Author Topic: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!  (Read 1850138 times)

former player

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4050 on: December 17, 2016, 07:24:53 AM »
Sofa has gone: message sent to Freegle Thursday evening, posted Friday morning, gone this lunchtime (Saturday).  I liked the sofa but I'm loving the space it has left much more.

Giving things away is more pleasant and easier than selling them: hassle factor on this one was nil.  Plus, the sofa was a good one but I bought it second hand 13 years ago so I got my money's worth out of it.

rachellynn99

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4051 on: December 17, 2016, 10:56:56 AM »
I dropped off two more items at the consignment shop. They only take nicer brands and certain items. These haven't fit in a while so off they went.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4052 on: December 17, 2016, 02:59:55 PM »
Yesterday was a productive day on the decluttering front.

I sorted out the medicine box and tossed expired medication and some other bits and pieces.

Went through my stationery and put a pile of spare envelopes out for recycling.

Took a mallet to the pinboard that was dumped on me last weekend, so now it is in small enough pieces to go in the garbage bin.

I also have a pile of things to distribute to family over Christmas (gifts, a borrowed Esky, baby clothes a friend gave me to pass on). Can't wait to be rid of it all!

Tick-Tock

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4053 on: December 19, 2016, 07:18:11 AM »
Seventeen things (well, actually 20) culled on Dec. 17.  Including a notebook from high school and a brochure from the summer session of my college the year I graduated, more than 20 years ago!  Why do I even have these things??

firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4054 on: December 19, 2016, 08:20:02 AM »
Giving away some hard to get consumable stuff to visiting family - phew, I'm finally going to run out of shower gel that I had in stock in one pile. I still have another to work through. I also have loads of oils and lotions to work through :(

firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4055 on: December 21, 2016, 05:19:11 PM »
Two more shirts gone! One step at a time

JLee

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4056 on: December 21, 2016, 06:00:17 PM »
I might be moving soon - another decluttering opportunity! :D

jengod

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4057 on: December 21, 2016, 11:11:07 PM »
* Filled another grocery bag with weird socks, outgrown baby clothes, children's clothes and assorted blankets and geegaws.
* Cleared out a stack of children's books by donating to a nearby Little Free Library that gets a tremendous amount of traffic.
* Refilled our Little Free Library with some adult non-fiction and cookbooks I probably won't get to until the children are in college. Let it go, let it go...


* I've been listening to KonMarie as an Audible audiobook in the car and while I haven't absorbed it all, I'm reconsidering how I fold my socks and finding her "sparks joy" guideline quite useful. Among other things it allows me to relinquish quite a few things we've been given by the in-laws, LOL.

Mezzie

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4058 on: December 22, 2016, 01:05:28 AM »
Last year around this time I purged everything I thought possible. This past month I've given away four boxes worth of school supplies to students, filled several bags of clothes to donate (more than I thought I owned, and my TARDIS-like closet still looks full), shredded three boxes worth of records I no longer need, and emptied a large bookshelf. I still have empty bookshelves in the garage from the last purge (nine for a grand total of ten -- book addiction is real!), and I'm going to try and sell them via Craigslist. They're in excellent condition. I can also sell our now empty aquarium, a kayak I got cheap at a garage sale but can't transport in my current car, some redundant yoga equipment, a really nice, sturdy dresser, a less nice but still useful set of drawers, and a large file cabinet. I'm not sure there will be any takers, but we also have a barely used mattress to get rid of; it aggravated my joint pain (too soft) and we promptly replaced it. We've used it twice for guests, but we have a traditional futon for that now and don't need it. I've also got a small box full of trinkets -- bracelets, necklaces, etc., largely unworn as I haven't got the first idea how to accessorize (mostly gifts). I've kept the ones I use on fancy occasions (also gifts).

At some point I may brave the drawer of abandoned electronics. For now, that stuff is hidden away.

