Author Topic: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2  (Read 1249293 times)

oneday

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 8763
  • Age: 48
  • Location: SF Bay Area, USA
  • only good pies and no bad pies -mspym
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1200 on: September 09, 2018, 12:28:54 PM »
@Penn42 I'd say you made lemons into lemonade...well done!

Linea_Norway

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8569
  • Location: Norway
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1201 on: September 10, 2018, 02:18:35 AM »
Hm. I am trying to declutter the house. But DH visited a reuse-event in the weekend and purchased a few things we don't need for little money. Amongst them are some dishes in the shape of fish. The was a whole dish set, but luckily he understood that we didn't need the whole set. So now just 2 pieces and a book.

CU Tiger

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 462
  • Location: Mid-Atlantic USA
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1202 on: September 10, 2018, 10:41:48 AM »
Got rid of a full size bedframe for $50, a the mattress and sheets were given to a neighbor.

snoot

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 76
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1203 on: September 11, 2018, 10:07:04 AM »
Got rid of some reusable water bottles. MrSnoot and I each kept one that we really like and will use, and the rest are going to be donated.

RetiredAt63

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *
  • Posts: 20709
  • Location: Eastern Ontario, Canada
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1204 on: September 12, 2018, 04:10:15 PM »
I had been collecting stuff - all out yesterday.    Will go to fundraisers for a charity I support.

Bracken_Joy

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8927
  • Location: Oregon
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1205 on: September 12, 2018, 05:10:25 PM »
Dropped off a bunch of stuff to goodwill- old exercise bike (free from neighbor, didn't have the air assist, we didn't like it), some stuff we donated for a relative, then misc stuff that accumulated into our donate boxes- clothes that we stopped liking/fitting, a fan that was getting temperamental, etc. A couple boxes gone. Only thing they wouldn't take are the sconces we replaced when we moved in 2 years ago- I'll need to take that to habitat to humanity or something.

mspym

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9710
  • Location: Aotearoa
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1206 on: September 12, 2018, 07:46:39 PM »
4 books & a DVD set of Fruits Basket off into the free library near the primary school. It's really heartening how the books I donate are not there any more.
We are averaging removing 3 books a week right now!
October is Hard Rubbish collection so that's when we will put out
- the total gym 1000 that we found in an alley - it works but we don't use it
- old bike wheels
- the slow cooker without a power cord
- I think we'll go through the storage rooms in the basement and go for a big clean-out.
The rule around here is everyone puts things out about 1 week before the collection date and people take what they want in advance of the rubbish trucks.

Roadrunner53

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3570
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1207 on: September 13, 2018, 03:42:39 AM »
I have one counter top in my kitchen that is supported by braces. There are no cabinets below because there is a radiator baseboard heat near the floor. We have no kitchen table in there and years ago I bought two stools so we could eat there. It really doesn't work out due to the cabinets above. So for years the stool have been down there unused. Recently I got this idea to buy a chrome cart with wheels. It is about 33 inches high and came with 3 shelves. I assembled it but only with two shelves. I have a bunch of nice skillets in various sizes and really no where to store them. I got these hooks from Amazon that I pushed down on the wire shelves about an inch apart and hung my pots from the top shelf. Then I bought this little drawer that I set on the bottom shelf and put my air dryer on top of it. I have about 8 skillets hanging, the drawer and the air dryer on the bottom shelf. Then on the top shelf, I have some sheet pans, a stainless steel 'lasagna' pan and several other baking pans. The cart rolls right under the counter top. The whole thing looks very organized! I just bought another chrome cart that was a bit smaller due to the braces under the counter. On that cart I removed my Kitchen Aid food processor from my counter top, then I have two small electric choppers that were on my counter top and put them on the second shelf of the cart. This cart has three shelves. The bottom of the cart I am storing my Rubbermaid storage containers that I use every day to store leftovers, plus 2 small pyrex containers with lids. The top shelf has two large baking pans (9x13") and smaller pyrex baking dishes. I am trying to take back my counter tops! I have a bunch of cookbooks I need to go thru on my counter top that are driving me nuts and a slew of insulated mugs. Plus, I have some oil and vinegar bottles on my counter top. I have been trying to find some small organizer to put inside one of my cabinet doors to hold the bottles. This has been a challenge due to the shelves inside the cabinet. I also purchased a Spicy Shelf and am going to reorg my spice cabinet. I reorganized it a few years back but I can't find anything without moving 10 bottles. The Spicy Shelf looks like a very nice organizer. I ordered it from a website and it has been on back order. GRRRR, I see Bed Bath and Beyond has them. I should have looked there first. I have been on an organization kick but the delays in shipping have slowed me down. I have this really nice over the door towel hanger with two shelves on order and that is also coming from China. I could not find another one like it so I ordered it and am waiting...I am cleaning out and reorganizing. I have a giant pile of stuff to donate to the Vietnam Veterans. I need to make a phone call to schedule a pick up. Two people, one house, no kids, married 45 years. How did we accumulate so much crap! I keep filling up bag after bag of stuff to donate and there is still more and more and more! I think my stuff is having an orgy at night and multiply like bunnies! Oh and recently, I bought an over the door organizer for inside the hall closet I use as a pantry. It is so nice and organized now. I did toss out a few things and I actually have some empty shelves! The hub says what are you putting on them and I told him I didn't know and they were like gold! We never have an inch of space it seems and empty shelves are like a big WOW to me!

