View Full Version : July Purge
The final emotionally charged lottery ticket I was holding onto - scratched off, I did not win anything, and I will discard it.
The final emotionally charged lottery ticket I was holding onto - scratched off, I did not win anything, and I will discard it.
Way to go!
I gave two little Mary Hadley bowls to my granddaughters last night--have been carrying them around since last summer Michigan yard sale.
A free water bottle I got at work that has a chloriney taste will go in my home trash tonight.
Teacher Terry
7-2-21, 1:36pm
I have another big bag of clothes for the thrift store that are too big. I was at kohl’s yesterday and they were having a sale so I bought 3 casual shirts for 12 each. Since losing weight I have more fancy clothes than casual because my friend had bought them for work.
10 dress shirts of hubsters', a leather portfolio he has never used and was still in his suitcase pocket......from 2015? A red area rug I'm tired of.....a few dresses that don't fit me well.
A red decorator rug I put in the closet several months ago to be sure I was done with it. Today I listed 2 navy bathroom rugs on Buy-Nothing. So far no takers.
One pair of sandals that isn't comfortable and two pairs of worn out flip flops. I will now be wearing the same pair of shoes more than once per week which will wear them out faster, but will still not wear the same pair two days in a row so they have time to air out.
14 items of clothing from going through my and my daughter's clothes - into the trash because they were all too damaged or stained to donate to Goodwill.
Readying a big Hefty bag of other clothes to donate.
My daughter and I went through her sock and underwear drawer and closet, and we found 20 more things to throw out.
New total for month: 34.
Chicken lady
7-6-21, 10:05pm
You might want to check with your goodwill. Ours recycles fabric - they accept ripped and stained items.
2 navy blue throw rugs. I pulled them off the kitchen floor last week. I don't miss them. GONE!
My usual box is nearly full of miscellaneous stuffs. It goes to Goodwill tomorrow with the rugs.
I bought a set of scrubs for my temporary vaccinator job. I'm gifting them to a friend along with 3 pair of capris I haven't worn this year. I'll deliver those to her work tomorrow as she doesn't have time for a meet-up right now.
I just had a flurry. I went through the last remaining vestiges of my career keepsakes. Most into recycling. I have offered 2 terrific resource books to colleagues. If they don't want them, to Goodwill they go!
Just got a taker on FB Buy-Nothing for those 2 blue rugs. :cool: Have just posted a 6*9 zippered notebook portfolio. It will go to Goodwill in tomorrow's box if no takers before 0830
You might want to check with your goodwill. Ours recycles fabric - they accept ripped and stained items.
Thanks, Chicken Lady! Good to know for the future!
Over the last week, I've gone through my closet and gone through my daughter's dresser and closet. We threw a lot out, but today I took 93 items to Goodwill and 11 items to a friend with daughters just a few years younger than my daughter.
New total for month: 138!
1 set of scrubs and 3 pair of Capris delivered to a friend today!
Returned 7 items today that I'd bought online. New total for month: 145.
5 of the 7 contractor size bags of old ceiling tiles have now been picked up. In another week or two I will be done with that rubbish.
Last weekend, I purged some clothes from my two boys' closets. Filled up a trash bag. Also some stuff from the garage like about 6-7 Igloo containers that hadn't been used in decades. We have an attic space in the garage and I found some stuff that I had just shoved up there probably 15 years ago for no reason whatsoever. Purged a baby gate, a car seat, and some patio chairs.
I found the little bike that my boys both learned how to ride a bike with as well as a tricycle. I am sure I put those up to be saved for grandkids but hopefully I am over a decade way from either of my boys having kids and they have already sat up there for 10-15 years. I am debating whether or not to get rid of them. I think it would be really sweet to one day show my kids or even my grandkids the bikes their Daddys used when they were little. But, hopefully it will be another 10 years before I have grandkids and we are planning on moving in about five more years and do I really want to tote those with us when we do????
I would not keep the bikes, and I am all about keeping stuff for my grandchildren, I will admit. I would keep the trike, if I had room and it wasn't a big deal. Bikes are so specific by sizing, that my son just got a handmedown for my granddaughter, but had to buy her a new (used) one anyway because it's too big for her.
but a trike is kind of timeless.
