May Purge

[Yppej]

I am moving some comfortable but ugly clothes (think fluorescent yellow T shirt I got free at work) to yard work/painting clothes and getting rid of some of the most wretched dirty work clothes.

[iris lilies]

I threw away a couple of old towels with holes in them.

Our current dog is very neat and tidy and never makes messes. But when I have other dogs around or am doing major house cleaning I have a shortage of towels, so I do hang onto them and have a pile in our basement.

[beckyliz]

Put 2 gas cans out by the mailbox on the street this morning. hoping they'll be gone by the time I get home. Sold a hall tree to a friend on Saturday - selling a large, heaving square coffee table to another friend this evening. Sold a pair of my husband's too-small shorts on Poshmark and dropped them in the mail today.

[KayLR]

Got rid of an outgrown booster seat (placed at the curb, someone picked it up) and an inversion table the hubs used before his back surgery. Got $75 for that!
Also two packages of ponytail holders from my bathroom drawer to my daughter's.

[pinkytoe]

This winter, I grew way more seedlings and plants than I have a place for so I will donate the excess to our local garden club for the plant sale next weekend. Then, I can toss/recycle all the related materials cluttering up the sunroom - egg cartons, yogurt containers, milk jugs etc that I used to grow them all. I also am doing the seasonal clothes switch and will get rid of some of my very tired sweats and sweaters that I lived in this past year.

[Yppej]

A dish towel that's gotten so thin over the years I don't think it can absorb any moisture at all.

[beckyliz]

Sold another pair of shorts and dropped off some men's boots, a decorative tall vase and a flag to the thrift store earlier this week.

[Teacher Terry]

Got rid of another bin of stuff that doesn’t fit. I am also going to sell my Roomba vacuum and the robot mop as it would take about the same amount of time for me to pick up stuff so I can run it as to do it myself.

[ejchase]

I took two shirts back to Target.

[rnmom]

I tossed 2 plastic dryer balls that are supposed to be a replacement for dryer sheets. I only used them twice but they were so hard and loud banging around in the dryer that the sound of it actually made me nervous. Plus they didn't work that well, clothes still had some static after coming out. I just got them from the Dollar Tree, so I'm not surprised they were junk. But I thought I'd give them a try.

I put a long sleeved shirt that is too big into a bag to donate, along with a brand new DVD in the wrapper.

[Gardnr]

9 trays with pots for garden starts left my planting shelf unit last night! Wohoo!!!! That's nearly 200 pots. 2 happy people in the 'hood.

Also a bag of assorted eating utensils to someone in need. All on my FB Buy-Nothing group.

[beckyliz]

Sold a double bed (frame, box springs and mattress). yay. This may not count, but it does for me - My son's future FIL came yesterday and moved DH's gun case and ammo to their basement and will store it next to his stuff. Background: we're moving next week an the only place we'd have to store it is in the garage which makes it visible whenever we go in and out. Also DH has dementia, so even though he doesn't know the combination, I still don't want them around. DH is on-board, because he really likes future FIL. Thank you Jesus.

[ejchase]

I returned a pair of shoes, a pair of shorts, and a jumpsuit to stores. New total for month: 5.

[Yppej]

I am working on using up samples. For instance, I have a mini mouthwash from when I last went to the dentist.

[beckyliz]

Dropped off two pictures, two decorative pillows, a vase, some sheets and a couple throw blankets at the thrift store over lunch today.

[happystuff]

Not officially purged yet, but finally got a donation pick-up date! I will happily start decluttering again once mandatory OT is done. :)

[iris lilies]

I’m doing my usual May purge of iris and I’ve given away sets to several people. But it is so time-consuming to get Iris to people that right now starting today, I’m going to dig and compost the rest of it. Of course I keep several sets of the important iris, but the ones that aren’t so important can go back to mother nature.

[catherine]

I’m doing my usual May purge of iris and I’ve given away sets to several people. But it is so time-consuming to get Iris to people that right now starting today, I’m going to dig and compost the rest of it. Of course I keep several sets of the important iris, but the ones that aren’t so important can go back to mother nature.

I wish we lived closer. If you have any bulbs that are transportable, I'd love to have some, just so I can say they came from your garden.

[razz]

I wish we lived closer. If you have any bulbs that are transportable, I'd love to have some, just so I can say they came from your garden.



My first thought as well until I asked myself, "Where would you plant it?" It is taking a lot of self-discipline to get the beds back under control right now. I love walking through iris gardens when they're in bloom.

[catherine]

My first thought as well until I asked myself, "Where would you plant it?" It is taking a lot of self-discipline to get the beds back under control right now. I love walking through iris gardens when they're in bloom.

True. But I'm still in the growing stage of my garden. I know that I have some soggy spots that might be right for iris.

[razz]

True. But I'm still in the growing stage of my garden. I know that I have some soggy spots that might be right for iris.

Why do I think that iris need dry spots? Do different iris need different environs? Now you have made me curious.

[catherine]

Why do I think that iris need dry spots? Do different iris need different environs? Now you have made me curious.

I'm not going to answer that--I'm not the expert! But I thought that some iris varieties do well in soggy spots.

[iris lilies]

Iris expertise? You rang?

If you have soggy grounds, try Louisiana iris. Also, Japanese iris. Although I do not know if they are happy that far north. They like it in Missouri if you have the right water conditions for them.

Bearded iris rot in wet grounds.

