Author Topic: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2  (Read 1249405 times)

Raenia

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2250 on: March 22, 2019, 05:58:15 PM »
Finally got DH to sit down with me and go through a bin and duffel bag that we were storing in the basement storage.  Wound up tossing almost everything into the donate box, just a few things he wanted to keep that need to find proper homes.  And a big pile of electronics waste/computer parts to go to the electronics recycling.  Fortunately, I hadn't made the trip yet with my broken printer, so they can all go together.

slackmax

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2251 on: March 23, 2019, 07:40:51 AM »
Found hundreds of great vinyl albums under the stairs. Blew off the dust on top, and brought them all upstairs and put them next to the record player. I had decluttered around the record player last year, so I now had some room for them.

Moving the albums is not decluttering, but at least they will be in a better climate. Less mold-inducing. They do have a musty odor, but seem to be fine, sound great still. 

As far as the other junk under the stairs, have been able to recycle 2 old rotting moving boxes, and recycled/ threw out  a lot of the junk in them. Will end up putting back about 25% of the 'junk' since it has sentimental value. So, a 75% success rate here, I guess.

It's unbelievable how much time I have to take on this stuff. I have to (choose to, actually) think about just about everything I find, and reminisce about it, before deciding what to do with it. I don't photograph it, thank God. I'm not that bad, ha ha.   

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2252 on: March 23, 2019, 10:59:22 PM »
I came into a dozen gorgeous recipe books through work and put them aside for a friend.

Finally caught up with her and handed them over.

I also threw out a pair of work pants that were well and truly past it. (Still trying to replace them, as the company stopped making this style - black, stretchy, skinny leg suit pants with belt loops and real pockets.)


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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2253 on: March 24, 2019, 09:24:02 AM »
I always gave my kids toys and clothes to foster homes because they are hard on toys.   We are older now and I definitely won’t be leaving a mess behind.

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2254 on: March 24, 2019, 10:26:21 AM »
Finally got rid of the clothes I chose to purge at the beginning of January. It was too much for public transportation, so I waited until my wife went through a pile she wanted to clean, and we got a Lyft to goodwill to get rid of everything at once. It feels so good to have that corner of the room back.

gaja

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2255 on: March 24, 2019, 12:13:41 PM »
The school has agreed to let me and a few other parents use the gymnasium to organize a community clothes and sports equipment swap/sale in a couple of weeks. Hope it works out well, we don't have a lot of time for preparation.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2256 on: March 24, 2019, 01:08:07 PM »
The school has agreed to let me and a few other parents use the gymnasium to organize a community clothes and sports equipment swap/sale in a couple of weeks. Hope it works out well, we don't have a lot of time for preparation.
Great idea.  That is how we got all our bikes as kids.  Sell your outgrown kid's bike, buy someone else's outgrown kids bike.

mspym

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2257 on: March 24, 2019, 01:36:28 PM »
4 more handbags to add to the Vinnies pile.

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2258 on: March 24, 2019, 08:21:46 PM »
-Donated two pair of barely used soccer cleats. The kids feet grew before they got any use. Sports gear is hard to come by where we live, so hopefully it will make someone happy.
-Tried to use one of my baking pans in the oven, only to discover it's too big. The oven won't close. We moved two years ago, so this is not one of my favorites, but I was surprised to see that the oven won't shut with it. Into the donation pile it went.

Roadrunner53

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2259 on: March 25, 2019, 07:02:09 AM »
Just unhooked a big bulky printer/scanner that I can't seem to get to work on my computer. I have widows 10 and I think this dinosaur is incompatible. I am donating it to the Vietnam Vets. It is nice and hardly used when I had it hooked up to an older computer. Printers are cheap sooooo, if I really need a second one, I can buy another.

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2260 on: March 25, 2019, 07:58:05 AM »
Went through my stash of seed starting stuff and some it is so old that the plastic just crumbles at touch.  Why am I storing it?  Gone into the bin.

