December purge

[Chicken lady]

Laughing about me starting purge thread!

tried on every skirt this morning while attempting to choose an outfit for dh Christmas party tonight because he told me "I know the initial invite said "semi-formal" but word around the office is "business casual" and you will be overdressed in that dress". (Which makes me sad because I love the dress and I just put the straps on!)

anyway, chose an outfit, purged three skirts (kept 16 - multiple lengths, seasons, and levels of "dressy")

[Simplemind]

I'm impressed. I think I have only owned one skirt in my life and that was back in the 80's. I'm down to one LBD (little black dress) that I can dress up or down depending on the occasion. Although we go out and attend dressy events I have pretty much become president of the pant/dressy top club.

[Chicken lady]

Not a huge fan of pants. I own one pair that could be called "slacks". In a pinch, if it was fall, I could dress them up enough to wear to a business event, but not a party. My work pants are basically nice jeans. My skirts are my acceptance of the fact that life contains events for which neither jeans nor a fancy dress are appropriate (also, my shorts are really inappropriate, so if i have to go to things in the summer, it's pretty much a skirt or sundress.)

[iris lilies]

I took a "skirt" out of my closet to toss, having never worn it. It has a matching top which I wear all the time. I discovered the skirt is actually a divided skirt, so I will keep it around for a bit more, these pieces are a pretty green color and a nice fabric. I got it at a thrift store and didnt try it all on, so thats why I didnt realize it was not a skirt.

[early morning]

I need to purge my closet too, my stuff is getting sort of ratty, but then I won't have anything to wear - I don't like a lot of what I own but I do wear it. I hate to shop, I dislike most styles, my work "uniform" is a pair of knit slacks, a pullover top of some sort, and an overshirt/blouse that I never button (which is good, since most of them wouldn't quite make it, lol). I have no dresses and no skirts. I have several pair of dressier slacks - not knit!- and some tops that would do for business casual. Semi-formal dress requirement would send me into a panic and I would be too stressed to attend, so no need for those sorts of outfits! :|( I grew up having to wear skirts and dresses to school and always found the idea that women were required to wear what amounted to "quickly available" clothing horrendous. I never made my daughter wear dresses or skirts, but now, as an adult, she loves them. To each their own, I guess! Good job on the purge, Chicken Lady! I know it can be hard. I've given myself and DD - who lives with DH and I - through the holidays, and then in the new year we are seriously going to have to cut down on the stuff we own. It's going to be very stressful.

[Teacher Terry]

When I retired 4 years ago I got rid of half the stuff in my closet. Now I have only things I wear and love. I kept about 5 dresses, 2 skirts, 2 dress pants and the rest is casual stuff. About the only time I get dressed up is for dinner on the cruises. I usually wait for Kohl's sales because then their prices are really cheap. The last time I went to Poland I bought a bunch of clothes because they are cheap in price but good quality and the fashions are different then here.

[Chicken lady]

If I only wore the things I love my wardrobe would be easily divisible into "princess" and "scarecrow". I never lost touch with my inner 5 y.o......

today i I threw away a pair of holey socks. So, counting the belt I pulled out of my closet on the 1st, I have gotten rid of one item per day this month. (otoh, I have also brought items in, but so far this month, only one that is not going back out as a Christmas gift. Or by being reused or recycled.)

[iris lilies]

I had to clean out the under sink area of the kitchen today. I was dreading it since we have had mice around here and they were active under there.

So I took out everything, washed the area, and tossed a out ten containers of cleaning supplies and some sacks. consolidated other items. I also moved a couple to,different locations in the house.

In this project I fou d we have enough garbage sacks for a year.

Summary: About 15 things gone, many of them bulky.

[nswef]

Great iris! I cleaned my sock drawer, but didn't get rid of any...just arranged the summer and winter.

[beckyliz]

Here's what I posted on my blog last week:
Coming Clean

As a self-proclaimed professional organizer, I truly believe that the key to being organized is to only have those things in your home that you love and use. All else is clutter and causes frustration, discouragement and unnecessary expense. Holding on to old stuff and what it represents merely keeps us tied to the past and looking backward - not allowing us to grow and improve. I’ve spoken about this to groups; I’ve explained this to clients and practiced it myself - except, not totally.

This past year or two, I’ve felt something deep down that was telling me I’m on the verge of a breakthrough of some sort, that something new and better was waiting for me. I struggled with what I needed to do or address or deal with before this breakthrough could happen. I bought a new planner system and put it into place. I floated for an hour in total darkness and quiet. I’ve prayed and meditated. I talked to a Life Coach. What is it that is keeping me from letting go of some unhealthy behaviors (in my case, overeating) and embracing a better life?

