November Decluttering

[Float On]

Any goals? I'm aiming for 100 items out the door. I'm going through winter clothes with every family member and being brutal. Do you really wear it? Do you really like it? Do you have several in the same style? And what do you need to replace? Anything we bring in to replace or needed items we will deduct from the list. So if we donate 100 items but need to buy 4 pair of shoes then we'll still need to find another 4 items to send out the door.

I told son #2 that he's first so last night while waiting to see if we'd have any trick-or-treators he got a head start.
1-3 winter coats that were ill-fitting or 'not his style'
4-8 sweaters/shirts he has no interest in wearing
9 a printer no one wants in the house
10-15 paperback books
16 I found I had a pair of clark shoes that are beyond repair so they went to trash

(there is a growing pile by the front door again)

[rosarugosa]

Yes, my goal is to have nothing sitting on the cellar floor. Sandy reminded me that we are occasionally subject to water down there, so storing items on the floor is unwise. We have lots of storage shelving in the cellar, so if everything doesn't fit, then there is too much stuff! An added wrinkle is that Mom seems to have had some sort of epiphany and wants to get rid of stuff - but is eager to give it all to me. I want to help her declutter, but not by turning it into my clutter!

[shadowmoss]

Hmmm. One of my goals is to have my appartment down here in Honduras set up such that I can pack up and leave in one day when I finally get a job back in the States. A lot of my stuff doesn't need to head back north. So, I'll commit to 100 items. I'm somewhat cheating in that I have about a dozen things in the donate drawer to give to my neighbor right now. He is a former Peace Corps volunteer who stayed here when the PC left Honduras and volunteers in an orphanage in town. That makes it easier to hand things over somehow.

[try2bfrugal]

I don't have any specific goal except to continue to dejunk. We got rid of quite a bit this year in the neighborhood garage sale, one dump trip, bags and bags of shredded paper to the recycling center, bags and bags of stuff to Goodwill, many books sold to the used book store, some stuff sold back to Amazon for gift cards, and there is still clutter and way too much stuff packed away in the garage.

We decided to stay in our house instead of downsize for at least the foreseeable future as it is less work to just cut expenses and stay here than it is to declutter and have to move.

[shadowmoss]

Well, it is amazing what I can decide to let go of when I'm looking at having to move it.

[Selah]

Reading this inspired me. I'd just gotten a new skirt for a job interview in a "dati" (i.e. Jewish orthodox) school, where all the women are required to wear skirts or dresses below the knee. All of mine were knee-length or higher, and since I only had less than 24 hours' notice about the interview, I ran into town and bought the first one I could find, which was NOT at a great price. I decided to scour my closet to see if I could declutter at least one item to compensate for the room the new skirt was taking up. Surprisingly, the stuff that I wanted to get rid of was exactly the stuff I MIGHT need if I get the job! (You have to keep your collarbones, elbows, knees and cleavage covered.)

Anyway, I got rid of a few pieces of paper, a couple of hair ornaments that never worked well (they would slide off, defeating their purpose), and a nasty pair of nylon socks that I'd worn out.

I'm surprised at how effective these threads are...I'm really having to search each month now for clutter. That's a great feeling!

[Float On]

Selah, I'm wondering if you can combine any of your clothing to extend the lengths? I got to thinking about adding length to a skirt with a contrasting or coordinating other skirt. Could be fun and and would fit in with the color blocking trend.

I'm also amazed when we have these 100 item challenges how I'm able to come up with another 100 or so things...but always do.

[Gardenarian]

YES! It's time to get rid of most of the toys - dd is ready and I am way past ready!!
My other goal is to re-organize my desk. I no longer have a "place for everything" so I need to set up new file folders and so on.

[fidgiegirl]

My goal is the attic. I want to organize my teaching materials.

Also would like to organize the camping stuff.

There are two huge "to sort" piles up there, too.

Will think about buying plastic bins for it. I go back and forth - anyone have thoughts? I hate to spend my hard-earned money to store junk. But if it helps to consolidate the things we really do use on a seasonal basis, then maybe it's worth it.

Also going to get the basement cleaned out. If we're gonna have junk, by God, it's gonna all be on one place - the ATTIC. I want exercise machines in the basement.

[Meezer_Mom]

A lot of families lost everything in Hurricane Sandy. Does anyone know of a church or organization accepting gently used itemsfor them? Thanks!