October 100 Items

[fidgiegirl]

I'd like to try again in October, anyone wanna join?

So far, only officially one item, a watering pot that was broken. But many, many more in the donation box and to-eBay queue. We made good progress on the attic yesterday! Yippee!

Total = 1

[Float On]

sure (I'm still packing some of Septembers around in the back of my suv).

2. I know for sure 2 things. I didn't know my 2nd son tossed some wool sweaters in the washer and dryer. He needed a good laundry lesson this morning anyway. Maybe someone can use them for a felted craft but it won't be me.

[Kat]

Yay! I love this challenge. Not sure I can participate this month, but I'd like to cheer you all on! :-)

[SteveinMN]

OK, I'm in. Tried a couple of times and just petered out. Gotta get it done before it gets too cold to do it!

[try2bfrugal]

We just went to Goodwill and the used book store yesterday but I will list what I can from memory.

1. 2 bags of books. ~15 books per bag.
2. 4 massage tools that didn't work very good.
3. ugly floor lamp
4. a light up slinky
5. a ziploc full of hot wheels, army men, little toy parts
6. thirty year old ski bib and pants
7. stretched out sweater
8. 4 out of style tops
9. day light lamp that was not LED or CFL

45 not counting all the little stuff in the toy bag.

[fidgiegirl]

Gave away an exercise ball. I didn't need 2.

Total = 2

[try2bfrugal]

I forgot about an old purse in the Goodwill pile so I am at 46 and counting.

[shadowmoss]

I am finally in for this. I just finished moving all my stuff from the 2 storage units in MO to my new home in Phoenix. For the first time in several years all my stuff is in the same place I am. While loading up I gave family 2 boxed of 60's and 70's albums to a young cousin, 3 dressers and two empied storage containers. We won't talk about the stuff I acquired from said family... I have a bag of some clothes, and piles of more that won't survived being tried on as they predate the 20 or so lbs (more at the moment) I've put on since I packed these clothes away.

[SteveinMN]

Here we go... Decluttered the vanity in the main bathroom Got rid of three old pairs of eyeglasses in cases; two shaving mugs I will never use again (still have two I do use); two empty shave soap containers (convenient because not all soap comes in its own container, but three is too many; one will be redeployed as a used-blade holder); a tube of icky-flavored Crest toothpaste I regret ever buying (DW may use this; she's less picky about that than I am); a tube of novelty-flavored toothpaste which I liked but which was manufactured in China (risky); an old sample of teeth whitener; a container of now-evaporated aftershave balm (the container smells too strong to reuse elsewhere); seven (long-)expired packages of over-the-counter medications; a boxful of disposable eyeglass wipes (which never worked well for me anyway); and a tablet toilet-bowl cleaner that I will never use now that I'm in charge of cleaning.

Nineteen items, not counting the toothpaste. Actually, I'm not sure I should count all the expired meds. Some we'll wait to buy until/if we need them again. Others, like the three skin ointments we had, will be replaced by one item. Some more may yet go; out of deference to DW, I did not do anything with the hair-coloring instructions that had no accompanying hair color; nor did I do anything more than collect the three bottles of wool wash and the five containers of moisturizer (all different). I'll ask her about them when she gets home.

So do we net out decluttered items here? :)

[SteveinMN]

More stuff:

- got rid of our hand mixer that no longer holds on to its beaters.
- 45 LPs and CDs are off to the used-record store. I've slacked off a bit on that project; time to crank it up again.

The total is now up to 65 items. More to come. Our returned live-in-guest just moved out again two days ago. I have an opportunity to straighten up the finished part of the basement and reclaim the shelves in the pantry she took up with her stuff. It's also time to declutter the garage so we can fit the patio furniture in again. And move the snowblower to the front of the garage. Winter will be here soon enough. I don't know as I'll find lots of items to get rid of, but there should be some.

[fidgiegirl]

Rockin' it, Steve!

[try2bfrugal]

I sent in two DVDs to the Amazon trade-in program for a gift card.

