Continued: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter! PART 2

[Cassie]

Going to declutter my Xmas decorations because this is the time of year to donate. Also have another small closet to go through.

[Frugal Lizard]

I consolidated bins and found some empty ones.  Don't need to store empty bins in the house.  When they are in the garage they naturally lessen in numbers.  They get loaded with stuff to give away or loaned out and never reappear.  They don't do that in the basement.  Four bins and two cardboard boxes left the house empty.  And two bins and one box need to be sorted through by DD.  If she doesn't undertake it be mid week I am going to help her out. 

@Cassie  - I have put up all the Xmas decor I want and there is one and a half bins still full of stuff.  I think it is time for a major purge for us too.  Three bins left the house last year! 

Do you all feel a weight being lifted whenever you get a major load out of the house?  I shake my head at myself - so much money spent, so much plastic generated forever.  I have got to do better.

[NotJen]

Do you all feel a weight being lifted whenever you get a major load out of the house?  I shake my head at myself - so much money spent, so much plastic generated forever.  I have got to do better.

Yes! Every time something leaves, I imagine the weight of the house lessening.

Since it's been just me, I've been pretty good at not bringing a lot of stuff in.  I'm starting to get better at getting rid of gifts I won't use, instead of letting them sit for years and years.

[okisok]

Accidental decluttering: cracked a champagne flute, tossed it out.

I did exactly the same thing this week. I couldn't decide if I needed all of the champagne flutes I had, then I broke one. So the universe worked it out for me :)

Went through all of the Xmas decor and got rid of half of it. A coworker that wanted a certain type of ornament got most of it. The rest went on the curb and were gone within a day. I'm working on using all of my Xmas cards before buying more, no matter how cheap they are on clearance.

Went through the coat and clothes closets. Have a box and two bags to drop off at Goodwill. I came home from work on Friday irritated with the pants and top I was wearing. I washed them and put them both straight in the donation pile. I'm trying to get rid of everything that doesn't make me feel good when I'm wearing it.  I'm slowly replacing with good quality items that work for me right now, not when I lose weight or change jobs or get a new hobby. I want my whole closet to work for me now.

I've stripped the bedroom of all the extraneous stuff including a duvet cover, shams, little rugs, and all the junk that accumulates on the nightstands.  Some items are going into a tub in the closet to decide if I still want them in 6 months. If not, I'll donate them. Right now it's warm and calming and simple.

The items that haven't sold on Marketplace are in the donation pile, too.

Small project this week has been starting a new habit of taking care of the mail as soon as I get it. The 'only touch it once' philosophy at work. Straight to recycling or pay the bill or read the letter/card. If I don't have time to do that, I don't go to the mailbox until I do. It's taking way less time than putting it aside, knocking over the pile, moving it from the table to eat dinner, moving it to the desk, adding to it, etc. Not letting clutter into the house!

[slackmax]

Since the kitchen sink drain was getting very slow, I was under the kitchen sink today for my every-six-months 'clean the sludge out of the pipes' ritual.  Saw a gallon plastic bottle of Murphy's Oil Soap in the corner, leaking out of the bottom.

Since it had only about a quarter inch of product left in it, I took it out and put it somewhere I'll see it every day. I'll try to find something to use up that last quarter inch on, then throw out the empty jug. Can't recycle it, since it's got stuff stuck to it inside. 

One more gallon of free clean dry space under the kitchen sink. Ahhhhhhh......

[Sibley]

Since the kitchen sink drain was getting very slow, I was under the kitchen sink today for my every-six-months 'clean the sludge out of the pipes' ritual.  Saw a gallon plastic bottle of Murphy's Oil Soap in the corner, leaking out of the bottom.

Since it had only about a quarter inch of product left in it, I took it out and put it somewhere I'll see it every day. I'll try to find something to use up that last quarter inch on, then throw out the empty jug. Can't recycle it, since it's got stuff stuck to it inside. 

One more gallon of free clean dry space under the kitchen sink. Ahhhhhhh......

So, you have a mostly empty, leaking container of cleaning products that you don't use on a regular basis. Why are you keeping this again? You freed up the space under the sink. Free up the space wherever you put it and just toss it now.

