Author Topic: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!  (Read 1850096 times)

Anatidae V

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5450 on: November 24, 2017, 04:35:26 PM »
Here I can just buy a "no junk mail" sign and stick it on my letterbox.

What is this "buy" thing you speak of? :D
Or make? I don't generally see them going for free! And I don't have the stuff to make one. And I can't just write on the letterbox (renting)

Paper were you write ”no junk mail” and tape that you use to cover the paper works fine. You can take it away when you move.
There is magic! Brilliant, I'll be doing this.

Zikoris

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5451 on: November 24, 2017, 06:58:20 PM »
Man, in Canada you just need to put a red dot sticker inside your box, and boom, no junk except for political stuff. And my apartment building ha a recycle bin right under the mailboxes for the political stuff anyways. It would seriously piss me off having to deal with junk mail on a regular basis.

mc6

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5452 on: November 24, 2017, 08:32:10 PM »
I donated 5 bags of clothing and linens to my favorite charity thrift shop today.  As I was leaving I saw the volunteers holding up my Harris Tweed mini skirts of 2005 to price.  Sure hope some fashionable lady enjoys them as much as I did. 

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5453 on: November 25, 2017, 10:04:14 AM »
-Sold a bike the kids had outgrown for $50. (Bonus, kids did all of the work prepping it, washing it, & taking pictures. They are then splitting the $50 towards Christmas gifts they would like to give.)
-Cleaned our hall closet. Found lots of junk to get rid of. But, best part is that I found three pieces of hardware from work. All of these are assigned to me via asset tags, so I need to turn them in. I'm considering it part of my pre-FIRE prep. :-)

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5454 on: November 25, 2017, 12:48:03 PM »
I spoke with my friend who works with a clothing closet and she would love to have my expensive not fitting practically new bras.  She said FOR sure.  They are always needed because they are not often donated and rarer still, in new condition. 
I can drop them off at her house.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5455 on: November 26, 2017, 07:37:06 AM »
We have an office chair that recently broke. This afternoon we bought a second hand good quality replacement. Now I need to bring away the old chair that is now standing in the (hall)way.

I had a very tiresome and long working day week last week and did not have the energy to bring it away. I will do it this coming week.

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5456 on: November 26, 2017, 09:39:22 AM »
Went through the kids rooms & got rid of a bunch of junk, paper, stuffed animals (donated) & cleaned & organized. So much easier to find everything! And, now I don't cringe when I walk into their rooms. Win!

gaja

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5457 on: November 26, 2017, 12:09:05 PM »
DD got new fancy tiny hearing aids, and promptly lost them. So far we have decluttered her room, the car, my office, large parts of the living room, and her sister's room in an effort to find them. You don't notice all the tiny stoff in drawers and boxes, until you have to look through everything in the search for small expensive things. We have thrown away sooo much junk. Much of it is tiny junk, but it all adds up.

The hearing aids are so fancy that they even have an app with a "find me" function, but we found out the hard way that it doesn't work when they are turned off.

Sibley

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5458 on: November 26, 2017, 12:24:36 PM »
DD got new fancy tiny hearing aids, and promptly lost them. So far we have decluttered her room, the car, my office, large parts of the living room, and her sister's room in an effort to find them. You don't notice all the tiny stoff in drawers and boxes, until you have to look through everything in the search for small expensive things. We have thrown away sooo much junk. Much of it is tiny junk, but it all adds up.

The hearing aids are so fancy that they even have an app with a "find me" function, but we found out the hard way that it doesn't work when they are turned off.

Oh no! I hope you can find them, undamaged.

Sibley

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5459 on: November 26, 2017, 12:28:01 PM »
I think digital clutter counts, right? Saw something online about decluttering old social media posts so I decided to take a look at Facebook. Holy cow, there's a lot of old stuff there. I'm taking a lazy day, so working that.

Also piled more stuff up for donation, and have 3 light fixtures to sell on ebay once I get boxes for them.

better late

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5460 on: November 26, 2017, 01:21:57 PM »
Two more trash bags of stuff to goodwill. A couple of items that I hesitated to donate -- maybe should have thrown away. How do you decide if it's "nice enough" to donate? Part of me thinks it's better that Goodwill makes that decision...

Step37

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5461 on: November 26, 2017, 01:42:04 PM »
Two more trash bags of stuff to goodwill. A couple of items that I hesitated to donate -- maybe should have thrown away. How do you decide if it's "nice enough" to donate? Part of me thinks it's better that Goodwill makes that decision...

