View Full Version : 40 Hrs Decluttering and Making My Home Nice Using Flylady's Timer Method: 1/21-2/15
Hi All,
I'm a teacher who is on a reduced schedule for about four months a year, mid-December through mid-February and mid-June through mid-August. I also have a REALLY cluttered home. In the past, I've had some success with setting myself a goal of doing a certain number of hours of decluttering during my periods of reduced work. I set one overall goal (usually 40 hours), then chip away at it in smaller increments of time. Some days I aim for an hour; others for four hours (with breaks!). I basically use flylady's timer method described here, but with longer periods of time than 15 minutes:
http://www.flylady.net/d/getting-sta...ng-15-minutes/ (http://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/flying-lessons/decluttering-15-minutes/)
This past summer, I stumbled a bit and didn't finish that 40 hours until a few weeks ago (January 2021!). So I just started this winter break's 40 hours last week.
Though clutter is still an issue, over the years of focusing on decluttering, I've also discovered I need to spend time on making my home comfortable and pleasant which involves putting in time on things like repotting plants into pretty containers, picking out a nice bureau scarf and a "jewelry tree" to make the bureau in my bedroom pretty, and finding a nice tray for the containers of salt, pepper, and olive oil by my stove. I've learned that decluttering is not all it takes for me to finally enjoy my living spaces - figuring out what's pleasing aesthetically to me is super-important too - and really fun.
In any case, since I started these batches of 40 hours of decluttering in winter of 2017, I've made a lot of progress. My home isn't perfect, but it is MUCH less cluttered and MUCH more comfortable to me than it was four years ago. And recording my progress here has really helped.
I know for some people setting up a home is kind of second nature, but I've always struggled with it and always lived in cluttered, uncomfortable spaces, so these batches of 40 hours have been a real breakthrough for me.
So last week, my daughter and I spent an hour repotting a bunch of plants and cleaning up our backyard - which is like a room in our house now since we are entertaining out there these days. And yesterday, I did another hour rearranging our storage shed and putting some things away in there (Christmas stuff). So the total so far is 2 hours.
In any case, thanks for "listening" and for the encouragement so many of you have given me over the years.
And, as always, if anybody else wants to join in with a decluttering/homemaking goal of their own for a certain number of hours, that would be great!
rosarugosa
1-21-21, 5:41pm
Sounds like you are off to a good start for 2021! I remember the lovely picture of your decluttered bureau.
mschrisgo2
1-22-21, 12:53am
Nice start for this new year!
Thanks, rosarugosa and mschrisgo2!
I did another hour today, mostly in the backyard. I had some dead plants in pots out there, and my daughter and I put new succulents in the pots which should be lower maintenance. And I rounded up some items to give away and posted them on our local Buy Nothing group.
New total: 3 hours.
Teacher Terry
1-22-21, 2:14am
You are doing a great job!
EJ, I admire your persistence and your successes. Finding what makes you comfortable and happy in your space takes time. You seem to be enjoying the challenge! You inspire me....then I stop. Bravo to you!!!
You are doing a great job!
Thanks, Teacher Terry!
EJ, I admire your persistence and your successes. Finding what makes you comfortable and happy in your space takes time. You seem to be enjoying the challenge! You inspire me....then I stop. Bravo to you!!!
Thanks, nswef! All of you here really inspire me too. And I stop too. Sometimes for MONTHS. But the structure of this group really helps me get back to it eventually, and that imperfect, three-steps-forward-two-steps-back process has been transformative.
I'm trying to do a bit of a marathon this week: 4 hours a day for 4 days, Monday through Thursday. Today, I spent 4 hours on the kitchen pantry.
It was the first time in a long time that I actually took everything out and saw what I had. I threw out a LOT. Fortunately, tomorrow is trash day.
I feel guilty about wasting food by letting it expire, but at least I now know what I have, which hopefully will prevent further waste. I made a list of items I need to use up which I will probably post on my fridge.
New total: 7 hours.
Chicken lady
2-2-21, 7:01am
Hi ejchase!
I admire your perseverance!
