Author Topic: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2 (Read 1444860 times)

Fresh Bread · « **Reply #350 on:** March 18, 2018, 04:21:38 PM »

I listed some kitchen stuff for sale, yay! No takers yet, so will probably end up giving it away. I rearranged the kitchen cupboard to fit in some of a preserving kit that I bought second hand. The big waterbath itself - IDK where to put it, it's too big.

Mezzie · « **Reply #351 on:** March 18, 2018, 04:31:16 PM »

I got rid of socks that had lost their elasticity, two scrapbooks/photo albums if things I don't need to remember, and some paper clutter that's been piling up.

Mongoose · « **Reply #352 on:** March 19, 2018, 09:05:50 AM »

We helped some friends move...wow! I don't even think they are especially extreme in what they have. So much stuff for only 3 people. Makes me want to cut back more. We will soon begin our spring cleaning. I'm hoping to declutter along the way.

joonifloofeefloo · « **Reply #353 on:** March 20, 2018, 07:09:56 PM »

As usual, I need help re-paring down my papers. There's not so many, and probably 10 minutes of work -max- to refile them! They've been taunting me for some days. Especially with disabilities, life has soooooooooooooooooooooooo much paperwork! Each doc comes out of one file, gets merged with others, copied or scanned or faxed, sent out, refiled, repeat ad nauseam.

The other day I was envying whoever won the latest lottery, and I realized my underlying craving was to not have to do financial paperwork ever again!

Anyway, posting here so that I might do it by midnight tonight. Really, I only need to line up 2-3 songs to play and it can be done in that time.

middo · « **Reply #354 on:** March 20, 2018, 08:24:52 PM »

I have an empty rubbish bin that will be collected tomorrow morning (No, we don't have recycling at all). So this evening I am planning to remove some clutter. The laundry cupboard is getting a clean up.

joonifloofeefloo · « **Reply #355 on:** March 20, 2018, 09:36:31 PM »

Quote from: jooniFLORisploo on March 20, 2018, 07:09:56 PM

Anyway, posting here so that I might do it by midnight tonight. Really, I only need to line up 2-3 songs to play and it can be done in that time.

Still haven't started! But I got all excited about hunkering down for food and treats and music and a puzzle, so now setting that combo as a reward. If my papers are done by 9pm, I get ALL THAT!

And...start!

joonifloofeefloo · « **Reply #356 on:** March 20, 2018, 09:59:20 PM »

Done!!

Step37 · « **Reply #357 on:** March 20, 2018, 10:41:33 PM »

Quote from: jooniFLORisploo on March 20, 2018, 09:59:20 PM

Done!!

Yay!!! :)

It always feels so good to complete an onerous task.

joonifloofeefloo · « **Reply #358 on:** March 20, 2018, 11:07:03 PM »

Quote from: Step37 on March 20, 2018, 10:41:33 PM

Yay!!! :)

It always feels so good to complete an onerous task.

Thanks so much, Step37, for celebrating with me!

It was a HUGE relief to get it done. I moved last week, and also completed a massive tax return, and had to do more paperwork for my kid, yadda yadda. That pile was really affecting my psyche; at the same time I just froze at every thought of how I'd get it done. Applying speed with a tight deadline + reward worked well. It took twice as long as I'd anticipated at first guess, even at the highest speed I could go.

It also freed up a basket that I got to move my socks and underwear into, so that's a big help too. Place looks great again :)

TomTX · « **Reply #359 on:** March 21, 2018, 07:07:20 PM »

Quote from: formerlydivorcedmom on March 13, 2018, 12:46:20 PM

I'm getting better at dumping paper in the shred box. Once I finish the third pass of the desk, I'll probably be able to see the top of it.

I don't have a shred box. The shredder lives under my desk (it's more of a table than a desk) - misc single items just get put on top. When mail arrives, it goes to my desk to be sorted. After sorting, all the shred items (and all accumulated shred items) are shredded.

Fresh Bread · « **Reply #360 on:** March 21, 2018, 07:46:09 PM »

I've finished my shredding pile. Woop!

joonifloofeefloo · « **Reply #361 on:** March 21, 2018, 09:16:54 PM »

Quote from: Fresh Bread on March 21, 2018, 07:46:09 PM

I've finished my shredding pile. Woop!

