March Purge

[flowerseverywhere]

Today I helped my elderly next door neighbors pack up their house. They are going to a three room apartment.
The amount of stuff I helped her clean out of the bathroom cabinets was astounding. There was so much stuff she couldn’t let go of. Multiple tubes and bottles of creams, lipsticks and so on.

So this evening I started on the under sink areas. Two done, two to go. Expired items and some I haven’t used in years gone.

[ToomuchStuff]

Getting a toolbox ready for my niece.

[iris lilies]

Today I helped my elderly next door neighbors pack up their house. They are going to a three room apartment.
The amount of stuff I helped her clean out of the bathroom cabinets was astounding. There was so much stuff she couldn’t let go of. Multiple tubes and bottles of creams, lipsticks and so on.

So this evening I started on the under sink areas. Two done, two to go. Expired items and some I haven’t used in years gone.

I remember from a recent skimming of a “clean out your house “type book that the author recommended to get rid of everything in the bathroom. all those tubes of creams and lotions and etc., etc. just need to be pitched. He recommends getting rid of the medication’s responsibly, of course, but the rest, unless it’s your current every day medication’s, pitch at all and that’s because no matter what it is so old anyway you probably should not be ingested.

that may seem pretty radical, but I can see Her overall points.

[Tybee]

With medications, I would just go by the expiration dates.

[ToomuchStuff]

When Steve passed, and I was asked to move in, his caretaker, cleaned out his medicine cabinet.

Nope, she used a linen closet as his medicine cabinet, and had "no idea" that medicine cabinet in the bathroom was one, or things were LONG expired. I cleaned that one out and she was shocked to find out it was in the bathroom.

[rosarugosa]

I know that a lot of online resellers say they check out the bathroom first during estate sales, because things like old discontinued fragrance and body powders can be really valuable. There is currently Jean Nate' powder on eBay being offered for $98.

We don't have clutter in the bathroom. There isn't enough space for it!

[iris lilies]

I know that a lot of online resellers say they check out the bathroom first during estate sales, because things like old discontinued fragrance and body powders can be really valuable. There is currently Jean Nate' powder on eBay being offered for $98.

We don't have clutter in the bathroom. There isn't enough space for it!
we don’t have clutter in our bathrooms either, mainly because I just don’t use lotions and powders and etc., etc. Even in our old house where we had the typical double sink bathroom with a tub and a shower, we didn’t have that much stuff, it was easy to clean out.

That is so weird. I have never heard of a estate sales people going into the bathroom to see what they could get there that’s valuable. I just assumed everything there was not valuable.


I’ll bet that our bathrooms are even smaller than yours! They are tiny bungalow bathrooms with one sink and just the basics.

[Tybee]

I used to go to estate sales in Michigan and buy things like aluminum foil rolls for a quarter. The open bottles of things were too creepy.

[rosarugosa]

we don’t have clutter in our bathrooms either, mainly because I just don’t use lotions and powders and etc., etc. Even in our old house where we had the typical double sink bathroom with a tub and a shower, we didn’t have that much stuff, it was easy to clean out.

That is so weird. I have never heard of a estate sales people going into the bathroom to see what they could get there that’s valuable. I just assumed everything there was not valuable.


I’ll bet that our bathrooms are even smaller than yours! They are tiny bungalow bathrooms with one sink and just the basics.

We only have one bathroom. It is 64" by 67".

[happystuff]

I used to go to estate sales in Michigan and buy things like aluminum foil rolls for a quarter. The open bottles of things were too creepy.

I love how practical and frugal that is! And I bet if no one had purchased them, they would have simply been tossed into the garbage!

[iris lilies]

We only have one bathroom. It is 64" by 67".

ok, you win. You win “smallest bathroom!” contest. Yes I am competitive.

our smallest full bathroom is 2.9 ft.². Your small full bathroom is 2.4 ft.²

congratulations!

ok, what about a coat closet. Do you have a coat closet? I have a very cute and small coat closet by the front door.

[rosarugosa]

ok, you win. You win “smallest bathroom!” contest. Yes I am competitive.

our smallest full bathroom is 2.9 ft.². Your small full bathroom is 2.4 ft.²

congratulations!

ok, what about a coat closet. Do you have a coat closet? I have a very cute and small coat closet by the front door.