I have been doing ok with keeping the new area of my home in order (generally it can be “company ready” in half an hour or less - even through virtual school, which I pray is over now.
my biggest problem area (as far as the living areas go - we won’t discuss rooms that don’t really get used right now) is the room that used to be my kitchen. Someday it will be remodeled into a proper mud room, but for now it is just partly through the demo portion. My dishwasher is still there, along with a sink and most of the original kitchen counter and lower cabinets. The counter becomes a drift of “moop” (material out of place - burningman) Dh dumps everything that is “my” domain on the counter - recycling, things he can’t identify, things he asked me to get him but he doesn’t know where to put them away (like a bottle of word glue yesterday) that is another problem, but....
I’m finding that most of the moop is stuff that would be “one and done” but is just too small to pay attention to - example - one hair band, oh I don’t want to walk all the way upstairs to put away one hair band, I’ll probably grab it later - later it’s hidden under the envelope I need the address off of.....
I also find I am lazy about unloading the dishwasher and putting away clean laundry.
So I have started a challenge to put 100 things where they belong every day.
also I signed up for an online class that I will need to “attend” at my counter. So I have until Feb 20 to completely clear it off.
i would like to check in here.
Teacher Terry
2-2-21, 11:43am
When I lived in a 2 story house I kept a basket downstairs for stuff that needed to go upstairs. Then when I went I took the basket, put stuff away and brought the empty basket back down with me. I think I can now declutter all my books on the subject since all my stuff except clothes fit into 26 plastic bins:)).
GeorgeParker
2-2-21, 1:02pm
my biggest problem area is the room that used to be my kitchen. The counter becomes a drift of “moop” (material out of place - burningman) Dh dumps everything that is “my” domain on the counter - recycling, things he can’t identify, things he asked me to get him but he doesn’t know where to put them away (like a bottle of word glue yesterday) that is another problem, but....
I’m finding that most of the moop is stuff that would be “one and done” but is just too small to pay attention to - example - one hair band, oh I don’t want to walk all the way upstairs to put away one hair band, I’ll probably grab it later - later it’s hidden under the envelope I need the address off of.....Put several boxes or baskets on the counter either labeled with the names of various rooms, or labeled "Upstairs", "Downstairs", and "DH" (add other family members if you need to).
Once every day distribute all the stuff in the downstairs box to wherever it should be. Once a day at a time when you have to go upstairs anyway, distribute all the stuff in the "Upstairs" box to wherever it should be. The stuff in the DH box can sit there and rot until he figures out what he wants to do with it. And if you have a DS box or a DD box, make a rule that every time they go to their room they have to take the contents of their box with them.
Chicken lady
2-2-21, 8:46pm
Georgeparker,
those are good ideas, but it is just us, and there is no Dh box - Dh has a little hanging bag in another spot where I put his things. Dh could clear off the whole counter in 30 seconds. He knows there is nothing there he wants and he does not care if things intended for recycling or reuse get thrown away - one earring! A game piece? Not worth his time - all to the trash. I have bags for recycling, but Dh is not interested in learning what recycles. So, he either throws things in the trash or puts them on my counter - whichever is closer.
There just needs to be less stuff - I do pick up a few things when I go upstairs or down to the basement, but I also tend to consolidate things there when I am picking up, thinking I’ll just put this here and take a bunch of stuff when I go...(upstairs, down to the basement, to school, out to the barn... then I don’t, because my hands are full, or I’m thinking about why I’m going. Or I do take something, but there is other stuff I don’t see because there is too much mess.
Honestly, sometimes I will be going down to the basement to say, get jam, and I think, “oh, I’ll grab those jars and put them away”, and then I put the jars away and come back up with no jam.
the goal is to eventually have nothing on the counter.
so far I have put 75 things where they belong. That includes a basket of laundry and the clean dishes, plus a bunch of random trips with things I grabbed off the counter. (I will also take the laundry out of the dryer, put it in a basket, and leave the basket in the hall. Because I needed the dryer but I have to leave for school in five minutes. Then I never come back. - I’m hoping these 100 things will help me make good habits too.)
Hi Chicken Lady! It's so good to see your posts!
Others here can advise you better than I, but I did read something recently where a home organization expert basically said whenever you move in your house (from the living room to the kitchen, from the downstairs to the upstairs, etc.) get in the habit of looking around to see if there is anything you should carry with you to put away.
Also, my daughter and I *try* to follow the "touch things once" rule - that is, when you come in the door and take off your coat, hang it up then, don't drape it over a chair so that you have to touch it again to hang it up. This works well for dinner dishes (when you get up from the table, scrape your plate off in the trash, rinse it, and put it in the dishwasher), or mail we carry in from the mailbox (recycle what needs to be recycled in the bin, "file' the rest where it needs to be - don't set it down to deal with later). We don't always follow it, but it's a good habit to cultivate.
