involved and first select their favorite toys to keep.
I do recommend that you get your children involved in this activity to save yourself any tears in the end. Also, this is a great opportunity to talk with your children about donating toys and giving them to people who might not have as much as you do.
Gather the toy bins, the boxes, the crates, the stuffed animals, everything into one place so you can see what you are working with.
Have your children go through and select their absolute favorite toys to keep. This will help your children relax, knowing that their favorite toys are safe.
2.) Throw away anything broken.
After the favorite toys are safe, go through the toys one by one. If anything is broken beyond repair (or might take too long to fix, making it a hassle), it needs to be trashed.
3.) Get rid of duplicates.
Just like getting rid of your excess shampoo bottles, you need to do the same with the toys. Does you child really need five toy cell phones? Or three harmonicas? Keep the favorite of the duplicates and set the others aside to clear out of the house.
4.) Determine what stays and what goes with the remaining items.
As you go through each item, have your child tell you the last time they played with the item. Then ask them if they want to keep it or give it away. Remember, you do have veto power, but it is a good idea to let your child make some decisions.
I normally go through everything one time with my daughter and let her tell me if she wants to keep something or get rid of it. If she decides to keep some items that I haven't seen her play with in awhile (and I think need to go), I will put those items into a separate pile and go back through them at the end. When we go back through the pile, I will ask her why she hasn't played with it and we will determine together if we really do need to keep it.
Do this with stuffed animals, cars, games, baby dolls, dinosaurs, legos, everything.
A helpful tip if you have a child that doesn't want to get rid of anything is to tell them that they have to pick at least 10 toys to donate. Knowing that keeping everything is NOT an option will help them say goodbye to some toys.
5.) Group like items together.
Once you have finished going through the toys, group the like items together. This will make it easier to find places for them to be stored and will also make it easier for your child to find a certain item during playtime.
Here are a couple categories that we use to group toys together:
-Things that move (cars, trains, trucks)
-Dinosaurs
-Baby dolls
-Doctor supplies
-Games
-Dress up items
-Musical instruments
6.) Sell toys in good condition to Once Upon A Child or donate the toys.
If you want to earn some quick cash, take your toys to Once Upon A Child. If your Once Upon A Child is anything like mine, they are always looking for toys. They will give you cash on the spot for any items that they take. This is also a terrific place to sell the clothes that you got rid of on Day #1.
If you don't want to sell anything, then consider donating your toys to a local church nursery, rescue mission or local thrift store.
Books (both your books and your children's books) and DVDs1.) Go through each item one by one.
When going through your books ask yourself "Will I read this soon or do I plan to read it again?" "Is this book one of my absolute favorites?" If you answer yes to those questions then you can keep them. Go through every single DVD. Is it a DVD that you watch all the time? Do you plan to watch the DVD again? Is it a family favorite? If those questions can be answered with a yes, then keep those DVDs.
If it is a book or DVD that you absolutely aren't interested in, get rid of it. Do not feel obligated to keep something because it was a gift. If you don't like it or don't plan on reading/watching it, get rid of it.
2.) Get rid of any duplicates.
Often with children's books, you have duplicates that were given as gifts. And sometimes you find you have more than one of the same movie. You don't need to keep them all; keep one and ditch the duplicates.
3.) Donate unwanted items.
Check with your local library or a thrift store to donate your unwanted books and movies. The important thing is to get what you don't want out of the house as quickly as possible.
4.) Sell anything that might be valuable.
Consider posting some items for sale on Facebook Marketplace or ebay if you think they might be valuable.
Games
1.) Get rid of games that you don't play with.If you or your children don't play with it, it needs to go. Otherwise that game is taking up space and collecting dust.
2.) Get rid of games if they are missing important pieces.
If a game is missing an important piece, I'm willing to bet that you don't play it anymore. So get rid of it!
3.) Ditch the games that your kids have outgrown.
As your children grow, their interests will change. It might be time to get rid of the games that they played with when they were really little. Look into donating them to a local church or thrift store or try to sell them to Once Upon A Child or on the Facebook Marketplace.
I'm so happy that so many of you decided to join me this week as we cleared out some clutter from our homes. There are still plenty of spaces in your house that could use a good going-through, so feel free to continue the decluttering into next week. The most important rule of decluttering is to get the unwanted items OUT OF THE HOUSE. If you aren't able to donate or sell your items immediately, gather everything into one space. Then make a plan to clear out the unwanted items as soon as possible.
Be sure to keep me up to date on your progress. Tag me on instagram (@lindsaytolar) and use the hashtag #PursuitOfPinkPURGE.
Catch Up On The Challenge:
Day #1 Closets and Dresser DrawersDay #2 Linen Closets and Bathroom Cabinets
Day #3 Kitchen
Day #4 Living Room
Thursday, January 10, 2019
Decluttering Challenge Day #4 - Living Room
Well hello again...who is ready for Day #4 of my decluttering challenge? After yesterday's BEAST of a task, I'm going to take it a bit easy on you (I hope). Today we are going to head into our living room to give the room a slight refresh so you can enjoy your nightly tv session. The living room is another room that is used A LOT in people's houses, so it should feel inviting and cozy and not full of clutter.
