December Decluttering or 100 Items [Archive]

fidgiegirl

12-1-13, 1:55pm

It seemed to work well to do a combined thread last month. Not sure how many people might want to join due to the holidays, but hopefully someone will be on board!!

I love that the 100 item count is motivating to my DH, too, even though he doesn't participate directly here on the boards.

I have thrown away about 6 shoe creams as I cleaned through our shoe polishes in hopes of finding a suede cleaner (alas, none . . . but if someone wants to polish their navy blue leather, well, I'm your woman).

So, total = 6

SteveinMN

12-1-13, 3:27pm

I had to settle for 86 items last month; I think given the holidays and some electronic housekeeping I need to do, I will set the bar low and count it as a success if I can find 14 more items this month for another 100 over two months. January is another month!

early morning

12-1-13, 3:54pm

Hey, I only made it to 28 that I remembered to note, so you guys are way ahead of me. But still, plugging away is better than ignoring :~) - I'm in for the month. I think I weed out more when I'm decorating and cleaning up for a holiday, so, crossing fingers - I'm sure I can manage at least another 30!

katieb12

12-1-13, 7:46pm

We're way over 100 for late November and today - there's a dumpster sitting in our front yard right now, being picked up tomorrow. Got rid of some odds and ends junk, some brush, but mainly carpeting and furniture from water damage in the basement. I see another dumpster in our future for a much-needed lifetime cleanout (my fiancé's stuff). What a feeling!! :cool:

fidgiegirl

12-1-13, 8:50pm

Feels soooooo good!!! Kudos to everyone on your progress and anticipated progress.

Sold one ugly Xmas sweater on eBay - for $30!

TOTAL = 7

fidgiegirl

12-1-13, 9:08pm

Ooh DH has JUST sold a horrible metal bookshelf on CL for $10.

This is a high-leverage item ;)

TOTAL = 8

lhamo

12-2-13, 12:12am

I put two big bags of clothes out this morning -- most of it stuff the kids had outgrown, plus a few pieces of my stuff that were so old the elastic had disintgrated (we're talking pants from ca. 1989 here...)

Didn't count, but if you counted each sock as a separate item I think I was at over 100!

Projects for the rest of this week include decluttering the kitchen and bathrooms (looking for old/expired/past prime stuff)

ejchase

12-2-13, 10:00am

I'm keeping a running total for the year, and I'm at around 585 (don't have my tally in front of me). I'd love to get to 700, which would mean 115 things this month, and I think that may be realistic because I have a lighter work schedule soon.

What I'd REALLY like would be to reach 1,000 for the year, but getting rid of 315 things this month might be too tall of an order.

On the other hand, I've been feeling low these last few days, and I'm realizing a big decluttering push might be the perfect "occupational therapy." I might go for it.

Gardenarian

12-2-13, 3:37pm

Yesterday I took 13 bags of stuff to Goodwill, so I'm covered.
More to go, though.

mschrisgo2

12-3-13, 3:53am

I'm in for this month! The Christmas decorations will get a thorough going-through, as I'm sure there is stuff in there that I need to pass on or trash, since I haven't been motivated to use some items for several years already. And the living room needs a more careful look before I decorate. Then I have files to tackle for year-end clean out. That should get me to at least 100!

happystuff

12-8-13, 8:51am

Well, I didn't quite make 100 items last month, but I still feel like I'm doing well. In trying to get the Christmas decorations out of the closet yesterday, I got frustrated with... well, the closet! Made everyone go through jackets, coats, scarves, hats, and gloves to pick out what they will use and what they won't. Ended up with a bag of 56 various winter outerwear items in the thrift store bag. Still couldn't reach the bins of decorations, so two huge camping backpacks with frames also went in the "to go" pile. Yeah! Finally reached the decorations! When I went to put the to-go items in the to-go spot, found that there was already a small bag of toys and a box of wooden trains/cars/etc. Figured I had enough for a donation run... so I did! While I didn't count every little toy, I'm putting my total for the month at 75 items. :)

Float On

12-8-13, 9:03am

We spent Wednesday in the studio.
5 - old electrical cords, probably past their prime. Will let the guys at the transfer station decide if they are useable or trash
6-8 sets of good florescent bulbs the 4 ft kind. Donating to church.
9-20 misc bits of repair tools and material for the tanks (in the box for the guy buying our equipment)
21-30 misc office items (clipboards, staplers, caculators, etc) in the donation box

I did a huge purge of Christmas décor last year when I packed up after Christmas. As I opened the boxes I was kind of hoping I'd find more to donate but nope, I did a good job and only have things I really love.