I have the same issue as you with leaving clean laundry in the basket for days instead of just putting it away!
Today, a meeting I thought would be one hour turned into 2 and a half hours, so I only got one hour of decluttering done. :( New total: 8.
Tomorrow is another day!
Chicken lady
2-3-21, 5:55am
Hi ejchase! An hour is good!
I finished my 100 and a few more last night. Today might be hard because it is a long school day and I have a lot of class related work to do.
Wow, Chicken Lady, putting away 100 things is a LOT!
I actually did 4.5 hours of decluttering today. Whenever I start another batch of these 40 hours, the first 20 hours or so are really, really hard. I have to give myself a LOT of pep talks. It's just emotionally exhausting. As I go, I feel a lot of shame about having let things accumulate (even though my house is in MUCH better shape than it was when I started this process 5 years ago) and of course, at times, the decisions about what do to with things is overwhelming. I just have to remind myself constantly not to be a perfectionist.
So today, I went through some boxes of summer clothes that were in plastic tubs. In the course of transferring them from the tubs into under-the-bed storage bags, I found about 35 items my daughter has outgrown which I will pass on to friends or Goodwill in the next couple of days. I also passed on 11 items to a Girl Scout in our neighborhood who is holding garage sales to raise money for charity.
Then I tackled our guestroom, which is pretty decluttered, but I tidied and found some items to give away or recycle and swept.
So much more to do, but it was a pretty successful day. New total: 12.5 hours.
Chicken lady
2-4-21, 6:21am
Wow ejchase, that is a big chunk!
I did 36 things yesterday. Not my goal, but not too bad for a Wednesday. Yesterday was full of a lot of emotional stuff, so not the best time to be tackling things that are extra challenging.
Teacher Terry
2-4-21, 12:14pm
You are doing great CL!!
36 is totally respectable, Chicken Lady! Sometimes I just say to myself, "Any step forward is a step forward."
I did 4 more hours today and made noticeable progress clearing out some clutter in my bedroom. I've been throwing out so much that the recycling bin is full, and the trash bin about half full. Those bins won't be emptied until Tuesday, so I'll have to figure out a way to deal with that.
I took 26 hand-me-downs from my daughter to a neighbor and have about 25 more items boxed up to go to Goodwill and a Girl Scout who is holding garage sales to raise money for charity.
New total: 16.5.
I did two more hours today. New total: 18.5.
Chicken lady
2-6-21, 8:28am
Thanks TT.
ejchase, you are making really good progress.
I dropped the ball yesterday - 12. But maybe I will start turning things around today.
i didn’t realize how emotionally exhausting this week has been until Dh asked me to commit to signing some paperwork next week that would require a couple of hours total of driving plus the appointment (outside the office window) and I started crying. It wasn’t the nature of the paperwork, it was the time and travel.
this may sound weird in current times, but I just want a few days in a row with no looming deadlines and nothing on my schedule.
Teacher Terry
2-6-21, 10:55am
Everyone needs downtime with nothing planned. When I was working I loved when I had a day to just stay home and do whatever I wanted.
Chicken lady
2-6-21, 10:22pm
I did better today - 60 things.
I just did an hour today, but I discovered we have wa-a-ay too many linens in our house. There is an animal shelter nearby that takes donations of old towels and blankets for the animals to sleep on. I will be putting together a bag for them!
New total: 19.5.
Teacher Terry
2-7-21, 12:40am
I have donated to animal shelters also and that’s a great idea.
I have donated to animal shelters also and that’s a great idea.
Yes, it makes it easier to get rid of some of the linens that aren't in great shape but are still serviceable. In fact, I've just spent another 30 minutes going through the linen cabinets and weeding out one old comforter and several old towels.
New total: 20 hours.
Chicken lady
2-7-21, 9:54pm
You’re halfway there!
I did my 100 things today (plus, but I stop counting at 100.)
Wow, Chicken Lady, 100 things in one day!
Work got crazy busy this month, so I haven't kept up the pace with this, but I did do 2.5 hours last weekend. New total: 22.5 hours.
iris lilies
2-27-21, 9:55am
I made $103.56 on eBay this month selling books.
happystuff
2-27-21, 1:20pm
I made $103.56 on eBay this month selling books.
