December Decluttering [Archive] - Simple Living Forums

fidgiegirl

12-13-12, 9:59pm

Wow! Rarely am I the one to START a monthly thread, especially not on the 13th of the month!

Set about 40 items out for charity pickup in the morning, including some big ones. Yeah! I also brought the items in that my MiL dropped for us to give away for her - brought them to work and they went in less than 3 hours on the free table in the lounge.

Rosemary

12-13-12, 10:10pm

I've started a new pile for Goodwill but probably won't actually get it out of the house until next month. Went through DH's and my closet and drawers today.

Tammy

12-14-12, 5:22am

Gave away my old clock radio. I've used my cell phone as alarm clock for years. It's nice to not have a glowing electric thing staring at me as I sleep. Better fung shui. ;)

Laser_Cat

12-14-12, 10:55am

I finally got around to selling a bunch of my old collectables on ebay! I didn't get a fortune for them but hey they are out of my apartment and I already feel that much lighter!

rosarugosa

12-15-12, 6:26pm

I dropped off some stuff I've been building up at SA yesterday, and we had stopped at Mom's house on the way and she gave us some things to drop off too. We did acquire two new things in the process, but more stuff went than came :)
Mom was letting go of the veteran's flag that was sent when Dad died (in 1984) and DH wanted to keep it.
At the SA store, I bought a brand new small leather pocketbook for $4.50. This will actually serve a useful purpose in my life.
I think I'm finally ready to start letting go of some objects that just exist for me to dust, and I started a new SA box today with one of those.

LilyB

12-15-12, 6:36pm

Sent DH to a church thrift store with a big box of toys (new); untouched needlework kits; scented jar candles; Christmas ornaments; and a dozen paperback books. He came back with all of it. :( The volunteer said they were too busy to take anything in right now. Maybe everyone in town is decluttering at the same time?

sweetana3

12-15-12, 6:55pm

I suspect that a lot of the volunteer run thrift stores are suffering from a lack of volunteer hours at this holiday time. It takes a great deal of time to run such an operation.

Simplemind

12-16-12, 3:21pm

Got my husband to let go of 200 record albums at Goodwill yesterday. Next will be the player that was to convert them to a CD that never got used.

nswef

12-16-12, 3:45pm

Wow! Simple mind- I just cannot let mine go yet and it would clear up a great deal of space. I have a computer program that changes them to digital, but I found the albums depressed me...so really better to just toss them all. Closet is on the horizon to clear- one lonely full shelf at a time.

AmeliaJane

12-16-12, 3:50pm

When I pulled out my Christmas tree decorations, I found a bunch of Christmas CDs that had gotten put in the wrong place after one Christmas, thus missing the CD purge before I moved. I will take them to work on Monday and see if anyone would like some new music. I also cleaned out some baby things that were in the same closet--my youngest relatives are not babies any more! No need for a changing pad or spare binkies!

bunnys

12-23-12, 6:15pm

Zoebird

12-23-12, 6:22pm

So, today is my decluttering day, and I'm wholly unmotivated.

Part of it is because the house is also messy, and i didn't get what I wanted ahead of time (the shelves that I want for the closet. :P But, as it is, I should be ok anyway. I'm going to put away the seasonal clothes next, and then reorganize the toys into the trunks and go from there.

Zoebird

12-23-12, 10:15pm

We metabolized some shelves from the office, so I'm that much closer to getting the house organized as I would like.

Seems like today is going to be spend doing that; tomorrow will be spent doing the cleaning; then the day after that we pick up my ILs at 8:30 am.

fidgiegirl

12-23-12, 10:22pm

Decluttered my clothing drawers and closet again yesterday. I'm adding it all to the pile of decluttered regifts to go to Goodwill after Christmas.

Also decluttered the kitchen of several item including about 15 Christmas gift tins that I haven't touched in over a decade. That alone cleaned out an entire cabinet.

Planning on decluttering my junk room before I go to Goodwill, also.

Would also like to take a whack at the linen closet that is so full, I can't put my sheets and towels away after doing the laundry. It's absurd.

Also, I have a cabinet full of old cleaning chemicals that I "inherited" from a neighbor when she moved 5 years ago that I haven't touched because 1--I try and avoid all cleaning and 2--I don't use these products anyway. I have no clue how to get rid of them bc if I just put them in the supercan the city won't take them. I really don't want to pour them down the sink but I think that's what I'm supposed to do...

