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Kat
9-5-13, 4:08pm
Trying yet again to purge 100 items this month. Anyone want to join in the fun?

The kids both napped today (it's a miracle!), so I let go of:

an ornament
a mystery part for something (had it for about five years and never needed it, so...)
big stack of papers
big stack of pictures
4 hangers
12 x 12 cutter
sunhat
reuseable bag
pack of scentsy cubes
2 knick knacks
small framed art
back pack
beer horn
4 luggage tags
19 toys
4 pieces of furniture (a bench, a coat rack, and two tables--feels great to get them out!)
2 pairs gloves
a guitar (this guitar stuff is being traded with DH's tattoo artist today--guitar stuff for tattoo work)
an amp
a hard guitar case
a music stand
a book
small bottle of perfume

Total: 52

Must keep going!

elcheapo
9-8-13, 2:47pm
I will join you in the 100 item challenge, thought I don't have anything to add yet.

fidgiegirl
9-8-13, 7:19pm
I am hoping to join as well. We need to tackle the attic and I believe this month will be cool enough. I'll count a few items

Items we returned to Menards for making screens that we no longer need:

3 screen kits
5 packages of corners and springs
= 8

and we have a kiddie pool out back for a Craigslister to come pick up (dogs didn't take to it) and a card table as well.

+2

= 10 TOTAL

Planning to return a pair of hiking boots tomorrow. That will be some $$ back and one more item out of the house.

There are also items sitting in the donations bag but I'll total up that bag when it's going out the door.

Not a bad start! Thanks for another challenge.

Ooh! Just remembered! I parted with a grimy dish brush yesterday! And DH wrecked an ice cream bucket today doing a mortar job. I was just thinking about paring down the bucket collection. So:

1 dish brush
1 bucket

= 12 TOTAL!

Kat
9-9-13, 9:52am
Welcome, elcheapo (ha! love that name! :-) )

Fidgie, you are off to a great start!

I returned 4 items yesterday. Also purged:

5 small toys
2 gift bags
a quilt rack
8 pairs of little girl's panties (someone passed them along for potty training after their daughter outgrew them, and while I appreciate the thought, used underwear skeeves me out (that sounds so spoiled and "first world," I know, but...am going to buy new for DD)

Total: 72

I also packed up a bunch of clothes the kids have outgrown for my MIL to take to her house (so thankful she lets me use a room in her huge house for storage). I am not counting those items in the count since I still own them...but they are out of my house at least for now! :)

Float On
9-9-13, 12:37pm
I'm always game, last time was fun!

1. cd
2-3. two pair of sandles (too flat for me)
4-7. skirts (re-thrifting)
8-9. shorts (1 re-thrifting/1 to trash (son ripped a big hole at his job)
10. easel
11-12. son #2 shoes (getting him to part with shoes is strange)
13-20. son #1 shirts to thrift/ #2 put them in his closet but they are not long enough in the arm for #1)

ejchase
9-10-13, 4:38am
Kat, you are such a good influence on me!

I don't know if I'll make 100 this month - LOTS going on in my life right now - but I'll keep count anyway and post here!

Getting rid of a bunch of stuff might help reduce my stress level!

Kat
9-10-13, 1:31pm
So glad you decided to join in, ejchase! You always inspire me to do better! :-)

Today just one thing: a broken magnet. I'll have to see what else I can dig up! :-)

Total: 73

Float On
9-10-13, 1:55pm
21. sold an Adirondack chair (thank you craigslist)
22. sold a pile of pallets (thank you craigslist)
23-24. two books to church library

Kat
9-12-13, 8:33am
Way to go, Float On! You got rid of several large items and made a little money, too! That is great!

We donate all our stuff to a local thrift store that benefits a Christian high school across the river (where my husband went to school). My MIL volunteers there, so she usually takes our donations in for us (which is so, so nice!). Anyway, we found out they were able to get $95 for the bench we donated. That made us so happy! We got some much needed space, the buyer got a beautiful bench, and the school got some cash to help with their expenses. Win-win-win!