1.) Straighten up your couches.
The quickest way to make your bedroom appear tidy is to make your bed. Well a similar thing can be said for your living room. To make it appear neat and tidy is to straighten up everything on your couch. Fluff your pillows and put them back where they belong instead of leaving them bunched up in the middle of your cushions. Take any blankets that might be hanging about and fold them up neatly. Return the remotes to the tv console/media center and pick up anything else that might be left behind on the couch.
2.) Return items to other rooms in the house.
The living room can be a collection place for various items that belong elsewhere in your house. Before you really start to declutter you should return any items that have made a "home" in your living room to their proper place.
3.) Gather all decorative items into one place.
Have you ever really looked at the knick knacks and picture frames and candles and other decorative items that you have on display in your living room? Do you truly like everything you currently have? I realized when we moved into our new house that I had items on display around our tv console that really had no purpose or sentimental value to me. I think I had previously bought them to fill the space, but when we moved I reevaluated everything and realized I was showcasing items that didn't really bring me joy. So I got rid of them!
When you look through all of your decorative items, only keep the items that 1.) you truly love, 2.) are still in good working order and 3.) are useful to you. If anything cannot fall into one of those three categories, then it needs to go! Please don't feel like you need to keep something simply because it was a gift, but you really don't like it. Let it go! If there is anything that is constantly in your way, get rid of that too. All decorative items that you no longer want can be donated to a local thrift store.
4.) Organize the chaos.
If you have children in your home, you likely have books and toys scattered all throughout your living room. To help you manage the clutter, contain everything.
First, go through the books and toys with your children to determine if there is anything that can be given away (more on decluttering toys tomorrow!). Then once you have determined what should stay, use decorative bins tucked into a corner to house everything.
5.) Get rid of the paper collection.
If you subscribe to my email newsletter, you saw on Day #2 that I had a bonus task for you which was to go through your mail and paper stacks. That can happen here because I'm sure you've got a pile of mail or magazines that need to find their way to a different home or the trash can.
Flip through your magazines and tear out the pages that really interest you, then throw the magazines away or recycle them. If you need to keep magazines, only keep the three most recent issues.
Go through your mail, throw out the junk and assign a home to everything else.
6.) Assign a location to house your blankets.
Those blankets that you folded up in step #1, they need a home. We have an ottoman that has built in storage where we keep our blankets. If you don't have anything like that, find a huge basket or one of those cool rustic ladders you see all over Pinterest to hold your blankets.
We've got one more day in our challenge! I'm so proud of you for making it this far.
If you missed any of the other days, catch up below.
And be sure to get social with me on instagram by using the hashtag #PursuitOfPinkPURGE so I can encourage you along the way! I'm @lindsaytolar on instagram.
Day #4: Living Room
1.) Straighten up your couches.
The quickest way to make your bedroom appear tidy is to make your bed. Well a similar thing can be said for your living room. To make it appear neat and tidy is to straighten up everything on your couch. Fluff your pillows and put them back where they belong instead of leaving them bunched up in the middle of your cushions. Take any blankets that might be hanging about and fold them up neatly. Return the remotes to the tv console/media center and pick up anything else that might be left behind on the couch.
2.) Return items to other rooms in the house.
The living room can be a collection place for various items that belong elsewhere in your house. Before you really start to declutter you should return any items that have made a "home" in your living room to their proper place.
3.) Gather all decorative items into one place.
Have you ever really looked at the knick knacks and picture frames and candles and other decorative items that you have on display in your living room? Do you truly like everything you currently have? I realized when we moved into our new house that I had items on display around our tv console that really had no purpose or sentimental value to me. I think I had previously bought them to fill the space, but when we moved I reevaluated everything and realized I was showcasing items that didn't really bring me joy. So I got rid of them!
When you look through all of your decorative items, only keep the items that 1.) you truly love, 2.) are still in good working order and 3.) are useful to you. If anything cannot fall into one of those three categories, then it needs to go! Please don't feel like you need to keep something simply because it was a gift, but you really don't like it. Let it go! If there is anything that is constantly in your way, get rid of that too. All decorative items that you no longer want can be donated to a local thrift store.
4.) Organize the chaos.
If you have children in your home, you likely have books and toys scattered all throughout your living room. To help you manage the clutter, contain everything.
First, go through the books and toys with your children to determine if there is anything that can be given away (more on decluttering toys tomorrow!). Then once you have determined what should stay, use decorative bins tucked into a corner to house everything.
5.) Get rid of the paper collection.
If you subscribe to my email newsletter, you saw on Day #2 that I had a bonus task for you which was to go through your mail and paper stacks. That can happen here because I'm sure you've got a pile of mail or magazines that need to find their way to a different home or the trash can.
Flip through your magazines and tear out the pages that really interest you, then throw the magazines away or recycle them. If you need to keep magazines, only keep the three most recent issues.