I would not keep the bikes, and I am all about keeping stuff for my grandchildren, I will admit. I would keep the trike, if I had room and it wasn't a big deal. Bikes are so specific by sizing, that my son just got a handmedown for my granddaughter, but had to buy her a new (used) one anyway because it's too big for her.
but a trike is kind of timeless.
The bike is teeny tiny with training wheels. Literally the first bike they had after graduating from the tricycle so sizing shouldn't be an issue. It is up in our attic out of the way. I had forgotten it was even up there so space/room isn't an issue. I will probably hang onto both for a little longer. Minus some stuff that my husband put up in the attic, that is the only other things up there.
rosarugosa
7-13-21, 3:48pm
I boxed up 4 plates and 9 (yikes!) mugs to go to my favorite charitable thrift shop.
Found an Omaha Steaks cooler, a random splitter, and the box for a tire pump that we haven't had for years. All tossed into the garbage.
I gave away three items to neighbors through our Buy Nothing Group.
New total for month: 148.
Targeted another pair of sandals for the trash. I washed them and they shrunk (have cloth uppers that collect dust). I have a drawer I pile things up in until I have a trash bag I need to fill up since it is starting to smell in the summer heat.
I need to get back into the attached garage and declutter the shelving unit...
Several old paint cans that need to be trashed
Three tool kits that need to be relocated to my husband's detached garage where he works on his hot rods.
Yet another Igloo cooler that can go bye-bye.
Septic tank cleaner stuff into the linen closet with the other packets.
Childhood toys that are my husband's need to go into the storage room. (His mom got rid of literally everything my husband had growing up so what he managed to save is very special to him)
I am sure there is more stuff that doesn't belong or needs to be tossed but this is just what I remember seeing in there from the last time.
I gave away 6 kids' DVD's to someone in our Buy Nothing Group. New total for month: 154.
Another less than flattering work T shirt.
happystuff
7-16-21, 11:07am
Going away for a week and then walking back into the house, has given me a fresh set of eyes. Already have several items in the donation box - candle stand, bowl that has never been used, two shirts that I haven't worn in years.
I returned a pair of shoes to the store. New total: 155.
happystuff
7-16-21, 5:12pm
Two items out on the "magic sidewalk" - GONE! in less than 2 hours. Yay!
iris lilies
7-16-21, 6:52pm
Two items out on the "magic sidewalk" - GONE! in less than 2 hours. Yay!
Oh! We have the Magic Alley. Although frankly, that has changed in the past decade since the rich people moved in. We no longer have such fast trolling and pick up of items we set out Unless they are full of metal. Old used appliances go very quickly within half a day because the metal pickers come by and swoop them up. Bless them!!
I went through the drawer with all my daughter's swim stuff and found 14 items to give away (suits, rash guards, beach cover-ups). I also gave away an old set of musical instruments for toddlers and 2 kids' DVD's. They all went to people in the Buy Nothing Group on Facebook!
New total for month: 172.
Taking a break from decluttering the garage but so far the weirdest thing I found is a bag of Rolo's from 2013!! Husband said we should try one to see if they were still good. We unwrapped it and then decided to not risk it and tossed the bag into the trash. I rehomed a lot of stuff to my husband's detached garage like tools. Also repurposed a table from the rec room to our living room since we don't use the rec room anymore to watch TV and we needed a little table next to a chair in the living room to put drinks on if you are sitting there. Before we were using one of the platforms on the cat tree. I think the only other thing I need to get rid of in the garage is old paint cans. It looks a lot better now so I am happy.
I threw out two items too stained to keep or give away. New total: 174.
Threw out a pair of shoes that had become too damaged to wear anymore: 175.
Teacher Terry
7-19-21, 8:16pm
Decluttering for 8 hours a day for a month was too much for my shoulder. I am unhappy because it wasn’t my stuff. I have been resting it for over 2 months and it’s no better. Went to the orthopedic doctor and the X-rays showed bursitis/tendinitis and swelling. Got a steroid injection to get rid of the swelling and now need physical therapy to regain my range of motion. Don’t get carried away like me:)).