diapasoun

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4426
  • Location: California
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1208 on: September 13, 2018, 10:03:46 AM »
Congrats on reclaiming your countertops, Roadrunner53! I would loooooove to reclaim some of ours (6 adults in one small shared kitchen = an unholy terror).

Amazing, isn't it, that as soon as you start looking for clutter you find it everywhere? I'm feeling that a bit myself right now.

Roadrunner53

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3570
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1209 on: September 13, 2018, 11:12:42 AM »
My over the door bathroom towel hanger with two baskets came today. I just assembled it and put it on the back of the door. It looks pretty good! I bought two new towels from Ikea that have loops on them so the towels can hang. I really only bought them for my husband. My towels don't have loops but I bought these metal clips that I hang on the towel hanger then clip the towel to it. I have a bath sheet and didn't want to part with it. I figured the hub might not like the clips and I didn't want the towels to fall on the floor. Worked out really good!

Diapasoun, I am TRYING to reclaim my counter tops and am still working on it! There is only two of us so can't imagine 6 adults in one house!

When my Mom was alive and I saw something I liked but would hesitate on buying it due to lack of space, she would say "put it in a corner". LOL, I told her Mom, I ran out of corners years ago!

I have been looking at unique storage ideas on Pinterest and other places. It is helpful but my house is not a mansion so there are only so many places to hang shelves and things. I don't have a closet to put my vacuums away that is handy. Downstairs is NOT handy! So I bought this narrow chrome cart and installed the shelves to the right height to put the two vacuums on. One on each shelf. The cart has about 5 shelves and I got these bins to put on the empty shelves to put in cleaning products like Pledge and other stuff. It fits in a tight place behind a door. On the wall, I had the hub install brackets to hold the hoses and power nozzles. I put a sink skirt on the bottom two shelves to hide the vacuums. I don't like the color and may buy another one. It is a beige and just looks blah, blah, blah.

Now I have on my counter two containers of big cooking utensils like spoons, spatulas and a ton of stuff. Gotta weed it all out and come up with some other storage idea for them to get them off the counter top. I have a gigantic knife holder...hubs had to have it and we must have 30 knives. A giant crock pot, a soda stream machine, a vacuum sealer and a Vita Mix. There are dog cookie containers too. I can't find homes for most of this stuff.

Funny, if you ever watch QVC with the cooking stuff, one of the hosts is David. He promotes all kinds of cooking equipment, casserole dishes, bowls, you name it. He will say he owns one of everything. My Hub and I laugh and say he must live in a warehouse if he has one of everything!

I have been unjunkifying for probably a good 5 years and the junk is still multiplying!

Good luck to all hardy souls who are tackling the clutter. It is a war that is hard to win!

Bracken_Joy

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8927
  • Location: Oregon
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1210 on: September 14, 2018, 08:11:02 AM »
FINALLY donated those butt ugly sconces that were in our house when we moved in. Very dim, garish psuedo-french provential style... just foul. They've been in a closet for years because no one even wanted them for free on CL or FB marketplace, LOL. It's a long drive to the nearest habitat for humanity donation site, hence the two year delay =o (Unfortunately, my husband FORGOT the bags with their hardware and decorative dangly bits, but they're still functional lights without all that, so honestly? I'm gonna just throw that shit away.) We turned the outing into a date, trying a coffee shop nearby and wandering through a very cool aquarium store with huge saltwater tanks.

oneday

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 8763
  • Age: 48
  • Location: SF Bay Area, USA
  • only good pies and no bad pies -mspym
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1211 on: September 14, 2018, 01:57:57 PM »
@Bracken_Joy what a huge win!

*********

For some reason I am compelled to state publicly here that I de-prioritized the paper purging. I think I burned out. Well, I will make some progress this weekend, then I go on vacation. Posting for accountability (and cathartic reasons).