Go through your mail, throw out the junk and assign a home to everything else.
6.) Assign a location to house your blankets.
Those blankets that you folded up in step #1, they need a home. We have an ottoman that has built in storage where we keep our blankets. If you don't have anything like that, find a huge basket or one of those cool rustic ladders you see all over Pinterest to hold your blankets.
We've got one more day in our challenge! I'm so proud of you for making it this far.
If you missed any of the other days, catch up below.
And be sure to get social with me on instagram by using the hashtag #PursuitOfPinkPURGE so I can encourage you along the way! I'm @lindsaytolar on instagram.
Catch up on the challenge:
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
Decluttering Challenge Day #3 - Kitchen
Hump Day!! Welcome to Day #3 of the Decluttering Challenge. I hope that the past two days have helped you clear out some stuff and you are starting to feel a bit more organized. Remember, take this at your own pace and don't get stressed out if you have too much stuff and are unable to clear it all out in one day. Just do what you can and keep going the next day.
Let's tackle the heartbeat of your home. Today is going to be a big day because we are going to combine the cabinets, pantry and fridge into one. If this task feels overwhelming, do one portion at a time.
I personally love to have clean counter tops with only a few items out all the time; everything else has its place neatly tucked away inside a cabinet, drawer or the pantry. Unless you are feeling really adventurous, I don't think you need to take everything out of every single cabinet. But you do need to go through all of the cabinets to get rid of some junk.
1.) Go through each cabinet one by one.
Start with your top cabinets and scrutinize every item stored in them. Do you use it regularly? Does it work properly? Is it in good condition? Ask yourself those three questions and if you can answer yes to them all then that item gets to stay. Get rid of any item that you don't use or like or anything that gets in your way. Household items are the perfect items to donate to a thrift store.
Look at your glassware and dishes and really think about practicality. If you have more than one set of dishes, but regularly only use one set then get rid of the other. Do you know anyone who might be starting college soon? I am sure they would gladly take your second set of dishes off you hands. When I was in college I got a lot of kitchen items that my mom and aunt no longer needed.
There are some specialty items that you don't use every day but you might need them if you like to host a lot. Really think about each item and the likelihood that you will use it in the future. Almost six years ago, I bought something that will hull strawberries. I thought I would use it to make cute cream cheese filled strawberries for parties. It sat in my cabinet for years, but I always kept it thinking I just might decide to make those strawberry treats one day. When we moved into our new house, I finally got rid of it because it has never been used since I bought it.
As you go through your cabinets and get rid of items, rearrange what is left so that it is neat and tidy. Once you finish the top cabinets, work your way through the bottom cabinets.
2.) Throw away old spices.
When you get to your spice cabinet, keep only the items that you use regularly. Throw away anything that is old, not fresh or anything you don't like/use.
3.) Repeat step one with your drawers.
Go through all of your drawers and ask yourself the same questions: Do you use it regularly? Does it work properly? Is it in good condition?
Also, when you get to your pot holders and dish towels, take stock of how many you have. Is your drawer too full to close properly? Then it is time to only keep a few of each. The rest can be donated.
Refold all of your dish towels neatly so they can easily fit into the drawer.
4.) Remove unwanted items from your counter tops.
If anything is laying on your counter that has an actual home in a cabinet, drawer or pantry then put it away.
Oftentimes, my kitchen becomes the keeper of any items that need to be returned to a store. I try to locate the receipt, keep it with the item and put it in my car so that when I am out, I can hopefully remember to return it.
For small appliances, I will keep them on my counter if I use them at least three times a week. Some people store their Kitchen Aid mixer, but I actually keep mine on my counter. I use my mixer more to shred chicken than to bake, but it gets used A LOT. The items I keep on my counter tops are: toaster oven, utensil container, knife block, Kitchen Aid mixer and coffee maker.
If you have a big enough pantry, store your canisters (for flour, sugar, etc) there.
5.) Do a quick sweep of your pantry.
Pantry clean out could really have an entire day devoted to itself. For the purpose of this five day challenge, I just want you to focus on clearing out the items you don't need. You can always come back to your pantry after the challenge and use the same tips that I gave you to clean our your linen closet for the pantry.
When looking through your pantry, first throw out anything that is expired or that your family does not eat. If you have anything that is unopened, but that your family won't use consider donating it to a local food bank.
Pair like items together (pastas, canned goods, cereals, beverages, baking supplies, etc) and arrange them back in your pantry. I personally like to have all labels facing forward so I can clearly see everything when I open my pantry door. I also like to store the snack items on a lower shelf so my five year old daughter can easily reach them herself.
(Again, the pantry could easily have its own day for organization...maybe later this year I will go in depth with how I organize my pantry)
6.) Check your fridge and freezer
Just like with the pantry, you need to go through your fridge/freezer and clear out food items that are expired or that your family won't eat. If you have leftovers that are older than four days, they need to go! Check your produce, meats and cheeses to make sure that everything is still fresh - if not, it gets thrown in the trash.
Try to group like items together so it is easy to find them when you open the fridge. If you have time, wipe down the shelves in your fridge before putting items back.
