January Purge

[Klunick]

An electric skillet

[happystuff]

A small, plastic tool box that is broken. Finally ditching it.

[Tradd]

Thanks for getting us started. I got rid of a lot of stuff over the weekend, but I want to get back to my previous minimalist ways (except for dive gear, which has been thinned out a not).

[nswef]

I cleared some things out from under the bathroom sink. It only took 10 minutes and I think we may have a drip...testing it now. Also got rid of some cookies...by eating them.

[early morning]

lol nswef - I now need to purge some pounds added by purging the house of snacks during the holidays :|(

[iris lilies]

Well, the Leisure Suit 70’s New Years Eve party was nice, but DH’s groovy platform shoes from 1975 fell apart. The 50 year old glue just gave out.

so, these need to go in the trash. The suit itself…I am trying ro talk him into letting me drop it off at a vintage clothing store. It is too small for him, really.

R.I.P these fab shoes!

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[Klunick]

Put away all the Christmas decor and got out the Winter decor. Ended up getting rid of one Christmas item that I could never really make it look nice on the tree. A snowman cookie jar and the top of a gnome thar I had discarded the bottom to a few months ago. Didn't look as good without the body as I thought it would.

[rosarugosa]

I thoroughly decluttered a little wall cabinet that is a catch-all for all manner of things. It is now more empty than full.

[happystuff]

Well, the Leisure Suit 70’s New Years Eve party was nice, but DH’s groovy platform shoes from 1975 fell apart. The 50 year old glue just gave out.

so, these need to go in the trash. The suit itself…I am trying ro talk him into letting me drop it off at a vintage clothing store. It is too small for him, really.

R.I.P these fab shoes!

5720

Well, if you really want to keep the shoes, there is a product called Shoe Goo that actually worked well on my work shoes. Got it at Walmart. Otherwise, RIP fab shoes!

[iris lilies]

I just tossed an item that was going to be a craft project next fall. I dreaded it, so why do it?

[iris lilies]

Well, if you really want to keep the shoes, there is a product called Shoe Goo that actually worked well on my work shoes. Got it at Walmart. Otherwise, RIP fab shoes!

This is a dilemma. Should I fix the shoes to include them with the leisure suit that I plan to take to the vintage store? Ugh, I don’t know. The shoes are missing an insole anyway, lost on New Year’s Eve.

[early morning]

Yes! Fix the shoes. Insoles can be replaced, and someone will LOVE THEM, I promise you! They are fabulous!

[iris lilies]

I did better than purging, today I went to two thrift stores, and left each one empty-handed. So I didn’t even haul anything into my house that would have to be purged!

[early morning]

I dropped off a bag of stuff - about 15 items- at a local thrift. Threw away some cleaning rags after using them to clean. Ok, they were cotton so actually I composted them, but they are gone. I have lots of rags.....

[rosarugosa]

I've had good luck with Shoe Goo.
I have a couple of people coming to pick stuff up today, and there will of course be a box of free pottery on the steps. DH is relinquishing his Oster milkshake maker, and I'm passing on some spa mask things, because no way am I sitting around for 20 minutes with a thing on my face. Life it too short and I have better things to do.

[iris lilies]

Today I am thrilled to have gone to design club with three floral designs. Came home with zero. Nada. I unloaded them on other people. Yay!

[Tradd]

Passed a book along to someone yesterday.

[rosarugosa]

My pickup people took 3 pieces of pottery!

[Klunick]

Pair of jeans
An extension cord
Two boxes of face masks

[iris lilies]

Yes! Fix the shoes. Insoles can be replaced, and someone will LOVE THEM, I promise you! They are fabulous!
Well, it is too late. DH threw them away and they left with the garbage man yesterday. I’m kind of bummed about it but I’m also relieved that it’s not one more task. I have to do now I need to find a home for the leisure suit.

