Colouring's meant to be calming.

Isn't it?

And that may well be true.

BUT as anyone with kids round their homes knows only too well, colouring pencils are NOT.

They're in that gang with lego, hair bobbles and important mail whose members spread themselves over EVERY corner of the house.

But can NEVER be found when you need them.

Or at least not the one you - or the kids - want.

Or a half decent one.

That doesn't need sharpening.

BECAUSE your chances of finding ANY of the many pencil sharpeners you own.

Or for that matter an eraser.

In all your clutter. Or the kids' clutter.

Is non-existent.

So today we're going to let go of those zillions of coloured pencils cluttering up and causing chaos around our homes ...

PLUS all the other pencil paraphernalia long since escaped from our pencil cases.

If you're following along with my quick daily declutter, read on. BUT if you're new do hop back and read how just 10 things can help you declutter easily.

Just 10 Things  - Pencils

We'll basically stick to the just 10 things rules today ..

• Take 5 minutes or so, 15 minutes max
• Focus on pencils and pencil paraphernalia
• Open our eyes to ALL those duplicates and anything grotty
• And without yanking stuff out everywhere

Keep our eyes peeled for ...

1. HB pencils
2. Colouring pencils
3. Erasers - especially grubby ones
4. Pencil sharpeners - especially ones that chew up leads
5. Pencil sharpener pots - e.g. broken ones you can't get the sharpenings out of
6. Pencil cases
7. Refillable pencils
8. Pencil leads
9. Pencil toppers
10. Sketching pencils

BUT today we'll try to be a more brutal than usual.

And NOT just spot the ten or so we're instantly ready to let go.

Today we're going to try and apply a space box.

Which is a super useful decluttering tool.

Especially when we've got up speed from decluttering a little every day.

It's very simple.

We're ONLY going to keep as many pencils as will fit in their special space.

It might be a pencil case. Or two.

It might be a pencil pot. Or drawer.

BUT only keep as many pencils as will fit in easily.

The extras go. End of.

No discussion. No ramming them in. No finding extra little places to hide them somewhere 🙂

AND over time you can reduce that space box.

We just let go another fifty odd easily.

By cutting down our space box to one pencil pot.

And yes they're little things, pencils.

But it's ALL the thousands - literally - of little things ALL over our homes doing our heads in.

So let them go ...

... and whilst you're at it do some good.

By popping them in the stationary box we started the other day.

A local teacher or club leader will almost certainly be able to put them to good use.