The Fruits of Decluttering

[Life_is_Simple]

One nice thing about decluttering, is that you get rid of the crap, which suddenly brings the GOOD stuff you have out into the light! You discover things you may have forgotten about.:+1:

For example, I have this wooden lunch tray that I bought to put my laptop on, so my legs don't get hot. Somehow it got lost in the clutter. And when I decluttered this summer, I found it again! Here I am using it! :cool:

My mom also has been decluttering. When I visited her she said "Do you have any need for these drinking glasses, that used to be my mothers?" Yes! They are really nice, and now I can get rid of my Smurf glasses! :laff:

She also found canning jars, and old fabric. So she canned apples for the first time in a long time! And sewed. I think having gotten rid of so much stuff, made the good stuff more noticeable!;)

What have you "found" while decluttering?

[xmas]

I am still in the process, since our daughter moved out last year. So much stuff we don't need and sometimes I wonder why did we think we needed it in the first place.
Found a lot of material, so I might do something with that. But mostly I will just make a big box for Goodwill.

[larknm]

"wht did we think we needed it in the first place"--that's a big fruit of decluttering for me--discovering the stuff I didn't need and hoping ot learn from that. Welll, I've actually already learned a lot from that, just wish it had been decades sooner.

[artist]

I haven't really found much stuff.. I don't own all that much to begin with. For me it's the freedom of having less in my life that keeps me going. I have found that I do so much better when I do a deep clean and declutter. Usually in January and February dh and I will declutter the inside of our home and all interior storage areas. Getting rid of the unused or worn out stuff and making a "replacement" list for those worn out items we do need (mostly clothing items).

In Late March and April we will begin to tackle the garage and attic storage above. Hoping to have that all done by the time May rolls around and we are looking to do some yardwork and get the garden in.

[Float On]

I was decluttering my file drawers last night (avoiding working on 4th quarter taxes) and found a replacement part for our truck. Its a small part for the ignition and putting it in a file seemed smart at the time. By the time we got it the ignition was working again so I didn't need it but couldn't return it. This is the truck that died in the car wreck. So I have the option of thrifting the part or listing it on Ebay. Either way it's out of here.

I keep hoping I will find a ring I lost somewhere in the house (hopefully) 16 years ago.

[BarbieGirl]

Float On,

We have a very small house for us five, plus two dogs, two chinchillas, my Christmas bunny and the fish!
I have been going through the kids bedrooms starting upstairs trying to declutter my way through the house.
one thing I've found is utter chaos so far.

I so want a clean, uncluttered environment and all of my children keep everything! Thank God for my husband helping me
to get rid of these things! I often get overwhelmed by the massive scale of it!

When the kids were small it was easy to maintain control. With all the stuff they have now, wires, electronics, etc...I often don't know what goes with what to make a decision.

[19Sandy]

Fascinating!

[sylvia]

I love this thread! I have found the deepest layers of stuff you could imagine. My old toys and trinkets from 1st ans 2nd grade era. It was nice, but it had to be donated or tossed. In its place I have family photos that really cheer me up and make me smile. I have tons of high school journals with my "real life problems". I have a bunch of comics that need to be enjoyed those will be out very soon. My old artwork that will be completed and resurrected. Almost felt like an archeologists dig or something, going through King Tuts tomb. I also donated some clothes that I didnt like nor wore and whatever is left actually matches what I can muster up. I have an artsy wardrobe that is colorful and cheerful.I put together all the books I own and put them in my bedroom closet shelf where they are at hand!Its actually for the first time feeling like my home and that is very special too me. I greet my home and I thank it for sheltering my family and things.With Christmas on the way we will most likely upgrade some things or give gifts cards. No more extra stuff.

[frugalone]

I just went through a closet shelf and found a tiny Eagle Creek bag that I totally forgot I had. I have a bunch of purses and it was stuck in there with them. I'm happy to have found it.

[Selah]

I like decluttering my wardrobe the most. I like having space in my closet, and I like knowing that now, pretty much everything I've kept is in good repair and looks good (enough) on me. I particularly enjoyed getting rid of clothing that always make me feel bad because I can no longer fit into them. It was hard to stop denying that cold, hard truth, but once I'd bit the bullet and done it, it actually turned out to be very liberating. The process turned my vision towards the future, rather than being constantly being stuck in the past and angry that I couldn't stay there anymore.

[sylvia]

I think the real fruits of decluttering are mental and emotional progress, once you start seeing the results it gets real! Ive been doing the Konmarie method along with that sense of freedom and space I've lost 6 lbs!

[frugalone]

I am feeling better and better every time I toss some stuff. It's getting to be almost fun, seeing what I can get rid of every day!

[catherine]

I can't speak for myself, but BIL was just making this exact point: he lost his glasses months ago but can't afford new ones. In decluttering his basement, he came upon a tote bag. He didn't know what was in it at first, but when he looked he recalled an event he went to over the summer--and there were his glasses!! Decluttering saved him $350 in new eyewear.

[sylvia]

Yes so true! I knew clutter was a problem when I got hurt by a picture that broke open and the glass fell and sliced my knee open. Then I knew that clutter was dangerous. But also as we face it we make awesome discoveries and its all positive stuff!