[Tradd]

Well, it is too late. DH threw them away and they left with the garbage man yesterday. I’m kind of bummed about it but I’m also relieved that it’s not one more task. I have to do now I need to find a home for the leisure suit.

Any vintage clothing stores within a reasonable distance?

[iris lilies]

Any vintage clothing stores within a reasonable distance?
Yes, that’s my plan, to drop it off at a vintage clothing store in St. Louis. I’ve already dropped a couple things off at two different stores so I know where they are.

before eBay changed their sellers policy I would’ve sold it on eBay, but I just don’t want eBay to have access to my bank account for the very occasional sales I might make, maybe one a year. Etsy runs its sellers account the same way.

[Klunick]

Went through the first aid kit and got rid of a bunch of the butterfly bandaids and the dot/circle bandaids. We don't use them and it made room for the ones we do use.

Also got rid of about 10 Command hooks. Didn't have enough adhesive strips for them.

[Klunick]

A Summer shirt that everyone said looked like the top to a set of scrubs.

[Tybee]

Several file folders of old papers. More files to purge!

[Yppej]

no way am I sitting around for 20 minutes with a thing on my face. Life it too short and I have better things to do.

A woman after my own heart.

A nasal spray I could not figure out how to use and broke trying.

[Klunick]

After work today, I plan on decluttering some cat toys. They got a bunch of new ones from Santa so the ones they no longer play with need to go.

[ejchase]

Returned 4 pairs of pants to the store!

[ejchase]

Returned 2 shirts to the store. Total for month: 6.

[iris lilies]

i am having trouble with returns to Amazon.

Am fighting with Amazon and a vendor to get a refund.Amazon message show refund was authorized December 14, 2023. So I will have to spend time on that today.

this is annoying because I JUST this fall figured out how to return items. I take them to the local grocery store, already boxed and labeled. Fortunately, I do have a printer, they do not.

oh but then the grocery store changed hands and the new place doesn’t take Amazon returns. I can take them to the toen 30 miles away, tho, the place we go through on the way to St.Louis.

And now, the latest problem with an Amazon return is that the return label disappeared from the online file.

I’m glad to be retired to figure out this stuff because if I wasn’t retired, I would just forget about returns.

[Tradd]

i am having trouble with returns to Amazon.

Am fighting with Amazon and a vendor to get a refund.Amazon message show refund was authorized December 14, 2023. So I will have to spend time on that today.

this is annoying because I JUST this fall figured out how to return items. I take them to the local grocery store, already boxed and labeled. Fortunately, I do have a printer, they do not.

oh but then the grocery store changed hands and the new place doesn’t take Amazon returns. I can take them to the toen 30 miles away, tho, the place we go through on the way to St.Louis.

And now, the latest problem with an Amazon return is that the return label disappeared from the online file.

I’m glad to be retired to figure out this stuff because if I wasn’t retired, I would just forget about returns.

I just take mine to the Whole Foods 15 min away.

[ejchase]

So, I'm still returning items to stores because I ordered a lot of clothes in December for a trip east to see family, and some things just didn't work. And I count the returns as part of my purge because I've learned over the last 5 years that neglecting to return items was contributing to my clutter and also not great for my finances! So it's progress for me that I'm staying on top of them this month.

Today, I returned 2 pairs of shoes. Total for month: 8.

[rosarugosa]

I dropped off a small selection of donations to one of my favorite non-profit thrift shops: a pocketbook, 2 shirts, a pair of gloves and a pair of earrings.

[Klunick]

Got rid of a long cloth basket that a bunch of Christmas cookies were delivered in. All the cookies we wanted to eat have been eaten so there was no need to keep the basket. It felt good to get that off my counter for some much needed visual emptiness.

Also got rid of a silicone placemat that I had on top of another placemat for the cats. Whenever the cats would spill their water, it would just sit there and sometimes leak onto the floor. The other placemat will absorb water better and can get machine washed when needed until I can find one like I have underneath their wet food bowls. Chewy no longer sells them so I have to go hunting elsewhere.