YEAH!!!

Roadrunner53 · « **Reply #362 on:** March 22, 2018, 04:59:05 AM »

My shredder broke a few years ago. I now bag up all the paper for shredding and go to our Senior Center for their once yearly FREE shredding event! Usually in April so will be happening soon! YAY!

formerlydivorcedmom · « **Reply #363 on:** March 22, 2018, 07:54:06 AM »

Quote from: TomTX on March 21, 2018, 07:07:20 PM

Quote from: formerlydivorcedmom on March 13, 2018, 12:46:20 PM
I'm getting better at dumping paper in the shred box. Once I finish the third pass of the desk, I'll probably be able to see the top of it.

I don't have a shred box. The shredder lives under my desk (it's more of a table than a desk) - misc single items just get put on top. When mail arrives, it goes to my desk to be sorted. After sorting, all the shred items (and all accumulated shred items) are shredded.

I have an 8-year-old who thinks shredding paper is one of the most fun activities ever (he's weird). I dump paper in the box, he shreds it, everyone is happy :)

TomTX · « **Reply #364 on:** March 22, 2018, 08:25:54 AM »

Quote from: formerlydivorcedmom on March 22, 2018, 07:54:06 AM

Quote from: TomTX on March 21, 2018, 07:07:20 PM
Quote from: formerlydivorcedmom on March 13, 2018, 12:46:20 PM
I'm getting better at dumping paper in the shred box. Once I finish the third pass of the desk, I'll probably be able to see the top of it.

I don't have a shred box. The shredder lives under my desk (it's more of a table than a desk) - misc single items just get put on top. When mail arrives, it goes to my desk to be sorted. After sorting, all the shred items (and all accumulated shred items) are shredded.

I have an 8-year-old who thinks shredding paper is one of the most fun activities ever (he's weird). I dump paper in the box, he shreds it, everyone is happy :)

Usually it's the 4 year old here ;)

Sibley · « **Reply #365 on:** March 22, 2018, 08:40:19 AM »

Quote from: TomTX on March 22, 2018, 08:25:54 AM

Quote from: formerlydivorcedmom on March 22, 2018, 07:54:06 AM
Quote from: TomTX on March 21, 2018, 07:07:20 PM
Quote from: formerlydivorcedmom on March 13, 2018, 12:46:20 PM
I'm getting better at dumping paper in the shred box. Once I finish the third pass of the desk, I'll probably be able to see the top of it.

I don't have a shred box. The shredder lives under my desk (it's more of a table than a desk) - misc single items just get put on top. When mail arrives, it goes to my desk to be sorted. After sorting, all the shred items (and all accumulated shred items) are shredded.

I have an 8-year-old who thinks shredding paper is one of the most fun activities ever (he's weird). I dump paper in the box, he shreds it, everyone is happy :)

Usually it's the 4 year old here ;)

To be fair, permitted and desired destruction is pretty cool.

Roadrunner53 · « **Reply #366 on:** March 22, 2018, 08:48:10 AM »

You should rent your kid out to shred! My shredder broke and I hated how slow it was so never bothered to replace it. Where I used to work they had an awesome one and it would take huge wads of paper and shred like a beast! Loved it!

joonifloofeefloo · « **Reply #367 on:** March 22, 2018, 08:53:12 AM »

Shredding is literally the one job my kid could be paid from my business to do. Will he? Nope. Amazing. So I get all the fun *and* the money!

formerlydivorcedmom · « **Reply #368 on:** March 22, 2018, 12:42:22 PM »

Quote from: jooniFLORisploo on March 22, 2018, 08:53:12 AM

Shredding is literally the one job my kid could be paid from my business to do. Will he? Nope. Amazing. So I get all the fun *and* the money!

We reframed it as "killing paper". He's a typical bloodthirsty little boy, and he was all over that.

joonifloofeefloo · « **Reply #369 on:** March 22, 2018, 12:46:08 PM »

Quote from: formerlydivorcedmom on March 22, 2018, 12:42:22 PM

We reframed it as "killing paper". He's a typical bloodthirsty little boy, and he was all over that.

hahaha!

