View Full Version : March Purge
I thought we could kick off the month with a chuckle!
3655
Haha! Rosa, that's a good one!
I have a full bag in my trunk the next time I go by the Thrift store and find them accepting. (online hours don't match reality per my previous attempt).
Teacher Terry
3-1-21, 3:06pm
I am doing the opposite of purging and buying some new items for my condo:)).
Ha, ha, Teacher Terry. You did so much purging before you should enjoy the new additions!
Stapling it together did not work with the pillow so out it went.
Teacher Terry
3-1-21, 9:02pm
Nswef, I am enjoying it. I bought sheets, microwave, electric can opener, toaster, shower curtain and kitchen mat.
iris lilies
3-2-21, 10:30am
I thought we could kick off the month with a chuckle!
3655
Someone will have to Splaine this to me.
Someone will have to Splaine this to me.
The fellow in the picture is none other than Mr Bilbo Baggins who famously had a difficult time purging himself of the 'One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.'
After giving up the ring to his nephew Frodo, he apparently had similar problems with electronic accessories.
happystuff
3-2-21, 11:12am
The fellow in the picture is none other than Mr Bilbo Baggins who famously had a difficult time purging himself of the 'One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.'
After giving up the ring to his nephew Frodo, he apparently had similar problems with electronic accessories.
Nice explanation. LOL.
The fellow in the picture is none other than Mr Bilbo Baggins who famously had a difficult time purging himself of the 'One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.'
After giving up the ring to his nephew Frodo, he apparently had similar problems with electronic accessories.
And I didn't even know it was Bilbo! I was just amused by that seemingly-innocent, slippery slope of an idea that surely it won't hurt to keep this one little whatever.
Thanks, Alan, I thought it was Beethoven and didn't get the joke at all.
Thanks, Alan, I thought it was Beethoven and didn't get the joke at all.
No worries, it's rare that a lifetime of accumulated useless information comes in handy. Glad to be of assistance.
iris lilies
3-4-21, 12:25am
The fellow in the picture is none other than Mr Bilbo Baggins who famously had a difficult time purging himself of the 'One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.'
After giving up the ring to his nephew Frodo, he apparently had similar problems with electronic accessories.
ok, thanks.
GeorgeParker
3-4-21, 12:40am
The fellow in the picture is none other than Mr Bilbo Baggins...I didn't get it either. Having read the books but not seen the movies there is no way I would recognize the Movie version of Bilbo. So thanks for explaining from me too.
Related side note: Hobbits don't receive gifts on their birthday, instead they give a gift to each of their friends. The gift they give will obviously be something they have no use or fondness for, otherwise they would keep it themself. But the gift does have to be something that conceivably someone would have a use for. So Hobbits stockpile all the useless gifts they receive and give each friend something that seems appropriate from that pile as their 'birthday' gift. Clearly this custom would make it difficult for a hobbit to seriously declutter.
ToomuchStuff
3-4-21, 10:24am
And here I am, as someone who has bought, second hand electronics, that were missing their power supplies, thinking he is saving that, to power up some second life device.
So had the last of the clothes here, to go to Goodwill, or some such thrift store. Happy they were still here, as a friend had an older friend, loose everything in a fire. They took quite a few of them to get them by.
On a bad purge, used up my day off this week, dealing with vandalism of the company truck. Other owner left it unlocked, and someone in the night, came in and cut the battery cable ends and stole the battery ($12-18 core charge, close to $400 in damage). Old garage I worked at I called to see when they could get it in, they told me to bring it down the next day, but I did the working on it (and the sitting around waiting for dealer parts, since it wasn't a normal battery cable).
I thought the face was somewhat familiar but didn't make the connection to Bilbo. The things that one learns on SLF, lol.
When I cleaned out DH's treasure trove of "I may need this one day" items, it was hard to decide what to get rid of and what to keep. Over the past years since I moved, it has been interesting to see what I have used.
When I mention something that I need to fix etc., the kids will remember that their dad had something tucked away for just such an occasion and I go hunting. Most recently, it was a strip of magnet that he had attached to inside lid of a metal toolbox. The kids knew exactly where it was.
I did several passes through my stuff that resulted in a major purge in Jan & Feb. It’s paid off. Less stress for me. Plus annual town inspection was Tuesday. No more than five minutes. Pretty much just tested the detectors. Anyway, always have to make sure everything is picked up, etc. So much easier this time.