There's probably even more to get rid of, but I think it can wait until I drop off these donations and list the items for sale right after Christmas.

Now if somehow I could quell this daily wave of mail...

MommyCake

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4059 on: December 22, 2016, 04:53:43 AM »
I saw this message on a local community FB page today. I poked around and found a nice winter coat, a fleece jacket and a pair of snow pants that my daughter outgrew. I'm glad someone will be able to use them in such a sad time.

"Hello Facebook friends I need to ask a huge favor... I was just told by a friend of mine that 2 little girls ages 6 and 8 have just lost there mother today while we were in church service... she died in cooper hospital . The 2 little girls are on there way from Mexico to New Jersey, a week and some days before Christmas day and now have no mother to come home to.. my favor to ask is if you have any little girls winter cloth, coats, shoes ect. Sizes 6 to 10 in kids cloth with shoe size 3y to 4.5y that you can donate to help these little ones out it would be greatly appreciated and I know God will bless you tremendously. Please inbox me for pick up... these cloths are needed asap.. have a blessed night."

Dave, do you have more info on this?  I'm not on Facebook.  I'm in north jersey; if its close maybe I can do something to help.

theadvicist

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4060 on: December 22, 2016, 05:09:21 AM »
My decluttering had paid dividends in the last 24 hours. Since finishing some renovating we had to move basically EVERY ITEM on the ground floor of our house (excluding the kitchen). It took... 20 minutes? Including giving everything a good dust / vacuum.

It was quick because there not much in there in the first place, so not much to move,  but also because we weren't having to move stuff to move stuff, you know? Like those puzzles where you have to move everything around and there's only 1 empty square? That used to be us. Now we could move stuff straight to where it needed to go.

Also, moving bookcases, which would have taken ages of loading and reloading (in a very specific order, so every single bin and box and book fit precisely) was easy! Half the shelves are empty, the others are neat and organised essentials. Every box had a lid, no overflowing bins of old!

Thank you to everyone on this thread! I also decided this morning to get rid of a blazer I do not like. Don't know why I've been hanging on to it for so long. Wish me luck as I battle the onslaught of Christmas junk - and I wish it to everyone on here too!

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4061 on: December 22, 2016, 05:48:48 AM »
I finally sacrificed my beach pants.

About a year ago I took them home to Mum to get them fixed and she laughed and told me to buy new ones. (She is very thrifty and has a real gift for sewing but there wasn't much she could do with holes in such thin fabric.)

I kept wearing them around the house. The elastic gave out so much I was using a hair elastic to ratchet them on. Then there was a bleach incident and the holey khaki fabric became white and pink at the ankles.

It was time.

:(

Dave1442397

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4062 on: December 22, 2016, 06:35:28 AM »
I saw this message on a local community FB page today. I poked around and found a nice winter coat, a fleece jacket and a pair of snow pants that my daughter outgrew. I'm glad someone will be able to use them in such a sad time.

"Hello Facebook friends I need to ask a huge favor... I was just told by a friend of mine that 2 little girls ages 6 and 8 have just lost there mother today while we were in church service... she died in cooper hospital . The 2 little girls are on there way from Mexico to New Jersey, a week and some days before Christmas day and now have no mother to come home to.. my favor to ask is if you have any little girls winter cloth, coats, shoes ect. Sizes 6 to 10 in kids cloth with shoe size 3y to 4.5y that you can donate to help these little ones out it would be greatly appreciated and I know God will bless you tremendously. Please inbox me for pick up... these cloths are needed asap.. have a blessed night."

Dave, do you have more info on this?  I'm not on Facebook.  I'm in north jersey; if its close maybe I can do something to help.

This is in south Jersey (Cherry Hill area), so it's probably out of your range. I don't actually know any of the people involved, but the woman who picked up the coats said she would give me an update at some point. From what I saw on FB, they had a good response from people who could help.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4063 on: December 22, 2016, 06:47:02 AM »
Freecycle lady finally came and picked up the Futon!  My dog is super sad, as she loved laying on it- but something had to go, and it didn't seem like it would be the handmade oak bed...

