Welcome to Day 10 of the 10 Days to a Tidy House Challenge! A few days ago I shared a crazy idea that I had with you guys: decluttering and tidying up your house in just 10 days. (You can read more in the introduction to the challenge HERE.) It must have struck a chord with several of you, because I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the response! So, thank you for joining me. I’ll be posting pictures and lists of the items I’ve decluttered on my Facebook page throughout the challenge. You’re welcome to follow me and share your own experience as well!
Can you believe that we’ve made it to the last day? We’re almost there! By now our houses are significantly decluttered and organized. I have actually gotten rid of 24 garbage bags of things I don’t need. Crazy!
Today’s challenge may be quite simple for many of you and overwhelming for others. Today we are going to tidy up our hobby supplies. Let’s get started!
Today We Will:
- Gather, sort, and organize our hobby supplies
- Gather, sort, and organize kids’ hobby supplies
Tidy Up Your Hobby Supplies
First, let’s talk about what exactly we’re tidying today. Many of you might be thinking, “I don’t have a hobby. Easy day for me!” However, let’s be sure. Hobby supplies could include:
- Exercise equipment and clothing
- Writing supplies (stationery, cards, books on writing, files on the computer)
- Cooking gear (Cookbooks, Pinterest boards, recipe box)
- Quilting materials
- Scrapbooking paraphernalia
- Art supplies
- Collections
- Woodworking materials
- Gardening (seeds, tools, plans)
- Photography (camera, digital photos, prints)
Did any of those get you? I had always associated “hobby” with “crafting” and thought that I had nothing to do with this step. Then I realized that I have some exercise equipment (DVDs, running clothes, weights, yoga mat, etc.) and writing supplies (stationery and many folders on my computer). I guess I don’t have a free day after all!
Gather Your Supplies
Bring everything into a central location. You may have items strewn about the house or tucked away in different spots. My exercise equipment is in the living room and bedroom, while my writing materials are in the office. Find all of yours.
Sort The Supplies
Look through all that you have and ask yourself, “Does it spark joy?” Did you enthusiastically begin scrapbooking several years ago but lose interest? Do you feel guilt every time you pass the corner where the templates and pictures are stashed?
You have a choice. First, you can get out your calendar RIGHT NOW and make some dates with yourself. Set up time in your schedule that you will sit down and scrapbook. Or, you can admit that you no longer get joy from this activity and need to let it go. If your problem is lack of time, you will probably feel excited and energized by the first option. However, if you really don’t have the motivation, just the thought of starting again will likely overwhelm you. Then you know it’s time to let it go.
Sort the supplies into two piles:
- Items to Keep–these spark joy and bring energy and fulfillment into your life. I really enjoy running and know that I will continue to do this activity. So, I will definitely be keeping all of my running clothes.
- Items to Sell/ Donate/ Toss–these items no longer spark joy. Depending on what they are, you might be able to sell them. Do you have an elliptical machine that you bought on a whim but have used a total of five times? Sell it on Craigslist! Other items you may want to donate to charity or give to a friend.
Organize Supplies
Finally, decide where you would like to keep these supplies so that you will use them. How can you organize them so that it is not a chore to get them out? Do you want to use storage bins? Shelves?
Here are some articles that may help you:
How to Organize Storage Bins (with free printables) from Just a Girl and Her Blog
Tips for Decluttering Craft Supplies by DIY Passion
Tidy Up the Kids’ Hobby Supplies
Finally, let’s tidy up the kids’ materials. Here are a few things to look for:
- Sports equipment and clothing (baseball gloves, cleats, soccer balls, gymnastic leotards, etc.)
- Arts and crafts materials (colors, paints, playdough, stamps, stickers, and more)
- Musical instruments (piano books, music stands, violins, etc.)
- Collections
First, remember our rule from Day One? If you have older children, remember to include them in the organizing process. You obviously don’t want to throw out a collection that means something to them. My children are pretty young, however, so I will be organizing everything on my own.
Gather the Items
Bring the items together. I find that we have art supplies all over the place–some in the kitchen, some in the office, some in the kids’ rooms. I will definitely be consolidating them into a central location.
Sort
Do a quick sort of the items. Are they used? Are they in good shape? I will be dumping MANY markers that no longer work, random scraps of paper, and rubber stamps that have lost their handles. Sort into three piles: keep, throw away, and store for future use (especially for clothing, like cleats, that could be used by a younger sibling).
Organize
Try to find central locations for the items. Can you make a bin of sports equipment in the hall closet? Will you set up an art shelf in the kitchen or kids’ room? By having one designated spot for the activity, the kids will be able to clean up more easily and take ownership of their things.
I will be creating an art shelf in the kitchen, repurposing a small bookshelf from another room. I plan to make small bins for crayons/ colored pencils/ markers, for coloring books and art paper, and for supplies like playdough and stamps.
You might also be interested in these articles:
Living With Kids Doesn’t Have to Mean Living with Clutter from The Intentional Mom
Printable Bedroom Cleaning Checklist for Kids by Early Bird Mom
Today’s Action Items:
To recap, here are today’s action items:
- Gather, sort, and organize your hobby supplies
- Gather, sort, and organize the kids’ hobby supplies
Catch Up on the Challenge:
Day Two: Tidying Up Your Clothing
Day Three: Tidying Up the Kids’ Clothes
Day Five: Tidying the Kids’ Books and Toys
Congratulations! You made it! We have now decluttered our entire house. I hope that you’ve enjoyed the challenge as well as the results. Be sure to check back here for more organizing and homemaking ideas. I also update my Pinterest and Facebook accounts regularly with great resources and tips.
Thanks for joining us!
What was the most interesting thing you discovered while decluttering and organizing?
Great tips! My supplies are always all over the place. These tips will really help make things easier when I start spring cleaning!
I’m glad you found it helpful, Jake! Realizing that I was making spring cleaning simpler was one of my motivating factors, too.