Nice! Your success is motivating; I may have to look into doing this.
iris lilies
2-27-21, 1:34pm
Nice! Your success is motivating; I may have to look into doing this.
Only during Covid will I waste my time doing this. I want to clear $10 per book. In the last batch only 1/3 sold. I do not relist them, I move that book to the pile I am taking to the local bookstore.
All proceeds go to our Park conservancy, that is my main motivator.
Teacher Terry
2-27-21, 2:04pm
IL, I love that you are donating the money.
happystuff
2-28-21, 10:43am
IL, I love that you are donating the money.
Agee - that's very nice.
What a great way to declutter, Iris Lilies!
I've been a bit stalled because work is busy, but I am having an (outside, small, socially distanced) birthday party for my daughter today, and people may need to walk through the first floor to get to the bathroom (where the window will be open for ventilation). It's a good motivator to deal with clutter on the first floor.
Yesterday, I did an hour decluttering the living room. New total: 23.5.
iris lilies
3-13-21, 11:54am
Agee - that's very nice.
Well, I am officially out of patience with selling on eBay. When this last batch of sales finish I’m done. There are a few more books I could flog on eBay but I’m not going to bother. Looking forward to next Friday when I can load the final batch into my car and drop them off at the bookstore. I will be done with Book decluttering.
Teacher Terry
3-14-21, 1:29am
Now that my ex husband can’t buy the house we have a lot of things to sell such as all the outside furniture, patio heater, gardening items, outside equipment, etc. So having a sale the end of March.
Wow, Teacher Terry, that sounds like a big project. But maybe it will be lucrative!
I did two hours of decluttering yesterday in preparation for my daughter's birthday party. The big successes were I cleaned out a corner of one of the kitchen counters where clutter had accumulated, got rid of a lot, and set up my new bread box which solves one storage problem. I also decluttered my daughter's art table which had gotten pretty bad - piled with papers.
Between this week's decluttering and my daughter's birthday, our recycling bin is full. Hopefully, some of my sweet neighbors will let me use some space in theirs!
New total: 25.5.
Inching along. Did 30 minutes on Friday. New total: 26.
Teacher Terry
4-13-21, 12:01am
Glad you are still making great progress. We made 550 from the sale. Also made another 200 selling furniture items online. We also have been putting stuff outside for free and have gotten rid of a ton of stuff. We finished and I am so glad.
iris lilies
4-13-21, 10:29am
Good progress, folks!
Teacher Terry
4-13-21, 10:32am
I am now retired from decluttering as there’s nothing left that I don’t want. My clutter problem is permanently solved since I decluttered by getting rid of the junk master.
iris lilies
4-13-21, 11:39am
I am now retired from decluttering as there’s nothing left that I don’t want. My clutter problem is permanently solved since I decluttered by getting rid of the junk master.
I am laughing here. It’s a little bit sad but mostly not sad!
Teacher Terry
4-13-21, 11:51am
I found more kitchen items in a bottom cabinet and asked him if he wanted them. While choosing some he proceeds to tell me that I don’t value anything. I say you value everything including garbage. I then said your place will soon be a shit hole of junk. Trying to insult me he said “Yours will be immaculate.” I laughed and walked away. Not really much of a insult:)).
Congrats on the $750 from selling stuff, Teacher Terry! That's great. And congratulations on finishing!
I'm on spring break this week and still have a lot of work, but I took two hours today to go through a bunch of online purchases I'd received, a big source of my clutter. I managed to sort out what to keep and what to return and got 7 items returned. It felt really good. Also was just about to put two big plastic plant pots in recycling when an acquaintance posted on the neighborhood moms Facebook group that she was looking for some. They are on the porch waiting for her to come pick them up!
New total: 28.
Teacher Terry
4-15-21, 10:28am
Echase, you are continuing to make great progress! I like how you are changing habits like returning items. I have always been good at that because I see the items as cash which motivates me to return them.
Echase, you are continuing to make great progress! I like how you are changing habits like returning items. I have always been good at that because I see the items as cash which motivates me to return them.
That's a great point. I'm going to start trying to think of them that way.
I've been trying to get the balance on my credit card back down to zero, and I did think yesterday, as I was putting those items in the mail, about how what I was doing would help with that goal!
1 hour today cleaning up our guest room into which a fair amount of clutter had migrated. New total: 29.
