Purge January 2016----5 items a day.....

I'm not going to count this year but I will post when I do an area. Friday it was my office at church, shredded 1999, moved 2012 from my tall office file cabinet to the long term room where it waits for shredding. Moved 2015 from my desk drawer to the cabinet and made my 2016 file folders. Cleaned out the drawers of odds and ends, ended up filling a small bag with office supply things for the thrift shop and tossed another bags worth (some shredded, some recycled, some just trash). My office is all clean, shiny, and organized.

I'm doing a little shimmy in the wrong direction, outfitting a van. But being mindful of my tendency to indulge a shopping jones for no real reason is keeping me 'shopping' in my own house for now, at least.

Completed my annual culling of the paper files for 2016, & DH just has to finish up with the shredding. One box of miscellaneous is ready for the Salvation Army & I made a good start on another.

Jan 10
---1 box of tea to Dd, for some reason I had too duplicates and would not get it used. She was pleased to have it.
---3 bag of fudge out of the freezer....decision was that it was garbage in the can or in me.
---1 small piece of carpet (not even sure were it came from) and not big enough to do anything with.
---1 very old odd smelling, dried up container of foot cream...garbage
Total to date 52

Shredded 2012 bills, continued to add to pile for thrift store, bagged cardboard to save and/or recycle.

3 Big bags of clothes, old blender, large stuff dog, misc items. dropped off at St. Vincent de Paul. We keep a large box in the garage for "donations" so everyone knows that when something is no longer wanted, doesn't fit, etc. etc. it goes in "the box".

My father just turned 80 and has been "unloading" miscellaneous possessions - nice gesture, but our house is already full. Need to learn how to respectfully decline these "gifts". *sigh*

Does anyone have a problem with wood? I just can't seem to part with all these 5-10" bits and pieces, and the long boards - project extras, mostly - are even worse, they don't really fit anywhere and create major cluttery obstacles. I'll admit it's great to fish around and find something precisely the right size, especially compared with having to go to the hardware store, but the woodpile is starting to outweigh the shed.

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Originally Posted by Greg44

My father just turned 80 and has been "unloading" miscellaneous possessions - nice gesture, but our house is already full. Need to learn how to respectfully decline these "gifts". *sigh*

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My dad just turned 91 and has decided that the best form of love he can give is mailing me a big box of remainder books from the Daedalus catalog every few months, typically about astrophysics or ancient Egypt or the origin of slang that's been out of fashion for 50 years. I've decided to accept it as the love it's intended to be, and pass it directly to Goodwill. (Daedalus refuses to accept any more returns from me).

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Originally Posted by kib

My dad just turned 91 and has decided that the best form of love he can give is mailing me a big box of remainder books from the Daedalus catalog every few months, typically about astrophysics or ancient Egypt or the origin of slang that's been out of fashion for 50 years. I've decided to accept it as the love it's intended to be, and pass it directly to Goodwill. (Daedalus refuses to accept any more returns from me).

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Nice!

I had a wood shop in my basement and when preparing to put the house up for sale, I needed to sell off my tools, seal the concrete block walls with a moisture barrier, just get rid of lots of stuff......when I thought I was pretty much done there was this huge box of wood remnants of all different sizes sitting in the room. I had no idea what to do with it. Then I remembered a friend who heated his house with an outdoor wood furnace. Problem solved.

I've considered building a fire pit. Lol.

If I can just get started, this will be a good way for me to approach things........rather than thinking "Okay.......I need to completely clean out this whole room." This is real do-able for me!

If someone with too much junk in their house gives me something I always take it and then directly take it to the thrift store. I figure I am doing them a favor.

I need to come here regularly for motivation. I tend to declutter in bursts but in between I might start collecting stuff again. I thought I had broken that habit but apparently not so!

I have unloaded a bunch of things though. I put an ad on Kijiji for free large houseplants and handed off three enormous plants, two smaller ones and, because it was there, the lady also took a bag of candy that someone gave me (otherwise would be trash). That felt good, and I noticed again this morning that the space where the plants had been is much more appealing to me. Plus the remaining large Christmas cactus looks gorgeous with space around it.

DSD went back to uni with the last of the holiday fudge from the freezer. That was good. I also dumped a million overage leftovers. I don't think that actually counts but it was necessary and very gratifying. And helps me to be resolved to cook only what is going to be eaten. That's a challenge for me.

I've tried in the past to keep track of the number of items decluttered and I just can't seem to do it. So I'll just try to check in here at least weekly and have something to list. That will probably work for me, and keep my thinking on track.

So....I CANNOT understand why I felt it necessary to buy at a flea market several of those old community cookbooks that were all the thing in the 80s and 90s....I found several for my current little neighborhood and thought they would interest me. Mostly recipes that use canned soup and jello, neither of which is appealing, and also there is practically nothing that speaks to the community itself. Oh well....what comes from the flea market can always be returned to the thrift store!

Thanks for the reminder leslieann, I have 6 plants that I brought in for the winter but some of them look pretty bad even after repotting. I need to clean up their sunny spot and probably toss a couple of them.