Nederstash · « **Reply #370 on:** March 22, 2018, 01:10:07 PM »

Sorry for the foam, but I bring you... the Shredder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDbrnLCS0kc

Poundwise · « **Reply #371 on:** March 22, 2018, 02:19:04 PM »

Quote from: jooniFLORisploo on March 22, 2018, 12:46:08 PM

Quote from: formerlydivorcedmom on March 22, 2018, 12:42:22 PM
We reframed it as "killing paper". He's a typical bloodthirsty little boy, and he was all over that.

hahaha!

Good one! Gonna have to try that!

And great going on the paperwork, jFp!! I have had my taxes spread out on a table for two months... I'm going to channel you, put on some bad tunes, and rock the paperwork away!

joonifloofeefloo · « **Reply #372 on:** March 22, 2018, 06:23:21 PM »

I've been moving things out almost as fast as people give them to us. In the last two weeks we've been given easily 100 items; we've kept 9. Those 9 have been valuable enough to make this system worth it, but I'm glad I'm on top of getting the rest back out.

Today, tackled the "other" pile of papers. I have no idea what my idea of that pile was. Why was it its own pile, secured by a giant clip and moved from place to place over the past five months?? I went through it all, hole punched everything that needed that, put them in their proper binder.

Entered notes and edits for various documents, YNAB, etc, shredded the edited papers.

Another piece of "ouch" information has allowed me to declutter a bio-family member from my life. Not in an exciting way, but in a "oh, I can let hope and effort and obligation go now."

Evgenia · « **Reply #373 on:** March 22, 2018, 07:11:52 PM »

Bravo to all. Decluttering can be a lot of work, but I love how decluttering gets easier and faster once you get rolling. I've been making my way through what I'll call "more KonMari than not." I started with the books around Christmas and took nine, full boxes to Goodwill and Friends of the Library. I use the library for almost all of my reading, so I don't need to hold on to books I probably won't reread. Just after the new year we had the special pick-up for hazardous waste and paint left behind by the previous homeowner. I still need to deal with e-waste drop-off; that can be part of the next Goodwill run.

This past weekend, I tackled all of our clothes. Our closet looks amazing and so spacious and clean. I have a large bag of nice things for consignment and a few more for Goodwill and textile recycling (bits and bobs). This took me 6-8 hours/day for two days and, frighteningly enough, we already had a LOT less than most people. On Monday and Tuesday, I tackled all of the papers and got them down to one legal box. Today was my craft room, and I donated fabric, yarn and sewing patterns to the local SCRAP (Society for Creative Reuse folks). I also took a bunch of packages and mail to the post office.

I am fast approaching the dreaded and most necessary category - Miscellaneous - especially in the bathroom and kitchen. I am on a roll.

joonifloofeefloo · « **Reply #374 on:** March 22, 2018, 07:34:55 PM »

A funny thing: I have little enough stuff that the manager asked me yesterday when we're going to move in. Er, we did. This is it. lol.

MaybeBabyMustache · « **Reply #375 on:** March 22, 2018, 08:58:45 PM »

I've hit a bit of a standstill, due to a crazy work schedule. But, I'm going to kick start again this weekend & next. Plans include: closet, books, and perhaps edge over into some photo organizing.

eeho · « **Reply #376 on:** March 22, 2018, 10:44:56 PM »

I've got three gift-requiring parties this week and I managed to find gifts that I'd received or things-still-in-packaging previously bought to regift! A salad bowl for an engagement party, a set of coasters for a housewarming and a lovely teacup/saucer plus earrings for a milestone birthday.

Perfect new gifts and less clutter in my house. Win win!

middo · « **Reply #377 on:** March 22, 2018, 11:13:34 PM »

We will be doing the clothes this weekend. Moving interstate for a while, but intending to return longer term, means we are going to have a good look at what we need, and what we should cull.

pancakes · « **Reply #378 on:** March 23, 2018, 12:48:13 AM »

I packed away 2/3rds of the baby’s toys and they will be rotated around.

Even though she has already emptied the toy box again, the living room is looking much tidier and she is actually playing with her toys rather than getting a new one out every 15 seconds.

Nederstash · « **Reply #379 on:** March 23, 2018, 03:11:13 AM »

Quote from: jooniFLORisploo on March 22, 2018, 07:34:55 PM

A funny thing: I have little enough stuff that the manager asked me yesterday when we're going to move in. Er, we did. This is it. lol.