Teacher Terry

12-8-13, 7:46pm

Hi everyone, even though I am new to the boards I have been lurking & reading for a year. I really enjoy reading about everyone's progress. I actually went through my closet & took out all the clothes that were too small for me except for the pants which I packed away. I ended up donating 50 items. The pants are mostly jeans which really never go out of style and I have the space to store them so will hold onto them for awhile longer. In the past 10 years we have moved 5 times so during that time I have been steadily dumping stuff. Also a year ago we downsized our home from 2000 sf to 1400 sf and my closets are not completely full. DH is another matter because his areas (office, basement, garage & shed are bulging) at the seams but I contain him in these areas. I read Your Money or Your Life about 10 years ago which started my journey to declutter, simplify, downsize and leave state employment to work part-time for myself.

ejchase

12-8-13, 8:08pm

Welcome, Teacher Terry!

I've done nothing yet this month, but I have time off in about ten days, so I'm hopeful I'll get a few things out the door.

fidgiegirl

12-9-13, 7:07pm

Wow, happystuff! Quite an accomplishment for just trying to get at those decorations!! :)

I echo the welcome to Teacher Terry, and you are off to a good start!

FloatOn, is it strange, knowing you are not only decluttering "stuff" but a whole livelihood? I would be interested in reading more of your thoughts about moving on from your business. Remind me of what is next, or is that still taking shape?

No further progress to report here, a few things on eBay, but mainly stuff we purchased in order to sell, so no net decrease.

Lainey

12-9-13, 8:56pm

Hello Teacher Terry - have to say that when my son was in pre-school his teacher's name was "Teacher Terry", so it brings back sweet memories for me. Sounds like you've made a lot of progress, and glad you've de-lurked, if that's a word?

Teacher Terry

12-9-13, 11:20pm

Thanks everyone. I am looking forward to being on the boards!

Float On

12-10-13, 12:48pm

FloatOn, is it strange, knowing you are not only decluttering "stuff" but a whole livelihood? I would be interested in reading more of your thoughts about moving on from your business. Remind me of what is next, or is that still taking shape?

It is extremely strange because:
1) It's how we've defined ourselves for 23 years (me) and 27 years (husband)
2) It's our best community of friends - and you know the old 'out of sight/out of mind' is happening because we aren't out there on the circuit
3) I MISS THE TRAVEL
4) We almost don't know what to do with this 'free time'
5) You get really cool responses from people when you say you are glassblowers (see #1)
6) I miss the shows (see #3 and #2) but I don't miss the wind (wind/glass not a good mix - we've been in tornados while doing shows in Chicago and OKC)
7) In the back of our minds we'll always wonder - did we do the right thing. Yes...for so many reasons but it's hard to give up art.
8) I really miss the trips to Philly and Baltimore and Vegas for wholesale shows.
9) I miss the relationship I built with gallery and store owners. At our best we were represented by 200 - so many lost their businesses as well due to the economy

I am looking forward to wrapping everything up - shutting down the corporation (must get started on that paperwork) final tax reports for 8 states. No one ever gets into art excited about the amounts of paperwork that are involved.
The 15th is my last day for my Etsy shop as it currently is - focusing on clearing out what stock we have left in the blown glass. I'll re-open it at a later time after I build up more stock in my line of recycled glass jewelry. I have some more things I want to learn and expand that line as long as my supply holds up (broken glass items from our studio over the years). Currently a store I sell to in Savannah just asked me to box up everything I have and get it to her quick. I'll be sending her 100 pieces, want to keep some available.

Future will be steps down the road, making decisions as we go. Currently our goal is to get the boys through high school and into college. Then we'll have one or two years where we may stay put because DH's job will be fully invested. We're currently disagreeing about the house. I want to downsize to a rental for a couple years, he wants to stay in the house.

Thanks for asking.

fidgiegirl

12-10-13, 6:25pm

Sounds like a scary but exciting time. I will be curious to see where the path takes you!

ejchase

12-16-13, 6:17pm

I got rid of 21 books today, some sold to a used bookstore, others donated to the public library around the corner. And yesterday, I threw out a sock with a hole in it, and I am counting it because I used to hold on to these forever thinking I was going to sew them up which I never did!