Oh I know what Would be good for Catherines place…pseudacourus Iris. They are a water Iris and they are tough little beasts and I would bet, without looking it up, that they would do fine that far

[Tybee]

Moved my mother to a new memory care place and cleaned out her old place. Got rid of bags of garbage and boxes (don't ask) and threw out bags of clothes. Cleaned rest of clothes and gave a nice jacket and sweater to my son, a bag to Goodwill. Got rid of Dad's wheelchair to a place that gives them away to folks who need them, despite my brother's request we store it in our barn. Also his printer, calculator, books, lots of papers, LL Bean catalogs, greeting cards, filed rest of papers. Brought much stuff home and am sorting through it to pack away or give to kids --he had three pairs of binoculars, for example. He also has a house full of stuff in another state, but that is tomorrow's problem. Cried a lot, burned a lot, felt the space was cleansed and some of his final business taken care of.
A very hard three days. Went to see my mom in the new memory care place and she is very sad, very confused, wants out of there--I said where do you want to go? and she said "to sail away on a boat somewhere, but there is no one to go with me."

[rosarugosa]

I'm so sorry, Tybee. That sounds like a very painful experience. My mom keeps saying, "When people get like I am, we should be able to take a pill to end our lives." I tell her that I agree with her, but unfortunately it isn't that easy so we just need to keep plugging along and doing our best.

[Tybee]

I'm so sorry, Tybee. That sounds like a very painful experience. My mom keeps saying, "When people get like I am, we should be able to take a pill to end our lives." I tell her that I agree with her, but unfortunately it isn't that easy so we just need to keep plugging along and doing our best.

Your mom sounds like my dad, who was verbalizing a desire to die, and it sounds like you are doing a really good job of responding to that.

[razz]

So wishing that family members did not have to go through challenges such as these as it is so stressful.

[herbgeek]

A very hard three days. Went to see my mom in the new memory care place and she is very sad, very confused, wants out of there

So sorry Tybee. I know how this sucks. I'm right behind you. A sheriff will be serving papers to Mom next week, informing her that my sister and I have filed papers for a conservatorship. She will most likely be entering an assisted living facility this summer, kicking and screaming the whole time and insisting she is fine and is taking care of her house (she isn't), and that she still cooks (she doesn't, at least not without burning herself or the food) and doesn't need any help while she continues to call my sister many nights a week saying how lonely she is. We've tried a day program, but its not enough, and she fights my sister each time she goes (like refusing to put on clean clothes, my sister took her anyways) even though the bus driver and people at the facility say she enjoys herself while she is there.

[happystuff]

I'm so sorry Tybee, and all you others dealing with such things.

[Teacher Terry]

I know firsthand how difficult this all is. The movie “My name is Alice” was about dementia. It’s such a sad and cruel disease. I am in total support of people opting out when they want to.

[Tybee]

So sorry Tybee. I know how this sucks. I'm right behind you. A sheriff will be serving papers to Mom next week, informing her that my sister and I have filed papers for a conservatorship. She will most likely be entering an assisted living facility this summer, kicking and screaming the whole time and insisting she is fine and is taking care of her house (she isn't), and that she still cooks (she doesn't, at least not without burning herself or the food) and doesn't need any help while she continues to call my sister many nights a week saying how lonely she is. We've tried a day program, but its not enough, and she fights my sister each time she goes (like refusing to put on clean clothes, my sister took her anyways) even though the bus driver and people at the facility say she enjoys herself while she is there.

I'm sorry about your mom, herbgeek. What a nightmare, that the sheriff will serve her papers. I am really sorry that has to happen.

We had the emergency court hearing last week, and the final hearing is in a couple of weeks. The visitor from the state came out to interview her and she denied having any children, and did not understand what the woman was talking about, or where she is now, even. I am glad you are getting your mom out of the house sooner rather than later. That will give her time to make a good adjustment to assisted living--my parents loved it once they got used to it, but they could no longer meet her needs at the assisted living place. But there was a happy first year there for them before Covid hit, much better than being at home alone, and they made friends, and I hope your mom does, too.

[rosarugosa]

I'm sorry , Herbgeek. My mom is at least compliant and grateful for anything we do for her. That makes it on the one hand easier to be kind and patient, but on the other hand more painful to witness her anguish. She is so distressed at the thought that she is a burden to us, despite our constant reassurances that she is not.

[Teacher Terry]

It’s a odd disease where many people refuse to bathe, put on clean clothes, become paranoid and often wrap items in Kleenex and hide them. When my friend did all of these I found out it’s common. Some people get very combative. Hugs to all of you experiencing this.

[ejchase]

I'm so sorry to all of you going through these difficult transitions with your parents.

I'm the single mom of an only child, so I REALLY worry about being a burden to my daughter. It's one of the main reasons I'm constantly working on my clutter issues. And I know I need to think about a plan for assisted living sooner rather than later so that she doesn't have to manage that.

[iris lilies]

Fortunately my mother was like rosa’s, mostly compliant. Which doesn’t mean there was not drama in her life situation.

[frugal-one]

Sorry about your mom herbgeek.... hopefully it will go better than you think!

[rosarugosa]

So having completed the semi-annual closet cleanout, the score is currently as follows:
Rosa: 11 items in, 14 items out, for a net of 3 out (plus a pocketbook)
DH: 2 items in, 11 out, for a net of 9 out
So DH is winning this weird little game that we play (we, but mostly me, DH just kind of goes along to humor me). There are a lot of things I'm sure I could sell on eBay, but I really just want them gone. There isn't much of a market for my clothes, but DH's large Brooks Brothers casual shirts would sell. It requires a fair bit of time and effort though, and then I end up with something like $10 for an item after fees, and it works out to a lot less than minimum wage. I'm going to donate them to a good secular non-profit thrift store that I like, so that at least makes it feel a bit more satisfying.
I'm struggling with some items though: things that fit, look fine, but I haven't worn them in the 3+ years since retiring. It does seem like this category gets smaller each year, so I guess progress is being made. I think I would find it easier to let go of things if I didn't have such a hard time finding things that fit and if this stuff hadn't been fairly expensive in the first place.