View Full Version : August Purge
3 polo shirts still in plastic
1 bath mat
1 car cup holder trash can
2 phone holders for the car
2 small empty boxes
Part of another phone holder for the car
I purged a bunch of paper out of our file drawers and started trying to organize what is left better and label the file tabs. Next project to do is make a "Go" envelope with importatnt papers that we can grab easily if we had to leave the house in a hurry.
I've already put a lot of our really important stuff into our safe deposit box - both birth certificates, the house deed, etc. The "Go" envelope will have copies of those things, a well as marriage certificate, divorce papers, etc. Basically all the important things one would need to be able to build your modern life up from scratch. Plus an envelope of cash.
I got pulled into hosting the annual neighbor potluck dinner. Since we have so many stairs into our house (lseveral older folks who can't do stairs), it will be set up in the garage and driveway. Finally...DH is on board to tidy the garage and get rid of half used cans of paint, boxes of old cell phones and other misc stuff that accumulated.
Went through youngest's desk drawer and got rid of a ton of phone charging cords. Can't even tell you how many but it had to be at least 20 if not more. So happy to get rid of that mess in the drawer.
I'm working on another box for the bookstore, while DH works up another donation for his donation spot. When we get it done (this weekend?) we'll deliver them.
I looked at the clutter and decided that a lot of it was things which had "no home." Books to be appraised, books to go to the bookstore, antique booth or dump's donation table, papers which had no category in the filing cabinet (or needed to be culled), clothing to go upstairs, to be culled, to be turned into rags, extra fabric, etc. I finally made a list, from A to Z. We have been going through it about once weekly and eliminating 1 or 2 items every time. It isn't fast, the items which are clutter are bulky or awkward or going away or need to be dealt with or we're not sure we really want to keep them. This results in piles of clutter around the edges of most rooms. It may be clutter from boxes of things which have been sorted, but there's still FAR too much... When I can contain the excess in the attic or maybe that and one other (?) storage spot, I will consider the culling complete. In the meantime? There's too much stuff.
Working on it!
iris lilies
8-5-25, 9:56am
DH took half a truck full of metals into the city, got $33 for it. He often gets a lot more but this haul didnt have copper or aluminum, mostly steel.
But we got rid of it, that is the good thing.
I am decluttering five rather large decor items. They are wooden porch decorations that I used inside in front of our fireplace. Four were bought last year and I wasn't happy with the quality of them. Very flimsy and lightweight. They never stood up correctly. I never liked having them in front of the fireplace as they had to be moved each time we wanted a fire. There isn't really any other place to put them considering how unstable they are. Best to just declutter them and enjoy the open space rather than trying to fill it. This is one of them GlitzhomeŽ 42" Lighted Halloween Witch's Broom Porch Décor with Timer | Michaels (https://www.michaels.com/product/glitzhome-42-lighted-halloween-witch's-broom-porch-decor-with-timer-D403330S). I also have similar things for Easter, Winter, Christmas, and Thanksgiving.
Admitting something hasn't worked as planned is difficult. Culling the thing afterwards before you planned to is difficult. I struggle with that many times. Bravo!
I suggested to DH this morning that we try and get rid of the current storage unit by 9/1. I don't know if that's realistic, but it's a goal...
Admitting something hasn't worked as planned is difficult. Culling the thing afterwards before you planned to is difficult. I struggle with that many times. Bravo!
I suggested to DH this morning that we try and get rid of the current storage unit by 9/1. I don't know if that's realistic, but it's a goal...
I don't really have an issue with the first part. I readily admit when something doesn't go as planned. It's more the second part (getting rid of it) is more of an issue. I want to hold out hope that it will click into place somewhere else and don't want to give up so quickly. I guess getting rid of 4 out of the 5 that I mentioned in my previous post is easier because they aren't really what I wanted. I was looking for more heartier and better quality pieces from Kirkland's but no store around me had it nor could it be shipped. The things I got were a substitution and shouldn't have been purchased if they weren't what I really wanted. I literally waited for years to get my Uncle Sam from Kirkland's so I know I have the patience but for some reason, I didn't want to and bought cheap knock offs.