Lots of baby steps today.
I gave 10 books to a nearby used bookstore and gave another 5 items away to members of my Buy Nothing Group. New total: 190.
Decluttering for 8 hours a day for a month was too much for my shoulder. I am unhappy because it wasn’t my stuff. I have been resting it for over 2 months and it’s no better. Went to the orthopedic doctor and the X-rays showed bursitis/tendinitis and swelling. Got a steroid injection to get rid of the swelling and now need physical therapy to regain my range of motion. Don’t get carried away like me:)).
Oh no, Teacher Terry! I'm so sorry!
I'll heed your warning! :)
ejchase, I like your numbering method. Maybe I will try that. I've stalled big time. Can't seem to declutter anything as don't know where we will be living or what we will need. Terry, I am really sorry about your shoulder, that is horrible.
rosarugosa
7-20-21, 6:26am
Terry: I hope your shoulder feels better soon.
ejchase, I like your numbering method. Maybe I will try that.
Keeping a count of how much I get rid of is very motivating for me for some reason. My goal for years has been to give away 100 items a month, 1,200 for the year. I've never quite made it, though I've made it to the 700s some years. I write monthly totals in my paper calendar. When I feel despair about my clutter issues, it helps me remember that little by little, I'm making progress.
iris lilies
7-20-21, 11:18am
Teacher Terry that is really too bad that your injuries persist from decluttering.
Teacher Terry
7-20-21, 12:06pm
Echase 100 items a month is a lot and it’s great to have a stretch goal. My ex wants to come see the dogs and I intend to tell him about my shoulder when he’s here. Of course he will figure out a excuse for why it’s not his fault. My physical work days are now behind me because I know from my mom’s experience with bursitis that if you do it the injuries just come back. She sold her house and lived in a apartment with just plants on her patio versus her big flower beds after that happened.
A pair of sandals broke today and will be going out in the trash. That leaves me just two pairs, one regular, one flip flops. I might have to buy some more.
Dropped off a bag of stuff at the thrift store today at lunchtime - 4 drinking glasses, a purse, a billfold, some other stuff I don't even remember at this point. I did go in and buy a silk scarf.
Decluttered from our storage room today:
2 kids bookcases
Toy box
Storage shelving unit
Kids books
Hot Wheels set that was never opened
Set of Hot Wheels that was missing a couple cars
Cowboy and Indians play set
I am also going to get rid of the trike and the bike with training wheels that are in the attic. I decided that they don't hold a special place in my heart.
The only toys of my boys that I am keeping are the massive amount of Hot Wheels and a tub of Legos. Those two things are what my boys played with the most and hold memories for me.
My physical work days are now behind me because I know from my mom’s experience with bursitis that if you do it the injuries just come back. She sold her house and lived in a apartment with just plants on her patio versus her big flower beds after that happened.
It seems like you need REST. I'm so sorry that happened to you.
I returned three pairs of shoes today. New total for month: 193.
happystuff
7-20-21, 8:03pm
I'm so sorry, tt. I hope the shot and pt help quickly.
We had a big bag of cracked corn, maybe 40 pounds, in the house and I heard noises inside it, then saw some very small white worms on it. Put it out in the back yard with a note for DS as to what happened. We used to go to farms together and he would sneak food to the animals but hadn't in a year because he's grown away from me and lately disowned me. It will be a little heavy to heave into the trash barrel, which is full at the moment, but I will when there is room in it. The last of the ceiling tiles are in there now.
Found out I can use the dumpster at work so plan on bringing some bulky items in starting next week to clean up the basement.
catherine
7-23-21, 10:15am
I am very hesitantly purging a wing chair, half of a pair we bought used two years ago. I hate to throw it away, but the upholstery has seen better days, and the legs are wobbly, and we replaced it last year with a recliner for DH who was having a hard time sleeping due to leg cramps. There is no need for this big extra chair in this small house. I still hate to throw it away, but I wouldn't even put it on Craigslist because it's really not in good shape.