[slackmax]

Since the kitchen sink drain was getting very slow, I was under the kitchen sink today for my every-six-months 'clean the sludge out of the pipes' ritual.  Saw a gallon plastic bottle of Murphy's Oil Soap in the corner, leaking out of the bottom.

Since it had only about a quarter inch of product left in it, I took it out and put it somewhere I'll see it every day. I'll try to find something to use up that last quarter inch on, then throw out the empty jug. Can't recycle it, since it's got stuff stuck to it inside. 

One more gallon of free clean dry space under the kitchen sink. Ahhhhhhh......

So, you have a mostly empty, leaking container of cleaning products that you don't use on a regular basis. Why are you keeping this again? You freed up the space under the sink. Free up the space wherever you put it and just toss it now.

Reread my post, Sib.  I'm going to use it up, then toss it. Don't worry, if I can't find something to use it on, I'll just toss it with the quarter inch inside it too.   

[SunnyDays]

Since the kitchen sink drain was getting very slow, I was under the kitchen sink today for my every-six-months 'clean the sludge out of the pipes' ritual.  Saw a gallon plastic bottle of Murphy's Oil Soap in the corner, leaking out of the bottom.

Since it had only about a quarter inch of product left in it, I took it out and put it somewhere I'll see it every day. I'll try to find something to use up that last quarter inch on, then throw out the empty jug. Can't recycle it, since it's got stuff stuck to it inside. 

One more gallon of free clean dry space under the kitchen sink. Ahhhhhhh......

So, you have a mostly empty, leaking container of cleaning products that you don't use on a regular basis. Why are you keeping this again? You freed up the space under the sink. Free up the space wherever you put it and just toss it now.

Reread my post, Sib.  I'm going to use it up, then toss it. Don't worry, if I can't find something to use it on, I'll just toss it with the quarter inch inside it too.   

What I would do is put the remaining liquid in a small container and throw out the original one.  Sometimes downsizing is just as satisfying as decluttering.

[okisok]

I'm with Sibley. If the Murphy's oil has been under under the sink since the last cabinet clean out six months ago and you don't need it, just toss it. It's a quarter inch of sludge in a cracked bottle, AKA trash.

Checked the mail and threw the crap in recycling. Wrote checks immediately for bills, stamped them, and put them in my bag to mail from work tomorrow.

Sold another item on Marketplace for $20, right before I was going to take the donations to Goodwill. Might wait another day to see if anything else sells, but not much longer. The box in the dining room is getting on my nerves. I could always put it in the trunk and drive it around for a while :)

[Frugal Lizard]

Figured out a Christmas card design using up a bunch of craft supplies and envelopes that I had from my brothers wedding invitations more than 10 years ago. 

DD went through her two boxes of stuff.  One is totally ready for donation. The other box got stored away in her father's closet space - fine with me.  It can live there for as long as he doesn't need the space. 

I need to get the accumulating pile in the garage dropped off this week.

[Poundwise]

I was looking for family photos that one of my kids could use for a school project.
I found a cache of 2019 Christmas photo cards sent by friends and extended family. I was delighted to give him some cards to cut up, and to toss the rest. 

I'm preparing to send a small box of Christmas decorations to my elderly mother.  I am slowly getting over my resentment of her using our home as overflow storage, as I gradually clear the house of the immense crudstorm that engulfed us when I emptied her house.  We just gave away a giant framed print that she made us take last time we visited her... the stupid thing dominated our living room for months because the garage was too damp, it wouldn't fit up the attic hatchway, and the other rooms were too full. 

In a record fast turnaround, we turned some lumber I bought last month into garden trellises. Usually one could expect this stuff to age a few years in our garage, but Mr. Poundwise took charge and got the job done.

[Sibley]

I was the recipient of evidence of someone else's decluttering yesterday. My great aunt, who is probably in her 90s, sent me a Christmas card in a very nonstandard envelope. Included was a stack of pictures of me, from babyhood til adulthood, and a note that she found them while cleaning out a closet and thought I might like them.

I don't know that I needed the evidence of my terrible taste in haircuts over the years, but I guess I have it now and will add to the box of pictures in the desk. Box can stay.

[NotJen]

Managed to sell 2 DVDs today and made about $7, which is more than I expected to get for DVDs.