Roadrunner53

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3570
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1212 on: September 16, 2018, 02:56:15 AM »
Bought an over the door bathroom white wire towel hook caddy with two baskets on top to store some small items. I love it! Then I bought this black wine rack/towel holder. It will hold either but I am using it for rolled up towels. It did not come in any other color but black and didn't want black in the bathroom so the Hub spray painted it glossy white. Hung that up behind shower door and put on some rolled up towels and one roll of paper towels. I love that too! I found some little wall hanging tooth brush holders to put our electric tooth brushes onto and make some space on the vanity. Must take back my vanity in this tiny bathroom! Then I saw this interesting idea on Pinterest. I have a Rubbermaid set of drawers in the bathroom. The frame is white and the drawers translucent. I am going to have the Hub spray paint the frame (remove the drawers first) a color that matches the tile on the walls. I am kind of excited about that. This bathroom is very tight and small. I pretty much hate it! However, trying to come up with ideas to improve what real estate I have in there!

Oh, so this one project that sucked the life out of me yesterday was trying to find something to hold my washcloths. I looked at baskets and a variety of things that just didn't do it for me. I came up with this idea of putting two cheap cooling racks together. One is for hanging it on the wall and the other is bent in a L shape and the edge bent up about 4 inches. Hub put a brace on the bottom and we wire tied the two racks together. It fits my washcloths perfectly. He will spray paint it white today and later on hang it up under the rolled up towel holder. I may use Command hooks to install it.

I have to call Vietnam Vets again. I have a giant pile of donations downstairs. So, by buying these organizers, it is cleaning up the clutter! Hub is being very helpful with my brainstorms!

I have two more chrome utility carts coming on Monday for my kitchen. I already have two and have organized a bunch of stuff on them. I also have my recycles under the countertop and am getting some smaller containers on wheels for that.

Getting into this reorganization however, most of the places I order from take sooooo long to arrive! The bathroom towel hook caddy came directly from China and took weeks to get here. It was not packaged that great either but nothing was broken.

former player

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8723
  • Location: Avalon
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1213 on: September 16, 2018, 03:32:04 AM »
Roadrunner, I am loving reading about all your progress on decluttering and organising.

snoot

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 76
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1214 on: September 16, 2018, 05:36:57 AM »
Last night I went through all of my clothes. One big tub of clothes to be donated and one bag of clothes that are too worn or stained to donate that will be used for cleaning rags or thrown out. My closet is looking much less cluttered!

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk


Roadrunner53

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3570
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1215 on: September 16, 2018, 05:59:09 AM »
Roadrunner, I am loving reading about all your progress on decluttering and organising.

Thanks Former Player. Not all my org has gone well. I bought this little narrow rolling storage rack/cart and it was supposed to go on the side of my washing machine and beside the toilet. The thing was pretty much a piece of crap but the hub finally got it put together. I wheeled it into the laundry room and the dang thing is just tad too wide to fit in that spot. Did NOT make me happy. I have it along the only free wall which is in back of me when I load the washer. It makes the room look so crowded. Not happy with it but it does store all my soaps and softeners. Maybe if I can have the washer and dryer moved over a little bit I might be able to squeeze the cart in to where I originally wanted it. There isn't much room at all to move them though!

I also learned that Command hooks are really handy! On my over the door towel hook caddy, it needed secured at the bottom so it didn't slide back and forth as towels were removed from the hooks. So I took the Command hooks and put them upside down to kind of pull down each side of the wire frame. They are barely seen and worked like a charm! No need to put in screws!

Bracken_Joy

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8927
  • Location: Oregon
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1216 on: September 16, 2018, 07:22:51 AM »
@Roadrunner53 your mention of the spicy rack was very well timed with needing to replace my CO2 canister and having a $10 off $30 BB&B coupon. I'm now the proud owner of a spicy rack. I am *really* impressed at how much it helped! My spice access is way better now. Thank you! I didn't get rid of anything so this doesn't super fit with the thread, but I cook A LOT and use my spice collection heavily.

Roadrunner53

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3570
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1217 on: September 16, 2018, 07:49:56 AM »
@Roadrunner53 your mention of the spicy rack was very well timed with needing to replace my CO2 canister and having a $10 off $30 BB&B coupon. I'm now the proud owner of a spicy rack. I am *really* impressed at how much it helped! My spice access is way better now. Thank you! I didn't get rid of anything so this doesn't super fit with the thread, but I cook A LOT and use my spice collection heavily.

Haha, mine is still not here, wish I had known it was at BB&B! Glad to hear you like it. Can't wait to get mine! I ordered it from the official web site. Who knew it would be back ordered from China!