It's always a good sign at our house when the trash and recycling bins are full, and they are full now!
I did 1.5 hours earlier in the week and 1.5 this morning getting ready for the house cleaner to come. I always get really motivated when she comes to declutter "hot spots" so that they don't interfere with her cleaning.
I've also been doing a lot of decluttering in the backyard - getting rid of old plastic pots and other things that have accumulated there.
New total: 32.
mschrisgo2
4-30-21, 9:01pm
Nice job, ejchase!
Thanks, mschrisgo2!
I'm in the last five weeks of my teaching semester, so I'm not able to do a lot of decluttering.
However, a friend needed to use my living room today to participate in a Zoom meeting (she had a housekeeper at her house), and that motivated me to do 1.5 hours of decluttering of surfaces on the first floor. I took a lot out to the recycling bin and organized some surfaces that had gotten pretty cluttered for no good reason.
New total: 33.5.
Well. I'm done with teaching for about two months, so I want to finish this 40 hours and start another. As always, at the start of these goals, I feel totally overwhelmed.
However, yesterday, I did my first hour. New total: 34.5.
Teacher Terry
6-24-21, 12:59pm
I bet there’s a big difference in your house with all the decluttering you are doing. I have 2 bags of clothes to donate that are too big for me.
Darn, Terry, I so wish that were my problem.
I am working my way through my parents' stuff. I guess I could donate my clothes that are too small for me, but I am trying to fit back into them.
Teacher Terry
6-24-21, 2:48pm
The key to my weight loss has been eating 1600/calories a day 6 days a week and one day eating what I want. I also walk 2 miles a day. I also eat my big meal at lunch. That gives me lots of time to burn it off. You just have to find what works for you. The downside to losing 50lbs is that I have a lot more wrinkles.
That sounds like a sensible plan and one that I can modify and implement, thank you! I will take a few wrinkles to get the weight off my hip joint and my knees, which are killing me.
Teacher Terry
6-24-21, 3:24pm
My back is so much better since the weight loss. Also one day I woke up out and within a few hours it was back in. That never happened before. I can tell because besides hurting one hi gets higher than the other.
I bet there’s a big difference in your house with all the decluttering you are doing. I have 2 bags of clothes to donate that are too big for me.
Yes, though it's a three-steps-forward, two-steps back process. But I definitely feel better in my house than I did when I started all this 5 years ago!
I did another hour today. New total: 35.5.
And congratulations on your weight loss, Teacher Terry!
catherine
6-26-21, 11:55am
I reached my threshold today for clutter. In a small house it's a much smaller bar! I said to DH, we have to get rid of all this loose change!! It's all over the place! So when he went around and picked up the little jars in his office, our bedroom, etc. it wound up being half a coffee can. In NJ we had a huge 5 gallon growler we threw loose change in.
Lately, I have also been visually distracted by random things that had been permitted to sit around--loose bags/boxes for burning in the wood stove, a floor mirror I had brought into the living area, bookshelves that were getting messy and dusty, random tools of DH's left on desk and table surfaces because he's "in the process" of fixing some things. So I went on a tear and cleaned out my bedroom closet, got rid of 5 sweatshirts and 3 sweaters, and 1 purse I'll never wear. I dusted and reorganized books by type and size, dusted and polished everything, consolidated the tools. I feel so much better!!
I still have a small pile of ironing to do, but I'll get to that later. Time to reward myself with a trip to the farmer's market.
iris lilies
6-26-21, 12:56pm
I reached my threshold today for clutter. In a small house it's a much smaller bar! I said to DH, we have to get rid of all this loose change!! It's all over the place! So when he went around and picked up the little jars in his office, our bedroom, etc. it wound up being half a coffee can. In NJ we had a huge 5 gallon growler we threw loose change in.
Lately, I have also been visually distracted by random things that had been permitted to sit around--loose bags/boxes for burning in the wood stove, a floor mirror I had brought into the living area, bookshelves that were getting messy and dusty, random tools of DH's left on desk and table surfaces because he's "in the process" of fixing some things. So I went on a tear and cleaned out my bedroom closet, got rid of 5 sweatshirts and 3 sweaters, and 1 purse I'll never wear. I dusted and reorganized books by type and size, dusted and polished everything, consolidated the tools. I feel so much better!!
I still have a small pile of ironing to do, but I'll get to that later. Time to reward myself with a trip to the farmer's market.
