August Purge

[pony mom]

I found these a few days ago, discounted at Target: http://www.shopirisusa.com/easy-access-heel-bootie Thought about them, measured what I would need, then went back and bought the only four boxes they had. Managed to fit my seldom used or out of season shoes in them, and threw away nine shoeboxes! What I like about them is that I can just open the little door in front and pull out a pair, instead of unstacking boxes until I get to the one I need.

Did I need them? Not really, but my closet shelf looks so much more open. I rearranged a few things in there and it looks much more spacious.

[Florence]

We had to move our big book shelves and in order to do that we had to take down approximately 1 gazillion books. We used that as an opportunity to donate 2 big boxes of books to the library. Books remaining: 1 gazillion - 40.

[ejchase]

Pony Mom, I think finding ways to store things that makes them easier to get to is *well* worth the money!

Congratulations, Florence, on getting rid of 40 books.

I threw out another pair of worn-out shoes today. New total for month: 60.

[Yppej]

I tackled the tool drawers today. The impetus was a box that toner came in. I am following the Konmari advice and putting any boxes that come in to the house to good use as tidying compartments. While cleaning I tossed 9 items I no longer use.

[rosarugosa]

DH weeded out 7 shirts today on his own initiative. Between the two of us, we have 51 more clothing items out than in this year, about evenly split between us.

[rosarugosa]

Two more books out the door. Three books on cooking with lemons is a bit much.

[Yppej]

We have determined the old insulation should all go. We are careful to keep food put away securely, so the mice have been bringing in things like acorns and leaving their shells in the insulation. Some also smells of mouse urine.

[SteveinMN]

DW and I spontaneously joined this challenge yesterday.

She's got a little time off work, so she started decluttering and organizing (not the same thing lol) spots like the basket by her living room chair. This spread to the basket by her side of the bed and then the room she uses as a big closet/dressing area. Somehow I caught the bug and returned to working in the room I use as my office. By dinnertime we had decluttered her hot spots, a good chunk of her dressing room and my office, the entryway closet, the linen closet, the hall closet/pantry, and under the sink in the main-floor bathroom.

Two boxes to take to Goodwill; three items listed on craigslist and Facebook for-sale; lots of cleaners which will go to hazardous-waste pickup (I don't use 'em and I'm the one cleaning); two pieces of furniture cleared out completely and ready for redeployment (perhaps to someone else's house); and a recycling bin which will be full for Tuesday morning pickup. We also found bits and bobs (bars of soap, dishwasher detergent) we will use up before buying more of the same.

The big difference this time: consulting with one another real-time on what goes where. I am hopeful the organization stays a little longer because DW understands why I keep things the way I do and I understand what she has where and why.

[Yppej]

Finally got a new mattress set ordered for DS so the old one can go. I am trying to replace and toss worn out things now that I am working again.

[mschrisgo2]

Wow, Steve! Congratulations on the spontaneous clean out!