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2261 on: March 25, 2019, 07:58:12 AM »
Gave away a tall white cabinet that was in my kitchen when I moved in.  I had to condense everything into the current cabinets, but it was just fine and helped me sort some kitchen items into my donation box and get that big lumbering "pantry" out of there.  Now my kitchen, which I perceived as "very small" seems pretty average or larger than average size. 
It's a 1940's kitchen, so just two big tall upper cabinets and two lower cabinets, but really, that's probably all that I need.

Also decluttered my "catch all" room a bit this weekend too.  I've got a big copier box about 1/2 full of donations at this point, and growing.

jengod

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2262 on: March 25, 2019, 05:39:40 PM »
Kon Maried literally thousands of books in anticipation of Baby #4. Simply can’t keep up with any extra maintenance, organizing, furniture. “Can’t clean a messy house” and all that. I cried hysterically several times during the process (hormones!) but I accept that it’s for the best and I’ve resolved to go work out or write when I feel the impulse to thrift.

Fresh Bread

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2263 on: March 25, 2019, 09:02:35 PM »
I had two free hours this morning and went headfirst into the mystery top shelves of both wardrobes. I have reorganised everything, found stuff to chuck and donate,  making space to store what was under the spare room bed. I'm now reorganising the hanging space and shelving so that we can store what is lying about on surfaces and the floor. THEN we can get rid of the spare bed and start using the space.

I have found during my sorting that hubs has NINE backpacks/ water packs!! More than I have shoes!

mspym

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2264 on: March 25, 2019, 09:51:38 PM »
Very short and neat video on minimalism and thinking about what it is for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pJxMEeezSI

Poundwise

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2265 on: March 25, 2019, 10:38:50 PM »
Finally passed on a few "too precious to give to Goodwill" clothes and toys, including a beloved rocking horse, to my baby niece.

Got rid of a combination changing table/dresser; but now as a result we are one dresser short. There is going to be a dresser cascade whereby my mother gives me one of her dressers, I pass mine to my eldest son, he passes his to his brother, and so forth.  But in the meantime there are huge maddening piles of clothing lying about.

Note to self: declutter containers last, not first.

Captain FIRE

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2266 on: March 26, 2019, 09:40:04 AM »
I have climbed Paperwork Mountain!

Went through scads of paperwork in both Staring You In The Face and Taunting You places and in Cleverly Hidden so You've Mostly Forgotten it Exists locations.  Some particularly old gems I unearthed: library card from 30+ years ago, provisional drivers license from 25 years ago, title to the car we are going to get rid of this month (complete lucky chance - weren't aware it wasn't in the car).  There is admittedly still a small pile to deal with relocating/reorganizing, but I recycled pounds of paperwork.  Bought new folders to replace the 20+ year old ones that were falling apart and reorganized what was left in a hopefully easier to maintain way.  Have reclaimed: two file boxes previously so stuffed full I couldn't go through them, a table, shelf in the top of a closet, shelf in the basement.

Alas there are a few more Cleverly Hidden so You've Mostly Forgotten it Exists locations to be targeted, but I needed some positive reinforcement here before soldiering on.  Alas, the worst part of doing a really good cleanout, is realizing how much stuff there is left in some of the Unused Parts of the House.

I have also separately defeated the Master Bathroom Cabinet Monster during my son's glorious 3.5 hour nap on Saturday.  Using willpower muscles developed from the Great Paperwork Declutter, I ruthlessly purged old makeup, medications, skin regime treatments, nail polish, etc. and discovered the floor of the cabinet again.  Pretty sure we don't need to buy razors for 5+ years with the stash I collected.

Per the video posting by mspym, it's interesting to think through WHY I am decluttering:
- To not lose critical items and correspondingly find my things easier/faster (save money/time)
- To not clean/reorganize stuff as much (save time/energy)
- To be as restful at home as I am on vacation.  i.e. To not see a "to do" list when I look around my home (save energy)
=> To save time, money, and energy for what I value more.

Why do you want to declutter?

honeybbq

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2267 on: March 26, 2019, 01:43:44 PM »
Very short and neat video on minimalism and thinking about what it is for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pJxMEeezSI

Hmm. I like the questions she poses but seems like she spends most of her time being bored. LOL.