GeorgeParker
3-4-21, 8:36pm
I did several passes through my stuff that resulted in a major purge in Jan & Feb. It’s paid off. Less stress for me. Plus annual town inspection was Tuesday. No more than five minutes. Pretty much just tested the detectors. Anyway, always have to make sure everything is picked up, etc. So much easier this time.Your town does an annual no-search-warant invasion of your home???? OMG!
ApatheticNoMore
3-4-21, 8:40pm
Your town does an annual no-search-warant invasion of your home???? OMG!
dude the city inspects apartments yes, regularly, that's life. For smoke detectors for instance. Now one is given warning, and they aren't searching for drugs or anything, in an apartment it's really to make sure the landlord is following regs rather than about the tenant, but yea.
Your town does an annual no-search-warant invasion of your home???? OMG!
Landlords have to have a "rental license" in my very nice Chicago suburb. Part of that includes an inspection. They don't get in without you letting them in. Landlord has always been there before, but since I work from home, I was there, too. Think the rental license is something like $250/year.
My utility company has the right to come in and inspect my gas pipes. If I refuse they will cut off my service.
GeorgeParker
3-4-21, 9:19pm
dude the city inspects apartments yes, regularly, that's life. For smoke detectors for instance. Now one is given warning, Well, if it's a rental, that's different.
Hi everyone! I'm brand new here and hoping I can jump in here for this month! I've done a lot of purging over the years when the kids were smaller, so my true big purges are few and far between now, but I like to see how everyone else is doing because it still inspires me to look thru what I have and streamline where possible.
Recent tosses include a ratty dishrag and one of my son's worn t-shirts. I added one of my sweaters to a donate bag I'm working on.
I really dislike paperwork, filing and shredding, and I tend to put it off until I have a pretty good size pile to file. But I did a little bit yesterday, filled the shredder and dumped it. It's almost full again and needs to be dumped again, so today I will fill it, dump it and maybe do a bit more shredding.
A thermos that I had gotten at a yard sale and given to my dad, plus one of his mathmatics books, four drinking glasses that came with the house, and a stack of mildewy National Geographics they left in the upstairs bathroom.
I worked on some more filing and shredding and dumped the shredder 2 more times. I always have more I can do in the filing cabinets, but I think I'm done for now. At least all the loose papers are filed and put away, not sitting out.
Tossed an empty pill bottle I found in the bathroom. I'm always tempted to keep things like that because I think we might be able to use it for something else, but I will only allow us to keep a couple. Right now we have 3 and that is more than enough.
I've been wanting to get into my younger son's room because I know he has clothes he doesn't wear and he says he needs hangers, so yesterday after school we started on that. We found 11 pieces of clothes to donate and tossed a pair of pants that had stains. I actually took a couple of his shirts to wear because they are like brand new, I think he maybe wore them once, and they fit me. One is a really pretty flannel shirt that I don't think he ever wore but just had to have.
We added a calculator to donate and tossed just a few things including 3 cans of Play Dough that were getting dry, a couple of chargers that don't work, empty box, dead batteries, the usual odds and ends we find in there. I want to finish the other side of his room today after school then we will be done for a while. Now that the kids are older we only go thru their rooms once, maybe twice a year or so, they don't outgrow things as often as they used to.
I finally found a place that would take the old comforter, old towels, and old blankets I've been carrying around in my trunk for a month - the animal hospital about a mile away.
Total for month: 10 items.
I made a pass through my files, something I try to do annually. I have all sorts of legal stuff I think I should keep but never look at, like original credit card terms and conditions and then all the updates they send me whenever they change anything, ditto insurance policies. Do you keep these types of things?
iris lilies
3-14-21, 3:22pm
I made a pass through my files, something I try to do annually. I have all sorts of legal stuff I think I should keep but never look at, like original credit card terms and conditions and then all the updates they send me whenever they change anything, ditto insurance policies. Do you keep these types of things?
I do not keep credit card agreements. They are what they are and they’re going to do with their going to do.
My guess is that DH probably keeps our insurance policies if they are issued in paper. I’m not sure. He keeps everything in paper.
At the moment I am keeping my health insurance policy such as it is, but I will probably in the future pitch it.
3 sweaters/top out to the garage sale stack. My son took an extra set of jumper cables we don't need anymore.