So now the twin bed moves into the office where the futon used to be and there is room in the baby's room for a crib.

Poundwise

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4064 on: December 22, 2016, 08:59:59 AM »
5 bags of clothes and toys to Goodwill, including the entire bag of toys that a well meaning neighbor dropped on our doorstep.  One cubic yard of space regained!

Tris Prior

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4065 on: December 23, 2016, 09:23:35 AM »
I have a filing cabinet that I've moved as-is, without going through and purging anything that might be in it, through several moves. As we're hoping to move again this spring, this is a winter project for me.

I'm sure there is an EXCELLENT reason why I still have a whole file folder of wedding congratulations cards in there... (Married in 1998, divorced in 2004.)

Out they go!


firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4066 on: December 23, 2016, 09:26:22 AM »
Threw out some old essential oils - my holding cabinet is a lot more spacious and I think it's time to reorganize a few drawers in the bathroom. Yay!!

ZiziPB

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4067 on: December 23, 2016, 10:43:21 AM »
Sold 2 of the items listed on Craigslist for a total of $100.  Very happy :-)

mwulff

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4068 on: December 23, 2016, 11:48:01 PM »
Cleaned out the fridge very thoroughly. Found a jar of something that expired in 2014. I need to keep a more minimalist kitchen.

handsnhearts

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4069 on: December 24, 2016, 01:54:39 AM »
GOt rid of nice futon.  It was our bed for 6 years, and then we got another bed.  But it was very useful for the flow of overnight guests that we had, especially after the grandchild was born.  But 18 mo ago, we moved back to hometown, and now it has housed someone for exactly 3-4 nights in 18 months.  Not often enough, and we wanted that space to be more of a TV, game, and crafting space, not a spare bedroom for no one! 

Sent it to my mom's house (she was in the market for one), and she is happy and I am happy.  It was worth it and we got our use out of it, and now I can say good bye. 

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4070 on: December 24, 2016, 02:45:50 AM »
I have a filing cabinet that I've moved as-is, without going through and purging anything that might be in it, through several moves. As we're hoping to move again this spring, this is a winter project for me.

I'm sure there is an EXCELLENT reason why I still have a whole file folder of wedding congratulations cards in there... (Married in 1998, divorced in 2004.)

Out they go!

Wow. Just wow.

Glad you could lighten your load.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4071 on: December 24, 2016, 09:22:32 AM »
I have a week off work... I'm taking on the craft room.
« Last Edit: December 24, 2016, 01:40:51 PM by iowajes »

choppingwood

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4072 on: December 24, 2016, 12:03:34 PM »
I have a week off work... I'm talking the craft room.

You're a brave woman.

I'm sorting my papers and reorganizing my files in January.

nessness

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4073 on: December 24, 2016, 12:47:30 PM »
Gave a loveseat to a friend. Gave away a vase that was too big to be useful at a white elephant exchange (got a multimeter in exchange, but that is both smaller and more useful). Sold my stand mixer on Craigslist. I'm now $150 richer and my house is a couple hundred pounds lighter! :)

Mezzie

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4074 on: December 24, 2016, 09:21:01 PM »
I'm getting down to the hard stuff. Today I was able to empty half a drawer out of three of a file cabinet of all my undergraduate work. I was feeling like I could get rid of my class notes and just hang on to my writing (which is what I did for some classes I didn't love), but every file brought back such wonderful memories. This is going to be a rough one.

Instead on Monday, I'm going to attack the last cluttered part of my room -- my desk and one box of misc. items that I couldn't find places for as I cleaned out the rest of the room. This will be difficult (I honestly don't know where to put that stuff), but at least not *emotionally* difficult. I may have to leave that file cabinet until the very end of this project.

firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4075 on: December 25, 2016, 06:10:53 AM »
Can't wait to attack the cabinets this week - having more people at home has shown how much more clutter we have and how much less we can live by. Time for another purge before end of year.