I mean, if you only have 1 coffee cup you can't even have a friend over for coffee. Maybe she doesn't *want* to do that...  I dunno.

Andrew9141

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2268 on: March 26, 2019, 05:32:23 PM »
For some extra motivation to others.

I grew up in a family of "organized hoarders". I was never allowed to throw anything away for fear that we may need that item some day.

So, naturally I followed suit as an adult. It wasn't until recently where I ran into a concept of minimalism. Minimalism is about possessing only the things that either create utility value or bring joy to your life. I was so fascinated by the idea that I took it to the extreme. I threw away about 90% of everything that I owned. It was one of the most satisfying and fun things I ever did, some of the things I was even able to donate away which only brought more fun and satisfaction. Admittedly I have slowly started accumulating a few more items as extreme minimalism is not the answer. However, I still hold true that the quality of my life has vastly improved since decluttering my junk. My wallet has also benefited greatly. I estimate that I was able to increase my savings rate by an additional 10% due to the consequences of decluttering my life.

mspym

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2269 on: March 26, 2019, 05:35:01 PM »
Very short and neat video on minimalism and thinking about what it is for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pJxMEeezSI

Hmm. I like the questions she poses but seems like she spends most of her time being bored. LOL.

I mean, if you only have 1 coffee cup you can't even have a friend over for coffee. Maybe she doesn't *want* to do that...  I dunno.
Ah, maybe it's personal style but I read her as having Resting Po Face so it was cracking me up.
: )

slackmax

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2270 on: March 27, 2019, 07:36:03 AM »
OMG, I got a response to one of my many decluttering items for sale on Craigslist. Hoping for the best!

hdatontodo

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2271 on: March 27, 2019, 06:03:34 PM »
I trimmed my stuff when I moved out of the marital home, when I moved out of my apt, and after I moved into my townhouse. I got some medical news that prompted me to go through stuff again to find things to sell (my tub of bike stuff, accessories for an outdoor hobby, videos, an armoire, side-table, a TV table, etc.) My sister said that I was holding my own estate sale. I got over $1K in sales, and have a number of $10-20 items on eBay that an executor would just take to Goodwill in order to get the house on the market quickly.


Fresh Bread

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2272 on: March 27, 2019, 06:54:51 PM »
I trimmed my stuff when I moved out of the marital home, when I moved out of my apt, and after I moved into my townhouse. I got some medical news that prompted me to go through stuff again to find things to sell (my tub of bike stuff, accessories for an outdoor hobby, videos, an armoire, side-table, a TV table, etc.) My sister said that I was holding my own estate sale. I got over $1K in sales, and have a number of $10-20 items on eBay that an executor would just take to Goodwill in order to get the house on the market quickly.

Sorry about your health news but glad the sales have gone well.

Fresh Bread

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2273 on: March 27, 2019, 06:59:39 PM »
There is a massive fire at a storage facility nearby today. Everything inside will be lost. It will obviously be upsetting and there will be businesses affected, but I can't help think that for some people it might be a relief of a burden.

Fresh Bread

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2274 on: March 27, 2019, 07:08:22 PM »
This week I have trimmed a bunch of craft stuff and cushions that we no longer like or need, and those things are bulky! Hubby has donated an unwanted new cap.

I am having trouble squeezing a spare pillow into the wardrobe, so I'm thinking I bin it and if someone needs to stay, buy one? I might still find space if I pare down our linen.

I struggle to chuck out linen that is good enough for us but not to donate. I will take it to fabric recycling I guess (eventually).

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2275 on: March 27, 2019, 10:48:19 PM »
I have climbed Paperwork Mountain!

Went through scads of paperwork in both Staring You In The Face and Taunting You places and in Cleverly Hidden so You've Mostly Forgotten it Exists locations. 

Alas there are a few more Cleverly Hidden so You've Mostly Forgotten it Exists locations to be targeted, but I needed some positive reinforcement here before soldiering on

Way to go, @Captain FIRE !  Well I know the Taunting You paperwork piles.  It is not an effective motivational tool, though.