[okisok]

Filled a pretty zippered bag with travel toiletries and put it in the little food pantry in my neighborhood.
Sold an item on Marketplace.

[oneday]

Decluttered a sweater that brought bad memories of an old relationship, and a hand mixer which suddenly died.

[mspym]

Two bags and  two shirts donated, 2 books and a magazine in the street library

[LaineyAZ]

Cleaned out a junk drawer and found $5.50 worth of first-class stamps.

[slackmax]

Finally recycled an old, empty Kikkoman soy sauce container I had been keeping in the cupboard for its interesting shape.

 If I suddenly need an empty  Kikkoman container, that's OK, ha ha.         

[okisok]

@slackmax, great job on letting go of the container!

Used up some fabric and notions when a friend needed some clothes for a gift. Sent her home with more items so she could make more. Craft stash is a very reasonable size now.

More Xmas supplies used for wrapping. I've inventoried current supplies and don't need any gift wrapping stuff on post-holiday clearance, no cards, no tags, no ribbons, no boxes, no matter how deep the discount. It all fits nicely in one container.

I've cleaned out the closets so much that I have a bag of cheap plastic hangers to donate. I'm only keeping the nice velvety hangers. My clothes will be kept in better shape and it will limit the clothes I bring in. No hangers, no room.

[YellowCat]

Finally located a clothing donation box which was not overflowing so I was able to donate a big bag of clothes yesterday! I’ve decided during this pandemic that I won’t hang on to anything I don’t feel good wearing / routinely avoid in my daily clothing rotations. (Work clothes excepted, of course...I may need to go into the office sometime in the future...) So anyway that’s out of the house now!

I also dropped a big bag of books in the little free library box around the block from us. Eventually I’d like to also purge more of our old textbooks but for now all of our books fit into our bookshelves so it’s a step in the right direction.

I’ve been trying to declutter my yarn stash by using up the little bits in baby gifts. It’s fun and creative and I don’t have to buy anything, so wins all around. Admittedly my yarn stash is fairly large, so I’ll be knitting for a while :)

[okisok]

Took the donations to Goodwill the day after I loaded them in the car! My closet is roomy enough to see everything but I still feel like I have plenty to wear. The kitchen is in a good place with all drawers and cabinets spacious and easy to access. No more items stacked in precarious piles or having to unload the entire drawer to get to the bottom items.

Cleaned off the desk and recycled some bits and found homes for all the stuff on top. Wrote a thank you for a gift that came in and got a birthday card in the mail. The stationery box is still full but not overflowing.

Brought home a box from work to wrap a bulky gift. It didn't fit, so the box is back in the car to return to work. I'm not going to hold onto it in case I need it for something else. Worst case scenario I'll just stick a bow on the bulky gift and hand it over that way.

Going to start a small sewing project to use up some more fabric scraps. Doll clothes are such a satisfying way to use up small fabric pieces and spools of random thread.

[MayDay]

I bought many boxes of yogurt tubes my children USED to like on clearance for 1$ each. I froze them all as they were near expiration.

All gone, someone on Buy Nothing has less picky children!

H came home with a big bag of Christmas bows, ugh. I was feeling quite pleased that we used down everything until we had less than a shoebox full of wrapping supplies.

So overall we are neutral!

[Loretta]

I’m at my mother’s new condo and her fridge is on its last leg so we are trying to postpone grocery shopping as long as possible.  The appliances here are all probably 20 years old and when I used the oven last night it had dust in it.  Her baking powder expired in 2007, 13 years ago so that will also be disappearing. 

[Fresh Bread]

Today while I isolate for my Covid test results I did a konmarie clothing clearout. Big bag of clothes in the boot of the car ready for end of lockdown. So crazy when I've already done this 3 times in the last 2 years.

Tomorrow is books or paper, or both. And hopefully a test result so I can go walk the dog!

[Frugal Lizard]

I was doing the Christmas baking and using up as many of the ingredients I had around the house already.  With two celiacs in the house, we have a lot of different types of flours.  I found two empty jars in the baking cupboard.  I adapted some recipes to use up small bags of different nuts I "found" in the freezer.  I discovered three different bags of hazelnuts. 

There are a lot of random packages in the pantry - I pointed some of them out to the kids.  Hopefully they get consumed or if they aren't tasty, composted.

