View Full Version : November Purge
I have some Fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving decor in a bin together. I was getting out my Thanksgiving stuff and making room to put in the Halloween stuff and came across a strand of fake leaves that I put along the cabinets in the kitchen for Fall. I have two and the other goes around the floor lamp in the living room. I really like the leaves on the floor lamp but I questioned whether or not having the other strand for the cabinets was worth it. I decided it was a no. Can't really see them, they sometimes get in the way when closing the cabinets, and the lights haven't worked for years.
Good call! I am visiting son and brought some family heirlooms to distribute so that feels good, one piece of jewelry I have been in charge of for fifty years, probably from about 1930
iris lilies
11-1-24, 4:31pm
Today we took a truckload of items to Goodwill. We went through the garage and our house and gathered items to leave our home. Tomorrow, at our city’s bulk pick up day, a few items will be delivered to go to the landfill.
And then, I handed off a bunch of items for DH‘s metal collection; he needs to haul all of his metal scraps into the city to exchange for money.
And then we identified a few items to take to the auction house down the street. We have three sets of French doors. NONE of them belong to any house we own. 1 set came from our alley in St. Louis and 2 sets from our friend’s city alley. I am oddly attached to French doors so that’s why I let DH build that small collection, but it is time that they go. if the auction house doesn’t want them, then we need to take them to the architectural remnant place in St. Louis. They are really NICE doors!
iris lilies
11-1-24, 4:34pm
Crap, now I am thinking of the cute little garden house DH could build with those French doors…
After looking at a little tiered tray sign that I had on a little decorative cart filled with pines cones, I decided I really didn't like it so it got decluttered and I put the pumpkin sign it came with on it. I think it goes better than the other one.
sweetana3
11-2-24, 10:29am
Spent several hours cleaning out the two closets with our outerwear. Found all the matching hoods and liners and put the sets together. Why did we have 3 matching Columbia coats? Going to donate one to the local VA community center thrift shop. Tried all the zippers and checked for any damage. Got rid of a pile of various coats and sweatshirts. Then on to the shoes. One set of boots to go and tossed two sets of broken or wrong sized athletic shoes. All the shoe liners are now in a marked box in the basement along with a box of all the vacuum attachments. Then checked all the gloves and scarves. 3 mismatched gloves looking for partners. Donating 4 various duplicate backpacks and bags.
Now everything is ready and tidy for winter. I have 2/3 of a shelf empty and a clean entry. We finally can find everything.
iris lilies
11-2-24, 12:21pm
This one was HARD: I threw away my old super comfortable cardigan that was half cashmere and half silk. It had holes in it that I’ve sewed up, one of our foster dogs liked to chew fabric, but it did have one gaping hole that I never mended.
DH Kept making remarks about about how ragged it was and he finally refused to go anywhere with me if I was wearing that sweater.
sigh, Farewell, wonderful sweater that loved me like a mother!
I say this every year but sometime this month I intend to go through my two boxes of seeds and find a new home for those I no longer want or need. Since I started saving seeds, I don't buy many anymore. I donated some yesterday to an upcoming swap which I will attend and no doubt bring home more.
rosarugosa
11-3-24, 6:45am
Sweetana: I should go through our winter outerwear too, since there are usually a lot of groups doing drives to collect warm coats, gloves, etc.
IL: DH and I each gave up a beloved, raggedy sweatshirt this week, so it must have been the week for it. I hummed taps as I put them in the fabric recycling bag.
happystuff
11-3-24, 10:06am
Yeah on everyone cleaning out the outer wear. I have limited coats and jackets, but others in the household have ALOT!!
I totally get the old sweater, IL. Hope you find another one that can work it's way up to the same comfort level.
Kind of a purge and exchange. Did the dreaded bra shopping yesterday. Got two new ones and threw out two old ones. Also got two simple cutting mats and threw out the two old ones. Finally got a new little corkscrew and threw out the big broken one.
I like this shopping to replace and not just buying additional stuff!
iris lilies
11-3-24, 10:16am
In my head, I am entertaining the notion of getting rid of 2 things of aome size that .i have been dragging around for 40 years.
Just entertaining the notion, mind you, but once that idea creeps in I can move it along. Maybe by this time next year I can let them go.