I-ron? What is this “I-ron” thing of which you speak?
hahahaha. I do plan to hang onto my iron, mainly for flower show purposes. Ironing tableclothes and napkins are sometimes necessary. If I end up sewing any household projects I will need it, too. I will not get rid of my little sewing machine.
happystuff
6-26-21, 1:57pm
I-ron? What is this “I-ron” thing of which you speak?
I had the same reaction. LOL. I iron something - maybe - once every 4 months.
happystuff
6-26-21, 2:02pm
Fabulous accomplishments, catherine!
I helped a friend do "clean-out" for just 2 hours this morning. They sold their house and are moving. My job was chemicals in the laundry room, and kitchen and basement pantry shelves. :0!
I was amazed at the amount of duplicate chemicals/soap/etc. that they had. Was told to cull down to one of each I thought necessary. The pantries... forgive the pun, but definitely gave me food for thought on my own. Suffice to say, my pantry is now well-stocked with the stuff they had that was open, but they weren't taking. Shared some stuff with a couple of neighbors, and ended up with two well-packed, full reusable grocery bags for donation.
Used this as a chance to *talk up* decluttering to dh. As usual - no response. sigh....
Teacher Terry
6-26-21, 2:56pm
Catherine, sounds like you got a lot done! When we moved I made a cleaning box for each of us and still gave stuff to the neighbors that my ex bought although he never cleaned. I only had a iron for when my mom visited. When she died I got rid of it.
I-ron? What is this “I-ron” thing of which you speak?
hahahaha. I do plan to hang onto my iron, mainly for flower show purposes. Ironing tableclothes and napkins are sometimes necessary. If I end up sewing any household projects I will need it, too. I will not get rid of my little sewing machine.
Haha, I get it. No one irons these days. Yes, if you sew, you HAVE to have an iron.
I have a few things that I feel compelled to iron. Like things that come out of the dryer wrinkled. For this particular batch in my ironing basket, I have one of DH's dress shirts, two aprons, a beautiful dishtowel with crocheted trim that my DILs mother made for me--I use for decoration, like lining a breadbasket, not drying dishes, so I have to iron it. Some t-shirts come out of the dryer wrinkly so I iron them. I find ironing relaxing.
Today, I tackled my clothes closet and discovered I have WAY too many clothes. But because I won't go back to my office at work until next year, it's hard to cull work outfits, and it's hard to cull winter clothes in the middle of summer. Nevertheless, I did find some stuff to get rid of, and I think this experience has cured me of doing any more clothes shopping for quite a while. And of course, I rediscovered some clothes I'd forgotten about and that I like, which was a nice surprise.
In any case, I spent 2.5 hours on the closet and am only halfway done. New total: 38 hours.
I also found my iron in the closet which I will keep. I always find I rarely need it, but when I need it, I REALLY need it. :)
rosarugosa
6-29-21, 5:49am
EJ: I discover that I have too many clothes every time I look in my closet - ha! But it is a lot better than it used to be, and I do find that having quite a bit less makes it easier to see and find what I do have. I go through our closet twice a year and there is almost always something to be culled. Good work!
EJ: I discover that I have too many clothes every time I look in my closet - ha! But it is a lot better than it used to be, and I do find that having quite a bit less makes it easier to see and find what I do have. I go through our closet twice a year and there is almost always something to be culled. Good work!
Yes, I really do need to do this twice a year. The same is true of my kitchen pantry. In both cases, I waste a lot and over-buy because I think I need things, but when I go through my pantry and my closet, I find out how much I already have. That's been a nice unexpected outcome of all my decluttering - saving money!
Well, I did 2 more hours on the closet this morning and am mostly done with it for now. I just have to buy a couple more "under-the-bed" storage bags for my winter stuff.
And last night, I zoomed with my older sister who gave me the rundown on how to sell things on Poshmark, which I'm going to try since I have a terrible habit of forgetting to return items so end up with brand-new items that are past the return date and that I don't want. I posted three items this morning and will post more this week. AND I will make a trip to the post office and Target to return some other items before it's too late.
New total: 40 HOURS Ding! Ding! Ding! Thanks to all of you for your support! Since this was the 40 hours I intended to finish in winter, I am going to start a new 40 hours to complete this summer, hopefully by July 22.
rosarugosa
6-29-21, 3:52pm
Congratulations! :cool:
congratulations on the 40 hours!!!
happystuff
6-30-21, 10:43am
Congrats! And good luck with the next 401.