I am doing really badly at this.

today a parent brought me ten huge boxes and bins of plaster molds for my class. Almost all of them are dirty, many were damaged, I'm not sure how many will work at all. I left the worst of them in some of the cardboard boxes to be tossed by the janitor, but the back of my car is full - this is not the direction I wanted to be moving with the molds. It's hard though, at least half a dozen of them are really cute. I just need to get more ruthless about tossing and more picky about what I bother trying to wash.

My classroom is starting to look better, but I still really only have 5 areas done for the month and it's already the 13th.

Jan 13-
---3 plastic handled teaspoons (I really liked them) the 4th one broke at Xmas and I saw a crack in one so I bent it
ever so slightly and it broke....so the garbage for all 3
---1 bag of paper from year end files....recycled.
---10 books packed up and it car to take to seniors home tomorrow.
Total to date 66

Jan 14
---5 magazines added to books that I took to seniors home today

Total to date 71

I'm getting rid of miscellaneous computer hardware, floppies, and software circa 1999. It's hard for me to actually throw things away instead of recycling, but I'm getting the hang of it. :D

Ten items to Goodwill this morning. I guess I'm starting the year with baby steps!

I've been trying to get rid of things as well. The encyclopedia set has been going out in the garbage pick up 3 volumes at a time...next week will finish that off. A goodwill trip to get rid of things accumulated. So much more to do, but I'm working on the easier stuff.

Also, husband is going through old Workbench magazines and culling...lots for the recycle bin!!!

I spent the day helping Mom to declutter. We tossed 5 bags/boxes of stuff, filled a box for the SA, and filled a shopping bag of paper for recycling.

I don't know my count for the month but I did get rid of some things I'm proud of.

1. A while back I decided to stop wearing all high heels shoes. They hurt my back these days. Life is too short for that. But I was holding onto my last three pairs because they're so pretty. And an expensive European brand. But I got rid of all three finally. Of course I bought 2 more pairs of flats. But baby steps. I'm down one more pair of shoes and have less than half of what I had a year ago.

2. When we painted the condo I bought those containers with the built in brushes for touch ups. That a year they all sat in my laundry room. I finally put the paint in the containers. What was left, I listed for free on craigslist. Someone came and picked it up last night. Down three partial cans of paint and what I have left is protected so it will be good when I need it.

3. When I got married 21 years ago, my mom talked me into registering for a super fancy china pattern. It was something she wanted, not really me. It had gold trim and I'm not a gold trim kind of girl. She bought me the tea pot for the pattern and literally no one else bought me any pieces of this super expensive, super fancy china. I've held on to that teapot for 21 years, simmering with resentment every time I looked at it that I allowed my mother to steamroller me that way. I bought a vintage 70s teapot with strawberries on ebay and stuck the fancy teapot in the Goodwill bin. Total number of items effectively the same, but now I have a teapot that makes me smile when I use it.

4. This isn't quite done yet, but I've finally got a commitment and date from my sister and BIL to pick up the big dresser I'm no longer using but was too nice to just give away. Her dresser is falling apart, so she will use it. This is 2 out of the three big pieces of furniture I decided to get rid.

Other random items this month that have been sent to goodwill:

1 Ikea tray
3 books
1 pair 'jelly' shoes that were never as comfortable as they look
1 drape front sweater that I liked the idea of but felt dowdy in
1 plastic measuring cup thing that came with the stick blender but is never used.


Threw away

1 jar deep conditioner that was awful
1 bottle of after sunburn care stuff that was way past expiration
Combined three packages of light bulbs into one and threw way 2 empty packages.

Also, earlier in the month, I created a wardrobe capsule and put all the rest of my clothes into storage boxes on top shelf of my closet. The idea is that when I get tired of what's in the capsule or it wears out, I can just shop my closet. I might do a post about this later.

Sloeginfizz: I was never a high-heels girl; I only owned one pair in my life, but I commend you on being able to let go of pretty & expensive shoes and stick with what is comfortable (we're lucky we live in a time when you can actually get cute comfy shoes) and major kudos on the teapot!

Jan 15....everyone is having a really great month!
Welcome Sloeginfizz!
---2 long strands of Christmas tree beads put in the charity box
---1 grocery bag of recipes/crafts/home and yard items and articles that had been torn from old magazines but not used
put in recycling.
Total to date 74

Jan 16
Cleaned under the kitchen sink...
---1 Dish drain to charity box
---2 cleaning products (of unknown age) to hazardous waste box
Total to date 77 items

Passed on a book I read to a friend. Total for month: 11.

Yesterday I browsed through five years worth of a holistic dog magazine, which filled three large binders. After taking out articles I'm keeping, they fit in a 1", bulging binder. The rest I may put on Freecycle in case there are any holistic-minded dog owners out there.

Also did this with holistic horse magazines and was able to give most away to my horse's hoof trimmer.