Count: 48

[Float On]

3-10 a big stack of magazines we're passing on to a friend
11-13 a few new/in box medicine items (I bought the wrong 'flavor') will give that to the community health ministry
14 trashing a shower curtain rod that apparently rusted apart under it's plastic wrap and broke when I moved the shower curtain (no replacement, we used two rods and I can combine both curtain and liner on the remaining rod)
15-17 3 pair of favorite jeans that I've hung onto for years (they may get moths before I ever get back down to that size so someone might as well use them)
18-25 I found a stash of used ink cartridges. Turned them in at staples under the church account.
26 office chair that I've recovered so many times that there is finally no fixing it. Will just use the exercise ball at that desktop instead of replacing the chair.

[shadowmoss]

I'm not at the start of 3 days off. So, from the start of the month:
1-3 Dressers I gave to family
4-5 Boxes of record albums given to younger family member
6-8 rain jacket, sweater, shirt in Jeep to go to donation

I already have at least 2 items of clothes set aside, but won't count them till they are in the Jeep. I'm just getting started again opening boxes and totes. I hope to have close to the 100 items by the end of the 3 days. Lord knows I have enough stuff to get rid of to make the goal.

[shadowmoss]

9, 10 2 more items of clothing
11 book
12, 13, 14, 15 tablecloths
16 apron

[shadowmoss]

17 - 20: 4 ashtrays
21 - 23: 3 books
24: tshirt
25: coin purse

I need 25 more for the week just to catch up. I'm having an amazingly difficult time turning loose of things.

26: suitcase
27: book
28 - 38: kitchen utensils

[SteveinMN]

This morning, reorganized our pantry/closet (where things got disorganized when our guest moved in again). Out went five packages of expired baking ingredients (composting and recycling what I can) and nine of those disposable plastic storage tubs (we have enough water-tight ones and the local thrifts will take them for resale or odd bits on the shelves). Also to the thrift is a nylon serving spoon that has a hard time with anything weightier than chips. If I can't count on it to do its job, it's outta here. So 15 more items; total of 80 now....

[shadowmoss]

39, 40: 2 suitcases
41: small bag of feminine supplies to trash
42: bent potato peeler to trash

[SteveinMN]

More ... cleaned our downstairs "visitor's suite" ;) and collected only dust. And two of those non-woven-textile shopping bags, both of which show precarious holes on their bases. Two more record albums for the next batch going to the used-record store. 84... and I might have to be done for the day.

[EDIT] Plus three storage-container lids without bottoms. I know they're not lost anywhere, so out they go. :( New total is 87.

[fidgiegirl]

shadowmoss, remember that anything more than zero is, well, better than nothing! keep at it!

[chrissieq]

Should have kept count but I think I hit the 100 items in 2 days of cleaning out my work space!

Our church collects fabric for quilters who make quilts for missions - went through the fabric stash - cut everything into 9" squares and the rest went to the Valu Village bag, along with trims and ribbons, stamps sets, envelopes and paper, cards, dropped it all off this AM.

DH saw the pile and added a pair of shoes that he has attmepted to donate twice and each time pulled them out of the pile cause they were not cheap but never fit - finally accepted they were not right. Although he threatened to go and buy them back - not gonna happen!!:)

[fidgiegirl]

We have a few to add!! Finally! We missed the charity pickup on Monday, bummer.

3 items eBayed and shipped
1 part of a frame (where the rest ever went, who knows) to garbage
1 old kitchen bowl to DH's boat winterization

TOTAL = 7!! Oh my gosh!!! :)

Nah, we're doing good, we have a big ol' pile to donate, I just don't want to log it here until it's actually out of the house. And DH is plugging along at his eBaying, we pulled out a ton of stuff and it is set aside. Yippee.

[fidgiegirl]

Did NOT take on a set of dishes my parents offered us. It was my grandma's, but she died two years ago and my fond memories were never diminished for not having had any of her dishes around. :) Plus they weren't that great. So we refused them . . .

DH has thrown out some stuff in the basement. I think he threw about 5 items, like old plumbing stuff and some trim pieces and other such detritus.

7 + 5 = TOTAL 12.

[Simpler at Fifty]

Tossed or donated 55 items today. All from a declutter in the bedroom.

Tossed
5 tops
1 pr of shorts
8 pair of socks
5 underwear
12 pr of old pantyhose I got from someone - moved some to my stash for the garden. I use them to tie up the tomato plants and raspberries.