Joke was on me... I had already decluttered the Easter one. The other four are in my car to drop off tomorrow.
I am impressed, Klunick!
I have the same problem with overbuying trying to get something right, then having a hard time getting rid of it due to sunk cost I think.
So sometimes I'll replace it, but won't get rid of the first thing--like right now, trying to fix old computer instead of just getting rid of it.
Or planners. I try a system and don't like it and then get another one but then bounce back and forth between them. It's that time of year that I have to figure out the planner for next year--just ordered a new insert that started with July. But in the meantime, tried to make the other pages work, then shelved the daily ones because they are so expensive and I feel there's not enough room for notetaking on the weekly one.
So had two going for a while and today reduced that to one. I want to get something working really well by the end of the year. The one thing I like is my cover, which lies flat so I can write easily. It's not a planner per se, but a notebook, and I really like that part, so now I am limited to ring bound inserts.
I have never been a shopper until I unlocked my love of seasonal decor. I have never been one to buy clothes, shoes, purses, gadgets, etc. Don't need the latest and greatest anything. Seasonal decor is the one area I have struggled to get a hold on. Doing the major purge last month really helped but I admit, I still look online for decor. Haven't bought anything because I keep telling myself it's not needed. That seems to be working.
I got rid of the torchiere floor lamp that we had in the rec room downstairs. It still worked but a piece wasn't fitting right anymore so it was wobbly if it got bumped. I did keep the lamp shade because I have two torchiere lamps upstairs in the living room that I could use the shade if something happened to the current ones.
Youngest got rid of a desk and everything in it pretty much. He bought himself a new gaming desk which meant his old rickety desk had to go. We filled up almost an entire trash bag with stuff from the desk drawers. The only things he kept were his Confirmation items, some old coins, and some fossils he's found over the years. I brought the pieces of desk to my work this morning to dump in the dumpster.
Couldn't wait any longer and I decorated for Fall. Ended up decluttering a wreath and three small plastic pumpkins.
rosarugosa
8-24-25, 6:07am
I'm still going to be enjoying summer for almost another month. I don't want to think about fall yet, other than in the context of, "that project can wait until the fall."
I'm still going to be enjoying summer for almost another month. I don't want to think about fall yet, other than in the context of, "that project can wait until the fall."
Fall is my favorite but I was really anxious to decorate to see how well I did after doing that major seasonal decor declutter last month. I was happy that I ended up decluttering a bit more rather than wishing I hadn't gotten rid of something and needing it.
rosarugosa
8-25-25, 7:18am
Fall is my favorite but I was really anxious to decorate to see how well I did after doing that major seasonal decor declutter last month. I was happy that I ended up decluttering a bit more rather than wishing I hadn't gotten rid of something and needing it.
That was good it gave you reassurance you had hit your "sweet spot."
That was good it gave you reassurance you had hit your "sweet spot."
Yes and it surprised me that I ended up getting rid of a bit more. I had thought about getting rid of the wreath when I did the major declutter but I do like having a wreath on our coffee table, so I kept it. After putting a little wagon on the table instead of the wreath, and liking it better, I had no problem getting rid of the wreath. I tried to make the three little pumpkins work on the mantle and on the coffee table but I wasn't liking it so those got decluttered too.
iris lilies
8-25-25, 10:13am
Tying in to Klunik’s topic, I fear the buildup of holiday decor. Our house is on the Christmas house tour this year and they sell 450 tickets. So we should have at least 300 people through our house in an afternoon. I made inquiry as to how many people would come before I planned to really ramp up decor.
I was so disappointed with the small number that came through our garden in the June garden tour, it was only about 70 people. And whileit was nice to have that event force us to mulch and clean every flower bed we have, that was a whole lot of work for just 70 people.