I went through my old letters today. Sorted out and got rid of about half. I ditched letters from people I knew in college who wrote once and then never wrote back. Cards where nothing substantial was written inside. That sort of thing. I had the momentary impulse to get rid of them all but refrained. I don't get many letters these days and now they all fit inside one small box that formerly held candy. That's little enough for whoever is handling my estate to deal with.

We we shredded about 3 months worth of credit card offers, privacy notices from bank accts, etc. I don't know why we let it build up like that. I'm not sure this really counts as we would have done it eventually. I don't really count it decluttering when getting rid of something you usually would, like the wrapper after you eat the food.

Combined two partly full shampoo bottles into one. Not mine, but husband's. I only ever have one going, but he's not so mindful about certain things. He never noticed. Nor did he notice when I poured the travel size mouthwash the dentist gave him into the big bottle.

Next up, listing the day bed on Craigslist. It's the 3rd of 3 big furniture pieces I wanted to get rid of.

I have got to remember that it is winter. I keep trying to get some momentum and then I have a couple of bad days and I feel discouraged. It's winter. Any day I don't backslide is a good day.

so far today I found a "set" of cup, saucer, and dessert plate for 3 that I can get rid of. I also found four books to pass on, and I broke the zipper in an old ratty pair of jeans. So today is a progress day.

I think for the rest of the month I'm just going to take it one day at a time - progress, backslide, or neutral, and my main goal will be not to have any given day be a backslide day, with the secondary goal of compensating enough for those days to make net progress.

I've had to give myself permission to get rid of things that are broken, perhaps more so than things I know someone will actually want. "What can I do with this dishtowel that's so old it's falling apart, how can I use this pair of smartwool tights that has 50 runs in them (they were expensive, after all). This plate was glued together and it looks ugly, but it's functional and no one else will want it." Lately I think I've overcome this hurdle, I'm actually pleased when I've "worn it out" and can put it in the garbage. I don't produce a lot of garbage, but I'm coming to terms with owning my personal contribution to the landfill. Throwing things away if they're truly not worthy of use has come to feel like a triumph rather than a discomfort.

Kib, I am totally with you there!

i was overjoyed the day the goodwill attendant told me they recycle fabric items that are too worn/torn/stained to sell. the running store shreds sneakers for playground padding.

just keep telling yourself your house is not a landfill.

my friend came over and took all but one of the windows we removed from the house to use for cold frames (the one was cracked). I also was able to give her a dozen jelly jars, a few ornaments, and the cheese my kids left behind after break that we don't eat.

Yesterday I took a dozen pencils to my classroom. I brought home food and a few classroom items I need to use here and then return. So yesterday was a progress day.

home all day today so we'll see how it goes.

Hey guys. This is big. I got rid of one of my blankets.

The house I grew up in never had any extra blankets really. It wasn't that we couldn't afford them or my mom was a minimalist. It was that our rooms were decorated and you had the bedding that went with the room and that was it. It was fine for the other rooms in the house but it was an old house with forced air. The register in my room didn't really work so I was often cold in the winter. Not like ice on the windows cold, but like if the rest of the house was set for 70, my room would be 62.

its not like a huge complex I have or anything. But I have one bed and eight blankets for it, plus a quilt that is in process. Not counting afghans and my baby blanket. The blanket stash has survived many years of purges, growing even. I guess eight or nine blankets does not a hoard make, but it's far more than we need, especially as the heat in our place is nice and even. It stays pretty warm due to neighbors above and below and to the sides, even if we don't run the furnace.

Also, on the purged list- the set of biscuit cutters (I can use a glass if I ever make biscuits), the vegetable steamer I never use (I can use the basket that came with my rice cooker), an extra ice cube tray and a big decorative vase. It was maybe too nice to just give away but no longer my style at all- fancy Chinese flowers highlighted in gold.

I'm still finding a few things each day to add to the goodwill pile, so so far steady, if slow, progress. Today it was a shower curtain, a sweater, and I recycled some papers.

Jan 24...
--4 pair of underwear to the garbage (they needed got no more needs said on this one) except to quote my mother "Would you be embarrassed to be taken to the
hospital in those" lol
--1 can of air spray I am not sure how it came in the house or how old it is...hazardous waste
--4 old gold coloured glass plates (1 exploded in the mircowave and of course I probably should not have been using them in the mircowave at all but,
the fright of it going into hundreds of pieces and imagining what would have happen if it had explode as someone opened the mircowave door....very frightening
Total to date 86

Jan25
--2 silk scarfs to charity box
--1 dusty old Christmas tree skirt (as in cheap white felt) to garbage
Total to date 89

Danna, you are doing well!

sloeginfizz, I have a lot of blankets also. I do use most of them, but I have a half a dozen antique quilts from my great grandmother that rarely come out.

Yesterday i didn't find anything to get rid of and I bought three microfiber dust cloths (they are very helpful for cleaning up the concrete dust I am fighting from construction) and two medium sized dolls I had bought a few weeks ago arrived. I had been watching these for a really long time, so they weren't an impulse buy, but it was a significant "backslide" day.

i did wash 15 more molds, most of which will go to my classroom.

Today was neutral. No in, no out, nothing added to the goodwill pile.