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View Full Version : May spring cleaning/decluttering challenge



lhamo
5-1-11, 8:51pm
Starting another new monthly thread for those on a cleaning/decluttering spree.

As noted elsewhere, DH and the kids are away this week so it is big time decluttering week for me. I tackled the kitchen already this morning. Tossed a ton of stuff from the freezer that was just not going to get used -- I had so many frozen bananas in there I could barely fit anything else in! Kept just the two left over from this past week, tossed the rest. Sad to waste them in a way, but I think some of them had been in there almost two years. Note to self: don't buy so many bananas and if you put them in the freezer you MUST make banana bread or muffins with them within two weeks... Also tossed old ketchup packets and salad dressings that were past the use-by date. Lots more space already. Goal is to get the fridge down to almost nothign by the end of the week so we can give it a good cleaning before everyone gets back.

Also cleaned out my kitchen junk/paper drawers -- still have lots of stuff on the to-do list from that, but will be easier to do the to-dos without so much extra junk in the way.

On the agenda for the rest of the week are:

1) Kids playroom. Need to re-sort everything into appropriate storage boxes and get rid of some stuff.

2) Closets. Need to switch my clothes storage from winter to summer, and do some decluttering. Also need to go through kids closets to get rid of stuff that is too small.

3) Kids art. DH is a packrat and refuses to get rid of any of the kids art projects. I need to sort through and keep just the best stuff. Best done when all of them are away.

4) Setting up filing system. Several months ago I got some hanging file folders/frames so that I could set up a file drawer in one of our big built-in cabinets. I need to tackle that this week. been dreading it as it is a huge job, but it will be SOOOOO much easier to find things once I get it done. This probably should have been job #1.

5) Other storage. If I have time/energy, should really go through all the other storage areas we have and declutter. There are things we have just shoved into the nearest available space that I probably need to think about reorganizing.

OK, enough planning. I need to get to the gym, make myself some lunch and then I can think about tackling these jobs.

lhamo

porcelain
5-1-11, 10:20pm
Today I decluttered 5 books, 1 picture frame, 2 dresses, 1 skirt, 1 pair of boots, 1 coffee mug, 1 little tchotchke, and 6 bowls (but I bought 6 new bowls last week), and some cards & letters from my ex-boyfriend (everything he said inside them was a lie anyway....).

Anne Lee
5-7-11, 5:45pm
I want to get the downstairs/guest bathroom ship shape as we might have a real guest (i.e. not family) at the end of June.

Face plate for light switch.
Touch up paint job.
Do something about the vanity doors. They are the pressed, shellacked wood stuff. I would be happy painting them. They are small so the sanding, priming and painting wouldn't be THAT much work...