I agree that Goodwill should decide... I think many clothing items get cut into rags if they’re not salable. Conversely, something you think is garbage might be just what someone is looking for.

NoraLenderbee

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5462 on: November 26, 2017, 05:14:01 PM »
I gave away a giant solid wood china cabinet. It was beautiful, but there is literally no where in the house where it works. It served me well and someone else will enjoy it. Now there is so much more space in the office, and we can replace it with something that provides more functional storage.

We moved everything else out so I could paint the room. Now my husband is going through piles of his stuff to weed out broken electronics,  useless papers, and other accumulated crapola. AOL floppy disks anyone?  Boxes of empty boxes? Takeout menus from restaurants in a town we moved away from 13 years ago? I am so pleased with him.

Seven cans of dried-out paint into the trash also. Some of it is from the previous owner's paint job in 2003. I can't believe we have so much of this shit.

And another box of clothes I just don't want anymore.   

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5463 on: November 26, 2017, 05:40:19 PM »
I managed to lose an entire box of bubble wrap at the church sale this weekend at the Treasure table , as well as some random odds and sods. 
The basement storage continues to get trimmed down.  A bunch of stuff has slowly left our bedroom as my hubs figured out alternate storage for it. 
I am really looking forward to pulling out all the Christmas stuff and just not putting it all back away at the end of the holiday.  Anything broken or no longer our taste will not make it back into the two boxes total that I am allowing.
We now have at least 5 empty tote bins in the garage.  I am thinking of repurposing them as planter bins in the greenhouse.
All this paring down is actually starting to be noticeable when I go to clean the house.  It is so nice to open a cupboard and not have the contents spill out onto the floor or have a space to put the object in my hand away into.
 

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5464 on: November 26, 2017, 07:32:07 PM »
Finally got around to dropping off three bags to charity, have three more to go.

Then proceeded to have dinner with a friend who gave me two bags of new clothes, including a heap of running gear. She went on a big shopping spree for when she reached her goal weight then never reached it.

She wouldn't let me pay so I'm doing some graphic design work for her.

So got rid of stuff I won't use, brought home stuff I will use.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5465 on: November 27, 2017, 04:26:48 AM »
DD got new fancy tiny hearing aids, and promptly lost them. So far we have decluttered her room, the car, my office, large parts of the living room, and her sister's room in an effort to find them. You don't notice all the tiny stoff in drawers and boxes, until you have to look through everything in the search for small expensive things. We have thrown away sooo much junk. Much of it is tiny junk, but it all adds up.

The hearing aids are so fancy that they even have an app with a "find me" function, but we found out the hard way that it doesn't work when they are turned off.

Check coat pockets, trouser pockets, her bed and her school bag, if you didn't do that already. I hope you'll find them.

ZiziPB

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5466 on: November 27, 2017, 05:04:27 AM »
It was a good weekend for decluttering:
- Daughter went through her closet and decided which items to keep (I will bring them to her dad's house) and which items to get rid of (several clothing items that can be consigned)
- I sold an orbital sander that has been lingering on CL for almost a year
- Daughter and I looked through books - she wants to keep 5, which means I can get rid of almost everything else
- I gave a box of CDs I no longer wanted to my ex

On the other hand, we were shopping with Daughter for her birthday presents and I got sucked into buying some things for myself which I really don't need.  After bringing them home, I think I will return most of them.  I will keep a white shirt I bought, though, because it fits perfectly and I've been looking for one for a few months now...

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5467 on: November 27, 2017, 06:52:56 AM »
DD got new fancy tiny hearing aids, and promptly lost them. So far we have decluttered her room, the car, my office, large parts of the living room, and her sister's room in an effort to find them. You don't notice all the tiny stoff in drawers and boxes, until you have to look through everything in the search for small expensive things. We have thrown away sooo much junk. Much of it is tiny junk, but it all adds up.

The hearing aids are so fancy that they even have an app with a "find me" function, but we found out the hard way that it doesn't work when they are turned off.

Check coat pockets, trouser pockets, her bed and her school bag, if you didn't do that already. I hope you'll find them.
also lift couch/sofa cushions completely off so that you can find tiny things.  We had paid for the replacement library book and then when we moved it was found behind the cushions when the movers bagged them up before loading the couch onto the truck.

couponvan

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5468 on: November 27, 2017, 12:59:33 PM »
DD got new fancy tiny hearing aids, and promptly lost them. So far we have decluttered her room, the car, my office, large parts of the living room, and her sister's room in an effort to find them. You don't notice all the tiny stoff in drawers and boxes, until you have to look through everything in the search for small expensive things. We have thrown away sooo much junk. Much of it is tiny junk, but it all adds up.