Living in a small house is great in that you usually have no place to stick stuff while you delay throwing it out.
Two blouses that are at least eight years old, and I don't have a place to wear them, and they don't feel good on me. A watch that had a broken back plate to hold the battery in. I loved it, but it's served its 15 years. That's 3 items--going to try the counting.
Monday, I will get to toss 4 paintings. They had been in our living room for 20 years until we did a whole house renovation. Liked 3 of them but hated one but of course that was the one my husband loved. We no longer have a need for them so they will get tossed. Have been collecting dust in the storage room for a couple years now.
I gave away two more items to someone in the Buy Nothing Group yesterday. New total for month: 195.
I took 20 items to Goodwill today. New total for month: 215.
happystuff
7-23-21, 5:29pm
I took 20 items to Goodwill today. New total for month: 215.
WoW!!! Congrats!
In dh's job, people give him things "thinking" they are actually "donating", but they really aren't. He ended up with 6 bags of clothing, which were sitting in the house for about a week. The last 2 bags just left the house today. I'm thinking these don't count, though, as they weren't ours to begin with.
happystuff
7-23-21, 5:30pm
Living in a small house is great in that you usually have no place to stick stuff while you delay throwing it out.
This is what I am striving for!!! A small house that just won't hold a lot of stuff!
Teacher Terry
7-23-21, 9:29pm
At 855 sq ft no extra furniture for me. My son and I aren’t having any difficulty living in this space. He has 3/4’s of a closet and I have 2 and a fourth. One closet is strictly household items and one is my clothes and personal items. If I decided to buy any more furniture something would have to leave. I lived in this size condo for 6 years previously without any problems.
rosarugosa
7-24-21, 6:42am
I've always thought our small house (about 900 SF) has helped keep my acquisition impulses under control.
I love when the decluttering bug snowballs. Stripped and remade my bed and thought about putting on a comforter that I don't use anymore that has been sitting in my closet. Put it on and quickly realized the reason it wasn't getting used was because I didn't like it anymore. Then I remembered my youngest has one in the linen closet that doesn't get used. Bagged both those up.
By getting the comforter out of my closet, I realized there was other stuff to purge. Ended up getting rid of two couch pillows, a backpack, a knee stabilizer, a laundry bag, and some sort of vape thingy that was my husband's and I have no idea why it was in the closet.
Put the old dryer drum by the curb hoping the people who roam the neighborhood before trash day would take it for scrap but they did not. Could not fit it in the car but put the next largest piece in to go to the dumpster at work today. The boss okayed this.
Put the old dryer drum by the curb hoping the people who roam the neighborhood before trash day would take it for scrap but they did not. Could not fit it in the car but put the next largest piece in to go to the dumpster at work today. The boss okayed this.
I also use my work's dumpster which has really helped out a lot since I've decluttered some large items recently.
You are so lucky! I need to start dropping off big items at Habitat when we go visit my son, as it is down the street.
If it's something that I think someone might want, I will leave it on the loading dock where the dumpster is for someone to grab it they want. I have done that multiple times recently and it's been taken quickly.
A pizza, under the category of emotional decluttering. It is one both DS and I like and I got it fir Christmas Eve because we both like that brand, but he never would celebrate with me so last night I made it and ate it myself. There is more room in the freezer now, though there are three other items I got for him still there on "my" side as he always disinfects things before moving them to "his" side.
Since hubby was decluttering toys on ebay, I went thru my stuff and pulled a bunch of specialty quilting books and stuff. I will clean out and a charity I like will benefit. Win win. (hit the sweet spot and got $120 for one book.)
Felt good so I am pulling some cat knickknacks and giving them all to a cat group for their sale. Allowing myself one shelf of dust catchers.
Thanks for the inspiration on this thread.
iris lilies
7-27-21, 10:45am
Since hubby was decluttering toys on ebay, I went thru my stuff and pulled a bunch of specialty quilting books and stuff. I will clean out and a charity I like will benefit. Win win. (hit the sweet spot and got $120 for one book.)