Very short and neat video on minimalism and thinking about what it is for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pJxMEeezSI

Hmm. I like the questions she poses but seems like she spends most of her time being bored. LOL.

I mean, if you only have 1 coffee cup you can't even have a friend over for coffee. Maybe she doesn't *want* to do that...  I dunno.
Ah, maybe it's personal style but I read her as having Resting Po Face so it was cracking me up.
: )

I got the sense that she was keeping her vivaciousness under wraps. (What is resting Po face?)

It was interesting that she questioned: why do you want to have 5 pairs of shoes?  I have not put a quantity on many of my items outside of clothing, but it's always tied to function.  I have 4 pairs of slacks and one pair of jeans and five cardigans; this gets me through the work week (for example). 

But overall I declutter/minimize because I feel the burden of having excess stuff keenly.  It actually bogs down my mental process at all times. Since I have been living on my own and reducing my belongings, I feel better able to handle Life.

mspym

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2276 on: March 28, 2019, 12:42:25 AM »
@oneday "Definition of po-faced. British. : having an assumed solemn, serious, or earnest expression or manner : piously or hypocritically solemn." generally for comic effect

Sugaree

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2277 on: March 28, 2019, 04:38:47 AM »
@oneday "Definition of po-faced. British. : having an assumed solemn, serious, or earnest expression or manner : piously or hypocritically solemn." generally for comic effect

It's obvious I have a kid because my first thought was Po from Kung Fu Panda.

Poundwise

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2278 on: March 28, 2019, 07:51:15 AM »
The school has agreed to let me and a few other parents use the gymnasium to organize a community clothes and sports equipment swap/sale in a couple of weeks. Hope it works out well, we don't have a lot of time for preparation.

Tip, see if you can arrange some sort of pickup for leftovers. My church has an annual tag sale and there are usually a lot of remainders. We deal with this many ways, such as having things go half then quarter price in the last hour; sacks of clothing go to thrift shops; but there is still a huge bulk trash pickup at the end.

Poundwise

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2279 on: March 28, 2019, 07:53:53 AM »
I have found during my sorting that hubs has NINE backpacks/ water packs!! More than I have shoes!

If you have a homeless shelter nearby, ask if they need these! Around here, backpacks are very desired by people with no homes.

P.S. Sorry, I think this and my last post are unsolicited advice. Pay no regard if these don't apply to you. 
---------------

I'm still struggling with the effects of the Great Leap Forward in my house. We shuffled all the kids' rooms, and now the furniture doesn't fit and we somehow lost a lot of storage, because my oldest got a room with a lot of storage which I emptied out for him... yet he doesn't own much as he gave all his toys to his siblings. So he has 1.5 large, empty closets in his room.  I have been decluttering like mad but apparently not enough. Not sure where to go from here.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2019, 08:01:44 AM by Poundwise »

shadesofgreen

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2280 on: March 28, 2019, 10:05:21 AM »
I have found during my sorting that hubs has NINE backpacks/ water packs!! More than I have shoes!

If you have a homeless shelter nearby, ask if they need these! Around here, backpacks are very desired by people with no homes.

P.S. Sorry, I think this and my last post are unsolicited advice. Pay no regard if these don't apply to you. 
---------------

I'm still struggling with the effects of the Great Leap Forward in my house. We shuffled all the kids' rooms, and now the furniture doesn't fit and we somehow lost a lot of storage, because my oldest got a room with a lot of storage which I emptied out for him... yet he doesn't own much as he gave all his toys to his siblings. So he has 1.5 large, empty closets in his room.  I have been decluttering like mad but apparently not enough. Not sure where to go from here.

Have you thought of converting one of those storage closets into a homework/desk area? I have seen several good design ideas around. It might not help with the other things you have with no place to go but it could help you mentally about not having the storage spaces anymore.

Poundwise

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2281 on: March 28, 2019, 11:12:02 AM »
I have found during my sorting that hubs has NINE backpacks/ water packs!! More than I have shoes!

If you have a homeless shelter nearby, ask if they need these! Around here, backpacks are very desired by people with no homes.