Tris Prior

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4076 on: December 26, 2016, 05:02:03 PM »
Boyfriend took a big stack of DVDs (and I think a few CDs too) to the used-media store and they took everything! $60 cash. Bam!

(He was offered more in trade but "I decided we don't really need anything new." Good boy!)

Fresh Bread

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4077 on: December 27, 2016, 12:22:27 AM »
Received Spark Joy by Marie Kondo for Chrissy, read the whole thing yesterday! Wow, I know it's not for everyone but I'm very very excited. I think I was Japanese in a past life. I was worried about the books but I think I can handle it.

So, Thurs is expected to be about 38C so is an ideal day to lock myself indoors with air con/ fans and get into it. I've already started saying thank you to my things when I use them, hubby thinks I've gone mad!

TomTX

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4078 on: December 27, 2016, 06:36:17 AM »
Lots of backward progress this week due to the holidays and having a chunk of my planned vacation time @ home cancelled.

Other than the thoroughly cleaned-out fridge.

Oh, well. I need to tackle something.

firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4079 on: December 27, 2016, 07:30:36 AM »
Some more stuff out the door yesterday. Need to tackle a crib today and do some dropoffs at Savers nearby. I'm loving the space that's showing up again.

Mezzie

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4080 on: December 27, 2016, 11:11:39 AM »
I made my big Goodwill donation yesterday.

I still haven't taken any photos for Craigslist sales. I've got soooo many bookshelves to get rid of, all of them in excellent condition. I'd really like to make a little bit of money off of them, but if I don't get those pictures done by January 9th, I may just donate them. I also have an aquarium and aquarium stand, a gorgeous dresser, and a Kayak that need to go. All of those together should get me at least $300 total, I think.

Cookie78

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4081 on: December 27, 2016, 12:06:05 PM »
I've been working on clearing everything out of my spare/computer/storage room the past few weeks. Sold my big computer desk (and hopefully the computer) to a friend for cheap. Cleared out nearly the rest of the room. Some of it was removed from my life entirely, but a lot found it's way to drawers, shelves, etc that had been emptied through previous decluttering. I just have a few more things to deal with before the room is completely empty and I can start fixing up and painting.

It amazes me how much STUFF I still have after 2 years of declutering. At this rate it'll take me another 4 years to condense everything down to fit in a camper.

Dave1442397

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4082 on: December 27, 2016, 12:12:08 PM »
I'm getting down to the hard stuff. Today I was able to empty half a drawer out of three of a file cabinet of all my undergraduate work. I was feeling like I could get rid of my class notes and just hang on to my writing (which is what I did for some classes I didn't love), but every file brought back such wonderful memories. This is going to be a rough one.

I run that kind of thing through the scanner and then toss it.

Mezzie

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4083 on: December 27, 2016, 03:49:07 PM »
That's what I'm thinking... I'll have to take them to work* a notebook at a time, though, since I don't have a scanner at home. I'll just make that a long-term project. :)

*99% of this stuff is directly related to my work, so it wouldn't be a misuse of the scanner. Still, I'll do it off the clock.

KBecks

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4084 on: December 27, 2016, 05:18:55 PM »
Purple Heart called and asked if they could pick up tomorrow.  I am dismantling the "goodwill pile" and adding as much stuff as I can in the mix before they come to the house tomorrow.

I think that maybe pick-up services are better.  However the scheduling can be difficult for me.

HappierAtHome

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4085 on: December 28, 2016, 12:40:25 AM »
Gave away a pile of truly bizarre Christmas presents on Buy Nothing yesterday. People give me some weird, weird shit, I tell you.

firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4086 on: December 28, 2016, 04:56:16 AM »
More stuff out the home and money in pocket. Need to take care of some stuff for shipping tomorrow and return a few toys we got as gifts. Also found we have enough diapers for my kiddo. So no more diaper buying for sometime. Phew!