Well, getting rid of clutter and reorganization kind of go hand in hand I think! You might have clutter that wouldn't be if you could organize it properly!

Bracken_Joy

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8927
  • Location: Oregon
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1218 on: September 16, 2018, 08:10:58 AM »
@Roadrunner53 your mention of the spicy rack was very well timed with needing to replace my CO2 canister and having a $10 off $30 BB&B coupon. I'm now the proud owner of a spicy rack. I am *really* impressed at how much it helped! My spice access is way better now. Thank you! I didn't get rid of anything so this doesn't super fit with the thread, but I cook A LOT and use my spice collection heavily.

Haha, mine is still not here, wish I had known it was at BB&B! Glad to hear you like it. Can't wait to get mine! I ordered it from the official web site. Who knew it would be back ordered from China!

Well, getting rid of clutter and reorganization kind of go hand in hand I think! You might have clutter that wouldn't be if you could organize it properly!

We're looking at moving from our (large, 3br/2br +den) home back into a city apartment.... so I'm about to have a LOT of clutter to get rid of =o

Once I'm up and moving around later, I'll post a picture if I remember. I'm very pleased with how it looks.

joonifloofeefloo

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4865
  • On a forum break :)
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1219 on: September 16, 2018, 09:06:53 AM »
I still have very few things, but I did three declutters yesterday:

(1) Emptied a crazy binder and thoroughly organized its contents. Now I can easily find what I need in it.

(2) Went through one very organized, store-like closet of shelves and gathered up many little things I no longer need. (e.g., Special floss picks for the orthodontist appliance recently removed from kid’s face; sunblock that expired last summer that we used this one as well; bulky system of wipes that became obsolete after installing a bidet; etc.)

So lots of little things gone -while small in volume, it always makes a huge difference to have only things we use/enjoy.

(3) Did a big post-summer clean and re-org of one kitchen cupboard, e.g. making sure our supply of special freezies etc can’t make a spill mess between now and when we pull them out for next year.

Shinplaster

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1725
  • Location: up in Canada complaining about the weather
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1220 on: September 16, 2018, 10:04:36 AM »
Bagged up about 7 sweaters that DH will never fit into again.  His 30 inch waist days are long gone.  : )    My Mom made them for him though, so I felt bad about getting rid of them.  Then I talked to one of her friends that volunteers at the Boys and Girls club - they have a 'store' that all members can shop at entirely for free.  They are just setting up for winter, and are thrilled to be getting sweaters that look new and will fit teenagers.       They've been worn a lot, but my Mom is a champion knitter, and her sweaters just go on forever.   She is very pleased they will be going to a good home.

Tomorrow I am tackling the pots and pans cupboard.  I have a hoard of tins in the back, and I think it's time to let those go.   Some of them are very pretty, and I'm hoping a person that bakes a lot will be happy to find them at the local Goodwill.

Linea_Norway

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8569
  • Location: Norway
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1221 on: September 21, 2018, 06:45:40 AM »
FIL needs a new sewing machine. Decades ago MIL gave us an old, simple, but good qualit sewing machine that still works fine. When MIl lost her mind, FIL gave us her more advanced sewing machine, which can do the same as the old one, but much more. Now FIL mentioned that he if he tries to sew himself, his current sewing machine is stuck all the time.
DH and I are thinking about giving him back the old and simple machine. That probably fits FIL's needs to do small repair on his clothes, while DH keeps the new machine, sewing new clothes.

Even though I think we should absolutely do this, I am a bit reluctant. People often warn to not ditch an old good quality sewing machine, because it will survive the newer models. On the other hand, you can buy another old one cheaply on a flee market.

DH also recently bought a second hand overlocker, so it is good to get rid of one of the sewing machines. I want the option to get it back in the future, so FIL should not give it away to others.
« Last Edit: September 21, 2018, 06:51:52 AM by Linda_Norway »

diapasoun

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4426
  • Location: California
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1222 on: September 21, 2018, 11:50:56 AM »
I'm now starting to dig into my closet a bit to get rid of things. I'm actually mostly good at keeping my closet trim -- I don't buy clothes frequently, and I don't generally buy things I'm not sure I'll use -- but I've got a few items in there that are a bit off. Today I got rid of a white button up in good condition (I wore it for conferences in grad school but have no use for it now) to a good friend, and I set a few dresses aside that need some alterations to fit my current body. I also realized that although I'm not generally into blue clothing, I have a thing for deep blue dresses.

joonifloofeefloo

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4865
  • On a forum break :)
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1223 on: September 21, 2018, 12:28:09 PM »
In the past week, two more neighbours have attempted to "declutter onto me". Both times I had all my strength, boldness, and resiliency in place to keep their attempts at bay. At least one doesn't ask (just dumps) or identify themselves; another plows through all clearly-stated boundaries to make the "offer" multiple times. I'm not a tough person, so these have been argh for me. But the past week I got tough enough that they get it: don't want your crap, folks! (When I offered to take their unwanted to the thrift shop for them, they said no, they'd put it back in storage... It's me or nowhere, apparently! But nope nope.)