So 22 for the month!

Teacher Terry

12-16-13, 7:43pm

Today I took to the thrift store another 9 items for a total of 59. Unless DH lets me start with his stuff:help: I think I am out of things to get rid of. However, I should mention that I have been at this for the past 10 years. Besides holding on to the jeans in smaller sizes I have nothing else that I am not using. I used to hold onto things but a series of moves that actually started in 1973 got me changing my ways. Due to jobs etc I have moved 30 times in my life. Hopefully, no more.

ejchase

12-17-13, 1:44am

Teacher Terry, I dream of the day I can utter the words "I am out of things to get rid of." And I've been at this for about fourteen years at this point!

Sigh. You give me a hope I might get there eventually.

mschrisgo2

12-17-13, 3:44am

Ok, well, it's already the 16th of the month...
Today-
4- textbooks returned
1- class COMPLETED
2 - strings of Christmas lights trashed. I tried to fix them, really, I did, still didn't work.
14- generic gift bags to neighbor
7 - items from Christmas boxes to Goodwill
2 - empty wrapping paper roller to trash (this is a biggie- I used to save these)
1- nylon sweater- into Goodwill bag
7 - misc socks -> teacher friend
1 pkg brown lunch bags -> teacher friend

1 - old computer purged,
1- keyboard,
1- mouse, all recycled
Subtotal: 42

Float On

12-17-13, 9:42am

31. Today I'm cutting out of the tree a string of lights that went bad.
32-33. realized two boxes of lights I bought on Christmas are the white string instead of green, donated to the church (seems we use a lot of those in the fellowship hall for weddings and parties)
34. decided I was tired of one nativity set, donated it to my son to add to the box of white elephant gifts his youth group does
35. pottery dip bowl that I never use
36. glass sugar jar that's not been used in years
38-40. ditched a few old spices that got hard
41-50 gave up on the unmatched sock basket and added them to the dog's bed along with..
50-55. son #2's white undershirts that he replaced
56-58. passed along a few books to a friend
59-60. I killed two houseplants (tossed in the compost)

Selah

12-17-13, 2:00pm

This doesn't quite count as decluttering, but I used up the remainder of the potting soil and some found planters to transplant some of my now-established and thriving houseplants (originally from free cuttings from friends) into bigger pots. They are doing well, and it's nice to have more space in the cupboards, now that the planters are being used for their original purpose.

I think I will need to make a balancing thrift shop donation to accommodate the wonderful men's turtleneck sweater, lady's scarf, and two woolen berets I got today. That, plus a gorgeous 100% large woolen blanket...all for 40 NIS, or about $12 USD!

Teacher Terry

12-17-13, 2:05pm

I used to collect things but stopped a long time ago and instead just keep one or 2 of the favorite ones in the collections. I also used to have way too many nik-naks so bought a small curio cabinet and only kept what fit. Also I read that a few big items look better then lots of little things sitting around so also did this. I like to have some things so home does not have a sterile feeling. The other thing I have been doing is something else I read about if you bring in 2 items of clothes get rid of 2. I think this is also really helping. When I was younger I loved to buy things but now I would rather have an experience-eat out, movie, etc. Also we quit exchanging gifts with our friends and now instead do the white elephant thing where you can steal from each other & that has been so fun. If you don't like what you get you either trade or save it for next year. That started about 2008 when we all were taking pay cuts,etc so luckily everyone was willing to do it. With my other friends I either make them something (I knit, ) cook their favorite meal or take them out to eat for a b-day. My old self is a lot better with $ then my younger self:cool:

SiouzQ.

12-18-13, 10:20am

I think I just purged about 300 pieces of paper from three file drawers while looking for something else - the urge to purge just hit me out of the blue (at 7am, no less)! Now I have to shred it all, but not until the cat tires of plowing and batting at the pile on my floor.

ejchase

12-18-13, 6:45pm

Took a package of diapers that were the wrong size to a relative.

Took 18 things to the thrift store.

41 for the month!

fidgiegirl

12-18-13, 8:43pm

Wow, all, keep it up . . . I have sputtered out for the month, perhaps over break I'll get in the mood again. I do want to reorganize and look at the items I hauled home out of my classroom about a year and a half ago. I know some of it was never meant to be kept long term, but after I got it home I never looked at it again.

fidgiegirl

12-22-13, 8:59pm

Uffda, I see this month has been pretty slim for me, but I always must remind myself that while we haven't made the 100 goal in a while, some is still better than zero, especially when stuff always just keeps comin' in . . .