[slackmax]

Tired of the freezer door banging into a box next to it, so I allowed myself to 'just move stuff around' in the kitchen. I would much rather actually get rid of stuff than just move it around, but it made sense here. I put a few things under other things, inserted stuff into empty containers, and now  they take up less space.

And I can open the freezer door easily now.

Went though a drawer full of expired medicine and nutritional supplements and tossed some  of it. For some reason, that is difficult for me to do.   

[Raenia]

Some pants I ordered didn't fit as well as I hoped, so I packed them up to send back for exchange and got the package out of the house the next day.  Normally a task like that would sit on my dining table for a week or two before I got around to it.  Fortunately DH had an errand at the UPS store, so I made sure to have my stuff packed up in time to go with him.

Also moved a shirt I've been iffy on to the donate box.  Two sweaters soon to join it, as soon as they're clean.

ETA: Almost forgot!  I also wrote several holiday cards with old stationary, that will be mailed out tomorrow.  I think some of these cards have come with me through three moves!  I don't usually send Christmas cards, but this year decided our extended family could use the extra contact.  Also used some (unasked for) return address stickers that were sent to us by a charity.  I prefer to use them rather than just throw away.

[mspym]

@slackmax that is all good news - a more usable space AND you got rid of expired things. You keep making slow and steady progress, thank you for sharing it with us. It is very inspiring.

Today I got rid of a pile of boxes that were cluttering the living room. I also decided to donate a pair of trousers I made a couple of years ago. (I am waiting till Autumn to donate various jerseys)

[Poundwise]

ETA: Almost forgot!  I also wrote several holiday cards with old stationary, that will be mailed out tomorrow.  I think some of these cards have come with me through three moves!  I don't usually send Christmas cards, but this year decided our extended family could use the extra contact.  Also used some (unasked for) return address stickers that were sent to us by a charity.  I prefer to use them rather than just throw away.

Great work @Raenia!! You inspire me to do the same. I stopped sending cards a while ago and my stationery box is too full to close. I'll write a few cards for New Year's especially to the older folks.

[former player]

@slackmax that is all good news - a more usable space AND you got rid of expired things. You keep making slow and steady progress, thank you for sharing it with us. It is very inspiring.

I agree with this: well done.  Every time you post something like this it tells me that you have been able to take a clear-eyed look at a part of your house which is a problem and put a solution in place, which is a great indicator that you will end up with everything as you want it to be.

[Steeze]

With a kid on the way I have decided to make some room. Need to clear some space in our 1br apt for the boy and the in-laws. Only way this is going to work is if we can empty some shelves and storage bins.

Today, heading to the Salvation Army to donate some computer speakers, a web cam, pair of shoes, a pile of clothes, my Yankees hat, some dishes, a coke bottle of colorful sand from childhood, some hot wheels cars, base ball cards, a mirror, a vacuum, a hydro floss machine, empty picture frames, foot bath massager, and a stack of books.

Some things I couldn’t part with yet but considered: magic cards, Xbox 360 games, book of Norman Rockwell paintings, a book of fish species that reminds me of grandma, some clothes from my in-laws, bag of old headphones, my old iPod, old GoPro.

Still have more to go through, but was a good first trip. Hoping to make it through the whole house and storage unit in the basement before the new year. Less is more. Going to really struggle with my box sentimental value stuff. Really don’t need any of it, just like to look at it once every couple years when I move. Tough to let go.

[mspym]

There was a recent minimal mom video where she talked about the choices being Having Options vs Freedom (from inventory management/cleaning/repairs) and that you can seldom have both. You can trade off where you decide having options is worth it but the price is all the associated loss of freedom.

It seemed like a good model to keep in mind as I relook at my house these holidays.

[SunnyDays]

Tired of the freezer door banging into a box next to it, so I allowed myself to 'just move stuff around' in the kitchen. I would much rather actually get rid of stuff than just move it around, but it made sense here. I put a few things under other things, inserted stuff into empty containers, and now  they take up less space.

And I can open the freezer door easily now.

Went though a drawer full of expired medicine and nutritional supplements and tossed some  of it. For some reason, that is difficult for me to do.   