LOL! That's hilarious.Well done, I'd say!

Linea_Norway · « **Reply #380 on:** March 23, 2018, 08:13:53 AM »

Quote from: Linda_Norway on March 17, 2018, 04:17:01 AM

We bought some new lamps. I cleared away the boxes and other package material. I registered for a local facebook group to give away the old lamp. It was a very cheap Ikea lamp, but still working.

Old lamp is still not given away.
Nince then, we have bought a nice second hand standing lamp.
We have taken a cheap Ikea lamp off the wall, as we don't need it anymore. DH has muffled away the holes in the wall where the lamp was sitting and put new paint on it.
We still had a similar wall lamp from our previous house that is somewhere in a moving box under a desk in the study room. The plan is to put the 2 wall lamps and the ceiling lamp for sale all together for some cheap price. Somewhere after next week.
There is also a standing lamp that can be removed after we have received another light that we ordered, but that hasn't arrived yet. I think we will reuse it at our cabin that has one quite dark corner.

At our cabin we'll need to remove the old refrigerator that is currently standing on the balcony. We need to drive it away to another town. Next week we will have time to visit that town.

shadesofgreen · « **Reply #381 on:** March 23, 2018, 12:16:41 PM »

I am so happy I got a carload of things out of the house! It felt so good to get it out and away. Of course, I now have thoughts for some more things to go. So another pile is going to start to form.

Evgenia · « **Reply #382 on:** March 23, 2018, 03:59:24 PM »

Quote from: shadesofgreen on March 23, 2018, 12:16:41 PM

I am so happy I got a carload of things out of the house! It felt so good to get it out and away. Of course, I now have thoughts for some more things to go. So another pile is going to start to form.

I love that feeling of positive feedback! Keeps me going too. One pile out, another begins. Our house already looked like a magazine/staged for sale most days, so I don't know where so much stuff was hiding, but oh, it was. ;)

okisok · « **Reply #383 on:** March 23, 2018, 09:16:45 PM »

Yay, new inspirational thread! I read the whole thing, stopping in the middle to go through my sewing stash. I threw away a carrier bag's worth, and filled another bag to donate/offer to a sewist friend. Turns out a length of fabric I was saving for a project was too short, so out it goes. Now I don't feel guilty about buying another yardage that will actually work for the project.

MaybeBabyMustache · « **Reply #384 on:** March 24, 2018, 03:09:16 PM »

I found two items in my husband's dresser that have been there for more than a decade. Gave one to Goodwill, trashed the other. Emailed a coach to see if anyone needs a goalie jersey that my son has outgrown. If i don't get a response, will donate.

Sold a bike my son has outgrown today, and made $75! My rule for incoming unexpected money - it all goes to our unfunded 2018 goals. (kids college accounts + paying extra on our vacation house mortgage. Facepunches & all).

Mezzie · « **Reply #385 on:** March 24, 2018, 07:50:23 PM »

Gave mire if our castoffs to students. :)

eliza · « **Reply #386 on:** March 25, 2018, 05:27:55 PM »

One of my roommates is moving out. Watching how much stuff he was trying to pack up and stuff in his car got me re-motivated to start decluttering. I'm hoping to move soon too and the more stuff I can dump, the easier the moving process will be.

Went through my whole closet, plus a three door plastic storage thing I was using as a dresser, plus miscellaneous odds and ends.

Ended up with a medium sized box and three bags filled up and ready for the Salvation Army pickup scheduled for later this week. Plus a load of recycling and a shockingly sizable bag of garbage. And the plastic storage thing is no longer needed, so that's going as well.

Fresh Bread · « **Reply #387 on:** March 25, 2018, 07:19:09 PM »

I listed a bunch more freebies, I hope people take them. This weekend I started uploading photos from CD backups to the cloud. I found during this process that these pics are so old that they aren't stored on any of our computers - there might be a backup on an external hard drive somewhere but I don't know if it's even compatible with my computer??

I don't know if I should store the pics on my computer as well? Or just be free of having to transfer them each computer upgrade.. They are pre-facebook but some have made it on there.

zygote · « **Reply #388 on:** March 26, 2018, 08:56:20 AM »

Quote from: Bracken_Joy on February 16, 2018, 09:17:11 AM

Quote from: zygote on February 16, 2018, 09:09:43 AM
I'm in the middle of a giant KonMari style declutter. My wife is so not on board, but I hope that sorting out my own crap will make hers bother me less.

