Purge 2015 MAY Declutter 100 Items

[Float On]

On to May and our continued journey of clearing what clutters us.
We all have different levels of what is comfortable. Mine continues to be less and less. It's getting harder and harder for me to find things to get rid of without grabbing things that belong to others in this household. I've been caught standing in the boys' rooms looking around and been told, "Mom, I haven't moved out yet....don't touch anything".

"Out of clutter, find simplicity" -Albert Einstein

[Lainey]

. . . I've been caught standing in the boys' rooms looking around and been told, "Mom, I haven't moved out yet....don't touch anything".



ha, that's funny. I'm a little past that with a son who is now married, but I've found that if I do a little at a time during his visits, e.g., "do you think you'd still want these 5 shirts?" Then he'll spend a few minutes, and frequently more, to make decisions on those and some other of his items still here. Little by little.

[Float On]

Cleaning out a few drawers in the buffet this morning. Those drawers that collect everything from paystubs, bills, important college papers that probably should of been mailed out by now. And the things left on top of the buffet that I shove in drawers as visitors pull up in the driveway (what is known as a "hotspot").
I tossed a lot and have one drawer nicely organized again with a few pens, envelopes, and a little pottery bowl to collect odd bits (rubberband, paperclip, stamps).

I'm going to claim 5 just for the papers tossed (some shredded, some to recycle)
In the thrift shop box (which I hope to drop off today)
6. ruler
7-10. binders
11. folder
12. doublesided tape
13. little container of lead for mechanical pencil I lost
out of the middle doors on the buffet:
14-15 shadowbox frames (for a project I never did)
16 board game
17 deck of cards (I keep finding more of these/trying to only keep 2)
18 tiny flowerpot
19 velcro strap
20 pair of scissors that lost its ability (to trash)
21-23 skirts
24-27 a pile of dress socks that the mate hasn't shown up for 6 mts (trashed)
28 travel make-up bag
29-30 scarfs I don't really care for and haven't worn
31-34 lens for old 35mm camera
35 plastic food storage box (somehow these keep showing up either my husband or my mom - I don't like plastic)
36 tea light candle
37 bundle of 3x5 cards
38 bag of clips - big heavy duty paper ones
38-40 balls of yarn that were given to me that I don't like
went through the fridge and cabinet
41-42 expired, sticking together spice blends
43-46 cream cheese spread, sour cream, salad dressing, yogurt (all expired --by several months)
son#2 gave to another boy
47-67 items of clothing (jeans, shirts, sweaters)
went out to trim weeds (with big scissors) after husband mowed
68-70 flower pots I don't want anymore
71 pair of 1st son's shoes that have been sitting on deck railing since fall (!!!)
I found my good yard clippers and trimmed some scrubby bushes and trees
....and moved on to the studio (I feel like I'm really bouncing around today - at least I'm touching a lot of areas even if I'm not really attacking and finishing one thing).
72 light fixture
73 box of clips (another type)
74 stack of bird/bloom magazines
75 dried out sharpies
76 a large rubbermaid box full of trashy bits and odds and ends (for the next trash run)
77 a stamp set (metal letters to use on metal or clay)
78 plate stand
79 broken rake (another one, had one last month - I don't take good care of my tools always leaving them in the weather (that bouncing from one thing to another again)
80 one glove (maybe I'll find the other)
81 the last of the business cards and postcards to the recycle box

And I thought it would be hard to find 100 things this month. Granted most is thrift shop or just to the trash not to my fleamarket/antique booth but it's out of here!

[JaneV2.0]

I'm about two boxes short of a donation. I try always to clean up whatever I'm donating, include instruction manuals, etc. So I have a sewing machine, vacuum, clothing, rolling file, and household miscellany ready to go, and I plan to cull some books--then off to donate. The Scouts have a food drive coming up, so I can trim my staple food supply as well.

[lessisbest]

Took 50 items to Goodwill today, and have 5 items for our son when he comes home on Sunday, so 55 items total. Still lots to go......

[Gardenarian]

We're STILL moving! When will it end?? My dh goes and brings up a load every week. I keep a donation box handy at all times, so whenever I start unpacking I can just think "Well, I haven't used this in four months, do I need it?" Making lots of trips to Goodwill - too much to count.

[JaneV2.0]

I dropped my donations off, went inside, and came out with a coffee carafe, a chambray shirt, and an office chair. Spent about ten bucks.

[Float On]

81 fabric box
82-85 yet more yarn I don't intend to use
86-87 pendant/earring set
88-90 several extra circular needles
91-95 DH gave up a few shirts
95 pair of shoes (me)
96-97 DS#2 2 pair of shoes
98 purse
99-100 two skirts

Done...and with time to add some more.

adding a few things I forgot about at the end of the month.
101-105 photo booth, lights, backdrops, clips (sold via craigslist)

[leslieann]

Hi, All.

I have been away for some time and I'm so happy to come back here and find the monthly declutter thread still up and running. Last weekend I was Home Alone (yay) and piled up bunches of stuff for the thrift store, but more important, I actually took the large bag of clothing to drop it off!

There is more to declutter so I'd best get on it. Today I didn't schedule clients after 9:30 and my tasks are to declutter paperwork and organize my office closet which has become a disaster area....can't find anything and even clients are asking about it.

Leslie

[Float On]

Welcome back Leslie!! Very wise to book some time to get your office and paperwork under control if clients are noticing, good job.
I asked one of my sons to drop off some bags at the thrift shop....3 weeks ago. I just saw yesterday that they were still in the back of his car.

[mschrisgo2]

Ok, on the very last day of May, DONE:

20- bankers box full of old teaching materials, recycle bin, I'm counting that as 20
20- another bankers box, full of old magazines and catalogs, also to the recycle bin
30- box full of odds and ends, took to daughter's house, she pulled one thing out and said she didn't want the rest. Dropped off at Goodwill yesterday.
4- phone books, 2 still shrink-wrapped from last year, and 2 from this year. Recycle bin.
28- pieces of clothing from my closet; didn't wear them to work at all this whole school year, Goodwill.
3- pairs of worn out socks, trash.

Grand total: 105, 100 plus 5 for the 5th month!

(hard to believe I'm still able to discard 100+ things every month... I honestly haven't bought anything but groceries for a long time now)