[Klunick]

i am having trouble with returns to Amazon.

Am fighting with Amazon and a vendor to get a refund.Amazon message show refund was authorized December 14, 2023. So I will have to spend time on that today.

this is annoying because I JUST this fall figured out how to return items. I take them to the local grocery store, already boxed and labeled. Fortunately, I do have a printer, they do not.

oh but then the grocery store changed hands and the new place doesn’t take Amazon returns. I can take them to the toen 30 miles away, tho, the place we go through on the way to St.Louis.

And now, the latest problem with an Amazon return is that the return label disappeared from the online file.

I’m glad to be retired to figure out this stuff because if I wasn’t retired, I would just forget about returns.

Can you get the return label from the Amazon website under the "your orders" tab?

[iris lilies]

Can you get the return label from the Amazon website under the "your orders" tab?
I will check again, but the last time I looked for it to print, it no longer appeared as a file there.

[Tradd]

I will check again, but the last time I looked for it to print, it no longer appeared as a file there.

You should have gotten an email with a link to the label. No longer have that?

[Tybee]

Just got rid of 9 cloth masks I found in a backpack; have no recollection of putting them there but am reclaiming the backpack.

[iris lilies]

You should have gotten an email with a link to the label. No longer have that?
no, do not have. I should’ve printed it out at the moment I saw it.

[Klunick]

Two pet food bowls and a placemat for underneath food bowls

[Tradd]

Ordered some clothes from a new place. Didn’t fit. Sending them back. They were very nice, but they were tunics and so long they were nearly at my knees.

[flowerseverywhere]

I am following a declutter your sewing space on Facebook and a 21 day challenge. So many ideas and every day you tackle one more thing. Thread, scissors, pins, books, patterns and so on. I’ve been able to really give away a lot of items I really didn’t need. I also donated 64 items for a charity I knit and sew for. DH is sick and I spent the past few months sewing pillowcases, adult clothing protectors (bibs), and mastectomy and seatbelt pillows, plus knitting hats and scarves all from my stash. It was very fullfilling too and gave me something to do in hospitals, waiting rooms or when I was home.

[iris lilies]

I am following a declutter your sewing space on Facebook and a 21 day challenge. So many ideas and every day you tackle one more thing. Thread, scissors, pins, books, patterns and so on. I’ve been able to really give away a lot of items I really didn’t need. I also donated 64 items for a charity I knit and sew for. DH is sick and I spent the past few months sewing pillowcases, adult clothing protectors (bibs), and mastectomy and seatbelt pillows, plus knitting hats and scarves all from my stash. It was very fullfilling too and gave me something to do in hospitals, waiting rooms or when I was home.

I am sorry to hear your husband has been ill.

[rosarugosa]

Same here, Flowers, I'm glad your decluttering challenge is going well but sorry your DH is sick.

Yesterday I gave away an item via my local FB giving page. It was a small round woolen piece I had hand-hooked when I was a teenager. It was going to be a chair seat pad for a favorite aunt's red rocking chair. Aunt is long gone, chair is long gone, I never finished the back of the chair pad. I cannot imagine how many times I have decluttered linens/soft goods and gone past this item thinking, "Oh, that's the chair pad I hooked. So nice, but not my colors and I have no use for it, so I will just keep it here." For some reason, this time it dawned on me that putting it into the hands of someone who would actually use it was a much better way of honoring my long ago time and effort. Bonus: the woman who picked it up also took 2 small pottery bowls!

I think sometimes it is helpful to have someone else assist, because we can declutter with blinders on, not the perfect analogy, but the best I can come up with at the moment. Sis and I sometimes help each other and will ask questions like, "Do you ever use it? When was the last time you wore it? Do you really love it?" DH can also be surprisingly helpful when I'm able to pull him in for input. It's like someone else can look at things with a fresh, more objective perspective.