Teacher Terry
3-16-21, 7:40pm
So everyone knows that my ex husband is a junk saver and not only that but every space that is his is a big, unorganized mess where nothing can be found. For the past 17 years we have lived in houses with garages ranging from a 2.5 -1 car garage. A car has never been inside one on his watch. I thought he would rent a big storage unit and take all this crap. He intends to sell the good stuff at our moving sale and throw away 90% of the rest. He is renting one storage unit for his furniture, tools, etc until he buys a house. He has dragged that garbage from house to house despite me trying to get him to get rid of it. If I had not been steadily disposing of crap behind his back it would be much worse.
Our shed that came with this house is the size of a small trailer house and it was full at one point. 6 years ago when he was out of town I hired our handyman to help me throw away the junk and organize what was worth keeping. I shudder to think what we would be facing now if that hadn’t happened. It would have been nice to use the workbench, etc and not to have to navigate a obstacle course to do laundry or get something in the garage. Both of our quality of life would have been better without the chaos in those spaces. I know hoarding is a illness of sorts but I am pissed that I had to put up with it. Even if he doesn’t take a bunch of junk with him he will soon have a new place cluttered and disgusting.
iris lilies
3-18-21, 5:20pm
I have been blathering about my book declutter project for months now. But today I finished. Yesterday I took the last of my giveaways to the bookstore.
Today I put everything I’m keeping on the shelves in our living room. My initial plan was to keep about 100 of my children’s illustrated books. I truly kept only those that spark joy. I ended up with 150. So that’s really good! I weeded the collection down to a manageable number but it was not an arbitrary number.
Everything I put on the shelf today sparked joy. I did not keep any book
because I “should “keep it.
I did not count how many volumes were handled in this entire project, but I am guessing 1000. Many were worn and in poor condition including about 30 from my childhood. Those went to the landfill as well as adult books of no particular interest. The ones in nice condition, hundreds of them, went to the used bookstore. I sold another 30 of them on eBay.
I think I’m lucky to be able to identify immediate feelings of “joy “when I look at these books. It must be hard to have a collection that’s full of should keep, must keep because, and etc. ideas. With me as with many things in life, if it doesn’t give me pleasure it doesn’t get to stick around my life.
I am bringing out a few spring clothes and some of them are so shabby looking I will toss them.,
IL, glad you got rid of them and are done with the project.
frugal-one
3-18-21, 8:56pm
I have been blathering about my book declutter project for months now. But today I finished. Yesterday I took the last of my giveaways to the bookstore.
Today I put everything I’m keeping on the shelves downstairs in our living room. My initial plan was to keep about 100 of my children’s illustrated books. I truly kept only those that spark joy. I ended up with 150. So that’s really good! I weeded the collection down to a manageable number but it was not an arbitrary number.
Everything I put on the shelf today sparked joy. I did not keep any book
because I “should “keep it.
I did not count how many volumes were handled in this entire project, but I am guessing 1000. Many were worn and in poor condition including about 30 from my childhood. Those went to the landfill as well as adult books of no particular interest. The ones in nice condition, hundreds of them, went to the used bookstore. I sold another 30 of them on eBay.
I think I’m lucky to be able to identify immediate feelings of “joy “when I look at these books. It must be hard to have a collection that’s full of should keep, must keep because, and etc. ideas. With me as with many things in life, if it doesn’t give me pleasure it doesn’t get to stick around my life.
Why do children books bring you joy? Books from your childhood?
iris lilies
3-18-21, 9:58pm
Why do children books bring you joy? Books from your childhood?
I like illustration art.
I got rid of 16 pieces of paper cluttering up my night stand, mainly old notes to remind myself to do things.
ToomuchStuff
3-20-21, 11:05am
I got rid of 16 pieces of paper cluttering up my night stand, mainly old notes to remind myself to do things.
Did you throw out the paper, telling you to declutter that paper?
Did you throw out the paper, telling you to declutter that paper?
No, lol. My decluttering goal is not on a loose piece of paper but written on the inside cover of a notebook.
Teacher Terry
3-20-21, 1:28pm
Yesterday I hired the teen next door to haul out all the junk in the center of the shed. Best $60 I spent of my ex’s money:)). Now it will be easy for him to sort. Luckily it never rains here.
iris lilies- That is a lot of books and sounds like it was a really big project! I bet you are glad to have it completed and have only items that bring you joy.