Resisted buying some stuff at Target. Does that count in decluttering?  :)

MountainGal

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4087 on: December 28, 2016, 03:08:40 PM »
Started another donation box yesterday.  Added a very old, plastic poinsettia serving tray my mom left at our house Saturday.  She's decluttering her condo by giving away stuff.  Yay us.

Also added to the box is a pair of slippers received for Christmas (I already have way too many slip on types to wear about the house), a Pez dispenser and it's candy from my stocking, and another random coffee mug.  DH and I each received an oversize mug and the cupboard is already crammed full.

To the box I'm going to add a table mirror with lights I received for Christmas about a decade ago and never used and a cute, but unneeded pair of mittens received this year.  Someone will appreciate them.

Tossed random items such as a semi rusty cookie tin received last week.  I am so over having "stuff" around.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4088 on: December 28, 2016, 03:52:52 PM »
Listed 3 boxes of baseball cards from the early 90s (aka worthless) for $10 and was shocked to get an offer immediately. I thought I'd be giving them away for free!

She can't pick up until next week, but she already paypaled the money!

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4089 on: December 28, 2016, 04:19:43 PM »
We were lucky this year (or maybe my gentle requests for a low-stuff Christmas are paying off!) and didn't receive too much clutter.

I will go through the cupboards again before work goes back and put together another donation bag.

The cupboard that's really bugging me at the moment is the electrical/camera/games cupboard. Assorted leads, battery packs, etc. I've gone through it several times and tossed what we don't "need", but it seems that the only time anyone is in the cupboard looking at that stuff is when I'm decluttering it!

We moved earlier this year and changed some furniture around, and I'm not happy with how these things are being stored. (No, storage tubs are not a substitute for decluttering, but I do need something to sort this out.)

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4090 on: December 28, 2016, 05:03:32 PM »
I'll be throwing away a pair of very lightly used, name brand, winter boots later tonight. They were given to me by my employer at the time and have been hanging around for 15 years. They've been moved to four different places. I doubt they were even worn once a year to shovel snow, but I could never get rid of them because free. This morning, I wore them for the 1.2 mile walk to work and they're disintegrating. Rubber from the lowers on both boots is peeling and flaking off and the lowers and uppers on one boot have almost completely separated. They should be pretty comical looking after the walk home tonight. They will not be missed.

Fresh Bread

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4091 on: December 28, 2016, 07:01:44 PM »
Listed a bunch of stuff for free on FB - nobody is interested in clothes and accessories but I have got people to take wire coat hangers and a part bottle of shampoo I started but didn't like. So random!

I've also got a bagful of old clothes only good for rags and about 3 things I'll donate or bin. Plus a bagful of things to wash - one mouldy skirt and a bunch of musty things. The humidity here is so frustrating but at least it gives me a good reason to be minimalist - I hate washing the mould and mildew off things.

NoraLenderbee

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4092 on: December 28, 2016, 09:11:36 PM »
Two broken office chairs and a broken desk lamp, FINALLY out of the house. I recycled what was possible and stuffed the rest into the trash. My husband had a hard time letting his go (!), but after I took it apart, he cut up the cushions so they would fit in the container. Mine was bought new in 1986!

pulled out my skis (not used since the 90s) and backpack (even longer) and added to the donate pile.

OmahaSteph

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4093 on: December 29, 2016, 09:43:51 AM »
Found an amazing upscale ladies' consignment shop in town. They carry plus sizes, but the current selection is a bit thin (ohh, bad pun) so I raked through my closet and found a ton of winter clothes, a pair of shoes and some jewelry that I'm hoping they'll accept. Then I get to shop for "free" whenever I need something. WIN!