I wonder if your difficulty getting rid of old food and food-like items is because they don’t go through the “try to sell it first” process?  You seem able to get rid of things that have passed through the flea market and not sold, maybe because other peoples’ lack of interest confirms in your mind that the items are not valuable?  If so, then remembering that no item is valuable if you’re not getting use out of it or if it’s detracting from enjoying your environment may be helpful.

[Dutch Comfort]

Went through 2 kids bedrooms in the last 2 days. Resulted in an overflowing paper container and stuff to be sold on Marketplace. First items were already sold and left the house. But the most important thing is that the kids now really enjoy their clean and decluttered room. They really appreciate the benefit of this exercise, although during the process there were a lot of complaints....

[Steeze]

Out of the first haul we were able to get rid of most of the items locally before going to Salvation Army.

Because we are not allowed to set items out in front of our building, DW and I drove to the park and set everything out. Was really cool seeing people get excited about finding certain items in the free box as we observed from the car without them knowing.

On two occasions kids got really excited about their finds, one for baseball cards and one for a video game. Their reaction alone was worth the extra effort.

In the end we brought the remaining items to Salvation Army and were happy to see them go. Still have some work to do, but it is nice to let go of some things and watch the clutter disappear a little.

Also called my mom and asked for a gift receipt for my Christmas present - she had gifted me an item that while thoughtful did not have much utility other than decoration. Was an awkward conversation, but hopefully in the future we can avoid receiving “stuff” - in my defense I have on many occasions stated that I don’t want anymore stuff due to our small apartment.

Anyhow - has been a nice change in thought pattern in the last few days. Think I’m finally going to be able to let go of some of this stuff. Going from, “I could sell this some day” or “I can use these someday, won’t have to buy in the future” to “I don’t need this”

Truth is I don’t need 9 flashlights, 50 lighters, two sets of uno cards, 3 slinky’s, 20 umbrellas, or 20 pairs of hotel sandals. I can and should have less things, even if that means rebuying them some day.

Now I am thinking, “how many items do I actually use and need?” Or “how many items do I need to be happy?”

There is so much waste in my life - the idea of trying to have as few items in your possession as possible is like a lightbulb turning on. I think it’s why I like ultralight backpacking so much, forces you to get by with nothing. Learning about minimalism for the first time is like learning about FI/RE for the first time. Like, “Oh, of course! It all makes sense!!”

[happy]

So for once I think I ended up with less stuff after Xmas than before. We had a $20 and limited gift giving code of practice. I found some things I thought my extended family members might want, and they did! Cleared out a whole shelf of the side-board where these items were stored and also a wrought iron garden seat that they decided they wanted to restore. I also sent home various family members with some of the excess food and grog...happy days.

[Raenia]

We finished Christmas with a fair bit more than we started with, but luckily most is either useful (Dad got me car ramps for DIY oil changes), consumable, or replaces something we already have.  Mom got us a nice set of matching cloth napkins to replace our mismatched IKEA napkins, and our big gift to ourselves was a (full!) set of (matching!) silverware to replace our thrift store mismatch set.  We were tired of running out of spoons.  Old silverware is packed up and in the donate box.  I'm running laundry today, then the old napkins can join them.

Last night at dinner I decided to light a few novelty candles we were given last year.  They're silly looking, but we might as well use them.  I'll keep them on the table and aim to have a few candlelit dinners until they're used up.

Brought a spare bookshelf up from the basement to the library to help neaten some clutter.  While tidying up, I culled a few books.  I plan to spend some more time there today and hopefully get the room back in some semblance of usability (it's currently the dumping ground for things that belong in parts of the house that are under construction).  Hoping to find more things to declutter as I work there.

[Steeze]

Continued the effort today!

DW and I made it through the remaining clothes and are giving away all the things that we don’t use. For her it was a lot of clothes her mom bought her over the years that she didn’t like, for me it was a stack of old t-shirts that I’ve kept around due to sentimental value.

Also went through the kitchen and packed away all the extra stuff we don’t need to use. We are down to just two sets of dishes and silverware, along with about half the pots and pans. Everything else will go to storage. Also getting rid of some lids and knives we don’t need.