Anyway, I'm doing pretty well. I have ~10-15 medium sized bags to get rid of and I'm just at the beginning of the neverending komono category. However, I'm really slowing down because all these bags are in the way. I live in a small apartment in a big city and don't have a car. How am I supposed to get all this crap to the goodwill? I find it easier to get rid of stuff if I can pretend it will have another life elsewhere, so I'm reluctant to just throw it away downstairs.

Any ideas? I figure Mustachians would be more likely to have come across this problem than the people in my KonMari facebook group.

It's a lot of stuff to try to get it into a taxi, and it's backed up so much it feels overwhelming to take it on the train one or two bags at a time. I've thought about renting a car or using 1-800-got-junk, but both of those options are expensive enough I don't want to use them until the entire declutter is finished and the bags are in the way now.

A few ideas:
1. Buy Nothing Project. Then people pick it up right from you.
2. For big ticket items, your apartment trash room is a great way to get freebies gifted. (I have gotten so much good furniture this way, haha)
3. Some orgs will arrange pickup for you. I think St Vincent de Paul's does this? Call and ask!
4. Uber?
5. Phone a friend.
6. I have literally borrowed a shopping cart from Trader Joes (I asked, seriously), and walked the 1.2 miles to goodwill with the cart full of crap. Sure, I looked like a homeless person, but it got the job done!

A very belated thank you for these suggestions. I was ready to try one or two of them, but right after I posted this, I came down with the flu and was out of commission for a few weeks. As soon as I got better, my wife got sick too. So the cleaning and the removal of the junk got put on hold for lack of energy. We finally reserved a car for this past weekend, when we got a surprise text that a friend was driving in from out of town and wanted to have dinner. We were able to cancel the rental and borrow our friend's car to take the 25 (!!) bags of clothes, books, kitchen stuff, and other miscellany to goodwill. A stroke of luck that saved us money, and we got to see our friend!

There's still more to be done, but I can't even describe how much more comfortable the apartment feels without all that crap.

joonifloofeefloo · « **Reply #389 on:** March 26, 2018, 10:19:05 AM »

Quote from: zygote on March 26, 2018, 08:56:20 AM

...I can't even describe how much more comfortable the apartment feels without all that crap.

Yes!!!!!!!! Happy for you :)

ariapluscat · « **Reply #390 on:** March 27, 2018, 07:22:03 AM »

i finally listed some clothes to etsy. i need to do another pass of my belongings, especially clothes and list them.

joonifloofeefloo · « **Reply #391 on:** March 28, 2018, 01:36:25 PM »

Today wrapping up some more tax returns. As I go through paperwork, I'm able to shred:

*financial stuff already detailed in YNAB
*brochures from government from past year's tax communications
*everything I printed in duplicate or triplicate, lol
*most of the pages I scanned to accountant
*financial docs relevant in the last year and no longer
*all envelopes, some extras from latest big batch of mail forward

It's a very big pile. Fun to shred!

Also required an agency to remove my address from their database, as they have not been able to honour my request for no schwag. That will eliminate some incoming, as well as the cost to me of mailing their crapola.

Tore one article out of magazine, mailed to mom, recycled the rest.

I'm a red panda · « **Reply #392 on:** March 28, 2018, 01:52:30 PM »

Took another box to the consignment store.

I made a whopping $30 on the first box, but since I won't be itemizing donations, might as well try here first. (This next box is mostly baby clothes- I averaged about 8 cents a piece on baby clothes in the last box...)

Roadrunner53 · « **Reply #393 on:** March 28, 2018, 02:23:00 PM »

Called Vietnam Veterans today and made an appointment for them to pick up a bunch of household stuff on April 6th. It couldn't be easier! Just call them and put the bags out with VVA on each bag and they will pick up and leave you a form to fill out for taxes if you itemize.

MaybeBabyMustache · « **Reply #394 on:** March 28, 2018, 02:31:37 PM »

Realized that we had two alarm clocks in our spare room. One was super old & impossible to read at a distance. Got rid of it. Also had my son go through his 35 lb backpack (that, he bikes with 6 mile/day, and has no locker at school) to get rid of pretty much all of the paperwork.