Thank you, thank you, I am so proud! I would like this for my prize please:

6261

We do not have a coat closet. We only have one largish closet on the second floor. That is The Closet. I did get custom-sized wooden "lockers" that are right inside the back door, so those have similar functionality to a coat closet. I'll have to find a picture to post.

[iris lilies]

Thank you, thank you, I am so proud! I would like this for my prize please:

6261

We do not have a coat closet. We only have one largish closet on the second floor. That is The Closet. I did get custom-sized wooden "lockers" that are right inside the back door, so those have similar functionality to a coat closet. I'll have to find a picture to post.

That prize is a toilet brush I think, so enjoy it!

[ToomuchStuff]

Donald Trump toilet brush. I bought one at the Amazon return store for "ti".

[sweetana3]

Cautionary tale. My dad and his wife cleaned out his sister's house after her death. They found literally piles of RX pain killers and other controlled substances. They thought the responsible thing to do was to take to the police or maybe they took to the pharmacy and the pharmacy called the police. Took them a long time to convince everyone that the drugs were not theirs and they wanted to responsibly dispose of them. Dad was in his 80s at the time. Not likely to happen to anyone but it scared them a lot.

Today we are emptying the pantry and checking out all the "food" that is in there. Last "closet" to clean out.

[Tybee]

I buried my parents' old painkillers in the dirt on their farm.

[rosarugosa]

Cautionary tale. My dad and his wife cleaned out his sister's house after her death. They found literally piles of RX pain killers and other controlled substances. They thought the responsible thing to do was to take to the police or maybe they took to the pharmacy and the pharmacy called the police. Took them a long time to convince everyone that the drugs were not theirs and they wanted to responsibly dispose of them. Dad was in his 80s at the time. Not likely to happen to anyone but it scared them a lot.

Today we are emptying the pantry and checking out all the "food" that is in there. Last "closet" to clean out.

We have a drop box just inside the police station door, in the antechamber before you actually get into the station, so you can deposit meds relatively anonymously. I imagine there are cameras, and someone might look into it if you drop off a great big bag of fentanyl or something, but I wouldn't be worried about a more normal type of drop off.

[sweetana3]

Wow. I just started to deep clean craft areas. I have 6 huge clear garbage bags for one charity and two full for my quilt guild's show this fall (they have a booth to sell such things).

I am giving another stitcher a Xerox box of full of cross stitch patterns and items which she can use, give away, sell or whatever. She can use any money she would get from doing the work.

A big bag of punch needle stuff to another friend.
)
Did a deep clean of the food pantry and found that my hubby had already done a good job but still found old rice (thankfully I labeled the container of Pie baking rice used for blind baking).

[Klunick]

I guess technically I decluttered one of my wisdom teeth last Tuesday. Haha. Had jaw pain and swelling for a week prior and knew it was probably a wisdom tooth. Figured at 53, that was the last thing I would have to deal with. Nope!! Dentist last Friday. Oral surgeon consultation on Monday. Removal on Tuesday. Thank goodness it all went quick because I would be stressing too much if I had periods of waiting in between procedures.

I also got rid of two oral pain mouthwashes. One was OTC and the other was prescribed. Too minty to use for the recommended amount of time. Within a few seconds, I had to spit them out.

[Tybee]

I guess technically I decluttered one of my wisdom teeth last Tuesday. Haha. Had jaw pain and swelling for a week prior and knew it was probably a wisdom tooth. Figured at 53, that was the last thing I would have to deal with. Nope!! Dentist last Friday. Oral surgeon consultation on Monday. Removal on Tuesday. Thank goodness it all went quick because I would be stressing too much if I had periods of waiting in between procedures.

I also got rid of two oral pain mouthwashes. One was OTC and the other was prescribed. Too minty to use for the recommended amount of time. Within a few seconds, I had to spit them out.
So glad you got rid of one of the teeth!

[happystuff]

Hope you heal quickly, Klunick. I still have all my wisdom teeth and hope it stays that way.

