View Full Version : Purge 2015 April Declutter 100 Items
No foolin' - time to get to spring decluttering.
How is your yard? Outside space? Car? Garden storage space? Garage? Front porch? Back porch? etc...
I still had last years window boxes full so I dumped that in compost and cleaned out the boxes. They are ready for new plants.
1-2 tossed two small pots that were brittle
3-5 added 3 tea light rusty cans to the flea market box
6-25 yard art ornaments (ones that the hangers broke - it happens) they are great for gardens. Added to flea market booth..
You would think we were from the Depression/WWII era crowd instead of being their children. We must have learned their lessons well..... The problem - when we purchase new underwear (usually a pack of 5-6, every couple years), we move the still usable "oldies" to storage in the basement - just in case (which has never happened). I went through the "oldies" and tossed out 28 items. Collected together 5 more garments to donate. I also went through my spring/summer clothes. I lost enough weight I need to take-in 4 pairs of pedal pushers rather than replace them.
April 01 & 02
--1 book & 1 necklace to charity (The seniors home can use these things in the tuck shop) note to you all they really love jewellery especially long necklaces that
they can put over their heads, that way they don't need to ask for help.
--1 can of paint, 5 cont. of product to clean cars---in a hazardous waste bin to take there next week.
--3 cont. of wipes for the car tossed and cont. in recycle---these were bought before we moved to this house and they are dried up and evil smelling.
---4----- 1/2 lb bags of buttons sold on Kijiji for $10.00 better to have the money then buttons I have been collecting for too many years to mention...lol
Total to date 15
My goal will be 150 items this month. Shouldn't be hard at all the garage needs to be finished this year.
Even if I never plan on moving my new goal is to know everything I have and feel it could be moved into a 1 bedroom apartment without it being a major stress.
We took all the Christmas and Halloween decorations from the attic today and I've sorted about half of them to go to the charity shop. We've also found a sleeping bag and a blanket to go the the Dog's Trust and a couple of broken suitcases to go the the tip. I reckon that's my 100 items done and we haven't touched the rest of the attiic or the garage yet ....
I reckon that's my 100 items done and we haven't touched the rest of the attire or the garage yet ....
congrats!!
Thanks Float On :-) since then I've also had a trawl through the pile of leftover "stock" from when I had a small craft business making bag, jewellery etc and I've got a box to sell at work to raise money for charity. I've also had a sort outof some fabric, putting some aside for my sister. We've got all of next week off work and I'm determined to sort the attic and garage as, I've mentioned many times, these are the two areas that are full of things I need to let go of ....
I am trying the purge by category routine and so far - it is kind of fun actually. Pick a category, let's say shoes, and put all in one area so you can see the entire lot at once. You will be amazed at how many you have when you gather them up from all over the house and garage. I started with glass jars as I have way too many and once I pulled them out of all their hidey holes, there were dozens and dozens. I had no idea I had so many. DH doesn't know it yet but the next category is gimme caps.
Y.... The problem - when we purchase new underwear (usually a pack of 5-6, every couple years), we move the still usable "oldies" to storage in the basement - just in case (which has never happened). I went through the "oldies" and tossed out 28 items.
okay i am giggling here, my family is mostly females and my middle daughter'd motto is when you are having a bad day change into cuter panties, So that explains the laundry mystery of 5 pairs of pants and 10 pairs of panties.
guess i need to start this again in order to move, i am interested in an apartment so that means all the yard tools, i can offer them to the neighbor first, most are a little worn since we have not had a garage or shed in 5 years.
ApatheticNoMore
4-3-15, 6:38pm
Got rid of a shirt with multiple holes (well I think when the holes are multiple it means the material itself is likely not worth repair as it's starting to fall apart - but maybe others have different views on that). Trashed a filthy strainer. Why not just clean it? Well yes but I think it was filthy beyond all cleaning (not that those are easy to clean anyway, not the mesh stuff), it was pretty horrible for me to just toss it.
Mostly my totals are the same as ever maybe now 13 net items out for the year, though 58 items out total. It doesn't really change. It all fits in a 1 bedroom apartment, and it's spacious. But moving is always a major stress, I think that's unavoidable really.
My shoes if they are put away are all in one place, on one of those old shoe racks, of course they do have a tendency to wander around the house and car.
in 20 minutes i looked through a side storage area and got rid of a box of papers from my daughter (i saved a few really cute old drawing), a black garbage bag of fabric that she was going to do projects with and a broken CD player (it was cool and held 20 CD's!). i also found an ancient beer can from a kid. i am waiting on a call back from daughter #1 about her old bed frame, i think that is going to good will since it is for a double bed and her SO is about 6'4" and not skinny. i could get a goodwill bag to fill a black trash bag in about another 30 minutes and start a pile for things my daughters may want. i am just so motivated all of a sudden to move.
