Incredible how that happens, isn't it, Teacher Terry? Just when we think we've gotten rid of all of it, there is always something more. Well done!
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Incredible how that happens, isn't it, Teacher Terry? Just when we think we've gotten rid of all of it, there is always something more. Well done!
Just had our summer town wide yard sale yesterday. Had a decent amount to put out and got rid of about half. The best was finally selling two xerox boxes of baseball cards that have been stored for over 25 years. Guy who bought them got a deal, but I think I ended up with the best part of the sale... they are gone! Such a sense of... relief, freedom, not sure how to word it. But it feels great and is another motivator to keep decluttering!
Previous total = 17
15 items of maternity clothing (good riddance!!) = 23
12 pairs socks = 35
1 food storage to recycling = 36
1 packet herbs gifted = 37
TOTAL = 37
I should add that I have decluttered one gardening commitment at my parents' house (they are fine with the beds being fallow for the year, we'll try again next year possibly) and also have cut back on my crochet for Team Yarn. I love doing it, actually, but have a lot less time where both hands can work together. I'll get back at it, but have told myself it's ok to take a break right now.
stack of magazines (literature 10, running 21) - paper recycle
3 t-shirts - not good enough to donate, husband used them to wash and polish his car
4 socks (pieces not pairs ... I don't mind pairing and wearing slightly different socks but those just did not match at all in colour, height, material and that they can do somewhere else, not in my pile of clothes to pair or to repair)
2 CD cases
a shelf
The Squire's Daughter
kitchen clearance phase 1: glass container, package of starch and a package of polenta (moths included but don't count)
that makes 45
total this month 63
I also got in touch with the historical fencing group I used to belong to and they ll be happy to take and use my equipment
which is great. Less clutter, less painful memories and the things which are really good quality will actually get used again for what they are intended for. Now the only thing left is to stop holding on those reminders of who I used to be and finding time to take it all to them. End of June sounds like a good deadline for that.
meri, I have a few items like that, too, and have also let some go in the past. It feels really good, but it is really hard. Congrats on making the arrangements.
Minor decluttering win for my hubby for Father's Day . . . I tried to install the bike rack that's been sitting around for FIVE YEARS - we could never figure out how to install it on his bike. After two weeks of unsuccessfully trying to hire someone to install it, then lots of sneaky research and two trips to the bike store, he now has a new rack. :laff: Turns out the other one was never going to work on that kind of bike, it wasn't just our inexperience. :) Anyway, now I can sell that one. I also installed a mirror he'd had around since Xmas two or three years ago as well as some reflectors I found in a cupboard. So we still have the stuff, but now it's fulfilling its original purpose instead of just laying around. Too bad there wasn't any money saved in the process - the new rack cost more than what I can sell the old one for. Boo.
Everyone here is doing so well.....I've just been kind of accidently decluttering this week, but that's pretty darn good for me.
(1) looking for an old pair of jeans to cut off for summer, and found DH's old armrest and sling he wore after his shoulder surgeries in a drawer. Why is it still here and taking up space? Ditched it to the Goodwill pile.
(2) Saw my old (like from 1977) vinyl folio-thing that I've always put receipts in, under the desk. Why do I still have it taking up room? Moved the top 2" of receipts :) to a file for the file drawer, and threw the rest of the mess away.
(3) Looked up at a shelf in my closet and noticed the two crocheted shawls that I've never been able to part with. Why? Haven't put one on since 1974. If I haven't gone for the hippie look by now I don't think I ever will, so they would only be suitable for a Halloween costume at this point, and I haven't had an occasion to dress up for Halloween in 20 years. Threw them in the Goodwill pile.
(4) And then since that shelf looked cleaner, decided to spend the 15 minutes needed to go through my purse pile and got rid of all but 5 of them, to the Goodwill pile.
Said pile is too big and in the way, but will get them there eventually - and feeling very good about the accidental decluttering.
I love that phrase "accidental decluttering." Reminds me of that book, I think the title is Mini-Habits? The author said how life-changing it was for him when he only had to commit himself to a tiny habit change - like one push-up a day. And of course once you do one then you figure you might as well do more, and that's exactly what happened.
Maybe that's the key to the whole decluttering is just to commit to one clothes drawer, or one table top, or one pantry shelf, and then ... keep going, or not, but its the steadiness of the tiny habit that will ensure you won't give up.
I've been working on the little habit step for keeping the flower beds in check- decluttering weeds if you will- and it worked quite well last year, so I've made the chart for this year- each flowerbed individually and large beds divided into smaller sections on the list so that nothing is overwhelming. I date when I weeded each section and amazingly last summer the most I had to weed each bed ( starting in July with recordkeeping) was 5 times- only 20-30 minutes at most! Now I am excited even though the rain has made the weeds lush! I also washed 4 windows yesterday. If I would do 4 at a time just think how they would sparkle!
One pushup a day, even I could handle that!
A decluttering mindset sure does spill over into other areas. Last night and today I tried to use up some things from the cupboards and freezer because DH wants to defrost the deep freezer. Finished: partial bag rice, frozen andouille, frozen peppers, frozen celery, fresh celery on the edge of going bad, fresh carrots that needed used up, 1 bag frozen veggies, pulled out two frozen pork tenderloins, pulled out some spices to give away (we never use them and I have no interest in learning how - we have soooo many others already). So that was pretty fruitful!