Felt good so I am pulling some cat knickknacks and giving them all to a cat group for their sale. Allowing myself one shelf of dust catchers.
Thanks for the inspiration on this thread.
Wow, big score on that book!
Wow, big score on that book!
What was the title? I might have it...
Last weekend, I decluttered some black socks. We really only need 10 (five for me and five for husband) to wear for work. I need to buy a bin for my husband "mementos" and one for my boys' Hot Wheels. When I was looking for stuff in the storage room to declutter, I noticed the cases for the Hot Wheels were falling apart. Hopefully this weekend, I will be putting away my summer décor and putting out my Fall décor and can declutter enough stuff that I can pair down and have at least one bin to use for something.
Not a purge, but I took several items I bought for my son in past months, that I know he now won't use because he is unhappy with me, and put them in the bathroom closet on a shelf that is the lid of a laundry chute I don't use, so they are not cluttering up the dining room table. I would also like to get a room divider and leave him a note to keep all his things on one side of it in the family room. His room is very small and even if he weren't worried about germs getting in there from outside objects it would be too small to keep all his stuff in.
Bought six new items of clothing and got rid of six old items of clothing. Trying to start a one in, one out, or better, one in, two out. But for now, one in, one out.
happystuff
7-29-21, 7:23pm
Bought six new items of clothing and got rid of six old items of clothing. Trying to start a one in, one out, or better, one in, two out. But for now, one in, one out.
Congrats! I "try" to stick to the one in/one out. Hasn't worked too well with clothing, so I think I'll give that a try next time I buy a shirt or something.
Each day I have been getting rid of a piece of the dryer in the metal dumpster at work. We have two other dumpsters and I found out which obpne I can put porcelain in which I will start next week. It has been sitting in the basement from a toilet DS smashed into pieces a while back because while small in size they are so heavy they wear down and break trash bags.
Sunday, Summer decor is coming down and Fall decor is going up. I know for sure there are some stuff I will declutter because they were not put up last Fall. I didn't use them because we had two kittens and they had things that could be easily removed and swallowed. I was fine with how the house looked (and the kittens are still bad even though they are not kittens any more) so they will go to the loading dock at work so someone can take if they want.
Sunday, Summer decor is coming down and Fall decor is going up. I know for sure there are some stuff I will declutter because they were not put up last Fall. I didn't use them because we had two kittens and they had things that could be easily removed and swallowed. I was fine with how the house looked (and the kittens are still bad even though they are not kittens any more) so they will go to the loading dock at work so someone can take if they want.
Oh my goodness! It's 100F here - no way can I even think about Fall decor. I gotta wait until it's in the 50s or 60s, lol.
happystuff
7-30-21, 3:14pm
My "fall" decor looks just like my "summer" decor... and my "winter" and "spring" decor for that matter! LOL. I do bring stuff out for Christmas, but otherwise I'm not changing out knick-knacks, decorations, etc. let alone storing the stuff.
Don't get me wrong - it's nice to look at! In someone else's house. :)
Oh my goodness! It's 100F here - no way can I even think about Fall decor. I gotta wait until it's in the 50s or 60s, lol.
Oh, it is still hot here too but to me, August means Fall. It is my favorite season and honestly, I am tired of my summer/4th of July decor and am ready for a change.
@happystuff... I don't put out a lot so changing decor literally takes no time at all. Except for Winter/Christmas decor. That I do go crazy with a decorate the house with a lot more stuff. I am not a knick knack kind of person so if I didn't decorate for seasons/holidays, my house would look pretty bare.
rosarugosa
7-31-21, 7:03am
My personal rule on autumn décor is that it must wait until 10/1.
happystuff
7-31-21, 8:32am
@happystuff... I don't put out a lot so changing decor literally takes no time at all. Except for Winter/Christmas decor. That I do go crazy with a decorate the house with a lot more stuff. I am not a knick knack kind of person so if I didn't decorate for seasons/holidays, my house would look pretty bare.
Congrats about the knick knacks. We have more around here than I would like, but... slow and steady. LOL.