The hearing aids are so fancy that they even have an app with a "find me" function, but we found out the hard way that it doesn't work when they are turned off.

Check coat pockets, trouser pockets, her bed and her school bag, if you didn't do that already. I hope you'll find them.

Also - if she has a lunch box, check the zippers on the side.  Oh - and check between the mattress and the box spring and under the top rail of the bed headboard if you haven't already (and between couch cushions).  We've found ear things in all those locations for grandma in the past.

formerlydivorcedmom

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5469 on: November 27, 2017, 01:06:46 PM »
While I was cooking yesterday an innocuous kitchen utensil in the drawer was fairly screaming "ha ha, I don't belong here".  I ushered it straight to the giveaway box.  I was highly amused at the magic of the KonMari method.

Over the weekend, I delivered a trunkful of stuff to Goodwill, mailed a big box of work clothes to Dress for Success, and completed my first Craigslist sale - 2 pots!  My house is still a mess with stuff we're trying to sell; if it isn't gone by the week before Christmas, I'm giving it all away.

Decluttering has slowed, however.  My husband is not on board with getting rid of almost anything that he might consider useful one day.  He thinks that because we have tons of space, it's okay to keep it all.  He has big plans to build better storage systems....and doesn't seem to hear me when I talk about cleaning out rather than organizing. 

For now, I'm going to keep focusing on my stuff and the children's rooms.  That should keep me busy for a few weeks.

gaja

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5470 on: November 27, 2017, 01:42:37 PM »
DD got new fancy tiny hearing aids, and promptly lost them. So far we have decluttered her room, the car, my office, large parts of the living room, and her sister's room in an effort to find them. You don't notice all the tiny stoff in drawers and boxes, until you have to look through everything in the search for small expensive things. We have thrown away sooo much junk. Much of it is tiny junk, but it all adds up.

The hearing aids are so fancy that they even have an app with a "find me" function, but we found out the hard way that it doesn't work when they are turned off.

Check coat pockets, trouser pockets, her bed and her school bag, if you didn't do that already. I hope you'll find them.
also lift couch/sofa cushions completely off so that you can find tiny things.  We had paid for the replacement library book and then when we moved it was found behind the cushions when the movers bagged them up before loading the couch onto the truck.

Also - if she has a lunch box, check the zippers on the side.  Oh - and check between the mattress and the box spring and under the top rail of the bed headboard if you haven't already (and between couch cushions).  We've found ear things in all those locations for grandma in the past.

Thank you all! We have been through all coat pockets of everyone in the family, and think we've been through all her other pockets. All beds have been checked thoroughly, including removing and shaking the matresses, and pulling the bed out from the wall. One sofa has been completely taken apart, will do the other one soon. No lunch boxes with zippers, but we could probably go through her school bag again.

Sibley

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5471 on: November 27, 2017, 02:40:00 PM »
While I was cooking yesterday an innocuous kitchen utensil in the drawer was fairly screaming "ha ha, I don't belong here".  I ushered it straight to the giveaway box.  I was highly amused at the magic of the KonMari method.

Over the weekend, I delivered a trunkful of stuff to Goodwill, mailed a big box of work clothes to Dress for Success, and completed my first Craigslist sale - 2 pots!  My house is still a mess with stuff we're trying to sell; if it isn't gone by the week before Christmas, I'm giving it all away.

Decluttering has slowed, however.  My husband is not on board with getting rid of almost anything that he might consider useful one day.  He thinks that because we have tons of space, it's okay to keep it all.  He has big plans to build better storage systems....and doesn't seem to hear me when I talk about cleaning out rather than organizing. 

For now, I'm going to keep focusing on my stuff and the children's rooms.  That should keep me busy for a few weeks.

It comes up periodically that someone starts and the spouse isn't on board. But after a while, the benefits of having less stuff start showing themselves, and the spouse starts participating. So don't give up hope. Just work on what you can.

Also, feel free to start passing horror stories on about people you know who are stuck cleaning out relative's homes after they've passed. It isn't fun.

ZiziPB

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5472 on: November 27, 2017, 02:51:28 PM »
DD got new fancy tiny hearing aids, and promptly lost them. So far we have decluttered her room, the car, my office, large parts of the living room, and her sister's room in an effort to find them. You don't notice all the tiny stoff in drawers and boxes, until you have to look through everything in the search for small expensive things. We have thrown away sooo much junk. Much of it is tiny junk, but it all adds up.

The hearing aids are so fancy that they even have an app with a "find me" function, but we found out the hard way that it doesn't work when they are turned off.