Things I’m having trouble parting with: Suits & ties my mom bought me when neither of us could afford it. I never ended up needing them, only used them for a couple interviews, and at this point wouldn’t wear them even to an interview. Not sure why I can’t part with them, just feel like I’m wasting my mom’s money? Also, I have at least 6 winter coats. I like them all. Made more sense when I lived in the mountains.

Things DW is struggling with: old cellphones and lap tops, and (20) umbrellas and dozens of hotel slippers from her Dad. (Why 20?!!?)

[halftimer]

...our big gift to ourselves was a (full!) set of (matching!) silverware to replace our thrift store mismatch set.  We were tired of running out of spoons.  Old silverware is packed up and in the donate box.  I'm running laundry today, then the old napkins can join them...

Nice progress! If you haven't donated the old silverware yet, think about if you ever need to pack lunches and keep 1-2 spoons and/or forks from the mismatched set for this purpose. That way your nice new complete set is always for only at home and your mismatches are for travel/lunches away and potentially picnics

[MayDay]

We had a lovely Xmas. Somehow through the years (maybe just as a result of kids getting older) many relatives have either stopped giving our kids gifts or give money instead. And the kids also now prefer a few more expensive items like a new cell phone, vs. many toys.

I did receive two kitchen items- a kettle and an instant pot. The old kettle has been listed on buy nothing, and instant pot is being debated. H received a new pan, and an old one will be going out.

I also cleaned out a few other random items: a stack of small plastic jars which are nice for dressing and sauce in lunches,  lightbulbs in a bright white blueish hue, etc.

[Raenia]

...our big gift to ourselves was a (full!) set of (matching!) silverware to replace our thrift store mismatch set.  We were tired of running out of spoons.  Old silverware is packed up and in the donate box.  I'm running laundry today, then the old napkins can join them...

Nice progress! If you haven't donated the old silverware yet, think about if you ever need to pack lunches and keep 1-2 spoons and/or forks from the mismatched set for this purpose. That way your nice new complete set is always for only at home and your mismatches are for travel/lunches away and potentially picnics

Good thought, I do always pack my work lunches so I'll stick a set in my lunchbox before we donate the lot.  Thanks!

[mspym]

Three more books out to the street library, three books back to the actual library. Boys did their annual room swap yesterday and now there is a pile of outgrown clothing for donation. [I scored a sweet puffer jacket from G that he could wear 3? years ago?] I did a bit of rearranging in our room and got rid of a bedside table that is barely used. It's feeling clearer in here.

[YellowCat]

More progress!

I am putting together a big box of maternity clothes / post-partum supplies / baby supplies for a friend of ours who is expecting her first child in May. I had a baby back in February and we were given lots of toys, supplies, etc. which we never got around to using or were duplicates, so I'll be sharing the love. She's also excited to borrow our bassinet which is awesome because it's taking up a disproportionate amount of space in the basement right now, and I'll be throwing in a brand new changing pad & sheets that never worked for us. I'm also pulling together a big bag of used kids books (mostly board books) for their baby shower gift. All of these are from little free library boxes or already handed down from other friends / family members. I get to wrap them in some lovely baby shower wrapping that we had saved from all of our baby shower gifts. I like getting stuff out of my house but it's also really nice to just keep paying it forward. It legitimately gives me the warm fuzzies :)

I also gifted some gently used items as Christmas gifts (branded college sweatshirt, a few scarves, homemade soap from my mom, cookbooks) and all of the recipients claim to like them, so wins all around! I was pretty careful to only give things which I thought the recipients would genuinely enjoy - not just trying to dump stuff on other people - and it was a lot of fun to figure it out.

We replaced some of our worn out kitchen pans as a present-to-self this year, so the old pans plus a secondhand blender which we didn't use are all packed up and ready to go to Goodwill once we get around to it. I'm also working on downsizing our towel collection, and planning to save the really worn out ones for cleaning.

[slackmax]

Tired of the freezer door banging into a box next to it, so I allowed myself to 'just move stuff around' in the kitchen. I would much rather actually get rid of stuff than just move it around, but it made sense here. I put a few things under other things, inserted stuff into empty containers, and now  they take up less space.

And I can open the freezer door easily now.

Went though a drawer full of expired medicine and nutritional supplements and tossed some  of it. For some reason, that is difficult for me to do.   