This morning, I tossed five dust jackets from DD's books. She does not like them on her books, and I had them just sitting around in a pile. I have no idea why I thought I needed to keep them. Her books are just fine without them. DH also got rid of a big Batman-shaped box that he kept his guitar stuff in (his tuner and picks and whatnot). The box is too big for his guitar drawer, though, and always got jammed, so he let go of the box. That brings our total to 79.

Float On
9-12-13, 10:51am
This morning, I tossed five dust jackets from DD's books. She does not like them on her books, and I had them just sitting around in a pile. I have no idea why I thought I needed to keep them. Her books are just fine without them.

We found out from the used book store that we frequent that hardback books missing their dust jackets aren't accepted. I always pulled and tossed them too because if I didn't I'd be constantly picking them up off the floor anyway. Now I have to try and keep the dust jackets organized in a box - in case we choose to sell a hardback book.


You are having no trouble at all reaching your goal this month Kat - good job!

25. large fishing tackle box that I use to keep small glass rods organized in from my beadmaking days (early 90's) to the thrift shop
26. Returned a shirt to the store for refund - didn't like it as much when I got it home

fidgiegirl
9-15-13, 2:02pm
Previous total = 12.

Hiking boots returned for refund (didn't fit) = 1
Pitch ruined crock pot liner (still deciding if rest of crock pot will follow or if we're going to try to thrift a replacement crock. I'm leaning toward parting ways completely) = 1
socks to charity pickup = 2
sewing machine cams to charity pickup = 1
scarf to charity pickup = 1
sweater to charity pickup =1

Also did some work on the fridge, but will update in the pantry thread.

TOTAL = 19

fidgiegirl
9-15-13, 4:02pm
Working in the craft room:

1 tape measure
1 project gone wrong

= 21

Float On
9-15-13, 5:53pm
another quick sweep through the studio

27-29 set of fireproof booth drapes (didn't sell so donating)
30-32 another set of fireproof booth drapes (didn't sell so donating)
33-35 woodturned pens
36-38 metal decorative file holders (office supply)
39-40 two tall folding stools
41 extra stapler
42-44 battery operated led lights
45 big round turning rolodex thing (was sad, going thru the rolodex and pulling all the cards for galleries that have closed, kind of said one last goodbye to those memories, then I pulled the rest of the cards since we're closing that stage of our lives, and the rolodex was empty, so no more giant rolodex on my desk)

fidgiegirl
9-20-13, 7:16pm
Previous total = 21

3 items sold on eBay
1 item gag-gifted

= 25

fidgiegirl
9-21-13, 6:24pm
5 books returned to my mom

= 30

Tussiemussies
9-21-13, 8:40pm
Previous total = 12.

Hiking boots returned for refund (didn't fit) = 1
Pitch ruined crock pot liner (still deciding if rest of crock pot will follow or if we're going to try to thrift a replacement crock. I'm leaning toward parting ways completely) = 1
socks to charity pickup = 2
sewing machine cams to charity pickup = 1
scarf to charity pickup = 1
sweater to charity pickup =1

Also did some work on the fridge, but will update in the pantry thread.

TOTAL = 19

Hi Fidgi,

You might be able to contact the maker of your crockpot and see if they sell the insert....

Tussiemussies
9-21-13, 8:42pm
another quick sweep through the studio

27-29 set of fireproof booth drapes (didn't sell so donating)
30-32 another set of fireproof booth drapes (didn't sell so donating)
33-35 woodturned pens
36-38 metal decorative file holders (office supply)
39-40 two tall folding stools
41 extra stapler
42-44 battery operated led lights
45 big round turning rolodex thing (was sad, going thru the rolodex and pulling all the cards for galleries that have closed, kind of said one last goodbye to those memories, then I pulled the rest of the cards since we're closing that stage of our lives, and the rolodex was empty, so no more giant rolodex on my desk)


That is sad Float On. I would feel the same and probably have a hard time parting with them. Good for you that you were able to do it! Chris

fidgiegirl
9-22-13, 2:17pm
Previous total = 30

1 pair shoes to trash

= 31

We also got some quart sized new empty paint cans that my mom had come across and where we have gallon cans with little paint in them, we are going to transfer the paint out into these smaller cans. The paint area is out of control. Also DH has admitted that some of our paint brushes are not worth keeping. Hallelujah.

fidgiegirl
9-26-13, 6:11pm
Previous total 31

I am not sure if I will make it by Sept 30!! But there are a few days left so I will see - maybe if DH and I rock it this weekend we can do it.