Check coat pockets, trouser pockets, her bed and her school bag, if you didn't do that already. I hope you'll find them.
also lift couch/sofa cushions completely off so that you can find tiny things.  We had paid for the replacement library book and then when we moved it was found behind the cushions when the movers bagged them up before loading the couch onto the truck.

Also - if she has a lunch box, check the zippers on the side.  Oh - and check between the mattress and the box spring and under the top rail of the bed headboard if you haven't already (and between couch cushions).  We've found ear things in all those locations for grandma in the past.

Thank you all! We have been through all coat pockets of everyone in the family, and think we've been through all her other pockets. All beds have been checked thoroughly, including removing and shaking the matresses, and pulling the bed out from the wall. One sofa has been completely taken apart, will do the other one soon. No lunch boxes with zippers, but we could probably go through her school bag again.
Does she have a locker at school?  Could she have left them there or any other place at school?

marion10

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5473 on: November 27, 2017, 04:23:09 PM »
On the hearing aids- if they are fairly new- they may still be covered under a warranty that includes replacement. Or you might be able to file under your home owners insurance.

PMG

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5474 on: November 27, 2017, 05:45:07 PM »
On the hearing aids.  Check inside all shoes. 

better late

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5475 on: November 27, 2017, 05:56:41 PM »
Two more trash bags of stuff to goodwill. A couple of items that I hesitated to donate -- maybe should have thrown away. How do you decide if it's "nice enough" to donate? Part of me thinks it's better that Goodwill makes that decision...

I agree that Goodwill should decide... I think many clothing items get cut into rags if they’re not salable. Conversely, something you think is garbage might be just what someone is looking for.

After reading your post, I feel better about my donation.  The fewer decisions I have to make when I declutter the better!

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5476 on: November 27, 2017, 06:15:28 PM »
I sold five items on eBay. Probably going to make about $8, so definitely not worth the time, but happy to get them cleared out!

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5477 on: November 27, 2017, 06:19:47 PM »
Gaja,  You remind me of when DD lost her retainer when we went swimming at the pool.   (She wrapped it in tissue for some awful reason, put it in her locker or left on the bench).  And then told me she must have thrown it into the garbage.  Do you know what sorts of things get thrown into the ladies garbage at a swimming pool change room / washroom?  Yeah.  I got to dig through 2 large bags of that.  Nothing found.  Then DD found her retainer at home... in the retainer case. 

My best wishes are with you.

Fresh Bread

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5478 on: November 27, 2017, 06:25:42 PM »
We have a few ceramic plant pots stored in various locations the house. Too small for any plants we currently have but DH isn't keen to get rid. Had a brilliant idea to turn them into xmas gifts - potted indoor succulents. I already have the plants & cactus potting mix, just need a couple of handfuls of white gravel.

With This Herring

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5479 on: November 27, 2017, 06:48:21 PM »
DD got new fancy tiny hearing aids, and promptly lost them. So far we have decluttered her room, the car, my office, large parts of the living room, and her sister's room in an effort to find them. You don't notice all the tiny stoff in drawers and boxes, until you have to look through everything in the search for small expensive things. We have thrown away sooo much junk. Much of it is tiny junk, but it all adds up.

The hearing aids are so fancy that they even have an app with a "find me" function, but we found out the hard way that it doesn't work when they are turned off.

Aaauugh...  I'm sure you've tried everywhere, but have her check her lockers (normal and gym) at school, school lost-and-found, and the cars of any family friends that have given her rides.  Check any air-return vents in the floor, especially if you have pets.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5480 on: November 28, 2017, 02:02:12 AM »
Yesterday afternoon I brought away our broken office chair that was occupying the hall way.

couponvan

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5481 on: November 28, 2017, 11:00:43 AM »
Two huge box forts removed from the basement - 4X7 and 3X6....They'd been there since September.  The kid that built them is 15.....

RetiredAt63

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5482 on: November 28, 2017, 11:52:57 AM »
My spare bed is gone - mattress, box spring and metal frame.  Best is that it is going to a friend's daughter, so the friend can sleep over at her daughter's when the drive home is too nasty.

Car Jack

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5483 on: November 28, 2017, 01:17:30 PM »
The carpet cleaners came yesterday.  We have one giant family room that is just filled with plastic bins full of crap.  While I couldn't get much out (wife takes months to let go of a broken toy from when the kids were 3....youngest is 17), the wife looks at the guitar amp that's pretty much been an end table for the last year and asks me "do you use that anymore?".  I thought about it and since I quit the band 3 years ago, I think the only thing it's been used for was to demo guitars to craigslisters who came to buy.  So yah, that can go.  Into craigslist and I have a guy on the hook and hope to unload it Saturday.