Also we have periodic days where we can put out overflow trash and large items, the date is in 2 weeks! i have a couch and 2 twin mattresses at least, and i can put out 5 items total. this is like the coolest thing ever! i think that the city is better off doing this than dealing with people dumping couches in alleys.
Soooo, I got the three huge bags of baby clothes out the attic today. I now have one box of things to keep, some labels I cut off things (to go in my smash book), a huge bag to go to the charity shop, a bag of rubbish and a pile of old blankets to go to the Dogs Trust. I've put off doing this for years and was pleasantly surprised at how painless it was. I also sorted out a load of old cards into the recycling, a small dolls house to go in the charity bag and some bits and pieces to sell. Tomorrow I'm going to get all the school books and momentos and get the boys to go through them with me.
I haven't been making much progress on my goal of getting rid of 1,000 things this year (I think my total for the year so far is around 200, but I have to check), but yesterday, I DID manage to take 11 things to Goodwill.
Congrats to the rest of you on your progress! It's inspiring!
I have managed to locate some donation spots closer to my house, though, which is going to make reaching this goal even easier.
I've gone through all my fabric (again) and have a huge bag ready to take to my sister. I've filled up another rubbish bag. Somebody has just arranged to collect a couple of small shelves from me. I'm on a roll ..... :-)
I walked through my house with a paper shopping bag again today and filled it with "stuff" sitting around, unused and homeless :)
26 - misc. items
11 - various tote bags
subtotal 37, all to the Animal Rescue Thrift Shop.
Me again .... We went through the garage today. I have more to go the Charity Shop. I've sold some stuff and one of the couples had a good rake through the charity pile to take things for their son who is setting up home. A pile of stuff went to the recycling centre. If the rest of the for sale pile doesn't go by the weekend it's off to the Charity Shop too. There's another huge babe of soft toys to go to the Dogs Trust.
mschrisgo2
4-10-15, 12:14am
2 - Large trash bags full of shredded paper, 2 bankers' boxes empty
I'm going to count these as 10 each for a new
Subtotal: 57
2 bags goodwill, a box full] of books and 2 old laptops at staples
mschrisgo2
4-11-15, 12:26am
Previous subtotal: 57, plus
2 more bags of shredded papers, and 2 more empty bankers boxes = 20
9 misc items to my daughter
New subtotal: 86
Previous 25
26-46 magazines
47 work table
48 broken rake
49-50 tomato cages
51-71 bucket full of hand tools
My Seinfield Chains to build daily tidying habits are helping me with this goal. I think actually my original goal was to get rid of 1,200 things this year, and I'm way behind. I have to look back at previous months, but I'm pretty sure my current yearly total is around 200, so I have some catching up to do.
In any case, this week I managed to take 9 things to Goodwill drop off. I also recycled 3 printer cartridges that have been in the trunk of my car forever, and this morning, I got rid of 4 sippy cups (too gross to pass on to another mom, and not recyclable unfortunately). Add all that to my previous total for this month of 11: 11+9+3+4=27.
lessisbest
4-12-15, 9:28am
Given to a friend:
72 canning jars (pints/quarts)
36 canning jar rings
24 (new) jar lids
1 lid rack
1 garden cart
Goodwill:
13 clothing and household items
Sold today - a cloche for raising seedlings (and I gave them some seedling trays), a set of wire drawers. Given away - wooden cubby hole storage unit. Awaiting collection - a small brushed aluminium radiator and a walk in plastic greenhouse.
April 01 & 02
--1 book & 1 necklace to charity (The seniors home can use these things in the tuck shop) note to you all they really love jewellery especially long necklaces that
they can put over their heads, that way they don't need to ask for help.
--1 can of paint, 5 cont. of product to clean cars---in a hazardous waste bin to take there next week.
--3 cont. of wipes for the car tossed and cont. in recycle---these were bought before we moved to this house and they are dried up and evil smelling.
---4----- 1/2 lb bags of buttons sold on Kijiji for $10.00 better to have the money then buttons I have been collecting for too many years to mention...lol
Total to date 15
My goal will be 150 items this month. Shouldn't be hard at all the garage needs to be finished this year.
Even if I never plan on moving my new goal is to know everything I have and feel it could be moved into a 1 bedroom apartment without it being a major stress.
Apr.03 to Apr11th
--10 cookbooks to charity
--4 books to charity
--bits and bobs from 6 kitchen drawers cleaned out
--1 very large tinfoil pan that was not useable again...garbage
--1 Christmas basket to charity
--2 tops and 2 pr of pants to charity
--2 more 1/2 lbs of buttons --sold
--2 more small casseroles --sold
--1 large cloth bag to Dsil
--3 pairs of socks...garbage on even fit to clean with
That's all for now..total to date 47........a little behind but it is only getting warm enough to get in the garage this week
April 01 & 02
--1 book & 1 necklace to charity (The seniors home can use these things in the tuck shop) note to you all they really love jewellery especially long necklaces that
they can put over their heads, that way they don't need to ask for help.