20 items to curbside donation for tomorrow.
1 clothing rack to DSiL and DBiL. That's a large item and it always feels good to get them gone.

Also we are getting ever closer on the baby's dresser so I think it will feel good to put some of them few items we've accumulated for him/her away. Right now they are just all over the place, some in our room, some in the other room, some in the linen closet . . .

ETA: TOTAL = 29

early morning

12-23-13, 12:11am

Haven't been keeping track too well, been a crazy month. Off the top of my head: 5 magazines to work, 1 shirt, pair of PJs, pk of undies (marked wrong size) sweater to homeless drop off; 5 knick-knacks to GW, dying plant to compost, hot coco maker (gifted to me) to sale box - 16 that I can think of.

ejchase

12-23-13, 2:30am

3 faulty sets of Christmas lights to the trash.

Total for month: 44

SteveinMN

12-23-13, 10:31am

3 faulty sets of Christmas lights to the trash
I'm probably too late here, but I'll throw in that lights (working or not) can be recycled. Type recycle christmas lights <your area> into your favorite Web search engine to find out who accepts lights; sometimes they even give you a discount toward LED lights.

fidgiegirl

12-23-13, 11:32am

2 big pumpkins to compost drop off

= 31

Gardenarian

12-23-13, 5:02pm

My daughter is trying to declutter her room. She got to the point of dumping everything out on her bed - and then seemed to give up. She's sleeping on the floor in the attic.
I can't physically help, as I'm unable to put any weight on my foot for another 2 weeks.
Do you guys have any words of wisdom to help her?
She started with the three boxes, but now she can't even find them...

fidgiegirl

12-23-13, 5:17pm

Sounds like she needs to get some of it OUT so she can see what's left. We typically set up three receptacles - donate, trash, sell - sometimes if it's bad we'll have additional ones like "basement" or "attic" so we are not running all over the whole time. If she could at least get SOME of the donation or trash out, she'd be able to see some of the rest for what it is.

I think it's hard for youths to know what they even need to keep. I kept SO MUCH in my teen years because that's what I saw modeled (not a comment on your home, just mine). So if I knew I wanted to clean out, I didn't know how to do it. I just shuffled stuff around - it sounds like DD might be in a similar spot. It was when I finally figured out that I didn't have to ask my mother for permission (again, only a comment on my own situation) that I was finally able to make some headway. But I was older than 14 at that point.

The bed would be the perfect starting point.

I wonder if even with your bum foot you can help her talk through some of it? Is she interested in help?

SteveinMN

12-23-13, 6:13pm

It wouldn't hurt to set up some sort of "extreme schedule", either. Set a kitchen timer (or cell phone or whatever) to go off in 15 minutes and work like the dickens for the 15 minutes. When the alarm goes off, set it for 5-10 minutes from that time and take a break (5 minutes if she can work with that; 10 minutes otherwise). Play a bit of a video game, catch up on social media, grab a favorite beverage, etc. When the alarm goes off that time, set it for another 15 minutes of concentrated effort. DD knows she only has to do 15 minutes before she can stop, and she may find that, once she starts, the progress she sees will encourage her to go longer between breaks.

mschrisgo2

12-24-13, 12:44pm

In my experience and observation, one needs a guideline of some sort in order to declutter. i.e. only keep what fits on this shelf, only keep what I've actually worn in the last 6 months, etc. I think the hardest part for kids is that the world still holds All possibilities, and they don't have any frame of reference for decision making of that sort.

I remember well when my daughter totally decluttered her room. Her statement was "This can't be a museum of my childhood any more. I'm a teenager now." She was 15.5 and did a very thorough sweep. I wondered at the time if she'd ever regret it; I asked her that recently (she's 36 now) and she said "Not even for one second. It was one of the most empowering things I've ever done."

Maybe this isn't the the right time for your daughter yet, to make that big sweep, and she just needs some help to get it liveable again until she's really ready.

Gardenarian

12-24-13, 7:43pm

Thanks for your words of wisdom! I have been trying to encourage to just get the worst stuff into our "out box" in the attic, but she seems frozen and is really stressy around this. She does have so much - not that we spend a lot, but she gets tons of hand-me-downs and loves thrift & garage sale shopping.