Although they don't take much room, I've started selling off my silver coins.  It's all circulated US silver so just scrap value.  It'll bring in some good money and I will solidify my knowledge not to hold precious metals thinking it'll go up.  Taking maybe a 30% loss on it but I expect nothing going forward and my equities have done really well.

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5484 on: November 29, 2017, 10:21:07 AM »
Found a FitBit outside of our office a couple of weeks ago. Tucked it in the pocket of my rain coat, & promptly forgot all about it. Brought it to work today & made the trek to the lost & found. Hopefully it will be reunited with its owner!

ZiziPB

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5485 on: November 29, 2017, 01:22:41 PM »
Brought another batch of things to consignment and collected a check for $67 for prior sales.  I also completed the returns of a few items I purchased but decided I didn't need or like enough to keep.

Have a couple of people interested in a small propane tank I listed on CL.  Other CL listed items are not getting any bites so I will be donating or giving them away for free next week.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5486 on: November 29, 2017, 01:40:36 PM »
Started working through the paperwork in my study.  Threw out about a dustbin's worth, and at the same time put a lot of what I need to keep in good order.  There's work ahead still, but it's feeling good so far.

marielle

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5487 on: November 29, 2017, 02:58:54 PM »
I've been thinking for weeks of what to get rid of and I'm still at a loss. I moved so many times in the past year and a half that I naturally dumped a lot of stuff (such as decorations that were fragile/difficult to transport). I can think of maybe a handful of things, like 3-4 books, a cast iron skillet because my FMIL gave me two instead of one, some excess bike accessories that got replaced with better versions, and MAYBE some clothes but I already have very little compared to most.

I guess it's a good problem to have or I just need to step up my criteria. Does anyone have a list of things to declutter for inspiration (I seem to remember a list of 100 things to declutter online somewhere) or tips towards the final stages of decluttering? I have bought a decent amount of new things in the last year since moving into my first apartment post college graduation, some of which I may not have necessarily needed (e.g. oil and vinegar bottles). Those things are the hardest for me to get rid of mentally but I've still done it several times. It's so difficult to get rid of something you bought less than six months ago! But on the bright side, I learned what I really needed and what I didn't. It seems like a lot of y'all have really old things to declutter from a house you have lived in for years, which is a different challenge in itself.

I think part of this itch to minimize further is because I'm considering applying to jobs in other states and I have no idea how I'm going to move all this stuff plus two cats that hate each other in my tiny coupe. Without paying a moving company, of course.

Step37

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5488 on: November 29, 2017, 03:44:57 PM »
Posted a nearly full bottle of water additive for dogs (to help with oral health) on kijiji that my dogs decided they no longer liked. It’s about $25/bottle but I wanted it gone so put up for free. Someone is (supposed to be) picking it up in a couple of hours. Sometimes kijiji people are very flaky...

Currently going through a small bin of stuff that has replaced the junk drawer (cleaned out junk drawer last year and stupidly left this junk collector on the counter “to deal with”). Some just needs to be put away; the rest needs to be tossed. I hate all this random crap. Getting a jump start on my 2018 goal of further decluttering.

Goldielocks

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5489 on: November 29, 2017, 10:17:25 PM »
I've been thinking for weeks of what to get rid of and I'm still at a loss. I moved so many times in the past year and a half that I naturally dumped a lot of stuff (such as decorations that were fragile/difficult to transport). I can think of maybe a handful of things, like 3-4 books, a cast iron skillet because my FMIL gave me two instead of one, some excess bike accessories that got replaced with better versions, and MAYBE some clothes but I already have very little compared to most.

I guess it's a good problem to have or I just need to step up my criteria. Does anyone have a list of things to declutter for inspiration (I seem to remember a list of 100 things to declutter online somewhere) or tips towards the final stages of decluttering? I have bought a decent amount of new things in the last year since moving into my first apartment post college graduation, some of which I may not have necessarily needed (e.g. oil and vinegar bottles). Those things are the hardest for me to get rid of mentally but I've still done it several times. It's so difficult to get rid of something you bought less than six months ago! But on the bright side, I learned what I really needed and what I didn't. It seems like a lot of y'all have really old things to declutter from a house you have lived in for years, which is a different challenge in itself.