Donating
2 summer quilts
1 winter comforter
2 pr of pants
3 pr of shorts
6 tops
2 pr lounge pants
4 pr of socks
3 tops to one of my clients
1 watch

[chrissieq]

A big clean out of the cedar closet in the basement - but just the coats/purses/suitcases/board games. Two full giant trash bags dropped off at Value Village today. But that was only about 1/3 of what's in there but we are taking it in small bits - easier for DH.

[SteveinMN]

I've been kind of distracted and slow on this challenge. I was able to round up a bunch of half-empty jugs of motor oil for my car's annual oil change, so that moved three jugs out of the garage. I also identified an extra winter tire which will be put on craigslist since it is superfluous to both cars and will only age out of usability otherwise. I have a couple of hotspots in the house I know I could declutter; just have to get to them..... 91 items (including the tire) ...

[SteveinMN]

Out as of today:
- nine containers of expired OTC meds and supplements. Must find a better way to store these; obviously we don't know we have them when we have them.
- package of nylon dish scrubbies; I won't use 'em because they can't go in the microwave for sanitizing after use.
- package-and-a-half of "dishwand" refills. I don't use this either and I do 90% of the dishes. Let someone else enjoy them.
- regular sponge without the scrub surface, never used. Won't be by me, either.
- a sliderule. Had it since before college (and actually remember how to use it, I think). Kept thinking it had some value. Maybe to someone it does, but it will take too long to find that person. Let them be surprised when they cruise the aisles at Goodwill.
- a network router. A bit finicky, so I replaced it with another one. Let someone with more time deal with it. The price will be right.
- a computer keyboard given me by someone who was just looking to get rid of it. I've never used it, either. Out...
- a "collectible" pin for a local events which will have collectible value sometime in the year 2113.

That's sixteen more items, bringing me to a total of 107. :cool:

I'm not stopping there. There's a bunch of stuff on the dining room table for DW to say 'yea' or 'nay' and a few items I want to price on craigslist/ebay before I decide if it's worth the trouble to me of selling them versus giving them away. And a dozen albums of Christmas music I will raid digitally for favorites and then pass on. And if the sun ever shines here again, I'll have more stuff from the garage.

Thanks for the push to do this, Kelli!

[EDIT] Figured out that several electronic items I had hanging around were worth something, but not enough in terms of prepping for ebay sale or dealing with flaky craigslisters to compensate for the cosmic energy of just getting these objects out of my life. So they hit the Goodwill box, too. I also found another cache :|( of vitamins/digestive aids/whatever, all expired. Either we're getting much healthier or the next Rx we'll need is for Aricept. New total is 116.

[fidgiegirl]

Steve's our winner! :) :) Well, we're all winners, even when it's 12 items we're up to for the month . . . . . . . :|(

I do have a handful more waiting to be delivered to Bridging! Tomorrow!! Then I'll count them!

[shadowmoss]

I'll get back on this on the weekend. Really, I can add a bunch.

[fidgiegirl]

6 more items donated today.

Total = 18

Oooooooh . . . Crawling along on this one!! What a block!! Oh well, again, 18 is better than zero.

[mschrisgo2]

I've been meaning to post here, as I was going to go through the house and pick out 100 things to discard this month, BUT now I almost feel like I've cheated! :)

I'm changing jobs, which means I can let go of a whole bunch of books and teaching materials. So, 16 books sold to Half Price Books ($49); 28 books donated to the elementary school library; and 38 math and science books, a box of misc math materials (I'll count as 10), box of misc. science realia (I'll count as 10), a bag of balls (8), and 8 hula hoops to a friend who is going into teaching math and science! Total: 118

Whoo-Hoo!! Freed up a whole bookcase, and a whole shelf in the storage closet, not to mention those balls and hoops that were forever falling all over every where.

Next month I'll take a box around the house for (another) 100 items.

[fidgiegirl]

That's not cheating in my book, you could just as easily have turned your head and stuffed it all back in that closet, but you didn't. Wishing you the best on the new job!

[Float On]

27 a hand mixer I've never liked....but I bought one to replace it so that doesn't really count
26 go back one space (this is feeling like a board game) I finally bought an electric tea kettle and I love it
26-27 two winter coats
28-30 son #2 giving up a couple of blazers
31-35 several old blow up air mattresses that were patched beyond repair and wouldn't hold air. I'm not sure why I had them stuffed under my bed for 2 years. I think I thought I'd use them as pond liner cushions if I expanded my pond.
I can't remember if I counted this in August or September but I finally met up with the artist buying our art show tent earlier this month, she was passing through our area on her way from MI to TX. Made $600.