Captain FIRE · « **Reply #395 on:** March 29, 2018, 07:08:13 AM »

Went through parts of my closet. Got rid of 10 skirts/dresses and 6 pants.
- Rehomed a barely used pair of Lucky Jeans that I will never fit into again.
- Purged a dress I made that I wore once. Bought the fabric on a trip to India so I really liked it, but made a trendy-ish dress that is not something that is my style anymore. I don't have time anymore to reuse the fabric for something I might like better. (As it is, I still have a pile of unused fabric bought on that trip.)
- Said goodbye to several skirts made by mom (in ~2005). Main emotion on seeing them was guilt that I didn't like them/want to wear them anymore. Also a little too small in most cases. Decided I'd prefer the guilt of saying goodbye once, to the constant guilt on seeing them in my closet.
- Said goodbye to a very beloved dress that had seen better days. Wore it on my first date with my husband.

I didn't count, but a few weeks ago I culled through my swimsuits collection, getting rid of ones from 10-20 years ago. I still should purge more of them (and go through the rest of my dresser...). I have a bad habit of holding onto every piece of clothing I've ever bought or been given.

MaybeBabyMustache · « **Reply #396 on:** March 29, 2018, 07:39:10 AM »

Sold 5 unused kid books for $2. Happy to get them out of the house, and onto a reader who will enjoy them!

Linea_Norway · « **Reply #397 on:** March 29, 2018, 08:11:03 AM »

We are at our mountain cabin this week. Yesterday we removed the old refridgerator. Shove it through the snow to the car. Car wouldn't start. We got help from the farmer neighbour to start. Drove to nearest town, 50km to deliver the old fridge. Then we bought a new car battery which happened to be on sale that week. Good to invest in a new battery, as our car is now 9 years old and we want to drive it for another few years.

zygote · « **Reply #398 on:** March 29, 2018, 08:25:11 AM »

Since we got rid of the 25 bags this weekend, I spent two days cleaning and reorganizing the living room and kitchen. The floors and counters are all clear now! I can walk around without stepping over things! I can cook without moving anything first!! I can reach the piano!!!

I also put 3 sentimental sweatshirts that are uncomfortably worn out into a "maybe" bag. It's crazy what a difference it makes in my closet. The remaining sweaters and sweatshirts fit just right, with a little breathing room. I'm 95% sure I'm going to get rid of those 3, but I need them out of sight for a bit longer before I can let go.

The only category I have left in my Konmari marathon is sentimental items. I don't know how much I will get rid of, but I am looking forward to knowing exactly what I have, knowing where it is, and finding it easily when I want a trip down memory lane.

My wife is still not 100% on board with Konmari (and probably never will be), but for some reason having those bags out of the apartment has kickstarted her on a purging festival. She's already come up with 5 more bags of DVDs and VHSs to get rid of, and wants to keep going through books and clothes. I'll take it!

Nederstash · « **Reply #399 on:** March 29, 2018, 08:42:58 AM »

Quote from: zygote on March 29, 2018, 08:25:11 AM

Since we got rid of the 25 bags this weekend, I spent two days cleaning and reorganizing the living room and kitchen. The floors and counters are all clear now! I can walk around without stepping over things! I can cook without moving anything first!! I can reach the piano!!!

I also put 3 sentimental sweatshirts that are uncomfortably worn out into a "maybe" bag. It's crazy what a difference it makes in my closet. The remaining sweaters and sweatshirts fit just right, with a little breathing room. I'm 95% sure I'm going to get rid of those 3, but I need them out of sight for a bit longer before I can let go.

The only category I have left in my Konmari marathon is sentimental items. I don't know how much I will get rid of, but I am looking forward to knowing exactly what I have, knowing where it is, and finding it easily when I want a trip down memory lane.

My wife is still not 100% on board with Konmari (and probably never will be), but for some reason having those bags out of the apartment has kickstarted her on a purging festival. She's already come up with 5 more bags of DVDs and VHSs to get rid of, and wants to keep going through books and clothes. I'll take it!

This sounds amazing! A part of me wishes I still had so much to get rid of because it feels sooo satisfying!

News:

Author Topic: Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2 (Read 1444860 times)