--1 can of paint, 5 cont. of product to clean cars---in a hazardous waste bin to take there next week.
--3 cont. of wipes for the car tossed and cont. in recycle---these were bought before we moved to this house and they are dried up and evil smelling.
---4----- 1/2 lb bags of buttons sold on Kijiji for $10.00 better to have the money then buttons I have been collecting for too many years to mention...lol
Total to date 15
My goal will be 150 items this month. Shouldn't be hard at all the garage needs to be finished this year.
Even if I never plan on moving my new goal is to know everything I have and feel it could be moved into a 1 bedroom apartment without it being a major stress.
Apr.03 to Apr11th
--10 cookbooks to charity
--4 books to charity
--bits and bobs from 6 kitchen drawers cleaned out
--1 very large tinfoil pan that was not useable again...garbage
--1 Christmas basket to charity
--2 tops and 2 pr of pants to charity
--2 more 1/2 lbs of buttons --sold
--2 more small casseroles --sold
--1 large cloth bag to Dsil
--3 pairs of socks...garbage on even fit to clean with
That's all for now..total to date 47........a little behind but it is only getting warm enough to get in the garage this week
April 12 to 14th
--1 Hose ---2 hose attachments that leak to garbage
--4 dead batteries---4 Cont. to Hazardous Waste
--2 really old coats to garbage not fit for anyone really
--1 crumpling planter to garbage..1 stretched out bungee cord (like there must be a 100 out there way would this one have even been kept) who knows.
Yes I started on the garage and the total is now 62 and more to come tomorrow
Also, caught two mice but I guess I can't count them.................
iris lilies
4-15-15, 10:24am
Last night I sat with my favorite Indian cookbook (from the library) called "Six Spices" and I went through all of my Indian spices. I purged most of the yellow mustard, since I din't know yellow isn't used in Indian cooking. I do have black mustard seed. I purged old green cardamom. I combined some containers of ground red chiles. Same for coriander.
Basically, I verified that I've got all six of the spices she uses in this book about basic Indian cooking although the cumin is very old and needs to be completely replaced. Now, on to cooking with them!
This is goal of mine in retirement, do a whole lot more Indian cooking.
Wish I lived closer, Iris Lily. Perhaps you could move...:~)
I'm filling the car again; getting rid of stuff is like working with dry sand--you dig a hole, turn your back, and whoops! It's full of sand again. I've sent some stuff to friends, and I continue to sort.
mschrisgo2
4-15-15, 11:18pm
Previous subtotal: 86
10- 1 more bankers box emptied, a full bag of shredding, a very few papers (8? 9?) from it filed
4- dog shampoo/conditioners consolidated, 4 bottles to recycling
2- boxes dumped into the recycling bin
2- one-inch binders to another teacher at school
Grand total for the month: 104, 100 items, plus 4 for the 4th month of the year :)
April 01 & 02
--1 book & 1 necklace to charity (The seniors home can use these things in the tuck shop) note to you all they really love jewellery especially long necklaces that
they can put over their heads, that way they don't need to ask for help.
--1 can of paint, 5 cont. of product to clean cars---in a hazardous waste bin to take there next week.
--3 cont. of wipes for the car tossed and cont. in recycle---these were bought before we moved to this house and they are dried up and evil smelling.
---4----- 1/2 lb bags of buttons sold on Kijiji for $10.00 better to have the money then buttons I have been collecting for too many years to mention...lol
Total to date 15
My goal will be 150 items this month. Shouldn't be hard at all the garage needs to be finished this year.
Even if I never plan on moving my new goal is to know everything I have and feel it could be moved into a 1 bedroom apartment without it being a major stress.
Apr.03 to Apr11th
--10 cookbooks to charity
--4 books to charity
--bits and bobs from 6 kitchen drawers cleaned out
--1 very large tinfoil pan that was not useable again...garbage
--1 Christmas basket to charity
--2 tops and 2 pr of pants to charity
--2 more 1/2 lbs of buttons --sold
--2 more small casseroles --sold
--1 large cloth bag to Dsil
--3 pairs of socks...garbage on even fit to clean with
That's all for now..total to date 47........a little behind but it is only getting warm enough to get in the garage this week
April 12 to 14th
--1 Hose ---2 hose attachments that leak to garbage
--4 dead batteries---4 Cont. to Hazardous Waste
--2 really old coats to garbage not fit for anyone really
--1 crumpling planter to garbage..1 stretched out bungee cord (like there must be a 100 out there way would this one have even been kept) who knows.