Today was a lot, but it is important that you have your kitchen organized and efficient as most people spend a lot of time there. If you have questions about anything, please let me know by commenting or sending me a message on instagram (@lindsaytolar). As always, interact with me so I can encourage you and see your progress. Be sure to use the hashtag #PursuitOfPinkPURGE.
Day #1 Closets and Dresser Drawers
Day #2 Linen Closets and Bathroom Cabinets
Day # 3: Kitchen
Let's tackle the heartbeat of your home. Today is going to be a big day because we are going to combine the cabinets, pantry and fridge into one. If this task feels overwhelming, do one portion at a time.
I personally love to have clean counter tops with only a few items out all the time; everything else has its place neatly tucked away inside a cabinet, drawer or the pantry. Unless you are feeling really adventurous, I don't think you need to take everything out of every single cabinet. But you do need to go through all of the cabinets to get rid of some junk.
1.) Go through each cabinet one by one.
Start with your top cabinets and scrutinize every item stored in them. Do you use it regularly? Does it work properly? Is it in good condition? Ask yourself those three questions and if you can answer yes to them all then that item gets to stay. Get rid of any item that you don't use or like or anything that gets in your way. Household items are the perfect items to donate to a thrift store.
Look at your glassware and dishes and really think about practicality. If you have more than one set of dishes, but regularly only use one set then get rid of the other. Do you know anyone who might be starting college soon? I am sure they would gladly take your second set of dishes off you hands. When I was in college I got a lot of kitchen items that my mom and aunt no longer needed.
There are some specialty items that you don't use every day but you might need them if you like to host a lot. Really think about each item and the likelihood that you will use it in the future. Almost six years ago, I bought something that will hull strawberries. I thought I would use it to make cute cream cheese filled strawberries for parties. It sat in my cabinet for years, but I always kept it thinking I just might decide to make those strawberry treats one day. When we moved into our new house, I finally got rid of it because it has never been used since I bought it.
As you go through your cabinets and get rid of items, rearrange what is left so that it is neat and tidy. Once you finish the top cabinets, work your way through the bottom cabinets.
2.) Throw away old spices.
When you get to your spice cabinet, keep only the items that you use regularly. Throw away anything that is old, not fresh or anything you don't like/use.
3.) Repeat step one with your drawers.
Go through all of your drawers and ask yourself the same questions: Do you use it regularly? Does it work properly? Is it in good condition?
Also, when you get to your pot holders and dish towels, take stock of how many you have. Is your drawer too full to close properly? Then it is time to only keep a few of each. The rest can be donated.
Refold all of your dish towels neatly so they can easily fit into the drawer.
4.) Remove unwanted items from your counter tops.
If anything is laying on your counter that has an actual home in a cabinet, drawer or pantry then put it away.
Oftentimes, my kitchen becomes the keeper of any items that need to be returned to a store. I try to locate the receipt, keep it with the item and put it in my car so that when I am out, I can hopefully remember to return it.
For small appliances, I will keep them on my counter if I use them at least three times a week. Some people store their Kitchen Aid mixer, but I actually keep mine on my counter. I use my mixer more to shred chicken than to bake, but it gets used A LOT. The items I keep on my counter tops are: toaster oven, utensil container, knife block, Kitchen Aid mixer and coffee maker.
If you have a big enough pantry, store your canisters (for flour, sugar, etc) there.
5.) Do a quick sweep of your pantry.
Pantry clean out could really have an entire day devoted to itself. For the purpose of this five day challenge, I just want you to focus on clearing out the items you don't need. You can always come back to your pantry after the challenge and use the same tips that I gave you to clean our your linen closet for the pantry.
When looking through your pantry, first throw out anything that is expired or that your family does not eat. If you have anything that is unopened, but that your family won't use consider donating it to a local food bank.
Pair like items together (pastas, canned goods, cereals, beverages, baking supplies, etc) and arrange them back in your pantry. I personally like to have all labels facing forward so I can clearly see everything when I open my pantry door. I also like to store the snack items on a lower shelf so my five year old daughter can easily reach them herself.
(Again, the pantry could easily have its own day for organization...maybe later this year I will go in depth with how I organize my pantry)
6.) Check your fridge and freezer
Just like with the pantry, you need to go through your fridge/freezer and clear out food items that are expired or that your family won't eat. If you have leftovers that are older than four days, they need to go! Check your produce, meats and cheeses to make sure that everything is still fresh - if not, it gets thrown in the trash.
Try to group like items together so it is easy to find them when you open the fridge. If you have time, wipe down the shelves in your fridge before putting items back.
Today was a lot, but it is important that you have your kitchen organized and efficient as most people spend a lot of time there. If you have questions about anything, please let me know by commenting or sending me a message on instagram (@lindsaytolar). As always, interact with me so I can encourage you and see your progress. Be sure to use the hashtag #PursuitOfPinkPURGE.