Roadrunner53

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3570
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1224 on: September 21, 2018, 01:27:26 PM »
In the past week, two more neighbours have attempted to "declutter onto me". Both times I had all my strength, boldness, and resiliency in place to keep their attempts at bay. At least one doesn't ask (just dumps) or identify themselves; another plows through all clearly-stated boundaries to make the "offer" multiple times. I'm not a tough person, so these have been argh for me. But the past week I got tough enough that they get it: don't want your crap, folks! (When I offered to take their unwanted to the thrift shop for them, they said no, they'd put it back in storage... It's me or nowhere, apparently! But nope nope.)

Hahaha, good story! Good move to offer to take it to the thrift store!

Frankies Girl

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3899
  • Age: 86
  • Location: The oubliette.
  • Ghouls Just Wanna Have Funds!
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1225 on: September 21, 2018, 02:40:57 PM »
This past week, I took an entire SUV load of items over to a really great charity shop.

I've been dealing with major anxiety since then as I keep thinking I've made a terrible mistake (I come from a family of hoarders).

I got rid of several dust catchers that likely are worth a tiny bit of money and should have tried to sell, but I just didn't want to. And also a few things that were from my grandparents that had sentimental attachment or at least I was supposed to keep forever... but I got rid of because they're long gone and the stuff isn't necessary to remember them.

Still feeling a bit panicky tho.

mspym

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9710
  • Location: Aotearoa
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1226 on: September 21, 2018, 03:13:55 PM »
Sent an email to my book club about some of the bags I am thinking of purging. One taker for the YSL hobo bag (gosh I loved that bag but it's not my style anymore and I haven't used it for several years) and one for the Bally tassel bag. I feel ok about donating the others.

SquashingDebt

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 441
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1227 on: September 21, 2018, 04:43:15 PM »
This past week, I took an entire SUV load of items over to a really great charity shop.

I've been dealing with major anxiety since then as I keep thinking I've made a terrible mistake (I come from a family of hoarders).

I got rid of several dust catchers that likely are worth a tiny bit of money and should have tried to sell, but I just didn't want to. And also a few things that were from my grandparents that had sentimental attachment or at least I was supposed to keep forever... but I got rid of because they're long gone and the stuff isn't necessary to remember them.

Still feeling a bit panicky tho.

I hope you feel better soon!  I am just recently getting better at letting go of things given to me by my grandparents (deceased).  Maybe it could help to spend some time thinking about all the happy ways you can remember them?  I have kept some high-quality, hand-made gifts from them, which helps me to let go gifts they purchased from a store as a Christmas present, etc.

Frankies Girl

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3899
  • Age: 86
  • Location: The oubliette.
  • Ghouls Just Wanna Have Funds!
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1228 on: September 21, 2018, 05:33:44 PM »
This past week, I took an entire SUV load of items over to a really great charity shop.

I've been dealing with major anxiety since then as I keep thinking I've made a terrible mistake (I come from a family of hoarders).

I got rid of several dust catchers that likely are worth a tiny bit of money and should have tried to sell, but I just didn't want to. And also a few things that were from my grandparents that had sentimental attachment or at least I was supposed to keep forever... but I got rid of because they're long gone and the stuff isn't necessary to remember them.

Still feeling a bit panicky tho.

I hope you feel better soon!  I am just recently getting better at letting go of things given to me by my grandparents (deceased).  Maybe it could help to spend some time thinking about all the happy ways you can remember them?  I have kept some high-quality, hand-made gifts from them, which helps me to let go gifts they purchased from a store as a Christmas present, etc.

I'm logically good, been doing the panick-y declutter thing so long, been there, done that, got the teeshirt. Then donated it. And panicked about it. :)

And the really hilarious thing is, I barely spent any time with the grandparents, and while they were basically nice to me when we did see them, I have no real deep, meaningful attachments to them. They sent me $5 in a birthday card, we saw them at x-mas for a few hours and I helped out my grandmother for a week or so during my 20s when she needed surgery and no one else could do it. People in my family just don't make strong, loving bonds, and it's all about the physical crap you fill your house with apparently.