I think part of this itch to minimize further is because I'm considering applying to jobs in other states and I have no idea how I'm going to move all this stuff plus two cats that hate each other in my tiny coupe. Without paying a moving company, of course.
Depending on your storage, just set a time limit -- anything you have not touched /used in a year is a good start.  Then anything not used in the past month would be a lean approach.

marielle

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5490 on: November 30, 2017, 06:40:01 AM »
I've been thinking for weeks of what to get rid of and I'm still at a loss. I moved so many times in the past year and a half that I naturally dumped a lot of stuff (such as decorations that were fragile/difficult to transport). I can think of maybe a handful of things, like 3-4 books, a cast iron skillet because my FMIL gave me two instead of one, some excess bike accessories that got replaced with better versions, and MAYBE some clothes but I already have very little compared to most.

I guess it's a good problem to have or I just need to step up my criteria. Does anyone have a list of things to declutter for inspiration (I seem to remember a list of 100 things to declutter online somewhere) or tips towards the final stages of decluttering? I have bought a decent amount of new things in the last year since moving into my first apartment post college graduation, some of which I may not have necessarily needed (e.g. oil and vinegar bottles). Those things are the hardest for me to get rid of mentally but I've still done it several times. It's so difficult to get rid of something you bought less than six months ago! But on the bright side, I learned what I really needed and what I didn't. It seems like a lot of y'all have really old things to declutter from a house you have lived in for years, which is a different challenge in itself.

I think part of this itch to minimize further is because I'm considering applying to jobs in other states and I have no idea how I'm going to move all this stuff plus two cats that hate each other in my tiny coupe. Without paying a moving company, of course.
Depending on your storage, just set a time limit -- anything you have not touched /used in a year is a good start.  Then anything not used in the past month would be a lean approach.

I'm pretty close to this. I'd say there are only a handful of things that I don't use in a month, such as seasonal stuff (not decorations but stuff like electric blanket, jackets, etc) and tools for working on my car. My seasonal stuff is already pretty minimal though, I only have one sweater and no long sleeves. Tools are probably the biggest category of things I could get rid of, but it's still fairly minimal and I have plenty of storage for it. I theoretically don't NEED a torque wrench and some of the other stuff since auto parts stores usually loan that stuff out but I already have the tools so...

My problem is stuff that I use but probably don't need. Like the oil and vinegar bottles, which are convenient when you buy in bulk and get giant bottles. Or a deep fryer. No one needs a deep fryer! Or the crazy amounts of spices and dry food I have, which required buying a spice shelf and a large storage shelf to act as my pantry (apartment doesn't have one). But I was perfectly fine without those things for years.

Maybe I'm being too hard on myself. I keep comparing my life now to 4 years ago at my first apartment in college when I had very little. But I barely drove so didn't need to work on my car, didn't cook as much of a variety of food, didn't have two cats, etc...

I think it will help if I make a list of things I would bring with me on a cross-country move. Would I keep my 75 spices? I have no idea...

gaja

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5491 on: November 30, 2017, 08:47:27 AM »
Hearing aids are still not recovered. Sofa #2 has been dismantled. DH is planning to empty all his storage boxes this weekend. If we had bought the hearing aids, we would probably let it go and used it to teach her a lesson ("if you don't take care of things, you'll have to use old crappy things for a longer time"). But they are paid for by other peoples' tax money, so I really feel an obligation to find them. Since we got them through the welfare system, there also is no insurance.

Thank you all for good advice, we are slowly moving through them while decluttering everything. There are now no too small clothes or single mittens in any wardrobes. I tossed two large garbage bags, mainly containing old papers, and a pile of old pens, from my office. All paper and plastic recycling has been taken to the dump. Even the fridge has been decluttered.

Aaauugh...  I'm sure you've tried everywhere, but have her check her lockers (normal and gym) at school, school lost-and-found, and the cars of any family friends that have given her rides.  Check any air-return vents in the floor, especially if you have pets.

Does she have a locker at school?  Could she have left them there or any other place at school?

No lockers, neither at home or school. No air vents in the floor. The school is very small, so if they had found them, they would have let us know. She has only been in our car, but we will go through that again to be 110% sure. We have told her to search at school, but I will also ask the teachers to have an eye out for them. I doubt the school is the place, she rarely removes both aids there. If one was missing; yes. But not both.

Gaja,  You remind me of when DD lost her retainer when we went swimming at the pool.   (She wrapped it in tissue for some awful reason, put it in her locker or left on the bench).  And then told me she must have thrown it into the garbage.  Do you know what sorts of things get thrown into the ladies garbage at a swimming pool change room / washroom?  Yeah.  I got to dig through 2 large bags of that.  Nothing found.  Then DD found her retainer at home... in the retainer case. 