I have been doing some small bits of decluttering even though I haven't managed to get on here and post. I did finally get my son's room completed if I didn't post that already. We tossed a couple more small things but not much. I tossed a runner rug from my mudroom and recycled a bunch of magazines and catalogs, around 9 I think.
All but one of my outdoor solar stake lights didn't appear to be working so I tossed all of them. I already have cheap dollar store replacements in the garage. The ones I tossed were from Menards and probably cost $4-5 each and only lasted a couple of years so I figured I try the cheap ones and see how they fare.
Hubby has been working on cleaning out his pole barn and he's/we've filled the trash can twice so far. I gets pretty trashed all fall and winter and usually gets cleaned out in the spring. I know a lot of what filled up one can was plastic ice cream pails and milk jugs that he used to collect tree sap to make maple syrup. He was going to keep them but we get empty milk jugs from the kids every week and don't need a bunch of those sitting around for a year.
Husband has resumed selling his stuff on Ebay. Tested postal system and UPS and both were back mostly to pre-Christmas delivery times. Tracking does help a lot. But this is a seriously slow process. Still feels good to get stuff out of the house.
Teacher Terry
3-24-21, 10:32am
So far we have filled a huge trailer that has to go to the dump. I have a bunch of big items for the moving sale Friday and Saturday. Not bothering selling small items. The new owners are coming and asked if they can come in to figure out how much paint they need. They want to paint before moving in. It’s been 9 years so it’s a good time.
happystuff
3-28-21, 4:38pm
TT - I'm so glad that things are moving along for you. Wishing continued good luck with everything.
I got rid of some more clothes and I have not been buying new ones. One of my sheets got a big hole in it so I used a gift card I got at Christmas to get another one and while at the store was not the least bit tempted to look at clothes since the fitting rooms are still closed.
Teacher Terry
3-28-21, 8:16pm
Huge trailer got dumped and now are filling it again.
iris lilies
3-28-21, 8:26pm
Huge trailer got dumped and now are filling it again.. Not only do you win March purger extraordinaire, you probably win purger of the year. I dare anybody to beat you in the year 2021!
Teacher Terry
3-28-21, 9:05pm
IL, I will proudly claim that title:)). I will report back how many times we fill it. I also sold 2 big patios full of stuff much of it furniture both inside and out. I even sold 9 tires for a lump sum of 20 that were studded and for small cars. No clue where they came from but they were good and could be used. In the partial dirt basement there’s carpet pad which he didn’t throw away when we remodeled this house 9 years ago. I understand saving things if you are handy for the future but this kind of stuff is beyond ridiculous. Thankfully I have been purging crap for the past 15 years otherwise things would be so much worse. I am really looking forward to a neat, nice home with no messes or junk.
iris lilies
3-28-21, 10:15pm
IL, I will proudly claim that title:)).......
Thankfully I have been purging crap for the past 15 years otherwise things would be so much worse. I am really looking forward to a neat, nice home with no messes or junk.
Stop rubbing it in! Haha!
My semi-hoarder DH is in Hermann now, packing up all of our dishes and glasses and pots and pans. Wrapping them in newspaper. Taking them to the storage unit he rented (necessary during renovation to store key things such as new beds.)
I think he took all other the furniture there as well which was all throwaways. I don’t know I haven’t been there. But when he talked to me about how he was wrapping all the dishes each one in newspaper I reminded him that all of the kitchen stuff is supposed to be thrown away. All of it. I mean he can pack it up and we can take it to a thrift store and that’s fine, but there’s nothing there the thrift stores want, I know because I regularly shop thrift stores.
I just think it’s sad that he feels compelled to keep this stuff but that is his deal.
Teacher Terry
3-28-21, 11:21pm
It is sad IL. You don’t want to take it to a thrift store because they will just have to throw it away which costs them money. Maybe you can go to the storage unit by yourself and dispose of it. Your city condo will be neat and uncluttered since you will mostly be staying there alone:)).
GeorgeParker
3-29-21, 2:26am
Hold on there! I'm confused and this thread is starting to sound like "Who's on First" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t4PzWSLhqQ
Who is keeping their packrat DH?
Who has dumped their packrat DH?
Which DH is reluctantly clearing out his stuff?
Who is trying to get their DS to move out and now DS says he wants to move out?