P.S. Sorry, I think this and my last post are unsolicited advice. Pay no regard if these don't apply to you. 
---------------

I'm still struggling with the effects of the Great Leap Forward in my house. We shuffled all the kids' rooms, and now the furniture doesn't fit and we somehow lost a lot of storage, because my oldest got a room with a lot of storage which I emptied out for him... yet he doesn't own much as he gave all his toys to his siblings. So he has 1.5 large, empty closets in his room.  I have been decluttering like mad but apparently not enough. Not sure where to go from here.

Have you thought of converting one of those storage closets into a homework/desk area? I have seen several good design ideas around. It might not help with the other things you have with no place to go but it could help you mentally about not having the storage spaces anymore.

Great idea!!  I will look into it.

jengod

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2282 on: March 28, 2019, 01:52:45 PM »
For some extra motivation to others.

I grew up in a family of "organized hoarders". I was never allowed to throw anything away for fear that we may need that item some day.

So, naturally I followed suit as an adult. It wasn't until recently where I ran into a concept of minimalism. Minimalism is about possessing only the things that either create utility value or bring joy to your life. I was so fascinated by the idea that I took it to the extreme. I threw away about 90% of everything that I owned. It was one of the most satisfying and fun things I ever did, some of the things I was even able to donate away which only brought more fun and satisfaction. Admittedly I have slowly started accumulating a few more items as extreme minimalism is not the answer. However, I still hold true that the quality of my life has vastly improved since decluttering my junk. My wallet has also benefited greatly. I estimate that I was able to increase my savings rate by an additional 10% due to the consequences of decluttering my life.

Also the child of organized hoarders! My husband is a minimalist. It’s been a hard transition over many years but I do try to foster an abundance mindset. There is plenty. There is enough.

above all, the time spent stewarding objects is better spent doing almost anything else.

oneday

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2283 on: March 28, 2019, 03:31:02 PM »
@oneday "Definition of po-faced. British. : having an assumed solemn, serious, or earnest expression or manner : piously or hypocritically solemn." generally for comic effect

Thank you @mspym I should have tried urban dictionary.  Google was only giving me results on resting b***h face.


above all, the time spent stewarding objects is better spent doing almost anything else.

Agree 10,000 x !!!!!

Raenia

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2284 on: March 28, 2019, 04:11:17 PM »
Just took out Marie Kondo's book from the library.  Hopefully this will help me get some motivation/inspiration to continue - I've hit the point where I'm not finding obvious things to get rid of, so if I want to keep paring down, I need a new tactic.

daffodil2001

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2285 on: March 28, 2019, 08:53:08 PM »
I have climbed Paperwork Mountain!


Thanks for the inspiration! I have my own Paperwork Mountain to deal with. I told myself I would deal with it before I move mid-April. I started on a tiny bit of it and then shoved it all in a giant box because I needed the table for a board game. At this point I don’t think I have the energy to go through it before we move, so I’ll just take it as is and go through it when I need a break from tearing down wallpaper.

I also need to get better about reading the books I own and giving away the ones I’m done with. People keep writing new books that interest me and I can’t keep up. I think I need to limit my exposure to places where I hear about new books until I get down to a reasonable amount. I have more vacation time than my husband does so I’ve been thinking about taking a couple days off to read in the hammock once it gets a little warmer.

Fresh Bread

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2286 on: March 28, 2019, 09:03:02 PM »
I also need to get better about reading the books I own and giving away the ones I’m done with. People keep writing new books that interest me and I can’t keep up. I think I need to limit my exposure to places where I hear about new books until I get down to a reasonable amount. I have more vacation time than my husband does so I’ve been thinking about taking a couple days off to read in the hammock once it gets a little warmer.


Are you stopped buying new ones? I am religiously using the library now and although I still own unread books, I can chip away slowly at those, at least they aren't increasing.

daffodil2001

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2287 on: March 29, 2019, 04:36:11 AM »
I also need to get better about reading the books I own and giving away the ones I’m done with. People keep writing new books that interest me and I can’t keep up. I think I need to limit my exposure to places where I hear about new books until I get down to a reasonable amount. I have more vacation time than my husband does so I’ve been thinking about taking a couple days off to read in the hammock once it gets a little warmer.