Winter storm coming so I got a wild hair to do a drawer a day cleaning/decluttering project. That would include cabinets too. Take everything out, clean/organize, toss/donate anything not being used. Today I did the silverware drawer.
I removed a HUGE lavender bush that was too big for the sidewalk space...root was on its way out. Cut it up so the spring can be put around the shed and house to deter mice and snakes...Will it work? Who knows?? But the flower bed is now neat and bare-ish. Did another flower bed too and dug up and invasive pretty pink plant and some coneflowers, glads and goldenrod.
rosarugosa
11-4-24, 7:26am
We filled the whole back of my sister's SUV with stuff we culled from Mom's basement yesterday, plus put two bags of trash out on the curb. We're trying to be proactive since we'll need to deal with all her stuff eventually, and she still has a lot of stuff after multiple purges. It's kind of surreal to be able to get rid of anything now, where I used to have to struggle with Mom for her to give up anything. All things considered, I would rather have old Mom back with all her wits and all her crap, but that isn't an option. It also feels good to do something tangibly productive when we are at her house, since the whole scenario is pretty depressing.
Happy: I agree on the replacement concept, but sometimes find it hard to give up the item I was replacing and need to give myself a stern talking-to, lol.
Nswef: You are fortunate to be able to grow lavender so large!
Enjoy the clean out Rosa as a break from the sadness of your mom's decline. It's good to have something to focus on that is progressing. I am pleased to have grown such a HUGE lavender. It was a surprise. Of course I cannot remember where I bought it...I have another that is filling a space well.
rosarugosa
11-12-24, 7:37am
I love begonias, but they are toxic to cats, so I grow a lot of them outdoors as annuals in the summer. Usually I compost them at the end of the season, but this year I successfully rehomed 4 of them via Facebook, which was much more satisfying.
Took a set of dishes to my kids and a set to the Goodwill, along with some clothes to the Goodwill.
Water jug that has no lid and a watering can.
Sold a book (specialty diving one)
happystuff
11-13-24, 2:15pm
Sold a wooden shoe cabinet on Marketplace yesterday. It's out of the living room!!! lol
One of those large laundry hampers with the 3 bags that you can separate laundry into whites, darks, and ??? (I never did figure out the third one). First had it in my bedroom and then in the laundry room. Took up too much space and a lot easier to just throw everything into a regular hamper.
Threw away and old brush and bagged up a bunch of hair elastics (never used) and those plastic alligator hair clips. I certainly can't use them anymore now that I just chopped off my hair. I may keep them for now but I hid them away on a closet shelf. I'm sure I'll end up donating them but...
Gave a book away on Buy Nothing group.
ToomuchStuff
11-17-24, 8:31pm
Nearly purged an employee. Rough morning (medical supply sight down, tried to find some spares locally via drugstore, and response was you need to call a medical supply house, uhm that to me IS a drugstore). Worker texted me at midnight not coming in, injured self (can't do anything about it at that time of night, especially when I am asleep).
Went in, Sunday's are the bad day (four orders, payroll sometimes, people keep trying to come in early, or order early, etc). Was checking supplies when I opened the mop room door and the water heater exhaust hit my head after the door hit it. Rusted out and hanging down, and I thought eyes watering was my allergies, not carbon monoxide. Employee doing dough hadn't felt right and just thought he might have been catching something.
Fire dept, Heating and cooling people called, shut down the restaurant long enough to vent so HC guy could replace. Worker went to urgent care and ended up in hospital. Mom kept calling not taking I'm busy as an actual thing. Worker's ok, thankfully.
Wow! Glad everyone is OK.
iris lilies
11-17-24, 8:53pm
Wow TMS! That is a lot, a LOT.
It sure is a lot, too much! Hang in there and try to get some time to rest.
rosarugosa
11-19-24, 7:37am
Oh boy, TMS. That sounds like a close call and good thing nobody died!
pinkytoe
11-19-24, 11:08am
I am reading yet another decluttering book (https://www.amazon.com/Inheriting-Clutter-Chaos-Parents-Behind/dp/1713504669) and the author talks about finding an excess amount of the same things in elderly people's homes - Cool Whip containers, rubber bands, twist ties and paper of all types. So far, I am not hoarding any of these things but I do need to address the paper.
iris lilies
11-19-24, 11:27am
I am reading yet another decluttering book (https://www.amazon.com/Inheriting-Clutter-Chaos-Parents-Behind/dp/1713504669) and the author talks about finding an excess amount of the same things in elderly people's homes - Cool Whip containers, rubber bands, twist ties and paper of all types. So far, I am not hoarding any of these things but I do need to address the paper.