Hi bunnys,

Towels/sheets: If you find that they are raggy but more than you need, consider sending them to an animal shelter or spay/neuter service. Our local ones always need these kinds of items.

Hazardous waste: Not sure about your area, but our county has a free drop off site. Try Googling "Household hazardous waste (name of your county or city)." They shouldn't go down the drain. If no HHW drop site, try a free listing on CL. At least they could be used by someone who WOULD want them and use them.

Sounds like excellent progress!

Zoebird: "metabolized" = awesome.

fidgiegirl

12-23-12, 10:26pm

We'll be revisiting this again after Xmas. It's amazing how much stuff comes through our house. I'm realizing that we let a lot of people pass things through us. They don't exactly "foist" them on us, but we end up kind of disposing of things for other people. My in-laws give us the yogurt containers that Whole Foods will take but they never get there, and we do. They gave us their old pillows, but we realized they were in such good shape that we won't use them for the dog but rather give them to an agency that outfits individuals with new household items. We have some white elephant gifts sitting around waiting to be passed along once again - that kind of thing. But we'll be on break so plenty of opportunity to take a look at some of this.

Zoebird

12-23-12, 11:51pm

We got through my parent's presents for DS pretty quickly and easily; and I have basically cleared 72% of the house. There's still work to be done (in terms of decluttering), and I'm really struggling with it because we have no place for the trash to go. We'll have to make a run to the dump, but I think they are closed tomorrow and won't be taking anything. Which means doing it after my ILs get here. But, oh well, what can you do?

So, I have to do the bathroom next (stuff that my parents left LAST YEAR!).

I got rid of the things that I was no longer using -- some shirts that are too large/stained/etc, and several rags that are truly raggedy. Dh is struggling with the kitchen. That's ALL that he was worked on today. It involved: washing dishes, wiping down countertops, putting dishes away. Ah well. He's at least pitching in. He likes to vacuum, so he's looking forward to when that comes around.

And, it's actually hot today. About 75 degrees!

LilyB

12-25-12, 10:27pm

Sweetana, I wish I had gotten the decluttering bug sooner in the month. I never even considered the shortage of available volunteers this time of year. Oh well, we can donate it all (and then some!) when we get back from our visit to our daughter,

Speaking of DD, I have watched a master declutterer at work. She has a full box of her daughter's outgrown clothes and toys in the bottom of the closet that is going to the next youngest cousin . She also has a donation bag for the rest of the things she no longer wants/needs. We will babysit tomorrow so she can get the stuff mailed and donated.

She is definitely her father's kid. I agonize over every item. With her it is in the box or bag and out of the house. I wish I could just let stuff go.:|(

LilyB

12-25-12, 10:33pm

Forgot to list what I got rid of: 4 tee shirts that are too ragged to wear (as per DD) in rag bag; 6 books to her library; and one ugly Christmas sweater that I got in the White Elephant Swap we did.

bunnys

12-25-12, 10:43pm

Fidgie: Great idea about the sheets/towels. That's nearer and dearer to my heart anyway.

I have no problem using the word "foist." That's frequently what happens to me.

Zoe: How did you calculate 72% of your house? Are you going by sq footage decluttered?

shadowmoss

12-26-12, 9:29am

I have been decluttering, just that listing it here it seems so trivial. Using up bits of cleasers, etc. I am at least at the part where when I use up something there is a clear space. I'm seeing progress from the previous work that was still covered by the last bits.

Dhiana

12-26-12, 6:09pm

The steamer has been decluttered from my kitchen! YAY!! It has steamed my broccoli for has accompanied me around the world for last 18 years.
And the little, mini electric cuisinart chopper thingy I found hiding behind it that I had forgotten I even owned.

Thanks to HappyHiker's broccoli & garlic baking idea that is super easy we no longer need it =)

fidgiegirl

12-27-12, 4:36pm

We gave away 2 mugs, 1 bowl, assorted soaps/shampoos, a vacuum, a rug and 3 pillows to Bridging. (http://www.bridging.org/)Interestingly, none of this was ours a month ago. Most of it came from DH's mom and dad, and then some were kid gifts to DH (who is a teacher - bless them, but a household only needs so many mugs).

I wish we could do more for Bridging. I feel drawn to their mission. If I had a big vehicle I'd offer to pick up furniture and bring it in. I bet a lot of furniture gets put out at the curb or tucked into garages because people have no way to donate it to Bridging.

