52 simple, little things we can do through the year to create a beautiful space…
52 Things…
52 home projects over the year
52 things less in your home each month
This is a system for those of us who struggle with organizing and staying organized. This is for those of us who get overwhelmed with big projects.
This is my system for the year. Things have gotten out of control over the last few years. I need a system. A simple system to regain control of my space. And because life has been so crazy, I need it to be a manageable system, something that will not overwhelm me or make me want to quit the first month. But it needs to be something that at the end of the year, I will feel more peaceful about my space.
52 Things is a series of simple projects over the year designed to de-clutter, organize, simplify, and make your life more beautiful. Each week is one simple project designed to concentrate on one small area. A large project can become overwhelming. This often keeps us from even starting. With these small, but very purposeful projects, you will find it easy and feel productive as you take one small area at a time and transform it a beautiful space. These are manageable tasks and can usually be done in a small block of time, but over the course of the year, a lot of little things will add up.
As we focus on these areas, we want to be sure that we keep them up and not let them get away from us. We allow for this through out the schedule with the REVIEW task that is scheduled randomly during the year.
The other action that will make your life beautiful is every month I have included the task: Declutter: 52 Things. As much as we sometimes think things make us happy, less is more. If you have things that are expired, do not fit, you do not use, or you do not like anymore, they need to go. The less you have to work around and clean around and have to store, the more space you create in your life for tranquility. The months that are geared towards a particular room, take this opportunity and de-clutter from those rooms.
Start anytime you want. The calendar begins in January, but this project can be started anytime.
Let’s do this!
Each month, there will be a new challenge, a new project. Here is the first month. It’s focusing on organizing our home work space, where we pay bills, and all the things we need to do the first of the year, because this is where I am right now. I am drowning in office clutter and disorganization. The weight of year end records is bearing down on me and weighing me down. I feel that I must tame this area to begin on my next space which is the bedroom. Let’s clear our work space and start the year fresh and beautiful….one little, simple bite at a time.
What areas do you need to get under control or need some work to clear, organize, and make beautiful? Do you have any tips that have helped you?
Who’s with me? Let’s do this together and keep each other accountable.
Read more on the 52 Simple Ways to Create a Beautiful Space Challenge.
I am a subscriber but keep forgetting the password to use for your downloads …. I keep thinking it has bliss in it. Can you email the password to me? Thanks!!
Hi Lisa! I sent it by email to you. 🙂 I’m so excited you are interested in the challenges! I got hooked on them a year or two ago, and they help so much!
Hubby and I already started a similar project; de-cluttering 2015!! We started in the basement – still working down there, but little by little, we are either throwing stuff out, putting it in the garage sale bin (for a HUGE spring sale), or giving away on Freecycle! It’s a long, tedious, DIRTY project, but it needs to be done!! (my weights and treadmill are down there and I’m done staring at cobwebs and clutter!! So, I am in – let’s do this!!
Love your enthusiasm, Linda! I’m with you! Let’s do this! I’m tired of wishing things were done. It’s time to do them. And not only that, I want to be better about making sure they stay that way. It seems the moment life gets crazy that nothing ends up where it is supposed to be. It’s time to declutter, simplify, and make it beautiful. I’m starting with the office area and paperwork. It’s my worst area. I have an awful habit of procrastinating with this kind of thing. I need to clear it out, and then make sure I keep it that way.
So glad you are in and ready to do this. And thanks for sharing about your basement project. I know we will both feel so much better when we tame some of these areas. Keep us posted on how it’s going!
Oh – I always say ‘look under procrastinator in the dictionary and you’ll find a picture of me!’ – And yes, until January, I used to let my ‘to be filed’ pile of bills almost reach the ceiling before the daunting task of (*gasp*) filing! But, no more, when there are a few papers to be filed, away they go!
Also, my husband and I started our 30 days of happy last night. I printed two 30 Days of Happy challenge sheets out last week and asked him last night to join me – before we go to sleep, we are going to write down something we were happy about throughout the day and I said we could either read each others that night, or wait the 30 days. I said it could be something as simple as ‘happy my coffee stayed hot for most of the morning’ or ‘happy my cat licked my nose to wake me up’….mine had to do with cleaning the basement so I could start working out again!! I was tempted to read his this morning, but I figured we’ll wait the 30 days. I think this is a great challenge and a wonderful way to start the year! Thanks for the awesome ideas!!!
Oh, wow, Linda. I hear you. What is it with paper stuff? I need to get better about organizing it, making quick and better decisions with what to do with it, and then just doing it. I was just telling Ceil in another comment that I think I need a 30 day challenge just for keeping myself on track with the paper stuff. So, have you discovered any secrets to making it happen? How do you make yourself do it? Ha ha.
Love the 30 days of happy. We all want to be happy, and sometimes it’s just a matter of learning to shift our focus and learning to see the little things we often take for granted and no longer really notice. I just love how motivated you are this year! The 30 day challenges and monthly challenges are so good for creating momentum.
I just LOVE that you are here, Linda, sharing your beautiful enthusiasm and commitment to making this a great year!