Who has an OCD DS?
And is anybody culling, organizing, or decluttering that isn't mad at anyone?
I swear it's getting to where you can't tell who the players are without a program.
GP, understanding will come with time. Just sit quietly, observe, gently offer support if it seems needed and it will unfold as things get reconciled. That is the way of this community most of the time which is why I value it.
iris lilies
3-29-21, 8:48am
George Parker, yes it is interesting how many human conflicts are being played out here about “stuff”in our spaces. Stuff! It overwhelms us.
Teacher Terry
3-29-21, 10:00am
George, no one got dumped over stuff.
Hold on there! I'm confused and this thread is starting to sound like "Who's on First" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t4PzWSLhqQ
Who is keeping their packrat DH?
Who has dumped their packrat DH?
Which DH is reluctantly clearing out his stuff?
Who is trying to get their DS to move out and now DS says he wants to move out?
Who has an OCD DS?
And is anybody culling, organizing, or decluttering that isn't mad at anyone?
I swear it's getting to where you can't tell who the players are without a program.
I like the thread. If you do not like the thread, do not read the thread.
(That is why I try to stay away from simple public policy threads, personally.)
rosarugosa
3-29-21, 7:47pm
I think George is kidding.
happystuff
3-30-21, 12:00pm
George, no one got dumped over stuff.
Yet.... ;) :laff:
Teacher Terry
3-30-21, 12:28pm
Happy, it has been a delightful byproduct of it though!!!
happystuff
3-30-21, 12:36pm
Happy, it has been a delightful byproduct of it though!!!
I can only imagine! So glad that everything seems to be working out for you, TT.
Teacher Terry
3-30-21, 12:39pm
Catherine, you won the queen crown for purger of the year 2 or 3 years ago!! Now I have swooped down and stolen it:)). Without my resident pack rat I happily won’t have anything to purge. When my condo is done and set up I will post pictures. It won’t be minimalist but won’t be cluttered either.
I, on the other hand, still live in Packratville, now Packratville East. I surreptitiously threw out a plastic bakery box and a parmesan cheese container that he was going to use for nails, since he left it on the floor for the past 4 days.
Also threw out a bottle of foundation that I just bought; when I was doing my color test with the other bottles I bought, this one caused an allergic reaction.
iris lilies
3-30-21, 1:34pm
Catherine, you won the queen crown for purger of the year 2 or 3 years ago!! Now I have swooped down and stolen it:)). Without my resident pack rat I happily won’t have anything to purge. When my condo is done and set up I will post pictures. It won’t be minimalist but won’t be cluttered either.
Because it is ALL about me, I would like to remind this group that I participated in the final frontier of decluttering: decluttering books. I, Iris Lilies, did the hardest thing there is to do so while I do not want any titles here, I get recognition and honorable mention! Haha.
iris lilies
3-30-21, 1:38pm
And now I will have to say this about DH and his collection of stuff. Today he was putting up my antique light at my condo, and he needed a bar thingie to the fit inside the attachment. He went down the basement and rummaged around in his collection of bar thingies until he found one that fit.
So the collection of construction stuff does come in handy.
He also brought home the phone kiosk from Hermann because the construction crew tore it out. Sadly, I am thinking about keeping it as a little shrine to hang on the wall there somewhere. Just what I need, another piece o’ junk, but it could be cute as a testament to original decor.
Teacher Terry
3-30-21, 1:51pm
My second husband had a small collection of stuff that indeed he would use for projects. However, it was organized, neat and he actually used it versus garbage and I cannot find anything like present ex husband. IL, you do indeed get Honorable Mention for books. I sadly overlooked your great achievement:))
Teacher Terry
3-30-21, 1:52pm
Tybee, does he ever use the containers for what he intended or is it just added to more junk?
OK, IL, you will get one of those participation ribbons that are being handed out these day. There, do you now feel recognized?:D
iris lilies
3-30-21, 2:23pm
OK, IL, you will get one of those participation ribbons that are being handed out these day. There, do you now feel recognized?:D
Why yes, yes I do!
Tybee, does he ever use the containers for what he intended or is it just added to more junk?
He does use them but not nearly as quickly as he accumulates them. So I used to go through and thin them out. What I would like to do is limit the containers to x, then say no new containers until these are filled.