I’ve talked and written over and over again about the benefits of clearing out your closet and only keeping things in it that you love to wear because they fit well and make you happy. I’ve talked about not overcrowding your closet so that items are easily accessible. I talked the talk, but didn’t walk the walk. Every time I worked with a client or spoke to an audience about this, there was a small voice in the back of my head accusing me of being a fraud and a liar. My closet, armoire and a couple of plastic bags were at least 50% full of clothes that no longer fit or I’d brought brand new as “incentive” to lose weight. There were some items still with tags on them. Other items were over thirty years old. I’d weeded out several times over the years, but still I held on to so much that I couldn’t wear.

Whenever I entered our closet, instead of feeling good about myself and enjoying the fact that my clothes reflected my taste and made me feel happy and positive, I felt discouraged and disheartened and a failure.

Do you see where this is going? Do you see the connection between my cluttered closet full of clothes from past “glory days,” my dreams of weighing what I did in high school or in my twenties and my being stuck now? I finally got it about three weeks ago (there are none so blind as those who will not see). I don’t know why the light bulb finally turned on, but one day while driving to work, I finally admitted to myself that I wasn’t being authentic and it was holding me back, just as if my feet were stuck in hardened cement or shackled in chains. My beliefs were not aligned with my actions. How many times had I told others that we aren’t able to accept new gifts and blessings when we insist on holding onto stuff, ideas or beliefs that do not benefit us anymore? Yet, I was holding on to clothing that no longer fit me, either literally or figuratively. I think I was afraid to embrace the woman I am now, extra pounds and all, love her and move on. I felt that by giving up on the clothes, I would be giving up on myself and settling.

So, at some point during that twenty minute drive to work, I decided to let them go. I decided that by the end of the year, I’d pull out everything and donate it. I wanted to take my time to honor my past and the memories and hopes that those suits, jackets, jeans, blouses shorts(!) and coats represented. Over the next couple of weeks, I started to look forward to “the clearing.” I was able to start disengaging from the emotions associated with the clothes and just see them as what they were. I was actually starting to look forward to getting that stuff gone. Except, not totally. I told myself I’d keep no more than five items because they were “too good” to let go - a black leather jacket, a silk suit my mom bought me after I graduated law school, a Pendleton suit, a wool twinset, a pair of jeans - none of which fit! I was justifying it somehow - just look at everything I’m letting go! Surely it won’t hurt to just keep these few special things, because someday when I’m able to fit into them again, I’ll be a success!

Well, the day finally came. Sunday December 11th I was ready. I’d gone to an estate sale the day before and scored a large yard bag full of beautiful clothing in my size for only $34. I took this as a sign that I am being provided for and knew it was go time. Sunday before church, I started taking items off of hangers and putting them on the bed. I took sweaters and shirts out of my armoire. I took coats (barely worn) out of the coat closet. I piled on boots that I couldn’t pull on over my calves. I ended up keeping four items back (because they’re “special!”). I went to church and we celebrated the third week of Advent - Joy! The joy of looking forward to a new life, rejoicing in the Lord because He is enough. And sometime during that service, the Still Small Voice lovingly told me to let it ALL go and that it would be ok. So, I went home and took those final four items out of the closet. I sorted everything that I’d piled on the bed, folded them and bagged them up and put them in my car. I donated them to a local resale shop that helps fund a hospice in town. I didn’t try to sell them because I didn’t want to take the time and energy to do so. I wanted them out and gone. I ascribe to the theory of self-selection - that is, when you donate items, they will find their next best owner. It’s not our job to do that. What a relief, right?

Will my life magically change overnight so I’ll be able to effortlessly attain all of my goals in 2017? No, of course not. I do know, however, that I have proven to myself that I can do something that only three months ago I would’ve told you was impossible for me to do. I do feel better about myself and have just a bit more confidence. My beliefs and actions are more aligned and I have a teaspoon more faith. I actually smile when I walk into my closet now! I have more than enough. I realize that this whole post is one big page of First World Problems, yet it was a problem for me and I’m pretty sure it’s a problem for others. I hope this encourages others to challenge themselves, ask for help and take the next step forward.

[Chicken lady]

I completely failed at the working on it every day. Depression is bad.

but this week I purged a sweater, a handful of costume jewelry (pins, bracelets and necklaces), a t-shirt, a pair of shoes, two pairs of socks, a plastic container, and a beat up old dresser from the barn.

i have also used some of my saved containers to gift people with fudge.

My only non-consumable teacher gifts were a student made necklace and a pretty little bowl. Dh bought me three books. I bought myself another cookie mold, my mom sent two Christmas ornaments, and I bought two new school t-shirts.