Yes I started on the garage and the total is now 62 and more to come tomorrow
Also, caught two mice but I guess I can't count them.................
Apr15
--1 book to charity---1 set of shoulder Pads (how long have I had them...lol) garbage
---6 more cans of paint for Hazardous Waste
---bits and pieces from 2 more drawers
Total 72
iris lilies
4-17-15, 10:50pm
Used 40 plastic pots for lilies, potted them up and am selling them at our society's lily sale.
In addition I planted up a few glazed pottery planters that someone else had thrown out into our alley trash last year. I included them in this batch, charged an extra $5 for the "nice pot" and already they are sold to members of the society before our sale officially opens tomorrow.
I LOVE recycling alley finds into sales.
iris lilies
4-17-15, 10:52pm
Wish I lived closer, Iris Lily. Perhaps you could move...:~)
I'm filling the car again; getting rid of stuff is like working with dry sand--you dig a hole, turn your back, and whoops! It's full of sand again. I've sent some stuff to friends, and I continue to sort.
haha, yep, ok! And maybe when I throw out my old cumin, I can count hat as, what-300 items? because each grain counts as one.
Our neighbors just moved out. Thankfully I did not inspect the contents of the residential dumpster they moved in for a few days.
Threw out 6 telephone books and 2 pairs of underwear. Previous total for the month was 27 + 8 = 35.
not keeping a tally but i did empty a banker box of old journals into the recycle bin, and 2 loads to goodwill and full trash and recycling this week. the journals were very interesting, i skimmed some and found some themes that were enlightening.
Teacher Terry
4-23-15, 2:43pm
I didn't count but after reading the tidying book & thinking there was nothing left to go took a car full to thrift store, filled huge garbage bin & filled huge recycling bin. My office closet is totally empty except for the top & my hall closet is half empty as is my walk in closet.
Took 11 items to Goodwill, returned one package of underwear (wrong size) to Macy's, returned 4 shirts I bought that weren't what I wanted: previous total was 35 + 11 + 1 + 4 = 51 for month
almost all my paperwork is trash, really, i am finding some interesting things that are worth revisiting. i am on something like my 3rd bankers box of paper that can be thrown out (recycle bin of course)
I am on a rampage of de-cluttering this morning! Many items I am getting rid of is clothing, gotten during a clothing swap I attended recently attended. All those things that didn't quite fit right, or aren't really "me" are going bye-bye, off to the thrift store were someone else can have the opportunity to find an exciting find :) Tidbits, and debris, thingamabobs, and doo-hickeys. If I haven't used it in all the time I've had it, then today is "someday." They have a purpose in going someplace else out of my immediate orbit. The pile by the front door is growing larger, distribution to appropriate places will be mapped out. Blow dryer for hair? Haven't used in five years when I got the bright idea of chopping off all my hair only to discover I HATE having short hair and immediately started growing it out. Now I have dreadlocks and have no need for combs, styling brushes, bobby pins, hair-clips, etc, etc. Into the trash all of that just went.
The little piles of debris of modern life that piles up in drifts and occupies our corners, just out of sight but always niggling at us. Out it goes, I am tired of waiting for "someday." It hasn't come yet so OUT it goes! Weeeeeeeeeeeee.....!!!!!!! So freeing!
And I keep finding lists! Little lists on scrap papers, lists on the myriad little notebooks that lie around here, on envelopes, on clipboards! I need to organize my lists!
lessisbest
4-25-15, 1:58pm
SiouzQ-
I love your description, "little piles of debris of modern life". I'm filing that for future reference. :~)
Made a run to Goodwill with 31 items. Hubby wanted to put a small box in the recycling and I suggested we fill it with stuff destined for the Goodwill and the box held 13 cookbooks. I said next time we'll see how many items from the garage and shed we can put into a small box.:laff:
Got rid of our dining room table yesterday since we inherited my SO's mother's. 52 for the month.
72. jacket
73. shirt
74. flower pot
75. nail polish
76-77. 2 bras
78. box of breakfast drink mix no one likes
79. broken wisk
80. belt
81. shoes
82. songbook
it's getting hard to find stuff to declutter
IBlow dryer for hair? Haven't used in five years when I got the bright idea of chopping off all my hair only to discover I HATE having short hair and immediately started growing it out. Now I have dreadlocks and have no need for combs, styling brushes, bobby pins, hair-clips, etc, etc. Into the trash all of that just went.
my son, the last one at home, has dreadlocks. in the shower we have a really big bottle of Dr Bronners, and my shampoo and conditioner. Super simple
Got rid of one sock with a hole (have other partners for its widowed mate), one shirt with holes in it, one worn out pair of underwear= total for month 55.
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