[Klunick]

Threw out another pair of jeans. Second pair in less than 10 days. Hole in the knee got to the point where it was both annoying and embarrassing. Down to one pair now but two more should be arriving in a few days.

[rosarugosa]

Yesterday, I had one woman pick up a bookcase that I had offered up on FB for my sister, and she also took a pottery bowl. Another woman took 2 hand-knitted scarves that DH no longer wanted. She is involved in some program to give scarves, hats and gloves to those in need. She also took a small pottery heart.
The kitchen project has been a good impetus for us to up our decluttering game.

[SiouzQ.]

I have a little rule when I am decluttering - I ask myself "Will I regret letting go of x, y, or z and even remember x, y, or z in one month? 6 months? a year? Most of the time I can say no very easily.

Anyway, I have been involved with doing a family project for the past few months ever since my dad's wife shipped nine boxes of his personal items after he passed. Much of it was very old family photos starting from the early 1900's. I was also delegated the task of sorting through my grandmother's amazing cache of jewelry; she was a very accomplished silversmith and also collected very fine pieces from Mexico and other notable jewelry designers. I decided that I would photograph and inventory all of it into an Excel spreadsheet and put it on Google Drive so all my family members could choose the pieces that they wanted. It's been fun seeing what pieces my nieces chose and so far I have mailed out three boxes of jewelry and family photos. I have two more boxes to go. Luckily, one of my nieces is into genealogy and is going to be the keeper of all these family photos. I just wish that my ancestors did a better job of identifying the people in the photos!

Of course I kept the jewelry of Grandma's that I wanted; I have so much cool jewelry but now that I'm not working for the time being, I really don't have anywhere to wear it. Some of the really old photos I just adore, but I really don't have a need to keep them at my house. I've scanned the ones I want and I'm happy they will go to my niece so she can pour over them like I have. The oldest photo of our family that I have found seems to be from around the 1890's of two women in Victorian dress - the photo studio was in Miskcolz, Hungary, where my dad's side of the family was from. Most of them started emigrating to the US around that time.

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[iris lilies]

That is a cool old picture SiouzQ. What a fantastic gift your grandmother left to everyone in those jewelry pieces.

I am glad I got that family photograph project Out-of-the-way 15 years ago. And yes, the lack of markings on photographs makes ya crazy. I had one photograph showing an ancient relative that was marked on the back “this is the only photo we have of her “with no mention of who “her “is. Doh.

[early morning]

This un-useful marking of photos still continues.... We belong to an international family association. Our current archivist told us about a consult/meeting with someone interested in preserving his family history for future generations, asking for advice. First thing the archivist said was MARK YOUR PHOTOS - names and dates. So when he got to the actual consult, the man proudly pulled out his photo box, with all pictures marked and dated. First one he passed over was indeed newly labeled - "Mom - last Christmas". And so it continues....

That's a lovely photo, SiouzQ, how cool! But one has to wonder - is this family to came here? Stayed behind? Or perhaps a former girlfriend, lol?

[happystuff]

I am following a declutter your sewing space on Facebook and a 21 day challenge. So many ideas and every day you tackle one more thing. Thread, scissors, pins, books, patterns and so on. I’ve been able to really give away a lot of items I really didn’t need. I also donated 64 items for a charity I knit and sew for. DH is sick and I spent the past few months sewing pillowcases, adult clothing protectors (bibs), and mastectomy and seatbelt pillows, plus knitting hats and scarves all from my stash. It was very fullfilling too and gave me something to do in hospitals, waiting rooms or when I was home.

Sorry to hear that your dh is sick. Hope he heals quickly. Sounds like you are being very productive!

[iris lilies]

This un-useful marking of photos still continues.... We belong to an international family association. Our current archivist told us about a consult/meeting with someone interested in preserving his family history for future generations, asking for advice. First thing the archivist said was MARK YOUR PHOTOS - names and dates. So when he got to the actual consult, the man proudly pulled out his photo box, with all pictures marked and dated. First one he passed over was indeed newly labeled - "Mom - last Christmas". And so it continues....