Catch up on the challenge:
Day #1 Closets and Dresser DrawersDay #2 Linen Closets and Bathroom Cabinets
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Decluttering Challenge Day #2 - Linen Closets and Bathroom Cabinets
Who spent the evening staring into their closet because they were so excited to clear out some clutter? If you missed yesterday's Day #1 challenge, you can click this link to catch up. The wonderful thing about my Decluttering Challenge is that you do not need to do it in order. So if you missed yesterday, jump in today and get to Day #1 when you can.
This challenge is not meant to overwhelm you. If your closet yesterday was overflowing with more stuff than you could manage and you didn't finish it, that is ok!!! Take this challenge at your own pace. The important thing is that you just do something everyday and start to clear out the clutter.
As I've seen in a lot of people's houses, the linen closet is kind of the catch all for everything. This is often the most unorganized space in someone's house. Today we are going to help cut down on the amount of stuff that you have stored there.
I recognize that different people store different things in their linen closets and it is possible that some of the items I list below are not stored in your linen closet. If you have time after you clean our your linen closet, find the places that store the other things mentioned and clean those out too.
To get started, I want you to take everything out of your linen closet. Yes you read that right.
1.) Group like items together.
As you take everything out of your linen closet, make piles on the floor or counter top with different categories: towels, sheets, cleaning supplies, beauty products, medicines, etc. It is highly possible that you had bottles of shampoo on more than one shelf and grouping everything together will show you if you have an excess of something. Start with one category and determine if you have just the right amount of something or too much. If you have too much, it is time to decide what goes.
2.) Examine your sheets and towels.
Look through all of your sheets and towels. Are there any that you haven't used in the last six months? If so, it is time to get rid of them. You can donate your sheets and towels to a local shelter for a tax write off.
Are there stains or holes on any sheets and towels? If there are large stains or holes and you don't use them anymore, you should throw them out. It is ok to save a couple towels to use as clean up towels for dirty jobs, but they should not live in your linen closet. I store my clean up towels in our garage and our laundry room.
Before moving onto the rest of your linen closet, make sure to fold all of your sheets and towels neatly so they can easily be returned to the linen closet.
3.) Get rid of expired medicines.
I'd be willing to bet that you have some medicines in your house that are past their expiration date. Read the label on every single bottle and get rid of the ones that are expired. Be careful about just throwing medicines away as they can possibly contaminate water. You might want to call a local pharmacy to see if they will accept your expired medications.
When storing my medicines, I store our children's medicines in a separate bin from the adult medicine so nothing gets mixed up.
4.) Sort through your first aid items.
Go through all of your first aid items and determine if anything needs to be thrown away. Do you have six boxes of bandaids, all half full? See if you can consolidate some of those bandaids and get rid of the empty boxes. Do you have more than one tube of neosporin? Consider putting one in your car or purse to have on hand when you are out and about. This is also a great time to take stock of what first aid items you might be missing that you need to purchase.
5.) Do you really need six bottles of shampoo?
I get it, I too like to have backups of some of my favorite beauty products in case I run out. But do you need six bottles of shampoo and five different kinds of hairspray? Sort through everything and keep two of each item as backup. Everything else should go. If you have extra beauty products, look into donating them to a women's shelter.
6.) Clear out your cleaning supplies.
Go through your cleaning supplies and get rid of any products that are leaking. You should also sort through any products you don't use anymore and the ones that aren't any good.
7.) Put everything back. I usually start by deciding which shelves I want to use for my sheets and towels since those take up the most real estate. If you have small children in your house, you need to store your medicines and cleaning products on a shelf that is out of reach. This is the perfect time to utilize plastic bins and containers to house everything. (I'll be sharing my favorite organization bins once the challenge is complete.) As you put everything back, keep like items together so you can always see what you have.
When you are finished with your linen closet, it is time to go through all of the bathroom cabinets and get those organized as well. Use the steps above to help you.
Remember to tag me on social media (@lindsaytolar) and show me your progress. And make sure to use the hashtag #PursuitOfPinkPURGE.
Oh and if you haven't signed up for my email list, be sure to do so by clicking here! I actually have a bonus task on today's email if you have additional time.
See you tomorrow!
This challenge is not meant to overwhelm you. If your closet yesterday was overflowing with more stuff than you could manage and you didn't finish it, that is ok!!! Take this challenge at your own pace. The important thing is that you just do something everyday and start to clear out the clutter.
Day #2: Linen Closets and Bathroom Cabinets
As I've seen in a lot of people's houses, the linen closet is kind of the catch all for everything. This is often the most unorganized space in someone's house. Today we are going to help cut down on the amount of stuff that you have stored there.
I recognize that different people store different things in their linen closets and it is possible that some of the items I list below are not stored in your linen closet. If you have time after you clean our your linen closet, find the places that store the other things mentioned and clean those out too.
To get started, I want you to take everything out of your linen closet. Yes you read that right.
1.) Group like items together.
As you take everything out of your linen closet, make piles on the floor or counter top with different categories: towels, sheets, cleaning supplies, beauty products, medicines, etc. It is highly possible that you had bottles of shampoo on more than one shelf and grouping everything together will show you if you have an excess of something. Start with one category and determine if you have just the right amount of something or too much. If you have too much, it is time to decide what goes.