Well, I did 2 more hours on the closet this morning and am mostly done with it for now. I just have to buy a couple more "under-the-bed" storage bags for my winter stuff.
And last night, I zoomed with my older sister who gave me the rundown on how to sell things on Poshmark, which I'm going to try since I have a terrible habit of forgetting to return items so end up with brand-new items that are past the return date and that I don't want. I posted three items this morning and will post more this week. AND I will make a trip to the post office and Target to return some other items before it's too late.
New total: 40 HOURS Ding! Ding! Ding! Thanks to all of you for your support! Since this was the 40 hours I intended to finish in winter, I am going to start a new 40 hours to complete this summer, hopefully by July 22.
I've had some luck selling on Poshmark. I've figured out to price a bit higher and if you get some "likes," it gives you wiggle room to offer a discount, which may encourage a sale. Posh takes a sweet 20%, though, so be aware of that.
I've had some luck selling on Poshmark. I've figured out to price a bit higher and if you get some "likes," it gives you wiggle room to offer a discount, which may encourage a sale. Posh takes a sweet 20%, though, so be aware of that.
Yes, I'm not sure if it will be worth the trouble in the end, but I thought it would be a fun experiment for the summer. Thanks for the tip about pricing high and then discounting. I'm realizing my current photos are not so good, but I think I know how to improve them. If I make a little money, great. If not, Goodwill and/or my Buy Nothing Group will get some good stuff. :)
I'm also discovering that knowing I can sell some stuff is motivating me to get rid of more than I might have otherwise, which is great.
EJChase, you are an inspiration!
EJChase, you are an inspiration!
Having a cheering section really helps! :)
I know this is an old thread, but I like your title EJChase. I am trying to envision ways not just to declutter but to also make my home nice - things as simple as getting all the light bulbs in a fixture to match. Thank you for getting me to think about the next level.
rosarugosa
8-18-21, 7:24am
One strategy I have used successfully is to stand in a room and ask myself what one thing bothers me the most, and do I have the resources to tackle it.
I love that, Rosa. Right now, if I stand and look at my dining room, the table is too wide. A narrower table would definitely help.
I might go room to room and write the things down. Kind of get an outline and just write down what bugs me about the house.
Teacher Terry
8-18-21, 1:03pm
When I moved into my condo any furniture that didn’t fit was immediately sold.
happystuff
8-18-21, 6:32pm
One strategy I have used successfully is to stand in a room and ask myself what one thing bothers me the most, and do I have the resources to tackle it.
Good idea, rosa. I do something similar... just stand in the room and look around - making myself really "see" everything. I usually spot an item or two that gets a "I don't need or want you!", and ends up in the donation pile.
happystuff
8-18-21, 6:34pm
When I moved into my condo any furniture that didn’t fit was immediately sold.
This is exactly what I am hoping will happen when we eventually get into a smaller place.
I know this is an old thread, but I like your title EJChase. I am trying to envision ways not just to declutter but to also make my home nice - things as simple as getting all the light bulbs in a fixture to match. Thank you for getting me to think about the next level.
Hi Yppej - Glad the title was helpful! One thing I've realized through this process is that since I've spent so much of my life focused on having too much stuff at home and trying to let that stuff go, I've mostly seen taking care of my house as a negative process, a subtraction process. Now that I've managed to declutter a lot, I've been moving towards thinking about what I want my house to look like, and at the beginning of the process, I had no idea! I've found it really helpful to look at home magazines and sites like Pinterest and apartment therapy to help me envision what I want my home to look like, to give myself a vision so I know what I want to add (instead of just subtracting).
It's a constant process, but it's creative and fun. I work very much in baby steps - one room or corner of a room at a time. But slowly, I am coming to enjoy my home a lot more.
Teacher Terry
8-20-21, 3:21pm
I think the way your home looks can have a big effect on your happiness. It feels uncomfortable to be in a cluttered unattractive house. It’s nice to choose your style and what makes you happy.
rosarugosa
8-20-21, 6:46pm
I totally agree Terry, and a well-organized home can make your life flow better, less time wasted searching for things, etc.
Teacher Terry
8-20-21, 6:58pm
Without my ex I can find everything because it’s always in the same place. My son is the same way so no searching for anything.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.