My best wishes are with you.
Thank you! We have been through all garbage bags from the kids' rooms, bathrooms, and office. Not the most fun activity. Same goes for dismantling the vacuum cleaner.

On the hearing aids.  Check inside all shoes.
Good tip - will do! Some of the shoes could probably be tossed too.

haypug16

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5492 on: November 30, 2017, 09:00:54 AM »
New to this challenge but I love decluttering. DH and I dropped off a small bag of clothes and a few other house hold items to Savers on Tuesday. DH then proceeded to buy half a dozen books! He has promised he is going to scan all the pages and then donate them back. This is never going to happen but he was so excited about the books I didn't put up much of a fight.

Hope to donate another bag of stuff this weekend.

formerlydivorcedmom

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5493 on: November 30, 2017, 09:32:08 AM »
My 8-year-old agreed to sort through his room when I reminded him that there are a lot of kids with no toys, and we could donate things he didn't want anymore.

He really got into the KonMari method.  It was obvious which toys still gave him joy.  The others he'd pick up, tell me a story about a time he loved playing with that item, then tell it goodbye and put it in the giveaway pile.  About 2/3 of what we sorted went in the giveaway pile.  There are now more than 3 giant boxes of toys ready to go away.   I asked him this morning if he had second thoughts about any of the items and he said nope, he was ready for them to go.

We're leaving all the stuff stacked in the living room.  Our parents are coming over tonight, and we want them to see how much stuff kiddo had, and how much he's decided isn't necessary to his happiness.  Maybe this will cut down on the crazy Christmas we usually have.

I'm really proud of him.  He wants to go through the rest of his room (books, clothes, Legos) this weekend.  Then we'll reorganize so he can easily access the things he loves.

The 11-year-old saw us sorting and went to work in her room too. 

Now I just have to get the 10-year-old onboard.  Then we'll work on H.

Goldielocks

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5494 on: November 30, 2017, 11:51:31 AM »
I've been thinking for weeks of what to get rid of and I'm still at a loss. I moved so many times in the past year and a half that I naturally dumped a lot of stuff (such as decorations that were fragile/difficult to transport). I can think of maybe a handful of things, like 3-4 books, a cast iron skillet because my FMIL gave me two instead of one, some excess bike accessories that got replaced with better versions, and MAYBE some clothes but I already have very little compared to most.

I guess it's a good problem to have or I just need to step up my criteria. Does anyone have a list of things to declutter for inspiration (I seem to remember a list of 100 things to declutter online somewhere) or tips towards the final stages of decluttering? I have bought a decent amount of new things in the last year since moving into my first apartment post college graduation, some of which I may not have necessarily needed (e.g. oil and vinegar bottles). Those things are the hardest for me to get rid of mentally but I've still done it several times. It's so difficult to get rid of something you bought less than six months ago! But on the bright side, I learned what I really needed and what I didn't. It seems like a lot of y'all have really old things to declutter from a house you have lived in for years, which is a different challenge in itself.

I think part of this itch to minimize further is because I'm considering applying to jobs in other states and I have no idea how I'm going to move all this stuff plus two cats that hate each other in my tiny coupe. Without paying a moving company, of course.
Depending on your storage, just set a time limit -- anything you have not touched /used in a year is a good start.  Then anything not used in the past month would be a lean approach.

I'm pretty close to this. I'd say there are only a handful of things that I don't use in a month, such as seasonal stuff (not decorations but stuff like electric blanket, jackets, etc) and tools for working on my car. My seasonal stuff is already pretty minimal though, I only have one sweater and no long sleeves. Tools are probably the biggest category of things I could get rid of, but it's still fairly minimal and I have plenty of storage for it. I theoretically don't NEED a torque wrench and some of the other stuff since auto parts stores usually loan that stuff out but I already have the tools so...

My problem is stuff that I use but probably don't need. Like the oil and vinegar bottles, which are convenient when you buy in bulk and get giant bottles. Or a deep fryer. No one needs a deep fryer! Or the crazy amounts of spices and dry food I have, which required buying a spice shelf and a large storage shelf to act as my pantry (apartment doesn't have one). But I was perfectly fine without those things for years.

Maybe I'm being too hard on myself. I keep comparing my life now to 4 years ago at my first apartment in college when I had very little. But I barely drove so didn't need to work on my car, didn't cook as much of a variety of food, didn't have two cats, etc...

I think it will help if I make a list of things I would bring with me on a cross-country move. Would I keep my 75 spices? I have no idea...
If you have room, keep the bulk to small container systems, and only reduce spice count, as you need to.   But check the spices, 75 is a lot,  any not used in the past month can go and you won't notice.