After my dad died and we had to hire a crew to dig the house out, it's just... so fraught with everything stupid emotional when I cart off things I've owned literally my whole life because my family insisted everything - especially gifts or things given as gifts - are valuable. Material things are more important than people really as far as they were concerned.

A cruel twist of irony but the fact that I won't have any kids to pass this shit on to has made it easier to shut up the panic pony-go-round whenever the music starts up about "oh, no, this is important, this is valuable, you can't get rid of this, must keep it forever, be buried with it, or at least make sure to sell it someday at the astronomical price it has to be worth to justify it taking up space in my house..."

People are such silly, irrational things sometimes.

Husband has a few large bins of toys that are going out next week. Star Wars/Transformers. Originals. In played with, but somewhat decent shape with all parts included. Jabba playset, Darth's Imperial TIE Fighter. Can pop batteries into them and the lights and sound still work on a few. Even has things like a working Mickey Mouse phone. We both know if we painstakingly clean, pose, photograph and then hit up the sales sites with carefully priced sales, we'd likely get a few bucks out of the lot. Sounds TERRIBLE to us, so he's going to go to a local comic store that offers pennies on the dollar and take whatever they might offer just to be done with it.

Oh! A win for me was finally donating two large bags of clothing. I lost an entire person's amount of weight and had saved some of the really good quality clothing items from my fat days. It's been 4 years. I loaded them up to get rid of, and then the crazy brain started rationalizing keeping them - because I will regain the weight, I am a failure and will backslide and how stupid will I feel if I get rid of all those beautiful(fat) clothes.

I feel so relieved that they are gone. I kept telling myself that in the event that I do fuck up for long enough to regain the ENORMOUS amount of weight to have fit back into those items - like 8 sizes too large for me now - then I bloody well know where to buy new ones. Or go thrift store shopping for new to me ones. And how freaking depressing is it that I was keeping them on the chance I was going to fail? That's like... a giant black hole bin of negative energy every time I would see that storage container in my closet. I'd subconsciously be registering "yup, there's my fat clothes, just in case I'm a giant failure I got them handy" and how freaking stupid is that?

mspym

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9710
  • Location: Aotearoa
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1229 on: September 21, 2018, 05:53:26 PM »
Frankie's Girl - I am  SO PLEASED for you that you could shed the old clothes! That must feel so freeing!

Fresh Bread

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3361
  • Location: Australia
  • Insert dough/bread/crust joke
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1230 on: September 21, 2018, 05:59:55 PM »
@Frankies Girl You are so right to get rid of those clothes, good for you! It reminds me a bit of when I got rid of course notes & books from a foreign language course. It's a relief to have got rid of the stuff that created this negative lingering feeling that I 'should' learn a language / wasn't 'accomplished' like some character from a Jane Austen novel.

adamsputnik

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 39
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1231 on: September 21, 2018, 06:39:42 PM »
I need to join this thread so some bastard will get me to clean out the basement. I've been taking little bite sized pieces out here and there, but it's only marginally helping. I really need to make some progress with the built ins I am trying to put in down there, and get our massive piles of books organised.

I hate cleaning, but the clutter is making me nuts.

Nederstash

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 420
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1232 on: September 22, 2018, 02:21:07 AM »
I need to join this thread so some bastard will get me to clean out the basement. I've been taking little bite sized pieces out here and there, but it's only marginally helping. I really need to make some progress with the built ins I am trying to put in down there, and get our massive piles of books organised.

I hate cleaning, but the clutter is making me nuts.

Oi! You! Get cleaning!

Linea_Norway

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8569
  • Location: Norway
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1233 on: September 22, 2018, 03:37:52 AM »
I need to join this thread so some bastard will get me to clean out the basement. I've been taking little bite sized pieces out here and there, but it's only marginally helping. I really need to make some progress with the built ins I am trying to put in down there, and get our massive piles of books organised.

I hate cleaning, but the clutter is making me nuts.

When we moved to another house, DH and I both went through all of our books and picked out the ones we wanted to keep. We gave away the remaining ones.

Just go on and do it. Nice (silent for your neighbours) job to do on Sunday, tomorrow.

adamsputnik

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 39
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1234 on: September 23, 2018, 02:23:05 PM »
Oi! You! Get cleaning!

Strange, how posting this on a message board gives me the impetus to make a start on it.

First job, hosing down and sorting through various beach chairs. Why are there so bloody many?