Float On

12-27-12, 5:08pm

I've completely lost my posting mojo.....maybe it got declutterd too!
Kelli, love how you said "none of this we owned a month ago....". Don't you have having to be the one to make decisions for others. Everytime I go home to the farm, I come home with a truckload of stuff I don't want. I've been known to stop at the Pink Door (Hospital volunteer's thrift shop) as soon as I get to town.

I did take one load of stuff, don't even remember what it all was and as usual I've got another bag started.
I will try to be better in January about some organizing/decluttering goals.

fidgiegirl

12-27-12, 8:36pm

Yes, for a while it was very strange and I put my foot down - his mom and dad would want to bring over all their giveaways to put out at our curbside for charity pickup. They would pass no fewer than 3 Goodwills on the way over to our place. I said no more to that practice.

Once his sister, who at the time lived 2 doors away and had a key to our house, left us a bag of her giveaways on the porch while we were at work so DH could "see if he wanted any." Except then she wouldn't take them back.

And I can't even get started on my mom and dad and their stuff. :( But we do the best we can!!!

fidgiegirl

12-27-12, 8:37pm

P.S. Glad to see you back . . .

LilyB

12-27-12, 10:05pm

Inspired by my daughter's suggestion (read: nagging;)), I am leaving her home with less than I brought.

I have lost some weight, and since I don't plan to gain it back, DD convinced me to donate 3 baggy pairs of pants; 6 tops and 3 tees; and 1 dress. I also threw in a tote bag since everything else now fits in my suitcase.

fidgiegirl

12-28-12, 12:20pm

LilyB - one of the best reasons I can think to need to donate stuff! Congrats!

Kat

12-28-12, 3:15pm

My goal is always 100 items per month. I think I will come up a little short for December, but here is what I have purged so far:

1 coat
2 magazines
3 books
19 clothing items
2 sheets
2 pillowcases
1 empty medicine bottle
9 spices
3 gift bags
10 toys
2 flags
last year's planner

I also returned 2 items to my sweet MIL, so...

TOTAL: 57

Kat

12-31-12, 3:26pm

I tossed the Christmas cards we received this year. I used to keep them, but I don't have the room to store them and never end up doing anything with them (despite my good intentions). So I displayed them for awhile and now out they go. I also go rid of two "glow stick" type bracelets DD got in her stocking. They are no longer glowing and she has a few other bracelets for her dress-up box.

Total: 69

DH will be installing my closet system today, so I am hoping to be able to purge some more items before the month runs out! We'll see! ;-)

LilyB

12-31-12, 3:49pm

Thanks, Kelli. I have a long way to go, but I feel wonderful now. I guess I figured the clothes didn't look TOO bad. Leave it to your kid to let you know otherwise.;)

I donated 4 jar candles that are in scents I dislike to the Hospital Thrift shop

2 pairs of ratty slippers tossed. (I still have 3 pairs but they are in great condition)

Took 8 Christmas issue magazines to the library give-away shelf and also donated 12 back issues of Mother Earth News. (I bought the back issue set on DVD for DH and myself...Less clutter and we old hippies still enjoy reading the old articles although we probably could write our own after all these years.)

Donated huge box on envelopes to a charity group. (Why I thought I would ever use that many envelopes is beyond me. I still have most of my my $1 box of security envelopes for the rare times I need them since I bank on-line.)

Float On

12-31-12, 4:07pm

Today is a last ditch effort to get the family to donate anything they are ready to see go. I'm trying to get the husband to go through his closet, I've suggested we go start on it twice today already and he's found 'other more important' tasks to do....like his current nap.
Got rid of a printer, this months magazines.
Cut the cool bits out of the few christmas cards I rec'd and put them in the wrap box for next christmas gift tags.

Congrats LilyB on your weight loss!

Float On

12-31-12, 9:31pm

I hit the motherload! Got DH to go through his closet tonight and then I went through mine again and then we hit the hall closet under the stairs. There are now 20 bags (walmart to duffle size) of stuff to go to the thrift shop. Was thrilled to get DH to let go of things he'd had and not worn since the early 90's. We will have to buy him a couple pair of jeans and some summer shirts in the spring. He was thrilled with how streamlined his closet looked and how he could move stuff around and kept only what he really liked.