I wonder if your difficulty getting rid of old food and food-like items is because they don’t go through the “try to sell it first” process?  You seem able to get rid of things that have passed through the flea market and not sold, maybe because other peoples’ lack of interest confirms in your mind that the items are not valuable?  If so, then remembering that no item is valuable if you’re not getting use out of it or if it’s detracting from enjoying your environment may be helpful.

I don't have (much) difficulty throwing out old food.  I reread my post, and see that I  ambiguously worded it. I was rearranging things * outside * of the fridge, not inside. The box the door was banging against was outside the fridge, too.

[Sibley]

Per discussions over Christmas with friends I decided that it was best to do a big stock up grocery trip now, hopefully before all the idiots are contagious from Christmas gatherings. So I did a cleanout of the pantry of items which I haven't eaten over the past 2.5 months and had no desire to eat. Not replacing those items. I've located a food pantry to drop it all off at this week, just need to call tomorrow and ask if they can accept frozen items (I hope yes!). The grocery trip reminded me why I'm trying to avoid people - the number of chin diapers, etc.... Yes, it's a fairly red area.

Also grabbed some stuff for the animal shelter from around the house, including a blanket which I got for Christmas. Dropped that load off today.

And my friend came over earlier today and helped me move all the furniture. I got the book room painted!!! The book cases moved back in, the desk and chair went in the book room as well. The sheets/towels dresser moved from one wall to another in the back bedroom, the sewing machine moved from the living room to the upstairs bedroom, and the door to the book room is now in the living room for me to scrape and do wood patching as needed. Goal is to get that done by Tuesday night and move the door, ready for sanding, into the utility room where it will stay until it warms up enough to take it outside for sanding. Then, Wednesday, the carpets and couch are getting cleaned.

Stuff out of the house, and lots crossed off the to-do list. :)

[Weisass]

We painted our living room last week, which meant that we had to pull the books off the shelves. We ended up identifying three bags of books that don't need to continue owning, and I recycled a third, and donated the other 2/3 to the local "little free libraries" near us.  Just in time for the kiddos to get a bunch of new junk for Christmas. phew.

[Loretta]

I have a lady from Buy Nothing coming today to pick up a bag of small toiletries. 

[Steeze]

Made it through the box of memorabilia yesterday. Was able to toss the majority of my keepsakes no problem. Got it down from an entire storage tote to just a shoe box.

In retrospect I should have photographed the letters, cards, report cards, art work, etc. before I tossed it. Oh well. Been carrying around a tote full of artwork for years, most of which was created during times of my life that are better forgotten. Nice to know I do not need to re-live those moments again.

So far we have reduced the horde from 20 totes to 16, have liberated 2 cabinets and the bottom of 1 closet. The vacuum finally has a home in the closet instead of the corner of the room!!!

Also, going down to just 2 sets of dishes, silverware, and pots has made doing the dishes a breeze. Sink has been clean for days!

[SunnyDays]

Tired of the freezer door banging into a box next to it, so I allowed myself to 'just move stuff around' in the kitchen. I would much rather actually get rid of stuff than just move it around, but it made sense here. I put a few things under other things, inserted stuff into empty containers, and now  they take up less space.

And I can open the freezer door easily now.

Went though a drawer full of expired medicine and nutritional supplements and tossed some  of it. For some reason, that is difficult for me to do.   

I wonder if your difficulty getting rid of old food and food-like items is because they don’t go through the “try to sell it first” process?  You seem able to get rid of things that have passed through the flea market and not sold, maybe because other peoples’ lack of interest confirms in your mind that the items are not valuable?  If so, then remembering that no item is valuable if you’re not getting use out of it or if it’s detracting from enjoying your environment may be helpful.

I don't have (much) difficulty throwing out old food.  I reread my post, and see that I  ambiguously worded it. I was rearranging things * outside * of the fridge, not inside. The box the door was banging against was outside the fridge, too.

I was actually referring to your drawer full of expired medicine and nutritional supplements.  (Not sure if those are expired too.)  Any meds that are more than 6 months past the date should probably be tossed, because chemical composition can change with age and create toxicities, so not wise to take them.  Any pharmacy will safely dispose of them for you.

[comicguy]

Listed 32 Auctions on ebay today! Hoprfully most of them will sell and earn me a few extra dollars and free up some space.