View Full Version : March Decluttering
Didn't see one started...
I can't believe I hauled out 2 more bags of stuff. Oi vey!!!
Good work! That's the way to put your time to use.
I ditched piles last week when I was off work. And when DH was away....it is easier if I don't have to explain it.
Yes Leslie- I must admit, I make small piles around the house until I have enough for a load, and then when hubby lies down one night, I take it all out to my truck and drop it off the next day. SHHHHHH!!!!
Had a bit of a declutter bug bite me today, and I was in the mood to pitch. I got sick of those miscellaneous items that sit around here or there for months because they don't have a place. Things like my supplements, all organized in pill boxes, from a trip we took last summer. Or that pen that we could refill, but know we won't. Well, they either got a place or went in the garbage. I also tackled our cables/cameras/headphones/adapters box. I did keep some of the items, inspired by the recent success of salvaging the old high quality stereo system and speakers simply by happening to have the right adapter on hand in the electronics catch-all box, but I did let go of some telephone cords and other out-of-date or duplicate items. Like earbuds. We don't even like earbuds. How'd we'd get four pairs? Don't have a number - I suppose around 10 items will be headed out, several to electronics recycling at Best Buy.
I took a trailer load of metal to the recycler today. This included a bunch of bent and twisted T-posts, old bent pieces of ribar, and other metal discards from various fencing and home improvement projects. I got $40 for the load and my yard looks much better.
I took 32 things to the thrift store and consignment store this week. And I also returned five online purchases that didn't work out. It felt great.
Leslieann and MamaM what you do makes me laugh, and is good for you.
I took a pair of galoshes to the consignment shop because they hurt one of my feet.
Oh..he's onto me. LOL.. He just asks that I don't leave him nekked in the bed if I get motivated one night to declutter. At least leave him a sheet. ;)
1 box of just under 500 business-size envelopes from a mailing project that was cancelled. Does this count as 478 items?;))
1 stapler (We have 2 others!)
3 Ink cartridges for printers we no longer own :|(
I horribly scented room and linen refresher. (Supposed to be all natural but is worse than the chemical-laden ones.)
2 rolls of Rose-scented drawer liners that don't smell like any rose I've ever encountered
2 rolls of address labels with my last name misspelled. (Printer's error so I got new ones for free. Not sure what I planned to do with them: Change my name?)
8 holiday-themed pencils. I used to change the special pencil in my cup for each holiday. Got rid of them before I started doing something so weird again.:help:
I went to mom's house yesterday and helped her go through her financial papers. This is my third trip there to work on this project over a period of several months and yesterday we collected 3 full paper grocery sacks of paper for her to take to the free shred place. We cleared out records from her real esate business that she closed 8 years ago, most of my father's papers (he died 10 years ago and his clothes are still hanging in the closet...maybe that's next....) bank records as old as 1972.
Mom also sent me home with some home made English Toffee (yum) and a cashmere sweater with a hole in the front. I thought about a repair/decorate embroidery option for the sweater, but the whole is right between my large breasts and any repair/decoration there will just be too attention drawing, so I have regifted the sweater to Goodwill.
I dropped that junk off at Best Buy! Triumph! Keep it up, all!
I dropped that junk off at Best Buy! Triumph! Keep it up, all!
WOOT WOOT!!!
Y'all are doing great. I was sidelined with my son being home sick. So today, I am going to clean out the cds/movies and vaccum/clean out my truck.
I did a bit of laundry room closet purging (things I was saving for 'projects') and started closet purging (things I was waiting to see if I'd wear this winter and didn't).
6 bags worth (didn't count) so far.
DH and Son#2 are headed to SC on Saturday a.m. Son#1 and I will be doing a major purge of his room (he's on a different spring break schedule so we don't get to go to SC).
Sadly I must report that I did some thrift shopping of my own and brought into the house 2 bags worth of spring clothes. Some items much needed after my huge purge in the fall of spring/summer items I was tired of.
vaccum/clean out my truck.
Well, I think I have my task for today (see the "do one thing Thursday" thread). I have been putting this off and it is a PIT. It's cold, so I might not vacuum, but at least I'll get the crap out of it.
