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Thread: 40 Hours Decluttering Using Flylady's Timer Method - July 6 - Aug. 30

  1. #11
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    Today, I did some work in the upstairs hallway. There is big clutter history in that space :

    When we moved into this house ten years ago, I was 8 1/2 months pregnant. The house has a weird floor plan, and the upstairs hallway is unusually wide and spacious. So we dumped SO many boxes of stuff that we didn't know what to do with up there. I'm sure there were at one point close to 50 boxes there. And they more or less stayed there until I started getting serious about decluttering in 2016 (yes, if if it wasn't for all of you, I would definitely qualify as a hoarder, but I've been trying to cure myself these last five years).

    Long story short, I've made a lot of progress, but there are still 12 boxes in that hallway. One of my decluttering priorities for the summer is to finally get through the last of them.

    I got through 2 boxes today. It was hard because a lot of what is left is still there because it's stuff that's hard for me to make decisions about: old cards and letters from loved ones who have passed away, lots of photos, things I just don't know what to do with. I'm trying to remind myself not to be a perfectionist and just find places for the things I can't get rid of yet. I just have to keep going forward as best I can.

    But I did manage to find 2 grocery bags of stuff to recycle (a drop in the bucket, but still).

    I'm remembering now when I started these batches of 40 hours in 2016, I was focused on that space, and 90% of what I was getting rid of was paper. In recent years, though, as I've made some progress, I've been getting rid of things like clothes, books, and my daughter's toys. But I guess while I'm focused on finishing up the hallway, it's back to paper!

    New total: 7.5.
    Last edited by ejchase; 7-13-21 at 7:11pm.

  2. #12
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    I actually did an hour more and got through a third box - though I do have a big pile of stuff in the guestroom from the boxes I went through of stuff I need to keep and need to find a place for.

    But I also recycled a bunch of paper and found some other things to give away.

    New total: 8.5.

  3. #13
    Senior Member rosarugosa's Avatar
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    It sounds like you are making good progress on the boxes if you started with 50!

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by rosarugosa View Post
    It sounds like you are making good progress on the boxes if you started with 50!
    Yes!

    I did another hour today. Again, I got rid of what was easy to get rid of, put away what was easy to put away, and gathered some things to give to my Buy Nothing Group and Goodwill, but I have a pile of stuff I need to keep for one reason or another and need to make decisions about where to put. It's not a perfect system, but it allows me to maintain a certain amount of momentum, which I need.

    I think I'm down to about 5 boxes in the hallway that I still need to go through. I can't BELIEVE some of the stuff I've held on to, and it really feels good to finally be letting go of so much!

    It also really helps to post stuff on the Buy Nothing Facebook page. It really motivates me to get stuff out the door.

    New total: 9.5.

  5. #15
    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
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    Wow 5 boxes down from 50 is great!

  6. #16
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    EJ you are my inspiration!!! It's hot out, so I think I will tackle the dining room....one drawer at a time so the table doesn't get filled with "stuff I need to access". If I clear a drawer, I can put "stuff I need to access" in there! Bravo to you on reducing those boxes!! Maybe you can move a pretty dresser in that space when the boxes are gone.
    Last edited by nswef; 7-18-21 at 10:34am.

  7. #17
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    Thanks, everybody, for your encouragement!

    Go, nswef! Good luck with those drawers!

    I did another hour yesterday. New total: 10.5.

  8. #18
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    I did another 30 minutes yesterday. New total: 11.

  9. #19
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    And another 30 minutes on Sunday - new total: 11.5.

  10. #20
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    Another hour today. New total: 12.5.

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