Non-working humidifier to garbage = 1
Pair of holey socks to garbage = 1

New TOTAL = 33

And I went to a garage sale this morning and bought zero. Well done, Kelli.

How is everyone else doing?

rosarugosa
9-29-13, 7:58pm
Good work folks! I haven't been counting items, but I've got a large shopping bag almost filled with clothes for donation, and I also added some costume jewelry items this morning.

fidgiegirl
9-29-13, 10:06pm
I threw away a pen . . . and returned my coffee pickup bins to the compost coordinator of the community garden. I have bowed out of that task and so turning over the physical bins represents letting go of a worthwhile but, in the end, burdensome task that I no longer enjoyed at all. So it was a much bigger score than two items on the tally.

September is over tomorrow. Will try again in October! At least that's 36 fewer items in my life, but things always creep in to replace them . . . I bought 3 new pairs of socks, and we got a few gifties, so that is nice. Always a balancing act!

Total = 36

ejchase
9-30-13, 9:11am
I wasn't able to join in this month officially - too much going on. But I have been throwing things into a box for the thrift store, so when I actually drop that stuff off, I'll let you all know! It's still very inspiring to hear all the decluttering others are doing.

JaneV2.0
9-30-13, 9:53am
Two garbage-sized bags in the car, and another to go. Will add a couple of lamps, and off to donate.

Float On
9-30-13, 10:12am
Well....my 2nd son could finish out my month's goal a lone.
46-100 he deep cleaned his closet. He's really worked hard at losing a little weight and gaining muscle. He went from a Medium shirt to an XSmall and a 34 to a 30 waist. He's worked hard at building a nice wardrobe of clothes he enjoys and has learned that not all those bargin items at thiftshops are really a good buy.
Bonus 101-125: I found more closet things to get rid of as well. I still have to make some decisions on some summer things that I didn't wear this year. So as I put those things away for next spring I plan to be brutal.

We have small closets so we keep working at only keeping what we really like and really wear. We pulled out the fall things (we have to rotate seasonally to storage boxes) and that is where these latest clothing items came from and we still have more to sort and go through.
We've got another full back of the escape to drop off to the thrift shop this afternoon.

I'm already thinking about October - we need to go through the coat closet and the heavy winter boxes. We'll also do another sweep through the studio. My laundry/sewing room needs attention as well.

Selah
9-30-13, 12:35pm
I got rid of (by donating) a crapload of clothes that were either worn out or just made me look like...crap. It freed up space and let me really figure out what I needed to have a functional wardrobe for my current career situation, which is partly at-home and partly at work, plus one day a week at a frum religious college where I have to wear dresses or skirts, long sleeves and high collars. I also shifted my wardrobe arrangement for the seasons, so I'm better attired for the weather.

I didn't declutter some old pairs of pants I had that were fraying at the bottom, but instead I took them to my seamstress and asked her to turn them up (and in) so she'd be able to hem them again to cover the frays. That's about $50 of good Lee pants saved from the scrap pile, for about $10 in repair. Same with a good bath towel...the hem had come down and the towel was starting to fray, but a quick fix of one towel saved the whole set. We can probably get at least another five years' use out of them. Hurrah!

Kat
10-7-13, 9:10am
Wow! You all did great! I didn't have much time to post near the end of the month, but I did make my goal. I tossed a broken bubble gun, 8 party hats, a bunch of Happy Meal type toys (the bane of my existence!) and a few shirts. I also let go of a some more books and some plastic hangers. My total was 101.

fidgiegirl
10-7-13, 5:51pm
Kat, I know one mom who lets her kids get the Happy Meals, but the toys are not allowed to come in the house. They can play with them at the place and in the car and then they go in the garbage! I was kind of horrified when she first told us this (the poor children! the waste!), but I bet she has at least that aspect of toys under control. Now I appreciate her position. I live in terror of plastic toys taking over my life pretty dang soon here. Ugh!!!