Those of us who are conscious of collecting and keeping unnecessary things have more than half the battle won!
happystuff
11-19-24, 12:38pm
Wow, tms! That is so scary! Glad everyone is okay!
happystuff
11-19-24, 12:39pm
Those of us who are conscious of collecting and keeping unnecessary things have more than half the battle won!
Mine is canning jars. BUT I MIGHT NEED THEM LATER!!!! :|(
iris lilies
11-19-24, 1:02pm
Mine is canning jars. BUT I MIGHT NEED THEM LATER!!!! :|(
But honey, that is true about canning jars. I don’t see anything anything wrong with that.
I say that as I think about all the empty canning jars we have in our basement, empty because DH no longer does canning. I certainly don’t can any foods and never have.:laff:
We use the straight sided canning jars for pantry storage of bulk items and also for freezing cooked beans, soup etc so there are a lot of them in rotation.
We use the straight sided canning jars for pantry storage of bulk items and also for freezing cooked beans, soup etc so there are a lot of them in rotation.
I think my cars are round? What is a straight sided canning jar?
They are round but same diameter at top and bottom. The ones with smaller diameter necks crack when frozen. I don't can so don't use the small neck ones.
happystuff
11-19-24, 9:36pm
They are round but same diameter at top and bottom. The ones with smaller diameter necks crack when frozen. I don't can so don't use the small neck ones.
Do you mean wide mouth jars versus regular?
pinkytoe
11-20-24, 12:22am
Yes, I guess wide mouth is the correct jar terminology.
Oh, okay, got it! I think I have both but they are out in the barn until I use them. I have a little shelf for them because I have blue and green. I use them for flowers, twinkle lights, banks, you name it. You can get cool lids for them with solar lights, for example.
happystuff
11-20-24, 10:17am
Oh, okay, got it! I think I have both but they are out in the barn until I use them. I have a little shelf for them because I have blue and green. I use them for flowers, twinkle lights, banks, you name it. You can get cool lids for them with solar lights, for example.
They have come up with some great lids making the jars more useful for things besides canning. I have a pour spout which turns my 1/2 gallon jar into a decent pitcher!
I'll have to look into the spout for a canning jar. What I've read is that straight sides are for freezing- and whatever else you want, but those with shoulders are NOT freezer safe, they crack. I have wide mouth- gave away all the narrow mouth. I use them for yogurt, dry goods like oatmeal and dried beans. I've gotten the plastic lids which work well in the pantry.
I just went on Amazon to see what is out there and boy, there are so many cool lid variants, including wood, colored plastic, flip tops, spouts, drinking tops--I do like the solar light one and stick one out on my patio table in summer.
happystuff
11-22-24, 10:15am
I just went on Amazon to see what is out there and boy, there are so many cool lid variants, including wood, colored plastic, flip tops, spouts, drinking tops--I do like the solar light one and stick one out on my patio table in summer.
Yes! It's amazing what they have come up with to make canning jars more than just "canning" jars. LOL
happystuff
11-27-24, 10:10am
Had rescued a moon chair from the school with the intent to use it, but it just took up space for about 3 months. Out on the magic sidewalk and gone in 24 hours. Yay!
rosarugosa
11-28-24, 8:47am
Happy: good work in keeping the chair out of the waste stream!
I recently joined another FB giving page. A woman put out a call for items to help 2 disabled men whom she works with in some capacity. They needed household essentials like cleaning products, toiletries, ad one of the men was struggling to afford cat food for his cat. I made up 3 good sized bags and dropped them off yesterday, especially happy to find a good home for all the cat food flavors our guys had decided were unpalatable. It is always amazing to me how we can give away so much and still have so much remaining, such a life of abundance.
Decorated for Christmas and decided to declutter a few items. A table centerpiece, glittery letters that spell out JOY, four tiered tray pieces, a metal Christmas tree, and an animatronic angel. There are a couple of things that might also be decluttered. Just waiting to see if I get a new job next week. If so, I will use them to decorate my new office. If not, they will get decluttered.
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