[Chicken lady]

Boxing Day. A traditional day of giving - as opposed to gifting. Or in my house "so, now that you have all that great new stuff, let's see if there is some old stuff we can donate"

dh is taking dd to the airport to fly to visit his brother (where she will leave her outgrown ski pants with her cousin and buy new with Christmas gift money as they are going skiing) and then getting lunch and playing racquetball with a Jewish friend who has to be home before dark.

this leaves me pretty much the whole day to list and pack up the goodwill pile in the basement and sort through the house looking for things to add or throw out. Then I'm going to call and make sure they're open and drop the load off.

focus is going to be on areas where things came in - clothing, media, housewares, jewelry, accessories, holiday decorations, farm & garden. Also I sort out the pantry today.

[Gardnr]

We went through things last Tues/Wednesday. We purged over 50 articles of clothing/shoes....off to the thrift store for the tax credit.

Sad thing? it hardly left a dent in our total wardrobes. D/T weight gain, we wear less than 10% of what we own. We've set summer solstice as our deadline to fit in it or pitch it! Enough with yoyo weight.. It's time to make a lifechange or live with it :treadmill:

[Teacher Terry]

For the past 5 years I have been living by the motto that if I buy something-then something in that category must go. It works really well. I also was storing clothes for when I lost weight and I did lose 40lbs. Then I gave away everything that did not fit right, too big or small, etc. If I buy a decorative item then one must go.

[iris lilies]

Xmas tree is gone, lights rolled up and bagged, Xmas cards in recycling dumpsters. Most needles have been swept up.

I will leave two simple decorations up outdoors for another week.

While DH was at a movie I tossed some old tea bags, boxes, and jars. Yay! He will never use them but he will not get rid of them either.

In rooting around with stationery, I found 30 bulldog rescue stamped envelopes and cards. Yikes, those stamps are worh something, so I meed to see that they are used up.

[Teacher Terry]

IL: since you end up with a bunch of junk every year that you throw away is there any way to change the tradition. Maybe white elephant exchange or drawing names? A group of us got away from gifts years ago and did the white elephant and it was so fun stealing stuff from others and trading at the end if you wanted too. Often we left with something we would use versus disposing of it.

[19Sandy]

Not only are neighbors moving out and filling up the dumpster nonstop (I have no idea how they had so much stuff in their apartment!) but everyone is filling it with their holiday trash. You have never seen so much junk in your life. Apparently, some people replace all of their holiday decor each year! Not to mention boxes from toys and electronics and such. Good golly! I have some stuff to toss but the dumpster is full each time I go to it.

[iris lilies]

IL: since you end up with a bunch of junk every year that you throw away is there any way to change the tradition. Maybe white elephant exchange or drawing names? A group of us got away from gifts years ago and did the white elephant and it was so fun stealing stuff from others and trading at the end if you wanted too. Often we left with something we would use versus disposing of it.
No. This event at m friend's house is about quantity. Thats what the entire evening is about, the buying and the wrapping and the unwrapping one person at a time. It is all about the pile o'stuff. I have discussed it with her, told her some of it goes into the garbage. She acknowledged it and continues. I reiterate throughout the year " so much crap is coming into my home, I hate it" but she continues to give out stuff.

I do think there is a higher percentage of consumables now than in the past, so that is positive.

I've done the White elephant thing with Dh's family and at work and it was fun the first few times. And it it is always more fun than buying presents according to a list they give out.

[19Sandy]

Being depressed about so many celebrity deaths has me motivated to purge stuff again so when I move it won't be such a challenge.

Have a bag filled with manicure stuff that is old.

Sorted through a huge pile of old socks that don't look good and don't feel comfy.

Onward and upward!

[iris lilies]

Today I went through dog meds and tossed about 8 things. When the last of our little dogs died, I gave flea meds to someone with Frenchies. But I still had Frenchie-sized doses of thIngs.

I don't keep a stock of much that is prescribed, yet I wonder how I ended up with three tubes of eye ointment. I kept two, both pristine.

[sweetana3]

We have an entire car full of books that is going to our library sale on Monday or Tuesday if they are not open. Gave a box of kids/teen books to a friend with 4 grandkids. Husband decided he is not going to sell them or read them and wants the space. Already took a car full of cardboard and a very old piece of electronics to the recycle station. Feels great.

Now if I could just get him to stop looking and unnecessary kitchen stuff, it would be good.

[rosarugosa]

I purged another shirt today so I'm down to 150, which was a goal of sorts.:cool:

[19Sandy]

I have filled up two bags with papers, socks and junk.

Also have an old electric skillet to toss (harvest gold with peeling brown teflon and the cord sparks when plugged in).

I need to sort through the kitchen again to purge more too.