Tris Prior

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4094 on: December 29, 2016, 10:39:41 AM »
Boyfriend destashed his closet and took a huge pile of T-shirts to my city's version of Goodwill. Also took the VCR that we never use.

The clearing-out of the filing cabinet continues. Hello, credit card and bank statements going back to the late 90s!

I am in a quandary, though. I recently learned that in my city one cannot recycle shredded paper. Unbelievable, right? Apparently, it clogs the machinery. (source: https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20151214/lincoln-square/hold-phone-papers-not-recyclable-nope-not-always)

And I don't want to just toss unshredded statements for accounts and credit cards I still have (yes, some of my credit cards date back that far) or stuff that's got my SSN on it. Most of the public shredding events here cost money, and are also in summer, which won't work since we're moving in April/May. Argh. I do not want to pay to dispose of all of this.

I'm considering bringing the shredded statements to work and either sneaking it into the work recycling, or dumping it into some recycling dumpster nearby. I work just over the border of the city in a suburb that does take shredded paper. There is a LOT of it, though, and both of these options are unethical if not illegal. Probably too much to be inconspicuous, too; certainly more than I'm comfortable hauling onto a crowded train due to its bulk. Maybe do it in small batches?

This really surprised me. I've been putting shredded paper in recycling for years, and now I found out that I contaminated the entire bin and doomed it to the landfill. :(

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4095 on: December 29, 2016, 10:43:42 AM »
Very shocked to hear about the shredded paper! That's crazy.

As for what to do with it- it costs some money, but do you have an office supply store that does shredding? That's what we've done in the past.

Tris Prior

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4096 on: December 29, 2016, 11:30:26 AM »
Probably. I think the Fedex stores here do that. I've gotta admit, though, I'm kind of pissed that I have a perfectly good shredder that I now apparently cannot use.

Recycling in Chicago is widely thought of as a joke anyway. We're pretty behind the times compared to other large cities, from what I've read. The city makes it difficult and expensive to recycle; our building doesn't even have a bin because we're 5 units and the city only provides bins for 2-4 unit buildings. Otherwise the landlord has to pay for it, and apparently ours doesn't want to. (so, um, I throw my recycling into the bin of the building next door. Yes, it's illegal, but with no car I can't haul all this stuff to a recycling center.)

FireHiker

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4097 on: December 29, 2016, 12:07:35 PM »
I think I need to get involved in this group...I have been trying to get rid of all the crap we have around our house, as I am definitely a minimalist at heart. I thought I'd been doing pretty well with going through stuff, but it still seems like all of our closets, cupboards, etc, all full of stuff we don't use/need, that I don't even remember. I went through the china cabinet cupboard two nights ago and found 34 placemats. I haven't used a placemat since we moved to our new house 4 years ago! I counted them and was appalled. I itemize everything we donate in It's Deductible, but even though we have donated a lot in 2016, there is still so much more. I told my husband I want us to go through and lay hands on everything in the house and determine whether we use it and it's worth keeping, or not. It's daunting and may take years with our giant clown house. I can't wait until we can downsize to something smaller and not have the excuse of having space to store all this junk. I want it gone!!

shadowmoss

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4098 on: December 29, 2016, 12:23:23 PM »
An exercise from Your Money Or Your Life is to inventory everything you own.  Ive started at least 3 times if not more in the past 15 years and have yet to complete even one room each time, there is just so much to have to count t, categorize (and justify?).  Could be a way for you to get into the nitty gritty of laying hands on everything in your house.

FireHiker

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #4099 on: December 29, 2016, 12:25:39 PM »
Yep, I read Your Money or Your Life this year (free ebook checked out from the library). Pretty daunting in our home. I wouldn't call my husband and actual hoarder (though I will tell him to his face that he is out of exasperation), but he is a borderline packrat anyway. If I hear "just in case" as a justification for keeping something one more time...sigh. Working my way through the things I control for now!

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!