That's a lovely photo, SiouzQ, how cool! But one has to wonder - is this family to came here? Stayed behind? Or perhaps a former girlfriend, lol?

that is a hilariously sad story about those photographs, continuing on unmarked into the next set of hands. People are just dumb!

[Yppej]

A sheet that ripped. I am using things up and wearing them out. Made a dent in all the OTC flu and cold meds and didn’t have to buy any, and now am better.

[rosarugosa]

Glad you are better, Jeppy!

[Yppej]

Thank you RR.

[Tybee]

Took a sewing basket to my granddaughters and a very nice Cuisinart dutch oven to my son and daughter in law. Their Le Creuset wore out completely--enamel all gone from inside, which shouldnot have happened, so hopefully they will start using this one. I need to get on my dil about trying to get a new pot from Le Creuset as she is very good at doing that, and supposedly there is a chance they will replace them. It's only 13 years old.

[Klunick]

Threw out another pair of jeans. Second pair in less than 10 days. Hole in the knee got to the point where it was both annoying and embarrassing. Down to one pair now but two more should be arriving in a few days.

New jeans came yesterday and they don't fit despite being the same brand, style, and size as the others. Will be returning by week's end.

[ejchase]

I gave away a pair of shoes on Buy Nothing. Total for month: 9.

[happystuff]

Started cleaning downstairs closet. It is huge and is both coat and storage (there is another coat closet as well - sheesh!). Threw out child's old ripped-up sports bag and will start going through tools, etc. Hopefully some of these coats and jackets can be donated!!! lol

[Klunick]

A pet hair remover thingy that looks like a rake. Didn't work as well as my knock off Chom Chom.

[Tybee]

A really cool popcorn container with Snoopy on it that my granddaughters can use to store toys. I was going to store rice in it but it's too large. Husband's Christmas present jigsaw puzzle that my son's family can do now that we have done it once.

[Yppej]

The sunscreen I was using as lotion separated so out that went.

[Tybee]

A skirt and two pairs of blue jeans to the Goodwill bag.

[Yppej]

A pajama top that wore out. My wardrobe is winnowing down through attrition.

[happystuff]

Donation just got picked up - two boxes and three bags. Didn't count, but lots of stuff!

[rosarugosa]

I went through a cabinet I had overlooked and culled out some cat items for trash or donation. The upcoming kitchen remodel has been a good nudge for decluttering.

[Klunick]

I went through a cabinet I had overlooked and culled out some cat items for trash or donation. The upcoming kitchen remodel has been a good nudge for decluttering.

Funny how you can literally walk past something daily and it can get overlooked so easily.

Got rid of a small scatching post the cats never used.

[rosarugosa]

Funny how you can literally walk past something daily and it can get overlooked so easily.

Got rid of a small scatching post the cats never used.

That is so true. I'm trying to pay very close attention these days! Because I tend to be pretty tidy and organized, it is easy for my eyes to skip over things without challenging their existence, so to speak. That was one of my only useful takeaways from Marie Kondo. It turns out there is a world of difference between looking in a drawer to see if anything should go, and taking everything out of the drawer and deciding what should go back in. So I'm kind of approaching my kitchen from both angles. As carefully as I believe I'm culling as I take things out and box them up, I'll bet there will be plenty more culling as I put things back in place.

[ejchase]

I returned 4 items to stores. Total for month: 13.

[early morning]

The universe and one of our maple trees shattered our glass-top (trash picked) patio table, so that's my contribution for the month... :|( ANY my dryer is on its deathbed. Next month I will try to get rid of stuff on purpose!

[nswef]

Returned a nightie that had a weird label STUCK on the neckline. Put one weight (10 lb) 60 years old and not used in 50... in the garbage cart to weigh it down in the wind! Lots more to go...