Are you stopped buying new ones? I am religiously using the library now and although I still own unread books, I can chip away slowly at those, at least they aren't increasing.

Yes—and also stopped taking free new ones from little free libraries. I also donated about thirty recently that I don’t plan to read again or could easily get from the library. I annotate some of my books and some aren’t available in libraries so deciding what to do with those is harder.

slackmax

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2288 on: March 29, 2019, 06:12:54 AM »
Drove over to a resale shop in my town and asked him what sort of stuff he would buy from me. He said he would give me $10 each for shower chair, walker, and cane. I know I have those things somewhere.

I'm also looking around my house for other stuff he might buy. Like electronic keyboard.   

I'm getting disappointed with Craigslist lately. Have had some success in the past but now I get no replies, or a flake.

It would be good to just drive some stuff down to the resale store, get some $$$, and have done with it. Probably just as much $$ as I'd get from CL, too.

On the positive side, just tossed out a bunch of old used up deodorants, empty toothpaste tubes.  And recycled an old rotting cardboard moving box.

I just saw a 4 pack of beautiful tomato plants for sale for only $2.99 and I didn't buy them because they would just be in my way until May 15, when I could plant them.  May go back and buy them anyway, they looked so good.   

Yasha

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2289 on: March 29, 2019, 08:52:58 PM »
Been a while since I posted but I've been chipping away at clutter this week and figured it was time for an update

- the compost was in desperate need of some "brown"/dry material, so I grabbed a pile of paper I keep meaning to go through and with a quick shuffling found an easy 20 pages to put through the shredder and into the compost. Having an immediate need for the actual shreds made me get to that paperwork which has needed doing since before we moved here six months ago. (Still heaps to go through, but now any time the compost is a bit funky I have a reason to get to some shredding).
- posted some necklaces and clothes on the local Pay-it-forward group. Necklaces collected, one petticoat claimed. If the rest doesn't move quickly enough I'll donate it, but I've benefited from this group and I'd like to keep it active/pay it forwards myself.
- burnt down two candles, had been "saving" the last two hours or so of them because... who knows why... but they've been burned now.

I've started thinking about items in terms of "am I going to use this in the next five years before we (hopefully) move to New Zealand?" and "would I pay to ship this to NZ?" It's opening my eyes and clearing out some odd and ends which have been lingering about because they don't take up "that much" space and are easy to move (see - necklaces). Obviously if we are going to move overseas there will be a huge purge beforehand, but I'd like to keep chipping away at it between now and then, it will also give us an idea of how much space we actually need (I'm angling for a campervan and living life on the road for a year or two, hubby is not convinced!).

better late

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2290 on: March 29, 2019, 09:32:16 PM »
Brought a big stack of items to the consignment store and then brought what they didn’t want to goodwill along with other household items. Nothing came back into the house.

mspym

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2291 on: March 29, 2019, 11:07:14 PM »
@Yasha we have a similar timeframe [and plan] and it has been such a useful framework for assessing things. "Will we transport or put x in storage?"

slackmax

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2292 on: March 30, 2019, 07:15:53 AM »
Found some rocks. Former GF was a collector of shells and rocks). Added the rocks to my small rock rectangle area in back yard. 

Found a bag of used crayons. Thought about throwing it out. Can't. Will take it to a mall, with a 'FREE' sign on it.   

Decided which old musty boxes to take to recycling, which ones to fold up and store using little space.

Found 2 old coffee makers, so had to test them. Yes, they work. And I didn't know I had them. I just bought a new coffee maker a month ago! Oh well, I now have 2 backup  coffee makers now.

Discovered lots of sweet stuff in jars in the back of the fridge, like Maraschino  cherries and jams and jellies. Will buy a half gallon of vanilla ice crea, so I can put the sweet stuff on top, and use them up.   

I've been decluttering my former GF's stuff for 2 years now. I think I will be another 2 years or more before completion.