And then there are the Christmas tablescapes that I do every year which is another fundraiser here in town. I collect a tub full of linens for that, and the dishes are exchanged every year for something new. That isn’t really hard because I need only 4 to 6 dishes that carry out the theme, and then I pair those theme dishes with plain white, red or green and carry out the theme with doo-dahs that can be jettisoned. I love the tablescape event and each year we are supposed to come up with a new theme, and I like that challenge of that,but I do not want to collect sets of dishes for this thing.
catherine
8-25-25, 11:08am
Tying in to Klunik’s topic, I fear the buildup of holiday decor. Our house is on the Christmas house tour this year and they sell 450 tickets. So we should have at least 300 people through our house in an afternoon. I made inquiry as to how many people would come before I planned to really ramp up decor.
I was so disappointed with the small number that came through our garden in the June garden tour, it was only about 70 people. And whileit was nice to have that event force us to mulch and clean every flower bed we have, that was a whole lot of work for just 70 people.
And then there are the Christmas tablescapes that I do every year which is another fundraiser here in town. I collect a tub full of linens for that, and the dishes are exchanged every year for something new. That isn’t really hard because I need only 4 to 6 dishes that carry out the theme, and then I pair those theme dishes with plain white, red or green and carry out the theme with doo-dahs that can be jettisoned. I love the tablescape event! and Each year we are supposed to come up with a new theme which I love, but I do not want to collect sets of dishes for this thing.
Gosh that sounds like a fun event! So festive! For the dishes do you ever go to your local second hand shop and pick up stuff that you don't mind donating back later? When DH gave me a 70th birthday, he went to our local Habitat for Humanity resale store and bought some beautiful dishes for the table settings for dirt cheap and then we simply donated them back, since I have NO room for extra dishes.
iris lilies
8-25-25, 11:27am
Yes! All the time although I tend to get my “ theme” dishes from eBay because they are specialized.
My Goodwill store while it is wonderful and has a great selection of holiday items at the appropriate time, the thematic dishes are a never ending parade of snowmen and snowmen and more snowmen. But yes, I got all of my basics there, the red and the green and the white dishes. And they weren’t even necessarily cheaper than buying new but they were exactly what I wanted, I saved postage, and kept things out of the landfill.
This year’s theme for my table is “ Have a Merry Cherry Christmas” . These salad plate size dishes will sit on top of red or green dinner plates and there will be lots of greenery on the table, decorated with fake cherries, also picked up at the thrift store. I’m using a table runner polkadot that I sewed last year for the “Christmas in Paris “tablescape so I’m thrilled to be able to use that thing two years.
last year, I got the theme dishes at Goodwill. they had lovely pink rims and a dumb design in the center, but I just covered up the center with another small plate.
6486
Decided to change how I store my planner, tools, & stickers. Recently I bought new stickers, 1/2 are gifts, the rest are mine. I came up with new storage spot & I'll can sell the old containers at the antiques store.
I have 3. 1 - has rulers/planner, 2- stickers, 3- mail.
I'm in the midst of culling stickers to get most of them in small envelopes.
ToomuchStuff
8-29-25, 10:16pm
Putting in something early. Tomorrow, a gal I worked with for decades, is coming to see me. As long as there is no damage (bought, got delivered, right before all my cancer stuff, never got installed), her tv died, so I am sending them my 75" as it doesn't appear that I am going to be able to use it anytime soon. (it's a commercial tv, not a residential model and I got it for a very good price)
She may soon be helping me get the house ready to sell, if I get bad news. She has been cleaning houses, working at my restaurant and going to school. Work bought her an older laptop, to replace hers that died (almost an identical one, Macbook), I sent her one of my laser printers for school stuff.
Also planning on sending her the Roku I bought for it, as a commercial tv, is more of a tv, then a smart tv.
Sitting around with the cancer, the TV is one thing I do get to watch. Makes me realize how little I enjoy it, or the stuff on it. DVD's look more then fine on my $200 55? inch tv, or the 32" in my bedroom.
Major filing cabinet purge this morning. I have almost a full box of papers to take to the shredder at Staples.
