March is the Month of Bedrooms

A little late, yes, but below you will find the March tasks for the 2013 in 2013 Declutter Challenge.How did you fare in February?If you haven’t started yet, it’s never too late to join. Head over here to find the first two checklists.As for me, I simplified my way through February and decluttered my committments and my guilt.I also managed to rid our home of physical items, although I will admit, I didn't have much to go in the bathrooms and laundry. The office, as always, proved to be a hotbed of crap.Donated:

• Wicker toy box
• Vintage typewriter
• Children's books x 42
• Toys x 11
• Christmas decor x 2
• Oven mitts, aprons x 6
• Coffee mugs x 4
• Plastic plates x 3
• Kids clothes x 5
• Stepping stool

Gave Away (to friends and family)

• Craft supplies to preschool x 12
• Shoes x 2
• Storage shelves
• Plastic storage tubs x 7

Threw Away:

• Expired cosmetics x 13
• Misc. x 7
• Papers/bills/statements x 6 (more like 600, but I'm not counting individual pages as one)

TOTAL: 124 itemsProgress to Date: 447 unwanted items are gone!(And damn it feels good.)

Now March is the Month of...

Bedrooms! Bedrooms are supposed to be a haven, for resting, loving, relaxing and sleeping, yet so many of us have rooms crammed with technology, clothes, furniture, knick-knacks, books and random stuff that it is far from the restful place it should be.If you're raring to go, you can jump right over to the March checklist right here. (Just click the link and the list will start downloading automatically.)NOTE: This month, while we are tackling the bedrooms, we won’t be diving into the wardrobes. It’s often a huge challenge for people, and deserves its own month. The length of this month’s challenge is dependent on how many bedrooms your home has, how many people live with you, whether you have children, room-mates, parents or frequent guests. You should aim to spend anywhere from 2-5 hours on each bedroom, depending on the size and current state of it. And while it is a big undertaking, this is one of the most important rooms to work through. Get it right and you could improve your sleep, your sex-life and your overall well-being.Which sounds pretty good, right?Move through each of these rooms one by one, working through each of the areas listed below. Some won’t apply to you, others will be challenging.Use the decluttering guidelines from Month #1 (find them here) to work through each area.Master Bedroom

•     Bedside tables - books, magazines
•     Bed - excess pillows, linen
•     Walls - excess/ugly pictures, prints
•     Top of drawers - knick-knacks
•     Under the bed
•     Frames, lamps, excess furniture
•     Tech - consider removing TV, laptop

 Kids Bedrooms #1, 2 and 3?

•     Bedside table
•     Desk - books, papers, clutter
•     Bed - stuffed toys, linen, pillows
•     Under the bed - rubbish, toys
•     Shelves - knick-knacks, frames
•     Decor - wall hangings
•     Technology - computer, TV, gaming

Guest Bedroom

•     Bedside table
•     Under the bed
•     Storage/wardrobe - remove junk/clutter
•     Decor - linen, pillows, wall hangings, etc

Again, the March Checklist can be found here.If you're working through the checklists and want some added accountability or inspiration, you can keep count of the items you recycle, donate, sell or throw away and share your progress with us in the 2013 Declutter Challenge forums.How are you finding the Challenge? Is it too difficult? Too easy? Let me know in the comments below…