View Full Version : March Declutter or 100 items
happystuff
3-2-14, 10:07am
It's kind of cheating, but I sort of already reached my 100 things for March... yesterday I finally took and donated all the items in our "goodwill" pile. It's been collecting since the holidays, but at least it is finally out the door! If we get snowed in again tomorrow, at least I have room to clean and continue organizing the family room! :)
onlinemoniker
3-2-14, 10:12am
I never declutter anything...
I think that's a problem.
I don't hoard dust balls and I know I have a bunch of stuff I shouldn't bother keeping.
Maybe I should read a book on it. That will distract me from acting awhile.
I should not count things until they actually LEAVE the house. So I'll be back. I have a box started in the basement for this very purpose.
Maybe I should read a book on it. That will distract me from acting awhile.
Tee hee, onlinemoniker . . . :)
I have been thinking a lot about decluttering in the sense of PREVENTING stuff from coming in. We have had friends be incredibly generous about passing along baby items, mostly very useful and definitely appreciated, but I also already have a bag of whirring/musical/noise-makey toys set aside to pass along again (I think I have sensory issues with auditory stuff - drives me BATTY). However, I know this is just the beginning of the toy management. :( I was looking at these fantastic Montessori bedrooms for children and they were so wonderful, just a few beautiful toys and plenty of space to play with it all. Anyway, just something I've had on the brain. I also read (and bought - and I only buy the best books I read) "Simplicity Parenting" (http://www.amazon.com/Simplicity-Parenting-Extraordinary-Calmer-Happier/dp/0345507983/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393786998&sr=8-1&keywords=simplicity+parenting) because the author's message was so important for me and I think will be something I need to go back to and continually work on - basically, less is more!
March declutter - my 3 chest of drawers. I am sure I can find 100 things in there alone. Old papers, old electronics, and at least 100 CDs I have not listened to in years (and if I have then I have already ripped them onto my computer). Once that decluttering is done, then I can move stuff from my overstuffed closets into the drawers! OK, it is a start.
fidgiegirl- yes, I remember how generous people were in giving things to/for the kids. It really was wonderful and saved us a lot of money while allowing us to "try things out" without investing a lot of money. One thing I did learn was to ask... "Do you want this back when we are done or can I pass it on?". Their answer help me decide whether to accept the item in the first place or not.
btw - congrats again!
Gardenarian
3-3-14, 5:12pm
Took three bags of dd's stuff to Goodwill - about 40 items.
I had a realization recently. I've always felt guilty about getting rid of the things dd is attached to, but maybe the clutter in her life is holding her back the same way clutter does to me.
I feel a lot less guilty about getting rid of those toys when I think that I'm actually doing my child a disservice by holding onto them.
Kelli - nearly all of the toy/book/puzzle clutter dd has is from gifts from other people. I'm not sure how to block that politely, but if you can find a way - do it!
I came across a box of scores of small floppy discs. Likely my grad school work, old photos, etc. Oy vey! What to do with them?????
Thanks all for the words of wisdom. Great tip about "do you need it back?" Baby isn't even born and I've already run into wondering that with some maternity clothes from my friend that I know is not going to be preggers again - too small for me. Should just ask! We shall see how it goes!
redfox, do you need to recover content from these disks? If not, garbage :(
onlinemoniker
3-3-14, 6:28pm
Fidgie: Good move on the simple baby life. I have several coworkers who have had kid(s) in the past couple years. So much CRAP. It's unbelievable. Apparently there's even a special giraffe teething ring that must be had! And on and on and on...
Actually have been inspired. Getting rid of 14 pieces of silverware and a sheet so far this month. We're out for snow today and probably tomorrow but when we go back I'm going to pick up some paper boxes and start filling them with crap I want to get rid of.
I have SO MUCH crap in this house that I haven't touched in YEARS. I need to give it to Goodwill or sell it on ebay! My project for the summer...
Welllllll..... Not sure! They are not well marked, of our purse. I'd like a cheap n easy way to find out. In the meantime, they're contained in one shoebox in a bottom drawer that is for storage, so no immediate need to remedy this. I am looking casually for cheap resources to decipher them, if anyone knows anything...
miradoblackwarrior
3-3-14, 8:01pm
My entire Wii system. I tried to give it away on freecycle, but it won't open for me. So, off to Goodwill!