She's done this with me a few times and I think she thought she could handle it herself.

I have tried the timer - even for just two minutes! I have told her that she can just put everything in laundry baskets for starters - she's still frozen.

Maybe it is just the wrong time for her, as mschrisgo2 said - but dang, she picked a lousy time! Got to get it done by New Year's - guests have always been a great motivator for me.

I think I will ask dh to help clear the bed, then I can hop on in there and help out. What a way to spend Xmas eve! As good as any I guess - at least she's not getting a lot of stuff tomorrow (minimal Xmas gifts.)

SteveinMN

12-25-13, 9:58am

Well, unless guests will be sleeping in the attic (where DD is sleeping now), maybe the best course of action for now is to just close the door on DD's room while guests are visiting...

fidgiegirl

12-26-13, 6:15pm

Had a wonderful Christmas and received mostly items that can be put to good use. Returned one shirt that does not fit, will exchange a pair of PJs, will exchange a kitchen item from mom for a different one. Overall happy with the amount of "stuff" that came in at Xmas.

Sorted all my clothes that will fit me for the foreseeable future and will be packing away my other clothes. It was stressing me out to look at all of them. I also culled some that I will not be keeping at all for various reasons, but not counting them yet because they are still in the house. I was figuring I would need to get a storage box for these clothes but then remembered there was one in the attic with items I was ready to part with so I prepared those for donation and we dropped them off at Bridging already.

+3 frames
+3 mugs
+20 pc tea set

= 57!

Might make 100 after all!

ejchase

12-26-13, 7:22pm

35 magazines

I don't usually count these, but today, I actually drove around and found a thrift store that would take them. Even then, they told me that they might end up in the recycling bin anyway, but since I made an effort to see if they could be reused, I'm including them in this count.

Next time, I'll just put them in our recycling bin and not count them.

44+35= 79 for month

mschrisgo2

12-26-13, 11:59pm

Ejchase, around here, all of the hospitals welcome magazines for the waiting rooms.

ejchase

12-27-13, 3:41am

Ejchase, around here, all of the hospitals welcome magazines for the waiting rooms.

Very good to know! Maybe I'll try that next time.

fidgiegirl

12-27-13, 11:24pm

Big success here today! Tomorrow is the drop off, so I will wait to post until those items are out of of our possession, but we have packaged up many items, including a large screen tent that my DFiL bought on our behalf at a garage sale. Lesson learned - do NOT allow DFiL to decide if something is a good deal or be talked into it by his phone description. That sucker was huge, we didn't even know if all the parts are there or how to set it up, and more importantly - he doesn't have to be the one to store it!! An example of it being worth it to spend more money - we would still like a screen tent, but I want a modern one with shock corded poles that packs down compactly for storage and transportation, and is lightweight.

I will count the one book that already left to the Little Free Library, and the seven items that I placed in my husband's work bag for him to use at school.

Much recycling set out and also many boxes condensed in the attic as well.

+8 = 65

Tiam

12-28-13, 12:09am

Scarves, some fabric, some greeting cards, decorative items and some unused plastic drawers. Now I'm looking at books.

mschrisgo2

12-28-13, 12:21am

Previous sub-total:42

6 rolls of Christmas wrap used up, rollers into recycling can
3 plants killed in frost, to compost
4 plastic outdoor pots, to recycling can

New total:55
more work to do this weekend!

fidgiegirl

12-28-13, 9:44pm

Keep going, everyone!!

Big haul out to report today!

2 books sold to bookstore
2 bottles of glucosamine supplements rehomed to my parents
37 items dropped at the thrift store in my hometown

TOTAL = 106

YIPPEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! Made the 100 mark!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't think it could be done in December but we dug deep and did it. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!

SteveinMN

12-29-13, 1:32pm

Great job, Kelli! :cool:

I stalled on this project again. I think I thought I'd have more time during the holidays. Nope. Ah, well. As you say, some is better than none...

ejchase

12-29-13, 3:27pm

Congratulations, All, and fidgiegirl, I think you get the crown this month for being first to reach one hundred!:)

I finally recycled a printer that has been sitting, broken and unusable, on a shelf in my bedroom for three years. I also found out how to properly dispose of 7 containers of old medication I had, and got rid of those, It involved buying special envelopes at the pharmacy and mailing them off someplace - expensive and a pain in the neck, but done.