2.) Examine your sheets and towels.
Look through all of your sheets and towels. Are there any that you haven't used in the last six months? If so, it is time to get rid of them. You can donate your sheets and towels to a local shelter for a tax write off.
Are there stains or holes on any sheets and towels? If there are large stains or holes and you don't use them anymore, you should throw them out. It is ok to save a couple towels to use as clean up towels for dirty jobs, but they should not live in your linen closet. I store my clean up towels in our garage and our laundry room.
Before moving onto the rest of your linen closet, make sure to fold all of your sheets and towels neatly so they can easily be returned to the linen closet.
3.) Get rid of expired medicines.
I'd be willing to bet that you have some medicines in your house that are past their expiration date. Read the label on every single bottle and get rid of the ones that are expired. Be careful about just throwing medicines away as they can possibly contaminate water. You might want to call a local pharmacy to see if they will accept your expired medications.
When storing my medicines, I store our children's medicines in a separate bin from the adult medicine so nothing gets mixed up.
4.) Sort through your first aid items.
Go through all of your first aid items and determine if anything needs to be thrown away. Do you have six boxes of bandaids, all half full? See if you can consolidate some of those bandaids and get rid of the empty boxes. Do you have more than one tube of neosporin? Consider putting one in your car or purse to have on hand when you are out and about. This is also a great time to take stock of what first aid items you might be missing that you need to purchase.
5.) Do you really need six bottles of shampoo?
I get it, I too like to have backups of some of my favorite beauty products in case I run out. But do you need six bottles of shampoo and five different kinds of hairspray? Sort through everything and keep two of each item as backup. Everything else should go. If you have extra beauty products, look into donating them to a women's shelter.
6.) Clear out your cleaning supplies.
Go through your cleaning supplies and get rid of any products that are leaking. You should also sort through any products you don't use anymore and the ones that aren't any good.
7.) Put everything back. I usually start by deciding which shelves I want to use for my sheets and towels since those take up the most real estate. If you have small children in your house, you need to store your medicines and cleaning products on a shelf that is out of reach. This is the perfect time to utilize plastic bins and containers to house everything. (I'll be sharing my favorite organization bins once the challenge is complete.) As you put everything back, keep like items together so you can always see what you have.
When you are finished with your linen closet, it is time to go through all of the bathroom cabinets and get those organized as well. Use the steps above to help you.
Remember to tag me on social media (@lindsaytolar) and show me your progress. And make sure to use the hashtag #PursuitOfPinkPURGE.
Oh and if you haven't signed up for my email list, be sure to do so by clicking here! I actually have a bonus task on today's email if you have additional time.
See you tomorrow!
Catch up on the challenge:
Day #1 Closets and Dresser DrawersMonday, January 7, 2019
Decluttering Challenge Day #1 - Closets and Dressers
Decluttering Challenge here we go!!!!
(If you missed Friday's blog post where I explain what this week will look like on Pursuit of Pink, then click here to read that post and get caught up.)
I'm ready to clear out my closets, my drawers, my rooms and get rid of the stuff that my family doesn't need, use or want. Decluttering is something I try to do several times a year and I always end up feeling like a weight has been lifted as I clear out all the stuff. I hope the same thing for you as you join me on this challenge.
Having a neat, organized and easily accessible closet will help begin your day on a positive note. Being able to see what clothing options you have, locating the coordinating vest to go with your favorite pair of pants and easily selecting the perfect pair of shoes will make the start to your day less chaotic.
Now, I know everyone's closet situation is different...some might have a tiny closet, others might be lucky enough to have a walk-in closet and others might share a closet space. It doesn't matter what your space looks like, you can still use most of the tips and tricks I list below to determine what you should keep and what should go.
I make four piles/categories when cleaning out my closets:
Feel free to comment below or message me if you have any questions!
See you tomorrow for Day 2!
(If you missed Friday's blog post where I explain what this week will look like on Pursuit of Pink, then click here to read that post and get caught up.)
I'm ready to clear out my closets, my drawers, my rooms and get rid of the stuff that my family doesn't need, use or want. Decluttering is something I try to do several times a year and I always end up feeling like a weight has been lifted as I clear out all the stuff. I hope the same thing for you as you join me on this challenge.
DAY #1: Closets and Dressers
Having a neat, organized and easily accessible closet will help begin your day on a positive note. Being able to see what clothing options you have, locating the coordinating vest to go with your favorite pair of pants and easily selecting the perfect pair of shoes will make the start to your day less chaotic.
Now, I know everyone's closet situation is different...some might have a tiny closet, others might be lucky enough to have a walk-in closet and others might share a closet space. It doesn't matter what your space looks like, you can still use most of the tips and tricks I list below to determine what you should keep and what should go.
I make four piles/categories when cleaning out my closets:
keep
repair
sell
donate
repair
sell
donate
1.) Start with your own clothing.