Susan
Wonderful snow day...a good day to fill a few bags and boxes.
DH went through his closet and got rid of 40 clothing items, Son #2 went through his room and (clothes, shoes, belts, clock, oddsandends) he added 30, I went through my closet and 5 sweaters and 1 pair of boots. We're already at 76! Oops, make that 77. Someone broke a pottery tumbler today (darn, one of my favorites).
Does having a landscape crew getting rid of all the weeds in my backyard today count :)
My entire Wii system. I tried to give it away on freecycle, but it won't open for me. So, off to Goodwill!
Susan
mail me the games!
Okay, I have 46 books in boxes to hand off to my DD who is re-selling them. I have
47 folding chair
48 bathroom rug
49 curtains and rings
50 basket
51 cookie jar (no gluten, no cookies!)
52 shopping bag
53 the other shopping bag
54-55 two pairs of practically never worn shoes
56 sweater
57 dishtowel (bought at costco and ridiculously huge: have cut a couple in half but figure someone else can mess with this one)
58 foil trays for the Weber grill; disposable and so I don't use them. Last year I grew shoots of peas in them but it wasn't as useful as I expected.
Okay, I am heading out the door with the items for the thrift store..will see DD later this week to hand off the books. Now the challenge remains to LEAVE THE THRIFT STORE EMPTY HANDED.
I'll let you know how THAT goes!
Good for you, Fidgie, on those nasty noisy toys. That can't be good for babies to listen to gross electronic "music" all the time. Play your child some real music! (That's the grandma in me).
I am searching for three items to declutter, because today I brought home four salvaged items in (a small stack of flower pots and three items of clothing), but only donated one. The rule is, I need to get rid of things on a one-to-one ratio: one item in means one item out. This way I can indulge my joy of scavenging without pissing off DH, cluttering up our living space, and turning into a "collector" (read: hoarder). I will let you know what I get rid of, and I have to get rid of the items tonight!
Update: 6 books and one giant plastic pen (!) -- a souvenir from London, made in China of course--GONE. Net declutter: 4 down!
DH and I went through his clothes today and he got rid of 40 items. We will drop to Goodwill tomorrow.
I woke up very early this morning and decluttered at least a hundred items in my bathroom : cosmetic samples gone bad, old lipsticks and nail polishes, ... so much junk and there's still more to go.
I re-discovered stuff that I'd forgotten I owned (Stila make-up for instance, a nice bonus of the decluttering operation :), and I am looking forward to a tidy bathroom (but still got work to do).
Gardenarian
3-24-14, 2:54pm
A box full of pretty dishes I kept meaning to put on Craigslist or something - I got sick of looking at it and took it to Goodwill. Farewell!
My CD drawer is now 1/3 empty, still several 100 CDs to go. (Does anybody actually buy CDs these days or have big collections on display like in the "old" days [1990s]? I am ripping ones I want to keep the music, but mostly just donating them to the downstairs lobby where they all are quickly snapped up. I could try selling them but it is mostly pop music (I keep the hard-to-find jazz/folk etc.) which I am sure is pretty much worthless. At the end, I will have another drawer to put more junk in (hopefully not).
78. Table and 6 chairs (sold via craigslist)
77. DH brought home an espresso maker someone gave him. we'll see how much we use it or it'll go away
rosarugosa
3-27-14, 4:54am
My local cat rescue group needed pillowcases and bedding, so I gave them a ripped flannel sheet and a bunch of old pillowcases (not sure why I had so many old pillowcases, so I'm glad someone needed them).
leslieann
3-27-14, 11:22am
Another FAIL. At 58 on the fourth of March, I felt off to a great start. Nothing has happened in the decluttering area since then.
I would LOVE to declutter the snow scoop and shovel but we had another blizzard yesterday. I can't even get to the compost bin yet. Lots of stuff hitting the garbage that should not.
I guess 58 items is not a fail. Exactly.
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