I also want to start getting rid of 1-2 things for every item we bring into the house. Because we are getting new stuff for the new space, and then stuff from my dad has drifted in--useful stuff, but something else needs to go. We are still about 30-50% over where I would like to be.
I just finished a home office project that I've dabbled in for over a year. Replace a two drawer file cabinet with a one drawer, and replaced a nine drawer desk with a singe drawer writing desk. The bind has been going through and eliminating saved paper work. Many of the manuals I've saved are online now and the internet has streamlined the need for other paperwork. The old desk went to the Habitat Reuse store, but they are picky about desks. Nothing over 4 feet in width. ARC, another local charity similar to Goodwill doesn't take desks. Apparently, there is a glut of large used office type furniture and a lot of home schoolers want something simple or are going back to classes.
For someone who has trouble getting rid of anything slightly useful it was a time consuming project and glad its done. Whew.
Next in line is a fairly recent audiophile quality CD player and CDs. I put all of my CDs on both memory sticks and external hard drives. My old ears really can't tell the difference any more between digital and CD. The local recycle center takes music and data CDs to be recycled for $.25 each and I'll probably spring to have them recycled.
I am debating about a blanket. It has gotten thin over the years and my feet have kicked holes in it while I roll around in my sleep, and now my feet will catch in those so while I like the texture it is no longer good as a first layer. I do not know if I want to keep it as a top layer. I sleep with several layers of blankets depending on the time of year - used to be 5 but then I had heat added to my bedroom so now it is 4 in winter, 3 in early spring and late fall, 2 in late spring and early fall and 1 in summer. Anyways the blanket is still functional as a top layer but is not aesethetically pleasing. Another layer, a bedspread, is also quite old and is slowly unravelling. Decisions, decisions.
GeorgeParker
4-1-21, 12:12am
I like the thread. If you do not like the thread, do not read the thread.If I didn't think this thread was interesting, I wouldn't be reading it. But it is a very confusing soap opera.
I think George is kidding.I know he is.
GeorgeParker
4-1-21, 1:57am
OK, IL, you will get one of those participation ribbons that are being handed out these day. There, do you now feel recognized?:DA lot of people here, including IL, deserve more than just a Participation ribbon.
3713
Better? :)
IL, I'm intrigued by the wonderful progress you have made with the books.
I must either buy a lot more bookcases or get rid of a lot of books.
How did you proceed--did you start with a number per category that you wanted to end with?
iris lilies
4-1-21, 8:51am
IL, I'm intrigued by the wonderful progress you have made with the books.
I must either buy a lot more bookcases or get rid of a lot of books.
How did you proceed--did you start with a number per category that you wanted to end with?
aha! thanks for asking. I will try to keep it short.
Adult books:
I tossed anything that was a visual arts book: pattern and design books, interior decor. There were only about 15 of those. Who needs those now with Pinterest? No one.
I tossed anything that used to be about an interest of mine. I no longer have those interests, About 20 books.
I tossed another 50 misc books, including novels. There is a special group of novels I am keeping, about 8. I never really bought many fiction books anyway since I counted on libraries to keep them.
children’s books
The bulk of my book collection is illustrated children’s books, around 800 or 900. That is my art collection. I eyeballed the shelving I have in our living room, 6 shelves, and knew I had to get the collection down to that space. I will have similar shelving space in Hermann.
First, I pulled out all of the Golden age books published 1880-1925 and kept those. I can still reduce that collection some day but am keeping them for the time being.
For contemporary books I just started pulling out each book from the shelf and if it didnt “spark joy” it went into a pile to get rid of. It was interesting how many did not spark joy! I got rid of most through this process, but for my favorite illustrators (Lisbeth Zerger, David Christiana, Binette Schroeder, Wayne Anderson) I had to be more ruthless and squeeze their books down to an arbitrary number. Same for my collection of 40 illustrated versions of Alice in wonderland...had to just say to myself half of these go.
On trick I found useful was to honor my reluctance to get rid of a title. There were a few books that I put on the “discard” pile,3 times, and if I kept picking it back up to look through it, that meant it was “sparking joy.”
I told myself early on that my decision to keep or discard would not be influenced by market value of these items, so I decided to keep what I keep without looking up sold versions on ebay. This collection isnt worth much anyway.