Thanks for listening.

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2293 on: March 31, 2019, 12:34:09 AM »
I had stashed some freebies from work and managed to gift quite a few to a friend this weekend (plus a free gift bag).

I just went through and topped up my hand soap (I'm still using bar soap but the liquid is for guests) and shampoo pump packs, put the empty refills into recycling.

slackmax

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2294 on: March 31, 2019, 06:25:14 AM »
I decluttered the sound of robocalls from my house (and the rare real calls too) by moving the ring volume setting on the phone (landline) to 'off'.  The answering machine flashes silently if a call comes in, and anyone is free to leave a message if desired.  Take that, evil robocallers! I guffaw in your general direction!   

Raenia

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2295 on: March 31, 2019, 09:55:08 AM »
Started to Konmari my clothes in hopes of paring down a bit more, and came to the unfortunate conclusion that if I actually used her criteria of "sparks joy", I would have no clothes left to wear to work!  So instead, I am switching to her folding method, which takes up much more space than regular folding, and putting things into the drawer favorite things first, so when I run out of space, anything left has to go, or if there is something I do want to keep, something else must come out of the drawer.  I have a good stack of shirts so far for the donate pile.

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2296 on: March 31, 2019, 10:23:40 AM »
Drove over to a resale shop in my town and asked him what sort of stuff he would buy from me. He said he would give me $10 each for shower chair, walker, and cane. I know I have those things somewhere.

I'm also looking around my house for other stuff he might buy. Like electronic keyboard.   

I'm getting disappointed with Craigslist lately. Have had some success in the past but now I get no replies, or a flake.


It would be good to just drive some stuff down to the resale store, get some $$$, and have done with it. Probably just as much $$ as I'd get from CL, too.

On the positive side, just tossed out a bunch of old used up deodorants, empty toothpaste tubes.  And recycled an old rotting cardboard moving box.

I just saw a 4 pack of beautiful tomato plants for sale for only $2.99 and I didn't buy them because they would just be in my way until May 15, when I could plant them.  May go back and buy them anyway, they looked so good.

Almost all the sale traffic in my area has moved to FB marketplace or NextDoor. And I talked to some family recently, same is true in Denver and SF right now too.

Shinplaster

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2297 on: March 31, 2019, 10:39:40 AM »
1 garbage bag full of clothes, a medium box of picture frames (why do we have so many picture frames???), and a smaller box with linens and dishware will be picked up by the Diabetes charity truck tomorrow.   I've already got the next box started.  It's amazing how quickly I can fill one with just tossing the odd thing every day or two.

slackmax

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2298 on: March 31, 2019, 11:36:05 AM »
Drove over to a resale shop in my town and asked him what sort of stuff he would buy from me. He said he would give me $10 each for shower chair, walker, and cane. I know I have those things somewhere.

I'm also looking around my house for other stuff he might buy. Like electronic keyboard.   

I'm getting disappointed with Craigslist lately. Have had some success in the past but now I get no replies, or a flake.


It would be good to just drive some stuff down to the resale store, get some $$$, and have done with it. Probably just as much $$ as I'd get from CL, too.

On the positive side, just tossed out a bunch of old used up deodorants, empty toothpaste tubes.  And recycled an old rotting cardboard moving box.

I just saw a 4 pack of beautiful tomato plants for sale for only $2.99 and I didn't buy them because they would just be in my way until May 15, when I could plant them.  May go back and buy them anyway, they looked so good.

Almost all the sale traffic in my area has moved to FB marketplace or NextDoor. And I talked to some family recently, same is true in Denver and SF right now too.

Thanks. That's a shame. I'm not a big Facebook fan. Guess I'll try Nextdoor.   

slackmax

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Re: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2
« Reply #2299 on: April 02, 2019, 05:49:06 AM »
None of my Craigslist stuff, which I posted for sale, is getting any interest. The one guy who responded turned out to be a troll / flake. 

Will reduce prices for the stuff. Then, when still no interest, will move to the FREE section of CL. 

Donated 4 VHS religious tapes to my church. They actually have a VHS section in their library.