Wow, I'm so happy this challenge is still here. I fell off the wagon and badly need to be inspired and make some progress. I have lots to get rid of, but it all takes time. Anyhow, I've got a few things now and am going to go for 5 a day. One of my problems is clothes. I go up and down in weight. Not due to yoyo dieting but because I have had physical problems so I couldn't do aerobics for a while. I still have to baby my knee (torn) but am back to swimming. I hate to get rid of clothes I will need, but plan to figure out a system for storing just enough of the stuff I can't wear (big or small, depending). Ok, that's one issue. What I've found is that I need to go category by category and figure out what I need and what I don't. Each category deserves some thought. I am going through my kitchen while I think about the clothes thing. I'll get started today!
Thanks for still being here:thankyou:
4 bowls
1 paper cutter
1 briefcase
1 thermal mug
I'm in a big clean-out mood. Unfortunately, it seems the more I get rid of, it grows back! I've taken about 6 bags of stuff to our local Caring Center in the past couple of weeks, and a big grocery bag of books to the Library.
And I'm going through my VHS tapes again and getting rid of lots. I've probably already gotten rid of over a hundred. I take the VHS tapes, audio tapes, and CDs and jewel cases to a place that recycles them.....and I take the paper covers to another recycling place. It sure helps to know that this stuff isn't going into the earth. I'm ashamed at how much I have bought in the past. :|(
One of my next chores is going through the kids' old games/books. I just can't seem to part with Crocodile Dentist, Lite Brite, Squiggly Worms, and Don't Wake Daddy. haha Alot of their books from childhood are too good to part with too.
I also need to get rid of clothes that I'm pretty sure I'll never fit in again, unless I get a terminal illness. :~) I have tons of those!!
One really great thing about being a hoarder with a really bad memory now, is that once its out of the house........I don't remember even owning it! :) (The trick is just getting it out of the house!)
Sometimes its really hard to find the momentum to get rid of this stuff, but once its gone, its a really great feeling!! I actually have a couple empty drawers here and there now!
try2bfrugal
3-8-13, 7:48pm
I fit in the last of a big pile of non-recyclable packing material in the garbage today. I also called a second hand sports shop to get rid of a weight set. My goal is to reclaim the garage just for the cars. Yesterday we dropped a couple of sleds off at Goodwill. Bit by bit the garage is getting emptied out.
We looked at brand new houses about a third smaller than the house we have now. That is an incentive to get rid of more junk. The next house won't be a tiny house but I'll settle for a smaller house, lower utility and repair bills, less to clean and keep up and mortgage free.
The new houses have such huge closets. It is such a weird use of space for people like us. My clothes would take up maybe 20% of the space.
Larknm................"galoshes"...........I hadn't heard that word for a really long time! It made me remember wearing a babushka when I was young too! :)
Ok, so far today:
6 bags of frozen compost that I forgot in the freezer
4 pairs of socks to go to charity (sock drawer reorganized, too)
5 pairs of pantyhose/stockings for gardening (ok, they are still here, but out of the sock drawer)
2 watches to go to charity
5 containers to recycling
Ended up taking 12 bags to the thrift shop. I purged crafts, sewing, kitchen, to add to the other bags I'd been gathering up.
Inlaws are coming today (DFIL needs cataract surgery, and has decided to get it here) which spurred a major cleaning/decluttering of the entryway/hall closet and the kids play room. DD finally agreed to get rid of some of her old toys. Got rid of one of those huge Ikea bags full of stuff, plus a couple of smaller bags of old projects and miscellaneous trash. Toys are resorted and reshelved and hopefully will stay that way.
lhamo
Four items to thrift store yesterday.
I have to be careful. I am in a spring manic state; two weeks ago I gave away the vacuum cleaner (remember the vacuum cleaner? that put dog hair ON the carpet?) but now I don't have a good way to clean that carpet. There may soon be a vacuum purchase showing up in the "unfrugals" thread.
My DD has agreed to be my book seller. This is a great win-win. I no longer live in the US and mailing costs here in Canada are much higher. I was able to make some money selling books on Amazon a few years ago in the US. Now I still have books (and books and books) and my DD has no job. So she is going to take on selling my books, pay me a little bit (for fairness) and we both get something we need. I get the books OUT without giving them away, she gets a little bit of work and some small income. We just have to get the books into her territory to start. But it will be a good step I think. Now I have to decide once again which books to sell.
I'm going to do a little "bookending" here: telling you all what I plan to do as a way to get myself moving, with the promise that I will report back later about how the reality matched my intentions.