Linea_Norway

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8569
  • Location: Norway
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1235 on: September 24, 2018, 01:53:03 AM »
I have made two lists for downsizing after FIRE:

1 What do we want to keep?
2 What can we get rid of?

As long as we are not really selling/giving away yet, it is easy to fill out the lists, including list nr 2.

Freedomin5

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 6462
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1236 on: September 24, 2018, 02:37:36 AM »
In a never ending battle to combat mold in our tiny humid apartment, we cleaned out several shelves and closets this weekend. Gone are:

1. Several child-sized folding chairs.
2. A folding table
3. A child sized chair that squeaks when you sit on it (so annoying! It was a gift)
4. Garbage bag of clothes
5. Bag of trash and scrap paper
6. Several sturdy cardboard boxes

Everything was placed in the trash area in our apartment complex, which is less than a one minute walk from our front door.  I had to make three trips because we had so much stuff. I took out the squeaky chair first. When I came out with the second bag of stuff, the chair was already gone. There are always old people sitting outside and chatting. One old woman shouted at me when she saw me taking out the folding chairs. She took them and the folding table — I didn’t even make it to the trash area. I’m glad our neighbors can make use of the stuff.

I'm a red panda

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8186
  • Location: United States
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1237 on: September 24, 2018, 07:06:39 AM »
Convinced my husband after 4 years that we really didn't need to keep the first kitchen aid mixer "just in case", as we've never used it since getting the upgraded one.

Sibley

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7408
  • Location: Northwest Indiana
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1238 on: September 24, 2018, 07:21:04 AM »
I have made two lists for downsizing after FIRE:

1 What do we want to keep?
2 What can we get rid of?

As long as we are not really selling/giving away yet, it is easy to fill out the lists, including list nr 2.

My mom is going one step farther and actually boxing/reboxing stuff up and labeling each box as keep or go. Which is good, because when they move it'll probably be a crisis time (dementia sucks) and it'll be pretty easy to tell movers not to grab boxes labeled sell, bad because now they have a massive pile of boxes full of everything under the sun that will have to be dealt with later.

I suspect that sis and I will divvy up - one deals with parents move, the other deals with parents house.

joonifloofeefloo

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4865
  • On a forum break :)
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1239 on: September 24, 2018, 08:57:44 AM »
Such a great system, Freedomin5! :)

CrustyBadger

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1085
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1240 on: September 24, 2018, 11:37:09 AM »
Sept. 3 2018

  I am starting with 12 boxes.  I need to cut that down by one box each week.  In three months, these 12 boxes need to be gone. 

Sept. 24 2018

I have decluttered:   0/12 boxes

Pretty pitiful!   (sob) .  I'm home sick from work today and just staring at all I haven't done since early September.

former player

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8723
  • Location: Avalon
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1241 on: September 24, 2018, 12:49:17 PM »
There are some forumites who post so much activity that I truly don't understand where they get the time and you are one of them.  When you are home sick you are allowed to cut yourself a break.

CrustyBadger

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1085
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1242 on: September 24, 2018, 01:01:25 PM »
There are some forumites who post so much activity that I truly don't understand where they get the time and you are one of them.  When you are home sick you are allowed to cut yourself a break.

LOL, thanks!!  I was sick all day yesterday and took today off to recover but I'm feeling better now, and trying to get all the chores done today that I needed to do yesterday.

I just grabbed 6 garbage bags and made myself fill them up with junk to take to the thrift store.  I can't tackle all my boxes yet.  But we are drowning in clutter in my house because of my disorganization.  My whole family tends to hang onto things, too.  I keep reminding myself that we are going to have to move sooner rather than later and it would be so much better to already have downsized when the moment arrives.  It will make it easier to sell the house and to move. 

(Re: my boxes .  - I posted earlier than one box was filled with old Day Planners that I have a hard time getting rid of.  I was just about to scrap them but then I heard in the news about Kavanaugh dredging up an old one from 1982 to prove he was never at that party.  I have to admit, that use of an old Day Planner never crossed my mind.)

Sibley

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7408
  • Location: Northwest Indiana
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1243 on: September 24, 2018, 01:12:06 PM »
There are some forumites who post so much activity that I truly don't understand where they get the time and you are one of them.  When you are home sick you are allowed to cut yourself a break.

LOL, thanks!!  I was sick all day yesterday and took today off to recover but I'm feeling better now, and trying to get all the chores done today that I needed to do yesterday.

I just grabbed 6 garbage bags and made myself fill them up with junk to take to the thrift store.  I can't tackle all my boxes yet.  But we are drowning in clutter in my house because of my disorganization.  My whole family tends to hang onto things, too.  I keep reminding myself that we are going to have to move sooner rather than later and it would be so much better to already have downsized when the moment arrives.  It will make it easier to sell the house and to move. 