Went through my closet and put two pairs of boots and a pair of dressy sandals in the donation box.

[iris lilies]

Happy stuff is purging something very big, ugly,and of long standing: a JOB

[rosarugosa]

I gave away a box of assorted stemware, and I'm in the process of giving away a few gardening books. I also culled the liquor cabinet again, and I have a box of miscellaneous partially-used bottles to gift. It is always easy for me to rehome booze!

Since I cut way back on alcohol consumption in late 2022, I have not purchased any liquor for home use (just the occasional glass of wine in a restaurant). I have given away at least 2 batches of alcohol, and some smaller batches here and there, and I am amazed that we still have so much booze in the house. I suppose if these are truly END TIMES I should be saving it for barter, or for medicinal purposes, lol.

[happystuff]

Happy stuff is purging something very big, ugly,and of long standing: a JOB

:laff: At least for a little while to come. LOL

[flowerseverywhere]

Had two CRV car loads full of my neighbors stuff for the thrift store that no one wanted . As they are moving they have destashed big time. I’m boasting I didn’t take anything. It was tempting.
finally got rid of my big cast iron pans. Just too heavy for me.

[iris lilies]

Had two CRV car loads full of my neighbors stuff for the thrift store that no one wanted. As they are moving they have destashed big time. I’m boasting I didn’t take anything. It was tempting.
finally got rid of my big cast iron pans. Just too heavy for me.

Yes you ARE to be congratulated for not hauling any of their stuff home with you!

I have a new, and heavy, dutch oven. I wonder how long I will want to tote that around my kitchen. Already I worry about banging it on or granite counter and chipping the counter.

[happystuff]

Had two CRV car loads full of my neighbors stuff for the thrift store that no one wanted . As they are moving they have destashed big time. I’m boasting I didn’t take anything. It was tempting.
finally got rid of my big cast iron pans. Just too heavy for me.

Congrats on not taking anything!! It's hard when it is right in your face and free for the taking. Good job!

[flowerseverywhere]

Cleaning out my food cabinet. We have a severe food shortage at the food banks here. Started cleaning out my food stores and have a nice box of canned and bagged food. I feel so lucky to be able to share in a time when so many are struggling. I am also going to concentrate on the sales to see what I can find that has nutritional value to continue to help them. We don’t need all this food in the house for two old people.

[Klunick]

Getting rid of two spatulas that I bought recently. Thought I needed more than one spatula. It hit me yesterday when I was moving the two new spatulas out of the way to get to the one spatula I like, I clearly don't need these two new ones. It might just be the material the spatulas are made of, but I actively avoid using them.

Haven't done much decluttering this month. I am in sort of a lull of contentment with the state of things. Nothing stands out as needing decluttering or feels cluttered right now. Good place to be in, I suppose.

[ToomuchStuff]

With everything going on, I couldn't find my dremel tool when I needed it. At a damaged frieght store I found the tool with bits for less then the cost of a new tool and bought it.
Found my original yesterday, and passed along the spare to a friend whose had died.

[flowerseverywhere]

Cleaned out a few things n the garage we have been talking about getting rid of. My neighbors are down to the end and found someone finally to take their big couches for free. They unsuccessfully tried to sell or donate them. When the people were there I ran over and they happily took their big couches and my stuff I wanted to purge. They may sell it, or use it. I don’t care. We have no attic or cellar here in Florida, and not many closets. Makes you really evaluate what you want to keep.

[rosarugosa]

I cleared out Mom's liquor cabinet this week and dropped the contents off to a new home yesterday. Someone picked up a couple of gardening books from me on Weds.

[catherine]

This is inspiring me to take a look at my bathroom stuff. I know I have "tossables." We don't have a pharmacy on the islands so I do tend to keep stuff "just in case"--even if it's a little over its expiration date. I feel I must have basics like aspirin, Advil, cold remedies, and cough drops in steady supply. DH keeps his medications in a bag in his workspace; those aren't in the bathroom.) My DD works at a high-end cosmetics natural cosmetics company so we do tend to keep freebees around, but she's constantly at me to throw them out after a couple of months because they are organic and not very shelf-stable. But knowing how much they go for on the market, it kills me to do it.