My dad arrives from out of town tomorrow, and I need to make the upstairs presentable. I'm not going to be able to declutter it completely, but I need to at least get rid of the random paper clutter so things are what I call "surface clean." I allow myself to put some random clutter into boxes. Just because I have clutter issues doesn't mean they have to totally be in my face all the time. So making the hallway and other upstairs rooms presentable is my goal, and I'll let you all know how I did later today.
1 floral print purse
3 cloth PB book covers
1 checkbook cover
1 photo album
I did end up tackling the upstairs hall yesterday, though I didn't quite get the whole upstairs presentable. I did recycle about 5 shopping bags of paper, then put the rest of clutter I didn't have time to deal with in a couple of fileboxes which I stacked against the wall. My mantra was "It doesn't have to be perfect." Despite the fact there is still some boxed up clutter, the hallway already looks ten times better. It will take about one more hour to make the upstairs presentable for my dad, and though he arrives today, he's staying with friends until Friday night, which gives me a little more time. Also, a maid is coming on Friday, which I'm super-excited about. It will be nice to have a clean house, and I don't have time (or the inclination, honestly) to do it myself.
In related news: we've had two ripped and stained lampshades in our living room for quite a while, and I finally found a place to buy replacements (thought it would be easy, but the search turned out to be time-consuming). I bought the replacements yesterday, but when I got home realized one of them wasn't the right style and color, so I will go back today, make an exchange, and then hopefully be able to throw out the old shades and replace them with the new. The torn and stained shades were definitely one of the things that bugged me most about our living room, so I'm excited to finally be dealing with it.
rosarugosa
3-13-13, 8:12pm
Good for you EJ! I'll bet the new lampshades will greatly change how you feel about the room if they have been major sore spots for you. I also think that putting some things in boxes temporarily is a good way to go. No need to be tripping over the stuff in the meantime.
Thanks, rosarogosa - yes, we're loving the new lampshades - and congrats to all on all you're accomplishing.
I managed to get the upstairs hallways "surface clean" today. There is clutter in boxes there, and a few things like a backpack and some folders stacked on top, but it looks much less chaotic than it did before.
And I got rid of four major things that have been sitting unnecessarily in that hallway for months: moved a shredder to our storage shed, returned a box of newborn clothes and a bouncy seat to a friend who lent them to us a year and a half ago, and passed on my breast pump to the same friend. Yay!
I'm late to the game this month but found myself in the mood to purge today! I decided to keep my goal at 100 items, but I doubt I'll be able to toss that many things in two weeks. We'll see!
I just got done tackling a portion of the bathroom--namely my part of the cabinet and the medicine cabinet. Oh. My. Word! I purged 40 (FORTY!) items and still have more to go. These were mostly products that were expired, but some were just things we tried and didn't care for.
While I was at it, I decided to take all of our medication to the kitchen. I cleared the corner of one cabinet and placed a three-drawer organizer I had leftover from my scrapbooking days. I divided our medicine into cold/allergy, digestive health, and pain relief, and I love how it turned out. Everything is in one place now (before it was half in the kitchen and half in the bathroom), and we can see what we have. Plus, I now have more room in the medicine cabinet, which I think I will use to store DH's health care stuff (deodorant and such). He has been using the highest shelf in the cabinet, and neither of us can reach it, so it is always a mess. I would love for things to be accessible for him when he is getting ready. We can use the high shelf for things we don't need everyday. I guess it is a little weird to have the medicine in the kitchen, but that is where we tend to use it, so...
Kat our medicine has always been in the kitchen, I can remember to take things while I'm making coffee. I can't remember to take things when I'm brushing my teeth.
First aid stuff is in 2 two drawer plastic drawer units in the laundry room closet. I like keeping first aid and medicine seperate.
fidgiegirl
3-15-13, 5:49pm
We are like Float On - some first aid and infrequently used meds in the upstairs linen closet. Everyday meds downstairs in the kitchen as well!
DH doesn't like our meds in the bathroom, anyway. Something about the moisture. Growing up they were always in our kitchen, too, so doesn't bother me! :)
I am in awe that you found 40 items just like that. *snaps fingers* Awesome.