(Re: my boxes .  - I posted earlier than one box was filled with old Day Planners that I have a hard time getting rid of.  I was just about to scrap them but then I heard in the news about Kavanaugh dredging up an old one from 1982 to prove he was never at that party.  I have to admit, that use of an old Day Planner never crossed my mind.)

Just because he's a hoarder doesn't mean that it's admirable. Toss the planners.

joonifloofeefloo

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4865
  • On a forum break :)
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1244 on: September 24, 2018, 01:12:57 PM »
...then I heard in the news about Kavanaugh dredging up an old one from 1982 to prove he was never at that party.  I have to admit, that use of an old Day Planner never crossed my mind.)

ha :)))))

Of course, everything under the sun *can* be used... for scrapbooking, for quilting, for papier mache (however that's spelled), for building a tree house, for looking up a date, for triggering memory, as an emergency jimmy to make the car go...   Don't let this trick you into holding on to excess.

Thrift everything that can be reused, Freecycle the items that can't, then recycle what's still around three days later. Go go go! (p.s. This is another task your kids can be recruited into! Not everything is mom's job!)

RetiredAt63

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *
  • Posts: 20709
  • Location: Eastern Ontario, Canada
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1245 on: September 24, 2018, 02:41:38 PM »

(Re: my boxes .  - I posted earlier than one box was filled with old Day Planners that I have a hard time getting rid of.  I was just about to scrap them but then I heard in the news about Kavanaugh dredging up an old one from 1982 to prove he was never at that party.  I have to admit, that use of an old Day Planner never crossed my mind.)

Just because it isn't in his Day Planner doesn't mean he did or didn't attend - they are planners, not diaries.   ;-)

I have a bunch of old calendars that I have kept for the same reason, they show what I was doing when - but really I could ditch them.  But calendars, with cute pictures . . . . .

CrustyBadger

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1085
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1246 on: September 24, 2018, 06:22:28 PM »
Go go go! (p.s. This is another task your kids can be recruited into! Not everything is mom's job!)

OMGoodness no, the kids are no help.  They are the worst little hoarders.  EVERYTHING is special to them.

The only way I've been able to get them to declutter is to take everything out of some corner of their room, let them clean and polish the space that remains, and put everything in the basement and let them bring back up whatever they really want.

They are basically pretty lazy so after a few trips, they decide they don't need anything else.  (-:

adamsputnik

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 39
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1247 on: September 24, 2018, 07:27:53 PM »
Thus far I have:

  • Utilized the bookcases and cabinets that will be part of the built in project to at least get books off the floor. I was hoping to complete that project and then move stuff, but it is taking me forever
  • Filled my car with various trash items that have been waiting around for no apparent reason, such as old cassette tapes and various old lamps
  • Put out various extraneous furniture items on the nature strip, all of which were taken within an hour
  • Some general tidying and gathering together of like items for further analysis

Not too shabby for a few hours' work.

joonifloofeefloo

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4865
  • On a forum break :)
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1248 on: September 24, 2018, 08:08:01 PM »
OMGoodness no, the kids are no help.

Well, yes... Lots of kids are no help with anything until their caregivers require them to be.

They are the worst little hoarders.  EVERYTHING is special to them.

This was true of my son as well. We did a process -including therapy appointments- to resolve this.

The only way I've been able to get them to declutter is to take everything out of some corner of their room, let them clean and polish the space that remains, and put everything in the basement and let them bring back up whatever they really want.

They are basically pretty lazy so after a few trips, they decide they don't need anything else.  (-:

Great strategy!!

Another thing that works for some kids:

*Buy them out of almost everything e.g. $20 for all but their 10 favourite things. Then they have $20 to spend on the thing they actually want now.

*As above + promise to rebuy anything they end up missing too much. You get heaps of clear space, and *maybe* need to buy one thing back later (though I haven't had this request so far!).

*Let them hold a garage sale of everything (yours included) that can go. Let them keep all income, on the condition that everything remaining goes to the thrift.

mspym

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9710
  • Location: Aotearoa
Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #1249 on: September 24, 2018, 09:13:15 PM »
-Yesterday, it was 4 boxes of manga to a friend, in exchange for 5 books she meant to donate to the street libraries but all the ones near her are full [and not used]. Ours are in high rotation so I can find a spot for some books. I think I may be able to get rid of a bookshelf or shuffle the contents so one can be repurposed for pantry *shakes fist at the dead-corner cupboard*
-Homes found for 3 of my bags.
-Last 4 bags or the super harsh ginger tea donated to the kitchen at work, now gone