July Purge

[ejchase]

I have tried for several years now to reach a goal of getting rid of 1,200 things in a year (100 a month), but I've never quite made it. The closest I've gotten is around 750.

But I'm not giving up! So the count continues.

I'm only at 218, so I have a lot of catching up to do.

This weekend my daughter and I gave four items from her closet to a younger friend, so that's my total so far this month: 4.

[Tybee]

It would be a fun challenge, a hundred a month. Maybe I will try. . .

[Teacher Terry]

You guys have more patience then me by counting. I just wait until I have a car full of stuff.

[Tybee]

You guys have more patience then me by counting. I just wait until I have a car full of stuff.

I am actually going to have to return to counting. I just tried to Kondoize the farm/garden books and only was able to get rid of a few. Of course, I tell myself, that is 12 books I would not have gotten rid of otherwise, and a movie that I decided to watch while Kondoizing the books and rapidly lost patience with, and then five jars of seeds that have been in too-hot of a storage place and are from a couple of years ago, anyway, and probably crossed, anyway.

So I am going to go to getting rid of ten things a day. I can't seem to dothe Kondo thing with the same kind of results as others.

But I was successful 10 years ago using the counting method, so back to counting.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I wonder if I even have 1200 things? I never said I only had 100 things or some extreme minimalist version, but I am kind of wondering what would be left at that point of donating 1200 things (a bit more if counting every documents gotten rid of as 1 thing I guess), like whether I'd have to become a nudist at that point or something equally drastic.

[rosarugosa]

I'm paying more attention to how more stuff translates to more effort with housework, so I keep trying to slowly & methodically cull as I go along. I donated 2 books to the library today. I walk there and back, so I just take one or two at a time.

[Teacher Terry]

Roa: I have noticed that since decluttering how much faster it is to clean when I only have a few items to dust versus a bunch of stuff. It certainly makes a difference and it makes it easier to get myself to clean because it won't be such an ordeal.

[Yppej]

ANM I am like you, and would have to get rid of a lot of paper to get to that number.

[ejchase]

Oh, ApatheticNoMore, I envy your thought that you might not even have 1,200 things. I have no doubt that I actually have 1,200 EXPENDABLE things. So far to go!


I took 10 items to Goodwill, sold 9 books to a used bookstore, donated another 23 books to the public library. New total for month: 46.

[Tybee]

Out to this week's garbage run: 1 hideous lampshade that has been on my lamp since I could not find a suitable replacement. Decided to get rid of it and go with the too small one I bought.
1 busted up 5 gallon pail my husband grabbed from side of road. He will never know it is gone.

Off to Goodwill: 2 movies, 12 books, a jacket, and a window candle.

Off to the birds: 6 mason jars worth of seeds that have gotten too hot where they are, and probably wouldn't grow true, anyway.

On the other hand, back into the stream of what we are using:
long lost sleeping bag
long lost zinnia picture painted by my aunt in 1930 something.
kid's baby picture album, which was inexplicably out in the shed
a box of thread

It is easier to do this when my husband is out of town.

[Teacher Terry]

I realized I had too many glasses and coffee cups and then I looked at my bookcase with 40 books and only kept 10 of them. Will look today at my office closet to see what I can get rid of. Tybee, I know what you mean about men impeding the process:))

[Tybee]

Yesterday I worked on clothes. Got rid of about 12 items and now I am ironing and getting everything into groups. I think I will then set a number of allow type of garment and then only keep the x number I decide on, but I want them all there clean and looking at their best so I can decide.

I helped a friend onc ewith her close closets. She had so many clothes that we had to do only one category that day--collared golf shirts. She had 128 of them. I think we got her down to 70.

She had a really big house.

Kind of like the glasses, Terry. Which I should also do--try to keep them all in one place, but they seem to wander the house.

[Teacher Terry]

Tybee, I keep my good glasses in our buffet otherwise my DH will take one outside when he works. Like he can't tell the difference between good glasses and everyday:|(

[JaneV2.0]

I'm working on my clothing collection, with gratifying results. Found at least six pairs of jeans I forgot I had--guess I didn't need to buy new pairs.
I'm hoping to have a few leaf-sized bags full in the near future, plus some items to pass along to friends. I also found two lightweight jackets packed away that I'm crazy about, so yay me!

[ejchase]

I also found two lightweight jackets packed away that I'm crazy about, so yay me!

I love it when my decluttering helps me uncover things I can use! Yay jackets!

[ejchase]

I took 21 items to Goodwill and recycled 9 printer cartridges that have been piling up in my office. New total for month: 76.

[Yppej]

You all are inspiring me. I've always set a daily goal but so many days I am tired and don't get to it. I plan to switch to a monthly one for next year's resolutions.

[Chicken lady]

I am working daily on my purging on another site with the help of a hoarding support group, so that I don't traumatize people here, but I wanted to update that I just posted my six week reckoning. I am tracking stuff the way you track money when you start "your money or your life".

my in list is shorter and mostly more practical and of higher quality than my out list (although it does include one plastic spoon) but it is slightly larger physically due to the addition of one small good quality piece of furniture.

i have target areas for the next month (papers and containers) and think I am doing well.