Decluttered:
~ 3 pairs of pants that I have gotten too small for to Goodwill
~ took 5 food items that we are not going to eat to the food pantry
~ borrowed from the kid's school supply-- one 3 ring binder, for spring trip, college tour for DS#2. In it am collecting: maps to regions we are visiting, college contact information (so can access when not online, on the road) low fat food options at fast food restuarants, blank pages to make notes about schools
~ started packing list for me and DS#2, even though trip does not start until 4/1/13.
I'm just now getting around to getting rid of some psychology text books I got in my first year of uni about 12 years ago. Of course, they're not worth the £30 I paid for each of them anymore, grr. More like 70p each if I'm lucky. Why was I so lazy about getting rid of them? Looks like they're going straight to the second-hand book shop.
I am in awe that you found 40 items just like that. *snaps fingers* Awesome.
Thanks, fidgie! I honestly find it pretty embarrassing! I had no idea that my bathroom was that bad! But as I said, that top shelf is not accessible and becomes a catch-all for things that just get chucked up there.
DH came home and got rid of 19 more items, so we are to 59 for the month. We were able to put all his daily use stuff in the medicine cabinet, so now we can hopefully store lesser-used things on the top shelf. Makes more sense to do it that way--don't know why I didn't think of it before. :-)
At least 5 a day this week (average). Mostly cans. Some ready to go to the food pantry. All the salty stuff and some sweet. Using up cans and frozen foods rather than shopping, too. I found some olive oil in the back of a cupboard, I knew I had it, but had to buy new cause it got lost. >8)
Nearly done with canned goods for now. I'm going to go through my first aid supplies and meds and purge some of those. I'm creeping up on the books. A while back I gave a lot of books to the library, titles they didn't have. Unfortunately, they don't keep them unless they are popular enough. They sell them. So, I need to make sure I really won't want to read the book anytime in the future. I usually check the library before I buy a book and only buy what I can't get there. But, I think I need to pare them down somehow.
Finally got rid of outdated files (2 supermarket bags full:|() and refiled papers we need to keep.
Donated 10 magazines to the library.
1 big box of yarn to the local knitting club.
I can't believe all I've had to get rid of, and I haven't even started on the attic or garage.
a broken mask, 6 toys, 2 more expired medications. DH broke a dish, so we tossed that, too. Total: 69
Still need to go through DD's toy room and purge a few things, too. My dad gives her a small stuffed animal (like a beanie baby or something) each week that he wins at Bingo. I swear they breed! We have a bin for them in her toy room, but when it is full, I go through and just pick out her favorites. The rest are donated. It is overflowing right now, as is her larger stuffed animal bin. Need to do a mini purge in there!
I suppose I could also get moving and sell some of the books and DVDs I have sitting around to amazon. Been putting that off for awhile now.
Today I started organizing my closet. Moving winter clothes to the back and spring/summer to the front. Found a nice jacket that I know I will never wear so that goes to the Salvation Army box. Tomorrow I will be doing more in the closet. This is a week long project so I expect to find more to donate.
Life_is_Simple
3-19-13, 6:37pm
Finally got rid of outdated files (2 supermarket bags full:|() and refiled papers we need to keep.
Paper sorting is painful, no matter how you look at it.
Life_is_Simple
3-19-13, 6:38pm
Ended up taking 12 bags to the thrift shop. I purged crafts, sewing, kitchen, to add to the other bags I'd been gathering up.
How big were the bags?
Life_is_Simple
3-19-13, 6:39pm
I am working on my closet. I donated a bag of clothes last month, and have two more bags ready to go (tall kitchen garbage bags).
fidgiegirl
3-19-13, 7:06pm
Have been trying to toss icky stuff this month. You know, the kind of thing that hangs around, in our case it might be an extra, but we kept it, and is used and kind of icky. I'm talking the dish brush that is full of grease from the cast iron pans, the rags that just aren't worth washing one more time, that kind of thing. Haven't kept count . . .
The rack I was using to hold lids in my kitchen cabinet just wasn't working. It wasn't big enough to hold them all, and the handles got stuck every time you tried to pull one out. Frustrating! So I replaces it with a large plastic basket I already had. The basket holds all my lids and slides out easily, so I am going to donate the lid holder. DH also purged a pair of pants.
Total: 71
Another mini-purge in the kitchen with DH's help: 3 packages of candles and 6 packages of tea.