[Yppej]

Tonight will be a jacket I am now too hefty to fit into. Have two of these, but keeping one for when I go to city meetings so I don't wear my regular one with the company logo. The company might not want to be associated with my activism, so I squeeze into it.

[rosarugosa]

Oh no, Early, that's no fun.

I just went through the cabinet with the plastic wrap and baggies and such. Apparently I am utterly enchanted by tiny little Ziploc type baggies, the size to hold a pair of earrings or a couple of coins or an acorn or something. It seems like I've held onto every one of these that ever came into my possession. I got rid of a lot of them, but I did keep the very best ones, lol. I did substantially decrease the contents of that cabinet though.

How do you all store the boxes of plastic wrap, aluminum foil, wax paper, etc? Do you have those storage things that attach to the inside of the cabinet door?

[Klunick]

Two small saucepans and a bottle of hot sauce.

[early morning]

rr - I just bought a thousand (yes, 1000)of those little bags. We use them for jewelry repair bits, actual jewelry until it's ready to go sell, and for the jewelry sales in the museum shop. I didn't really plan to get so many, but they were just a tad more expensive that the 100 pack, so... if you find yourself needing more, let me know lol.

Yeah, bummed about the table - when you depend on the universe to provide such things, you can't be too picky, and they don't come on demand. this, I believe, is universal payback for refusing to bring home a free metal top outdoor table from a sale last summer, lol. Because we already HAD one. Until, we didn't.

Just took about 10 pounds of paper/magazines/cardboard etc to the recycle trug from a random-box storage room mini-purge. Put 2 shirts into the thrift box. And removed about a half-pound of dust/lint/floating dust buffaloes from the top of the fridge and several cabinets, into the compost bucket.

Kitchen storage - I don't have much. We just make do as best we can. I use a fair number of those little half-shelf things from various stores to give me more room for short items - I find them quite helpful. I have a larger one in the chimney cupboard and my foil, wax paper, and plastic wrap go under it, and the baggies (quart, gallon, and washed-for-reuse ) sit on the top. Works for me, but people's kitchen storage in old houses are wildly different, so as always YMMV. :)

[iris lilies]

Oh no, Early, that's no fun.

I just went through the cabinet with the plastic wrap and baggies and such. Apparently I am utterly enchanted by tiny little Ziploc type baggies, the size to hold a pair of earrings or a couple of coins or an acorn or something. It seems like I've held onto every one of these that ever came into my possession. I got rid of a lot of them, but I did keep the very best ones, lol. I did substantially decrease the contents of that cabinet though.

How do you all store the boxes of plastic wrap, aluminum foil, wax paper, etc? Do you have those storage things that attach to the inside of the cabinet door?
The boxes of plastic wrap, aluminum foil, etc. are stored in a drawer. We have a lot of storage in our kitchen.


I have enough aluminum foil to last a lifetime because a friend gave it to me. I’m now consciously using it up.

[rosarugosa]

Lol Early, I will keep you in mind if I ever need more.
Thanks Early and Iris for your input on storage. I think I'll have to see what it's like when the new cabinets are actually in place. Most of our drawers are going to be those pull-outs, so this will be a whole new world for us.

[Klunick]

Oh no, Early, that's no fun.

I just went through the cabinet with the plastic wrap and baggies and such. Apparently I am utterly enchanted by tiny little Ziploc type baggies, the size to hold a pair of earrings or a couple of coins or an acorn or something. It seems like I've held onto every one of these that ever came into my possession. I got rid of a lot of them, but I did keep the very best ones, lol. I did substantially decrease the contents of that cabinet though.

How do you all store the boxes of plastic wrap, aluminum foil, wax paper, etc? Do you have those storage things that attach to the inside of the cabinet door?

We only use aluminum foil and that is stored in the same drawer as our silverware and ziploc bags. The drawer is right by the oven/stove so it's very handy.

[ejchase]

I returned a sweater to the Gap on the last day of the month! Total for month: 14.