November Purge

[Klunick]

Gosh, you guys are such lightweights! I'm doing a good job (I think) of keeping clutter to a minimum here, but getting it down to purging random lozenges and pj tops makes me feel very inadequate! Really--I congratulate you!

I just don't have a lot more to declutter so it's really just random stuff that I guess I never paid attention to that suddenly becomes evident that it needs to go. Been a while since I've had a sore throat so that is why I never paid attention to the random bags of lozenges. I like to declutter but I really have to search for stuff now and most of it is to satisfy the urge to declutter more than about it needing to be decluttered.

[rosarugosa]

I'm working in our cluttered cellar yet again, and I'm trying EJ's technique of spending small chunks of time down there. Yesterday I spent 30 minutes and decluttered a rather amazing amount of plastic shopping bags and plastic deli-type containers.

[Tybee]

Got rid of some old jewelry ring boxes since I had bought new ring boxes and then a jewelry box to hold all of it. I notice that I hang on to the old when I get the new to replace the old. Why do I do that?

[rosarugosa]

Got rid of some old jewelry ring boxes since I had bought new ring boxes and then a jewelry box to hold all of it. I notice that I hang on to the old when I get the new to replace the old. Why do I do that?

I do that too sometimes, often with clothes. With clothing, the rationale is that I can use the old for painting, gardening, or more recently, pottery throwing. With other items, I think it's more the idea of having "backup." I have way too much backup in my life!

[catherine]

Got rid of some old jewelry ring boxes since I had bought new ring boxes and then a jewelry box to hold all of it. I notice that I hang on to the old when I get the new to replace the old. Why do I do that?

I do that with sneakers. The old ones, I reason, will be perfect for the garden. But now I have one pair of nice sneakers and three for the garden. And I used to yell at DH for keeping a dozen "under the car" shirts.

[nswef]

Catherine, Rosa and Tybee...I have the same problem. And a husband who also does. It is just hard to throw some stuff out. We have a closet in a bedroom that needs clearing. He's on board now as he is running out of space elsewhere, so I think we may accomplish this soon! it helps to know others struggle and I need to follow ej's plan!

[herbgeek]

I don't normally post in this thread, but I did a purge of my "attic" this week. The attic is a second floor closet that keeps off season clothes and holiday stuff. I finally decided to get rid of this wool rug my aunt gave me in high school, but that has been in the attic for 20 years now. I'm sure my now deceased aunt would not want this gift to have turned into an obligation/hassle for me. I held onto it for years knowing I'd never display it again. So other than the 3 boxes of memorabilia, and a few artwork pieces, almost everything in my attic is used at least once a year. It feels lighter. I know what's there and where it is.

[rosarugosa]

DH and I spent 45 minutes in the cellar last night. It's really helpful to have him with me, because my eyes can just sort of skate over something that is in it's place, and he is more likely to notice and ask whether we really need to have it at all. I have 5 mugs and a power strip on their way out the door via my Facebook giving group, and a couple more things on offer. We put a few more bits and pieces in the trash. DH did some rearranging to make things feel less cluttered.
My goal is to have only things in the cellar that belong there, and to eliminate the purgatorial waystation category of stuff that we're not even sure we want, and don't know where else to put it.

[rosarugosa]

I don't normally post in this thread, but I did a purge of my "attic" this week. The attic is a second floor closet that keeps off season clothes and holiday stuff. I finally decided to get rid of this wool rug my aunt gave me in high school, but that has been in the attic for 20 years now. I'm sure my now deceased aunt would not want this gift to have turned into an obligation/hassle for me. I held onto it for years knowing I'd never display it again. So other than the 3 boxes of memorabilia, and a few artwork pieces, almost everything in my attic is used at least once a year. It feels lighter. I know what's there and where it is.

That sounds good Herbgeek, and I'm aspiring to something similar for my cellar.

[happystuff]

One step closer to a purging... just scheduled a donation pickup for right before Thanksgiving. That is usually motivation for me to start gathering up stuff to go!