Total: 78
I may just get to 100 yet! :)
Today I packed up a lidded toy bench with two dozen pieces of stemware, glasses, and several table linen items, sent them off to an auction supporting a co-op preschool, & 'twas lovely to see it go!
Another mini purge in the toy room (where on EARTH do all these toys come from???!!). 2 dolls and 5 small stuffed animals.
Total: 85
Not sure if I can scrounge up another 15 items before the end of the month or not, but I am pleased with what I was able to accomplish!
Also, just noticed a mistake in my math earlier in the month, too...71+9=80, not 78, so my total is 87. :-)
Every time I loose a room mate I get the de-cluttering/cleaning/organizing urge! Plus, it's time for spring cleaning. I see an area of stuff that I have just kept putting off for years - music CD's, CD's I have burned, CD's of various scratch recordings of my songs, old old cassette tapes, instrument cables, learning media, notebooks of songs/chord charts?notes to self/lyrics to songs I got off the internet...on an on.
I turned my little dinette area into a music room a couple of years ago and got rid of my dining table. I LOVE my little music room; I can practice there and look out the sliding glass door to see my little work-in-progress shade garden and watch all the various creatures skitter about (chipmunks, squirrel, rabbits and birds) but the space is tight and there is a lot of stuff crammed in there. Three guitars, two amps, a microphone on a stand, a stand for music, a stereo, a playing chair, a wooden bar stool....
I need to transfer the CD's I want to keep onto my computer and do something with the tapes (they are probably so old and decrepit by now I'm not sure they'll play). I haven't listened to them in ages but they represent a long ago era in my life...think back to the '80's for some of these!
20 Hardback books to Goodwill (These are always the hardest for me to declutter.)
First time ever - I bought pajamas! In prep for my surgery recovery time. So, I guess I cluttered today. :)
fidgiegirl
3-27-13, 8:30pm
Good job, Redfox. I rarely buy my own PJs, usually getting DH's hand me downs, but I always love MY PJs best, and you deserve the best pampering going into your surgery. So good for you!!
First time ever - I bought pajamas! In prep for my surgery recovery time. So, I guess I cluttered today. :)
If you use them, they are not clutter. ;)
Deleted 500+ emails from my personal email in-box. I'm determined to un-subscribe from a bunch this weekend, otherwise it's going to get overrun again.
fidgiegirl
3-28-13, 8:45pm
Go Lainey! Digital clutter is hard. I am thinking about culling as well.
Here at our house we got rid of a ladder, but replaced it with a better ladder. :) So not much, then!! :) I am starting to do some more errands around the house and clear them up, so that's good.
Nice job, Lainey! I recently decluttered a bunch of photos off my online albums, and that was very freeing. Killed a bunch of emails, too.
sweetana3
3-29-13, 10:40am
Well it is almost the end of the month and I have some free time. So I decided to check out my clothes closet. I tried on everything questionable and have about 5 or 6 things that are going out the door. I have an angora cardigan I probably wore once, a shell that never fit (got at garage sale), several Tshirts and one shirt that is one size too small. Mom might be able to wear the cardigan so I am going to check with her but otherwise out the door.
Next are the boxes of unknown stuff on top of the shelf. If I have not needed the things in 5 years, why should I still be storing them? Next step.
Oh, the dust. I may have to wait till sneezing stops.
I've been taking another round through all our cabinets and closets in the past 2 weeks. We gave some higher-value items to our church auction. I took two big bags of stuff to Goodwill last week. I gave a bag of outgrown kids' clothing to a friend. Just got a notice about a cat shelter's annual yard sale collection today so will collect things to take there over the next 2 weeks.
I decluttered some of my fabric and yarn stash. This was a big step, realizing that I don't have to make things with the items I don't really like, just to 'use them up.' The fabrics will be a great find for a quilter.
fidgiegirl
3-30-13, 2:55pm
Wasn't sure if I should post this in decluttering or in frugals, because it is kind of a mix, but I decided it is more of a mental declutter so here seems more appropriate. I have been on an errand bender since about Thursday - using up good coupons at special stops, batching errands, rotating tires on both cars (free where we bought the tires), car wash for my car, that kind of stuff. I am usually terrible about putting these things off where my DH is not and then he will keep. talking. about. it. He sees this as "reminding himself" and I see this as nagging. So it feels good.
Physical decluttering - dropped a bag at ArtScraps, and bought nothing there to replace what I dropped. :)
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