[Tybee]

I like that idea of an in and out list, and I too have been working on upgrading.
I have cleaned two out of three of the copper pots and am ready to start cooking with them.
Upgrading is my theme this year.

I just purged the closet and then ironed all my unironed shirts. Now I am going to count how many shirts I want and purge accordingly.

[ejchase]

In the midst of decluttering today, I found 2 boxes of hand-me-downs that my daughter and I had packed up months ago but never actually dropped off anywhere. So I took 30 items to Goodwill and another 19 to the home of friends with a slightly younger daughter. New total for month: 125.

[ejchase]

And congratulations to all of you on all the progress you're making!

[Gardnr]

My nephew and his 2 boys were here for a quick visit from out of state. Michael, age 14, is a terrific rock guitarist and loves the old stuff. He recently was gifted a turntable from Dad and 2 weeks ago designed and built himself a 'stereo stand' as we called them long ago. i pointed him to my album collection of all things 70s. He selected 6 that were "my favorites". I told him he could have them. The look on his face was priceless and "I don't know what to say" was all he could say. I know he will appreciate them and care for them so it was a joy to gift them to him. Bye bye BTO, Aerosmith, Eagles, Foghat....enjoy your new life. 6 albums in all and my Beatles anthology-a 4 CD set.

[sweetana3]

Gardnr, he will always remember you and this very special present.

[Teacher Terry]

I decluttered my jewelry box today. It is large and free standing. I have a good friend coming for dinner tonight so will let her take what she wants for herself and 2 daughters. Then the rest to Goodwill. This is costume jewelry as I sell any gold or silver I am tired of. I used to love jewelry but don't wear much at all anymore since semi-retiring.

[ejchase]

I took 25 more items to Goodwill today. New total for month: 150.

[ejchase]

Returned three pieces of clothing I bought, gave away two puzzles, a mobile, and a box of plug protectors. New total for month: 157.

[beckyliz]

I got rid of a bunch of stuff last year and thought I was in pretty good shape. However, I've plugged into the Minimalist movement and have decided that a retirement goal is to move out of our 1600 sq split level home in the next 5 years to a smaller space (tbd). As such, I keep thinking of all the stuff I don't want to move and am ready to for another ruthless declutter round. Not sure if I want to bother trying sell stuff or just donate (probably what will happen). Like Teacher Terry, I'm going to go through my jewelry. Have also decided to donate my mom's wedding dress (mine is long gone). It's a pretty silk knee length 50's style, but not doing anyone any good hanging in my closet. My daughter and niece have no interest and it wouldn't fit them anyway.

[Teacher Terry]

In the last 10 years I have gone through my things many times. A few years back wedding dresses, etc went. I made $ selling my broken gold and silver or items where I only had one earring left. I am really careful now about bringing anything in unless I am thrilled with it and then something like has to go out. I don't miss anything I have gotten rid of through the years. It depends on my mood if I decide to sell or not and also how easy it will be to get rid of. If I can put an ad on CL's and sell an old washer cheap I do that. If I have to list on ebay then no. WE also have a fairly busy street we live on so I can put a free sign on stuff in front and it is gone in hours usually.

[Yppej]

I got to work early and organized the glove compartment. Pre-tidying I thought I would need to buy pens soon but I found 10 in the car today and another 10 or so in a drawer earlier in the week.

[ejchase]

I got to work early and organized the glove compartment. Pre-tidying I thought I would need to buy pens soon but I found 10 in the car today and another 10 or so in a drawer earlier in the week.

I love this part of decluttering - all the money it saves me! I have found at least a year's supply of razors and lotion and pens!

[iris lilies]

I opened a seldom used kitchen drawer last weekend and took advantage of DH's absence to cull cookies cutters. How many angel cookie cutters does one need??!!!

We now have one. :)

[nswef]

In my house 0 would be the best number as I have not made rolled cookies for 40 years. But, sadly, I do have cookies cutters in the attic...just no angel cutters. Good for you.

[Teacher Terry]

DH gone yesterday so went in garage and found some useful things still in packages but mostly junk to be thrown away. 2 huge garbage bags full.

[iris lilies]

Well, in de- cluttering news, DH came back home with 12 tubs of stuff that was supposed to be dropped off in Iowa. It filled his truck. (I detailed that saga on the rant thread.) My living room was full of them for two weeks, I thought I got rid of them, but nope.

now, before even clearing out my plant society's storage shed that has more crap, I have to re-find homes for these things. Fortunately, garden clubs here are interested in taking them.

These hobby clubs and their crap. i just cant with them any more.

[beckyliz]

Removed six cloth napkins, two aprons and four Tupperware bowls and seals from the kitchen on Saturday and added them to the donate stack. Also a short-sleeved sweater I do not particularly care for.

[Yppej]

Cleared out part of a folder while on hold with the utility company. I am going to try to do something like this every time I'm on hold instead of doing nothing.