September Purge

[Yppej]

Another month, another challenge.

A sweater is going in the trash tonight - just worn out.

[Klunick]

I didn't want to start a new thread for a question that I have. It's a need vs want question. If you need to declutter something, it is pretty obvious that you should declutter it. I have several things in my house that I want to declutter but there really isn't a need neccesarily.

Items like a blanket that is in a drawer in our living room that no one uses. It's not bothering anything so there isn't a need to get rid of it. I just want to but for some reason I am hesitant because it's not bothering anything. I also have items in a downstairs closet. Again no one uses it but again, they aren't bothering anything either. We have a large pet carrier and some "action figures" that are just collecting dust.

I guess my question is I am wondering if I should get rid of them just to get rid of them or forget they exist and leave them be???

Whever answers first, I will take their advice hence the reason for not wanting a separate thread.

[iris lilies]

I didn't want to start a new thread for a question that I have. It's a need vs want question. If you need to declutter something, it is pretty obvious that you should declutter it. I have several things in my house that I want to declutter but there really isn't a need neccesarily.

Items like a blanket that is in a drawer in our living room that no one uses. It's not bothering anything so there isn't a need to get rid of it. I just want to but for some reason I am hesitant because it's not bothering anything. I also have items in a downstairs closet. Again no one uses it but again, they aren't bothering anything either. We have a large pet carrier and some "action figures" that are just collecting dust.

I guess my question is I am wondering if I should get rid of them just to get rid of them or forget they exist and leave them be???

Whever answers first, I will take their advice hence the reason for not wanting a separate thread.

I don’t want you to take my advice just because I answer first! But consider my ideas.

I operate with the idea that there is nothing wrong with empty space. That blanket that you will never use is in a drawer, what if the drawer was empty? An empty drawer opens up potential for putting away things that you WILL need for the future. That future might come at a time when you don’t have time or your head isn’t in a space to de-clutter the blanket.

You also mentioned figures collecting dust. That is a huge NO for me, my environment is made worse by junk sitting around not displayed in an aesthetically pleasing way, getting dirty. That is yucky.


All of that said, please do not think that my environment is perfect. The house I’m living in is unorganized, dusty, and it will be a couple years before we have everything put away. But my condo is pristine and perfect, and everything is there because I want it there.

I want to bring my house to the level of perfection that is my condo!

[nswef]

Klunick, I have the same problem...but Iris's idea of empty drawers is something I need to embrace fully! I might work on that slowly. Right now I'm purging weeds!

[Klunick]

I have no problem with empty drawer idea. In fact most of the drawers in most of my house are empty. That is the only thing in any living room drawers in fact. The action figures are my husband's and he probably doesn't even remember he has them. He literally bought them and stuck them in a closet. This was about 15-20 years ago. He wouldn't even notice them gone. They are in a closet in the basement where I never go so it really doesn't matter if I get rid of them or not. It is just in my mind... why keep it though.

[Tybee]

I would ask if husband would mind selling them and then try to sell them and the crate and convert them into cash to use for something fun, like a weekend at a country inn.

[iris lilies]

I have no problem with empty drawer idea. In fact most of the drawers in most of my house are empty. That is the only thing in any living room drawers in fact. The action figures are my husband's and he probably doesn't even remember he has them. He literally bought them and stuck them in a closet. This was about 15-20 years ago. He wouldn't even notice them gone. They are in a closet in the basement where I never go so it really doesn't matter if I get rid of them or not. It is just in my mind... why keep it though.

I offer the idea that purging the action figures is work that must be done. Theoretically, you are putting off the work. You're putting it off until you're older and less able. Or perhaps until you have a very tight deadline such as when you have to move and it will just be one more thing of 1000 things that you have to do. Or it is work that someone else will have to do if you get hit by a bus and you know the value/provenance of these action figures whereas they will not.
And if you're talking about getting rid of them by selling them, one by one, Lord that is a LOT of work. Get hopping, and do it now before you have a tight timeline where you have to get rid of them!

[Teacher Terry]

I took a big bag to the thrift store on Friday.

[rosarugosa]

I think I learned about this blog from someone here, perhaps Razz?, but anyway, Rhonda's latest post is very relevant to this discussion. She just did a large decluttering prompted by the death of her husband. My favorite part:
"I resolved that from now on I'll deal with excess by not buying it in the first place and if something I already have becomes superfluous, I'll get rid of it. No more putting things in a box or a cupboard to gather dust for years simply because I couldn't decide, or was too lazy to deal with it there and then. This has been life changing for me and it makes me happy every day to get out of bed and look at what I've done. I'm not looking after junk I don't need now, I have extra space inside my home, it feels right and I'm SO glad I did it."
Here's a link to the post.

[catherine]

Klunick, if it were me, I might keep the blanket and purge the action figures and other brick-a-brack you don't need. Blankets always seem to come in handy. Guests, picnics, wrap for furniture. moves, covering your car back seat if you have to transport a shedding dog. If you have enough blankets for all of those purposes, then get rid of it, but if I have one or two too. many of things, it's probably blankets.

As for the September purge, we are having a multi-family yard sale next week in my little neighborhood enclave. Of course, we did THE Purge 5 years ago, but as it nature's way, more unnecessary stuff has wound up in our house, outbuildings, and storage unit. I'm looking forward to this Mini-Purge!