I had a friend who used to change out for the season (as well as holidays!!!) from knick knacks all the way to full sets of dishes in the kitchen! Personally, that's too much for me. But it made her happy.
An ugly bush. Weeds. Finally a weekend day that is neither rainy, sopping wet from recent heavy rains, or super hot and humid. I didn't start up any power equipment at 7 AM to start in the big backlog but my neighbor did.
My personal rule on autumn décor is that it must wait until 10/1.
That is when the Halloween decor gets added to the Fall decor.
Congrats about the knick knacks. We have more around here than I would like, but... slow and steady. LOL.
I had a friend who used to change out for the season (as well as holidays!!!) from knick knacks all the way to full sets of dishes in the kitchen! Personally, that's too much for me. But it made her happy.
Oh, I don't go that far. Don't have dishes for every season. Use the same ones year round. I do have a couple dish towels that I rotate depending on the time of year as well as table runners and placemats.
Last day of July so I got back into the storage room. This is what will be going out of my house...
2 hand towels
2 lamps
3 desk/office chairs
1 TV
1 vacuum
Getting rid of a bunch of boxes from online orders that have accumulated.
Last day of July so I got back into the storage room. This is what will be going out of my house...
2 hand towels
2 lamps
3 desk/office chairs
1 TV
1 vacuum
Edit...
Only got rid of one of the chairs but found another TV that could go. I will have to load the other two chairs in our truck and take them to the dump another time. The rest fit in my trunk and I will put them in the dumpster at work on Monday.
frugal-one
7-31-21, 3:53pm
What is the purpose of keeping track of the number of things you purge? I don't understand that. What does it mat†er?
For me, it is more about being surprised at the number of items I can find at one time to declutter because I always think that I am at a point where there is nothing left to declutter. The only real room in my house now that has random stuff in it is the storage room and honestly most of the stuff is things my husband wants to keep around. He has no clue that when he and the youngest go to get Slurpees every Saturday, I use that time to load up stuff that I want to get rid of. He caught me one time decluttering the attached garage but I had already stuck the stuff in my trunk so it looked like I was just in there looking around. Even I am shocked when I looked in the storage room just now and remembered just a few weeks ago how much unnecessary stuff was in there. Once I do get those other 2 chairs out, I think I will truly be at a point where there is nothing else that can go. Is there things I would like to go?? Yes but that stuff means something to my husband so it stays. Like his record player and albums. Hasn't used it in 24 years but he would be pissed if it was gone. I know my limits when it comes to getting things out.
It has been 6 weeks since I left the company I worked for 20+ years. In the computer room I had two boxes from my office. I had on my list today to get started going through them. Nearly 20 years of Hawaii calendars. I loved those cheap ABC stores calendars. I started flipping through them. They consisted of sick days of my employees I noted, the occasional vacation days, and appointments with vendors. Seriously, remind me of why I kept all of these?!* I kept one that had some great photographs of the island. Tossed the others. I had 9 empty Altoids tins. Yeah people can do crafty stuff with them...but not me. Tossed them. Miscellaneous name brand mementos, tossed. The rest I found a new home for - some in the donation box. Why to we hang on to this stuff?! :|(
*when I told my wife this she said she keeps her calendars, so one day when she writes her memoirs she will have the notes she made on them. We both laughed, yeah that is never happening.
frugal-one
7-31-21, 8:18pm
Yeah... awards ... retired what to do with it... some are crystal. What a waste. Even at the time wished they would just have given me the money spent on the crap.
iris lilies
7-31-21, 10:36pm
Yeah... awards ... retired what to do with it... some are crystal. What a waste. Even at the time wished they would just have given me the money spent on the crap.
I threw mine away. I did keep one thing from my job that wasnt an “award” exactly since it was given to all senior management and board members, but it was cool: a 3” x5” x 3” glass block made from the floor of the 1912 library building where I worked. During renovation of that building, that floor was removed. People are pretty sentimental about the old glass floors in library stacks.
I keep 2 neighborhood awards around and will move them to Hermann because they are practical and cool. They utilize architectural elements that symbolize my neighborhood. I love the objects and they are SUPER heavy. I use them as door stops.
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