Go through your clothes, item by item, and first pull out any items that you have not worn within the last year. These items will be the first to go. There is no need to hold onto anything thinking "I might wear that someday." Chances are you won't...so it needs to go. Don't think too long on an item, if you haven't worn it just get rid of it; regardless of price, if someone gifted it to you, etc. Go through your shirts, pants/leggings, dresses, skirts, vests and blazers (and anything else that fits the clothing category).
For everything that you love and wear, put those items in your keep pile.
***My biggest piece of advice when determining if something should stay or go: ask yourself "do I feel confident in this article of clothing?" If the answer is no, I recommend you ditch it. You want to wear clothes that make you feel great.***
If a year has passed and an item hasn't been worn or if you simply don't like an item anymore, then you have a decision to make. Is it in good enough condition/current enough to resell? If so, start your sell pile. If it is an item that you just want to get out of your house immediately or don't think it will resell for much money, then start a donate pile.
Go through your clothes, item by item, and first pull out any items that you have not worn within the last year. These items will be the first to go. There is no need to hold onto anything thinking "I might wear that someday." Chances are you won't...so it needs to go. Don't think too long on an item, if you haven't worn it just get rid of it; regardless of price, if someone gifted it to you, etc. Go through your shirts, pants/leggings, dresses, skirts, vests and blazers (and anything else that fits the clothing category).
For everything that you love and wear, put those items in your keep pile.
***My biggest piece of advice when determining if something should stay or go: ask yourself "do I feel confident in this article of clothing?" If the answer is no, I recommend you ditch it. You want to wear clothes that make you feel great.***
If a year has passed and an item hasn't been worn or if you simply don't like an item anymore, then you have a decision to make. Is it in good enough condition/current enough to resell? If so, start your sell pile. If it is an item that you just want to get out of your house immediately or don't think it will resell for much money, then start a donate pile.
Next look through the clothes that you are going to keep. Are there missing buttons on some shirts? Do any hems need to be fixed? If you find anything that needs an easy fix (can be repaired within one week), start your repair pile.
2.) Have your spouse go through their clothes.
If you share a closet, ask your spouse to go through their closet using the same tips above. If they need help, feel free to offer it...just make sure that their section of the closet also gets decluttered.
If you share a closet, ask your spouse to go through their closet using the same tips above. If they need help, feel free to offer it...just make sure that their section of the closet also gets decluttered.
3.) Look through your shoes.
Go through all of your shoes, one by one. Do they still fit properly? Do you feel confident when you wear them? Do you still like them? If you answered yes to those questions then keep them.
Go through all of your shoes, one by one. Do they still fit properly? Do you feel confident when you wear them? Do you still like them? If you answered yes to those questions then keep them.
Are they scuffed up? Do they hurt your feet? Do you not wear them anymore? Do you think they are ugly? Then get rid of them. Put them in the sell or donate pile depending on if you think they can resell quickly.
4.) Go through your dresser drawers too.
Go through your socks, underwear, bras, tshirts, workout clothes, pajamas and anything else in your dresser. Follow the suggestions in #1 to get rid of the stuff in your drawers.
5.) Don't forget your accessories.
Hats, scarves, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, purses, ties, belts and other accessories need to be categorized like above as well.
6.) Repeat all of these steps in your kids' rooms if you have children.
It will be up to you to involve your children in the process or not. You know your kids best and know if they have opinions on clothing yet. The biggest reason that I get rid of my kids' clothing is that the clothes simply do not fit anymore.
Kids can be rough on clothing and often develop holes in their clothes. Instead of throwing all of the clothes with holes away, I designate some as outside play clothes to get a little bit more wear out of them.
It will be up to you to involve your children in the process or not. You know your kids best and know if they have opinions on clothing yet. The biggest reason that I get rid of my kids' clothing is that the clothes simply do not fit anymore.
Kids can be rough on clothing and often develop holes in their clothes. Instead of throwing all of the clothes with holes away, I designate some as outside play clothes to get a little bit more wear out of them.
Now that you've gone through everything, you need to return your keep pile to your closet.
Here are my quick tips on how I organize everything:
Here are my quick tips on how I organize everything:
1.) Organize your clothing by season.
2.) Arrange your clothing by color and sleeve length.
3.) For the OCD people in the room, I use matching hangers. This is just a personal preference, but I think having hangers all the same color and style makes everything look more neat and tidy.
4.) Hang up your ties and scarves.
5.) Refold everything that goes into your dresser drawers so it is all neat and can fit into the drawers easily.
Once your closet is cleaned up, you will want to get rid of the items in your sell or donate pile immediately! If you keep items in your house for too long, they could make their way back into your closet.
Take the donate items to a local thrift store, a women's shelter or give to a friend who might want your old clothing. When you donate to a thrift store or women's shelter be sure to get a receipt for tax purposes.
To read my tips on the best places to sell your clothes, sign up for my email newsletter by clicking here.
Take the donate items to a local thrift store, a women's shelter or give to a friend who might want your old clothing. When you donate to a thrift store or women's shelter be sure to get a receipt for tax purposes.