[chrissieq]

After spending yesterday with DD, I brought home from her house a huge rubbermaid container and several bags of things she had sorted for throwing away. I set about 1/2 aside for donation, kept a few for resale, and threw out the nasty stuff. I don't think I should count this towards my 100 items but starting next month, I will keep better track. DH and I are committed to cleaning out the basement this winter and maybe having a count will help him stay focused. If nothing else, it makes me see that we are making progress.

[fidgiegirl]

My DH likes the count, actually. He just listed two storm windows for free on CL after getting no bites to sell them and he told me that then I could add two items to my count.

[shadowmoss]

43-50 misc. old hair ties and expired medicine and female supplies I don't need anymore to trash.

I actually took the previous stuff I counted and dropped them off at Deseret Industries on the way home yesterday, so they are gone, gone.

[ejchase]

I have been keeping a separate list because one of my New Year's resolutions was to get rid of 365 things this year. I made that goal in the summer, so now I'm aiming for 500. I know that doesn't seem like much, but I have serious clutter issues, so it's a big deal for me.

The total number of things I've gotten rid of in October is 42. 38 of those were old clothes of mine and my daughter's that I took to the thrift store.

I did pack up a bunch more to divide up between the consignment shop, the thrift store, and some relatives who have a daughter a year younger, but may not actually get that stuff out the door until next month because work is busy right now.

In any case, my total for far for the year is 464, so I'm hopeful I can maybe even reach 600 by December 31st.

The counting REALLY helps me, as does reading all of your posts. Thanks for the inspiration!

[ejchase]

#43. Threw an old, stained bathroom in the the trash. I did replace it, but I'm counting it anyway.

[fidgiegirl]

2 storm windows given away
1 calculator to garbage
1 scale to garbage
1 item to garbage that DH threw out but I forgot what it was, tee hee
3 dishwashing items to garbage

Lots of food used up, but I won't count that here, even though it feels good.

TOTAL = 26!!!!

[try2bfrugal]

I sold 82 book to half price books yesterday for $30. My count is at 128.

In the interest of full disclosure, I actually bought some new to me books at the library used book sales this month, but I still had a large net out flow of books. Plus I have more books set aside to sell today. It seems like most of the books I bought new end up available at the library book sales sooner or later, so I really try to only buy books there now when I can get stuff for a $1 a book or less or maybe even $5 a bag. Between buying books at the library sales and selling them at the used book store, this month I will actually make a small profit on my book collecting hobby.

[fidgiegirl]

Used up a spool of thread

=27

LOL

[shadowmoss]

51, 52 two tops
53-55 3 books
56 kitchen utensil

Don't think I'll make 100. There is always November.

[fidgiegirl]

That's right, shadowmoss! There is always an opportunity to get rid of more.

Hubs sold something on eBay

TOTAL = 28

[jp1]

More stuff:

- got rid of our hand mixer that no longer holds on to its beaters.


Oh Steve, the hilarity I'm picturing from your attempt to use this one... :-)

I confess that the only thing I got rid of this month was a dress shirt that was so worn that my elbow was poking through the sleeve. A friend at work pointed this out and pulled out his sewing kit to fix it for the day, but it went into the trash that night. I'm taking off all of thanksgiving week and we don't leave to visit dad until wednesday so I'll have a 4 day weekend at home during which I hope to make a reasonable showing for the november (assuming there is one...) challenge...

[SteveinMN]

Oh Steve, the hilarity I'm picturing from your attempt to use this one... :-)
Actually, it was more disappointment than mirth. :) We keep (kept) the beaters separate from the mixer, so when I inserted the beaters I figured out something was wrong. But I had to use them anyway, so I did. The beater did turn and the weight of the mixer kept it in. But I was very careful in removing the beaters from the batter. It still was kind of messy. Then I went shopping...

[fidgiegirl]

Looks like relative success overall in October with a few people hitting the 100 mark and everyone who participated is at least a bit lighter!

Onward to November!