393: Temporary Toys, Sentimental Decor, and Food Where It Doesn't Belong
Nov 16, 2023
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This podcast explores topics such as managing kids' toys, sentimental decor, and food clutter. The guest, Kate, shares her challenges in decluttering her unique home situation. They also discuss the reality of owning horses, goats, and a racetrack. Other topics include using awkward kitchen pauses for quick tasks, time management, and storing sentimental decor. The speaker emphasizes achieving clarity in living spaces through decluttering and finding encouragement in a supportive community.
Taking advantage of awkward pauses to do small tasks immediately helps prevent clutter from piling up.
Doing the dishes right away not only maintains cleanliness but also reduces anxiety and improves overall enjoyment of the home.
Deep dives
Taking advantage of awkward pauses for quick tasks
One strategy that has made a huge difference for Kate is taking advantage of awkward pauses and doing small tasks right away. Instead of letting little tasks pile up, she has started doing them immediately, even if it only takes a few seconds. This habit has become more ingrained over time, and she now finds herself automatically doing these quick tasks, like putting something away while cooking dinner or tidying up during short breaks. By utilizing these awkward pauses, Kate has been able to stay on top of small tasks and prevent them from turning into a bigger pile of clutter.
The impact of doing the dishes right away
Another strategy that has had a significant impact on Kate's home is doing the dishes right away. Keeping up with the dishes on a daily basis has not only made a difference in maintaining cleanliness, but it has also reduced her anxiety about other areas of clutter in the house. By staying on top of the dishes, Kate has realized that it doesn't take as much time as she previously thought, and it has improved her overall enjoyment of her home. Additionally, she has noticed that this habit has made her more kind and understanding towards her mother, who used to load the dishwasher right after a meal. Kate now appreciates the importance of dealing with dishes promptly and the positive impact it has on the overall atmosphere of her home.
Managing the accumulation of kids' pseudo trash
One particular challenge Kate faces is managing the accumulation of what she calls 'pseudo trash' generated by her kids. These are things they make out of paper, fabric, or yarn, which they consider as priceless treasures for a short period of time before they become actual trash. While Kate and her kids practice regular five-minute pickups, if they skip a day, the pseudo trash accumulates. To address this, Kate wonders if they should have an 'in-progress' bin or a storage solution for these items that don't actually need long-term storage. By creating a designated place for current homemade toys, Kate can implement a natural limit and encourage her kids to regularly assess and declutter those items.
Determining the purpose of different rooms
Kate highlights the challenge of figuring out the purpose of different rooms in her home. It has taken time and decluttering to achieve clarity on how to best use specific spaces. Kate urges others facing similar struggles to focus on decluttering and peeling away layers until they reach a point where the remaining items reveal the intended function of a room. She shares the importance of not being discouraged by the time it takes to define a room's purpose and how letting go of unrealistic expectations can lead to a better understanding of how the space can be utilized effectively.