To read my tips on the best places to sell your clothes, sign up for my email newsletter by clicking here.
Share your progress
I want to see your donate piles and pictures of your cleared out closets. When you post on social media, be sure to tag me (@lindsaytolar) and use the hashtag #PursuitOfPinkPURGE so I can easily see everything. I'd love to encourage you along the way, so be sure to get social and share your progress.
See you tomorrow for Day 2!
Friday, January 4, 2019
Pursuit of Pink Decluttering Challenge
Happy New Year friends!
By now I am sure that many of you have either written down some New Year's resolutions or even said them out loud. I don't always make resolutions because, like most Americans, I often forget them before January is even over. But this year I want to do better and I hope you are feeling the same way. Keep reading...I've got a fun challenge related to New Year's resolutions below!
I'm a neat freak and tidy person by nature; it relaxes me and helps me feel in control of something (hello #momlife) to have a clean house. Organization is kinda my thing...if I could be a character from Friends, hands down I would be Monica. Yes, most of the time my house is completely in order and picked up. However, as someone with a type A personality, I always see room for improvement.
(Side note: have you ever looked up type A personality? Describes me pretty well. Type A individuals are characterized as outgoing, ambitious, rigidly organized, highly status-conscious, sensitive, impatient, anxious, proactive, and concerned with time management.) I've decided that the start of a new year is the perfect time to go through my house and purge things that we don't need, use or want. And because team work makes the dream work and things are always better when shared with friends, I figured why not put together a decluttering challenge for everyone to take part in?!?!
You won't need anything fancy to take part in this challenge. The only items I suggest you gather over the weekend are trash bags and a couple boxes.
To really get into the challenge, you are going to want to subscribe to my email newsletter. You can do so by clicking here. For my email subscribers, I'll be sharing exclusive bonus content throughout the challenge and a little birdie tells me that there might even be a giveaway at the end...so definitely sign up for my email newsletter.
Let's get social while we do this challenge. I would LOVE to see how things are going for you each day. Use the hashtag #PursuitOfPinkPURGE whenever you post on your instagram feed or in your stories. And feel free to tag me (@lindsaytolar) so I can repost you and give you personal encouragement.
And one final thing...if there is anything specific that you want or need help on as far as decluttering/organizing goes, leave a comment below and I will try my best to include it in the challenge. If I'm not able to include your request in the challenge, I will certainly answer it on my instagram stories in the coming days.
By now I am sure that many of you have either written down some New Year's resolutions or even said them out loud. I don't always make resolutions because, like most Americans, I often forget them before January is even over. But this year I want to do better and I hope you are feeling the same way. Keep reading...I've got a fun challenge related to New Year's resolutions below!
I'm a neat freak and tidy person by nature; it relaxes me and helps me feel in control of something (hello #momlife) to have a clean house. Organization is kinda my thing...if I could be a character from Friends, hands down I would be Monica. Yes, most of the time my house is completely in order and picked up. However, as someone with a type A personality, I always see room for improvement.
(Side note: have you ever looked up type A personality? Describes me pretty well. Type A individuals are characterized as outgoing, ambitious, rigidly organized, highly status-conscious, sensitive, impatient, anxious, proactive, and concerned with time management.) I've decided that the start of a new year is the perfect time to go through my house and purge things that we don't need, use or want. And because team work makes the dream work and things are always better when shared with friends, I figured why not put together a decluttering challenge for everyone to take part in?!?!
Starting on Monday, January 7, I'm going to take you through a 5 day decluttering challenge. I'm calling it #PursuitOfPinkPURGE...won't you join me?
The challenge will be simple and easy and I promise not to overwhelm you! I will break down a different place in your house each day and give you tips on how I decide what stays and what goes. We will spread the decluttering out over 5 days because I don't want anyone to lose their stamina and try to tackle their whole house in one day. I'll be doing everything right along with you. Let's take control of the clutter together!You won't need anything fancy to take part in this challenge. The only items I suggest you gather over the weekend are trash bags and a couple boxes.
To really get into the challenge, you are going to want to subscribe to my email newsletter. You can do so by clicking here. For my email subscribers, I'll be sharing exclusive bonus content throughout the challenge and a little birdie tells me that there might even be a giveaway at the end...so definitely sign up for my email newsletter.
Let's get social while we do this challenge. I would LOVE to see how things are going for you each day. Use the hashtag #PursuitOfPinkPURGE whenever you post on your instagram feed or in your stories. And feel free to tag me (@lindsaytolar) so I can repost you and give you personal encouragement.
And one final thing...if there is anything specific that you want or need help on as far as decluttering/organizing goes, leave a comment below and I will try my best to include it in the challenge. If I'm not able to include your request in the challenge, I will certainly answer it on my instagram stories in the coming days.
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- Lindsay @ Pursuit of Pink
- Welcome to Pursuit of Pink. I'm Lindsay and I'm so glad you are here. I believe a positive life is a happy life. Join me as I try to walk that out daily - in life, motherhood, style and more.
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