But -- if you actually use the deep fryer every month, then keep it for now, and re-evaluate when you move.    If you are paying down debt, just put it on sale for a high-ish amount, and use it until you sell it or move.

Being minimal for the sake of being minimal is a bad idea.  Other than the potential move, why do you want to reduce further?  What is your driver to do so?

marielle

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5495 on: November 30, 2017, 12:09:47 PM »
If you have room, keep the bulk to small container systems, and only reduce spice count, as you need to.   But check the spices, 75 is a lot,  any not used in the past month can go and you won't notice.

But -- if you actually use the deep fryer every month, then keep it for now, and re-evaluate when you move.    If you are paying down debt, just put it on sale for a high-ish amount, and use it until you sell it or move.

Being minimal for the sake of being minimal is a bad idea.  Other than the potential move, why do you want to reduce further?  What is your driver to do so?

I have a nice container system for pretty much everything, from spices to rice and beans. I also use all the spices pretty regularly (not quite every month) with a couple exceptions. There are probably some I won't buy again, like pumpkin pie spice, especially if I can DIY them from other spices. I really dislike eating the same things all the time hence the spices. I cook food from many different cultures.

It just feels...ridiculous to have this much food. I guess it comes with the territory of being vegan and needing to be a tad more creative, on top of being picky and not wanting to eat the same things all the time. I feel like this is something I need to work on, force myself to eat up some weird ingredients before I get anything new. I also don't want to feel pressured to stay because of STUFF.

It's also a lot of stuff to constantly feel the need to organize, clean, etc. I need to find a better way to organize my tools than a cardboard box, but that might be my best bet in a 2nd floor apartment that I share. I don't know, I just feel envious of those who live the ultra minimalist lifestyle like Jacob from ERE. It just makes life so much simpler and easier in a lot of ways. I know I don't want to live in one place for too long, so how awesome would it be if I could just pack up my car and go, no need to declutter or stress about what to keep?

Sibley

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5496 on: November 30, 2017, 12:20:36 PM »
On the hearing aids - any chance they could have gone down the drain? (hope not...)

BobTheBuilder

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5497 on: November 30, 2017, 12:28:45 PM »
We did the classic a few days ago. My better half and I each with a medium sized trash bag going into every room and filling it up with just... stuff. In the end, we had a few over 5 kg in 2 bags and threw it away. Nothing to donate or sell. I already forgot what it was we got rid off. Good feeling!
« Last Edit: November 30, 2017, 12:31:35 PM by BobTheBuilder »

Plina

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5498 on: December 02, 2017, 05:33:39 AM »
I've been thinking for weeks of what to get rid of and I'm still at a loss. I moved so many times in the past year and a half that I naturally dumped a lot of stuff (such as decorations that were fragile/difficult to transport). I can think of maybe a handful of things, like 3-4 books, a cast iron skillet because my FMIL gave me two instead of one, some excess bike accessories that got replaced with better versions, and MAYBE some clothes but I already have very little compared to most.

I guess it's a good problem to have or I just need to step up my criteria. Does anyone have a list of things to declutter for inspiration (I seem to remember a list of 100 things to declutter online somewhere) or tips towards the final stages of decluttering? I have bought a decent amount of new things in the last year since moving into my first apartment post college graduation, some of which I may not have necessarily needed (e.g. oil and vinegar bottles). Those things are the hardest for me to get rid of mentally but I've still done it several times. It's so difficult to get rid of something you bought less than six months ago! But on the bright side, I learned what I really needed and what I didn't. It seems like a lot of y'all have really old things to declutter from a house you have lived in for years, which is a different challenge in itself.

I think part of this itch to minimize further is because I'm considering applying to jobs in other states and I have no idea how I'm going to move all this stuff plus two cats that hate each other in my tiny coupe. Without paying a moving company, of course.

I have also moved a lot and my criteria nowadays is do I use this and do I want to pay for moving it. If it doesn’t fit those criterias it will be gone before the next move. Sofas are one of those things that cost more to move than I want to pay so I sell my used one. I also have a large bookcase that will cost more to move then to buy a new one at Ikea. It have helped my tremendeously to Get rid of things before the move. I am going to an interview next week that would result in a move if I got the job and I am already thinking of what I could get rid of if so happens.

marty998

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5499 on: December 02, 2017, 04:13:45 PM »
Cleaned up my balcony, and threw out 6 old plastic pots from plants that I'd repotted.

Also removed all traces of paper from my living room. That makes a huge difference to the look and feel of the room.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!