In fact, the first giant step in getting rid of my book collection was to eliminate it from our net worth statement. I had always assigned a dollar value to this collection of a couple thousand dollars. It isnt worth that but that was my number based on how much I paid for them. Once I zero’d out that number, it gave me mental freedom to just get rid of them.
Teacher Terry
4-1-21, 10:26am
IL, does your new ribbon spark joy? If not get rid of it:))
iris lilies
4-1-21, 1:16pm
IL, does your new ribbon spark joy? If not get rid of it:))
I admit that I do like this ribbon award for “adequate” and if I had it in real life I would put it up on my ribbon wall:
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GeorgeParker
4-1-21, 3:50pm
I admit that I do like this ribbon award for “adequate” and if I had it in real life I would put it up on my ribbon wallIt was a real ribbon, available in real life, but I don't know a current source.
There have been a lot of times in my own life when having an "Adequate" ribbon would have been very motivating or at least reassuring because I was going through a rough patch or just plain being too perfectionist. In fact I have a hand-printed sign above my desk that says "Doing important things adequately is a whole lot better than doing random things brilliantly." :)
BTW: Since participation trophies are controversial (probably because they're overdone and overused!) https://www.today.com/parents/defense-participation-trophies-kids-t40931 I'll put in my two cents: I used to be an enthusiastic amateur runner. Totally mediocre, but enthusiastic because I enjoyed it. Traditionally every race gave participants a tee-shirt or some other memento. It wasn't an "award", just a reminder of a race you enjoyed, and a way to say publicly "I run and I did this race." IMHO participation ribbons should always be received by children and adults in that same way -- as a reminder of a fun time or a personal accomplishment, regardless of how well you performed.
So this is my favorite real-world Participation award:
3718
I love that medal. If you had fun, you won. If it's only competition I don't think it's much fun...but I am not skilled in many things...so having fun MUST be more important to me than winning.
iris lilies
4-2-21, 11:03am
I love that medal. If you had fun, you won. If it's only competition I don't think it's much fun...but I am not skilled in many things...so having fun MUST be more important to me than winning.
Oh absolutely! I have always liked competitive shows such as cat shows, dog shows, flower shows, etc. I like the show because the entries are the best examples of whatever it is that is being shown. It’s very common that I don’t agree with the judge’s decision, I like another entry better. And then of course there are the times that I won best in show that I just shake my head and think yeah that was pretty bad I wonder why they chose my entry.
Teacher Terry
4-2-21, 11:06am
So we kicked ass yesterday and got so much done. The garage and shed are getting close to empty. The basement is empty. Lots of stuff on the patio that is going into his storage unit. The trailer for the dump is almost full again. At 5 pm my knee started to hurt and the area below my hip so it was a good time to quit. This morning I can barely walk so on disability leave today:)).
happystuff
4-2-21, 11:10am
Wow, TT! Congrats!!!
TT, great to hear you go so much done!
Teacher Terry
4-2-21, 1:55pm
My stepson came over and will haul the trailer away Sunday to his house until he has time to go to the dump. We won’t need it anymore. It’s a huge trailer and we filled it twice. It really would have been nice if I could have gotten him to do this when we were living here. But instead he was saving stuff that was garbage like the old countertop taken out of the house. I couldn’t believe it when I realized that he was putting things down in the partial dirt basement. I never went down there. It really is a sickness to do that versus throwing it away. This has shown me that I am not in bad shape for a old lady:)).
Teacher Terry, that is awesome that you are getting those areas emptied. I agree that it is a sickness. My mother in law is definitely a hoarder, maybe not the most extreme type of hoarder, but definitely a hoarder none the less. I like watching the Hoarding shows on TV but my hubby can't stand watching them because he had to grow up with it and still battles it with his parents. Everyone actually blames his mom but I think his dad has some hoarding tendencies too. They just hoard different things.
I've been decluttering in bits and pieces here and there. I most recently tossed a pair of ratty slippers, hiking boots, 3 socks. Added to my donate pile a heavy metal letter/file holder that used to be on my dining room wall that I don't use anymore. I'm trying to organize all of my empty boxes so I broke some down flat to save and put a couple into recycle.
Teacher Terry
4-9-21, 11:03am
Rn mom, it sounds like you are making progress also! I actually cannot stand to watch the hoarding shows because they are so dirty it’s disgusting. I used to love watching Clean House because while those people had way too much stuff the homes weren’t usually filthy.
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