Both the above experiences reminded me sometimes I don't get rid of stuff because I get paralyzed trying to figure out HOW to get rid of it the right way. But now I'm learning. Figured out the medication thing and also found a place only 3 miles away that recycles old electronics, so I will probably return there tomorrow with two old laptops. Also, over the last several days, found a thrift store that takes donations, which is closer than the one I normally go to.

I'm doing a major decluttering here which so far has mostly involved getting rid of paper, which I don't include in this count, but today I tackled my daughter's toys. Ugh. It was SO much harder than going through my own stuff because I didn't know what she'd miss (she's two) and what she wouldn't and there were all these little pieces of things which I couldn't figure out a) what they were or b) what toy/doll/game/puzzle they belonged to. Yuk. But I finally told myself to just not be much of a perfectionist about it and just do what I could. So I made a "pass" through and packed up about 20 items (which I'll add to the count when I actually drop them off). The sad part is when I look at the toy area, it looks like I did NOTHING. Sigh. I just have to tell myself any step forward counts.

So for the printer, the 7 containers of medication, and one pencil sharpener I threw out because it has stopped working: 9 + 79 previous total = I'm up to 88!

My yearly total is at 673, and, though, I'd been hoping to reach 1,000 for the year, I realized yesterday that though I probably won't reach 1,000, that last year, I got rid of 365 things so between this year and last year, I've hit 1,000, which I feel really good about. Because my clutter is so bad (and because so much of my clutter is paper, which I haven't been dealing with as much), the effect of getting rid of all this stuff doesn't really show in my house yet, but I have faith one day it will!

SteveinMN

12-29-13, 5:15pm

Okay, the accountability got to me. :)

I went through the pantry and the freezer to cull and (most importantly) list what I have in there so I can build meals around those items. I came up with a few cans of Cream of Whatever soup that will be donated to the food shelf -- we typically never used soups like that.

I put up a stockpot full of chicken and turkey carcasses to make chicken stock; that cleared a lot of room in the freezer.

And I now have a list of items (like a pound-and-a-half of beef short ribs) which I kept bypassing because they wouldn't make a meal by themselves -- but could with maybe another small portion of whatever it is.

I also composted a few containers of grains of indeterminate age and variety. They came off the bulk rack at the co-op, so no good idea of what they were or what they were for. Note to self: mark the grain type and purchase date on the bulk sticker. My recipe calls for a cup of whole-wheat flour, not a cup of PLU 8729.

I'll add three items (soups) to my decluttering total. Still not close to 100.

ejchase

12-30-13, 1:55pm

Congrats, Steve, on your kitchen decluttering. I'm a big believer in baby steps. They count!

I'm in the midst of a big purge here, and I managed to drop off 40 more things to the thrift store yesterday. 88 + 40 = 128 for month.

I'm hoping I'll be able to eke out a few more before the end of the year.

Thanks to all of you for the inspiration. I've reached 713 for the year, which I'm pretty sure is a personal best for me.

fidgiegirl

12-30-13, 2:26pm

It's so amazing how it can add up. What we find incredible is after a few months, we can barely even remember what we got rid of, yet when it was here, it was either "important" or invisible. :)

Keep it up, everyone . . .

Float On

12-30-13, 3:38pm

I think I'll be happy with the 60 for this month. I did go over the 100 goal in NOV so I'm o.k. with 60. I don't think any of us received anything for Christmas that would automatically be sent to the thrift shop. My parents and DH's mom all went in on the big ticket item for the boys so not a lot came in.
I am so looking forward to our January accountability.

Float On

12-31-13, 12:00pm

Dec 31....tonight I will declutter about 1 million needles from the carpet.
It was a beautiful Christmas tree but what a mess!

ejchase

12-31-13, 1:25pm

2 old laptops which we haven't used for years to the recycling center plus 14 more items to the thrift store.

128 + 16 = 144.

Family arrives tomorrow at 10 a.m., so today is my last day to purge, and I hope to make the most of it. After they arrive, I'll be busy with them, then we go to see family out of town, then I start work again on Monday and it will be hard to find these large blocks of time to devote to the house.

I swear, though, doing all this decluttering has been such a relaxing way to spend my time off. I feel so much happier when I face the mess. The next challenge for me will be to figure out how to keep up with decluttering even when I'm busy at work. I keep trying to establish everyday routines for decluttering and cleaning but haven't managed to stick to them yet.