Putting in something early. Tomorrow, a gal I worked with for decades, is coming to see me. As long as there is no damage (bought, got delivered, right before all my cancer stuff, never got installed), her tv died, so I am sending them my 75" as it doesn't appear that I am going to be able to use it anytime soon. (it's a commercial tv, not a residential model and I got it for a very good price)
She may soon be helping me get the house ready to sell, if I get bad news. She has been cleaning houses, working at my restaurant and going to school. Work bought her an older laptop, to replace hers that died (almost an identical one, Macbook), I sent her one of my laser printers for school stuff.
Also planning on sending her the Roku I bought for it, as a commercial tv, is more of a tv, then a smart tv.
Sitting around with the cancer, the TV is one thing I do get to watch. Makes me realize how little I enjoy it, or the stuff on it. DVD's look more then fine on my $200 55? inch tv, or the 32" in my bedroom.
A 75” TV is a BIG one! I didn’t have a TV for more than a decade, but got once in 2016 to see the Olympics. Got rid of it a couple of years ago. I much prefer the radio, books, music. I either have local radio going, BBC, or streaming music. Apple Music did up a Classical app maybe two years ago. There is a Classical station, straight music, that is very nice.
Glad you were able to get rid of teh TV.
A 75” TV is a BIG one! I didn’t have a TV for more than a decade, but got once in 2016 to see the Olympics. Got rid of it a couple of years ago. I much prefer the radio, books, music. I either have local radio going, BBC, or streaming music. Apple Music did up a Classical app maybe two years ago. There is a Classical station, straight music, that is very nice.
Glad you were able to get rid of teh TV.
Our entire TV stand is 80 inches long so I can't imagine what a 75 inch TV would look like on it. Ours is 53 inches I believe and that seems plenty big.
ToomuchStuff
8-30-25, 5:39pm
It was a $500 commercial tv (current price, close to $1100, Amazon special). I only had one wall that would fit, and those in my family, that it might fit a wall, already had a large one there.
Then her husband wants my old POS truck, as he is doing remodeling for a living now, and wants a beater to do the deconstruction/haul away stuff. Great for that, just have to find time to get the title from the other house. A couple things down now. (was interested in some other stuff, but so far everything else I know about has heirs for it)
I told him about all the tools I have, so told him to get a list as I expect to be having a garage/estate sale.
rosarugosa
8-31-25, 6:29am
I'm putting together a bag for one of the local "boutique" thrift stores. I've decluttered a few decorative items that I've had for years from my bureau. They are pretty things, but the bureau looks less cluttered and much nicer without them. There are definitely some other areas of my home that need some judicious editing to keep it from looking like a nice gift shop.
happystuff
8-31-25, 3:26pm
:(:( Last child is moving out. So sad and already lonely, but happy and proud and excited for them... and sad and lonely...
The purging/decluttering going on is totally AMAZING! Next donation pickup is going to be huge!!!!
Still going to take a couple days for whatever "everything going" and "everything staying" will be, but also finding out that some remnants are already joining the sibling's left behind belongings. Need to get all their "stuff" in one room and work on FINALLY having an official guest bedroom! lol.
sigh... life goes on.
A couple days ago, I posted I was getting rid of all my fireplace tools and accessories because cleaning out the fireplace after every fire started to feel like a lot. I had everything in my trunk to go but because I didn't drop it off right away, I started to second guess myself.
I ended up deleting my post and putting the stuff back. I am not planning on using the fireplace this Fall or Winter but I want to see if anyone in the house says anything. If not, then I will feel more comfortable getting rid of everything. I don't normally like to hold onto items that I am not planning on using but I will this time as I want to be sure I don't change my mind and have regrets.
I love having fires in the fireplace but the clean up is messy. I also spray painted the inside of the fireplace and I am not 100% I used the correct kind of paint. I saw a YouTube video coincidentally about using the wrong paint and the house possibly catching on fire.
Is there someone you could call at the fire department to ask about the paint you used?
Considering when we had a kitchen fire back in 2000 and the Fire Department wouldn't even come out because we had already extinguished it, I don't really trust what they say would be accurate.
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