Author Topic: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!  (Read 1850100 times)

haypug16

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5550 on: December 18, 2017, 12:35:38 PM »
Another weekend of dropping stuff off at Savers. I can't wait for the day when I feel like I couldn't possible give away any more as everything left brings me joy and fulfills my life. I think I'm quite a while away from that day though ;)

Car Jack

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5551 on: December 18, 2017, 12:47:57 PM »
My son put up the Christmas tree and out of 4 strings of lights, an LED string works, one other string, 1/4 of the lights work, 2 others, no lights.  I'm not spending 10 hours figuring out which one bulb doesn't work.  Out to the garage with wire cutters.  I recycle (sell) wire periodically so cut off the lights and plugs and saved the wire.  More clutter gone!

The wife actually pitched in!  I found a plastic bin of saved articles from her last work in an HMO.  Everything is now easily found on the web (she left the job 17 years ago).  It's all become starter paper for our wood burning furnace. 

MrsTuxedocat

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5552 on: December 18, 2017, 10:51:28 PM »
- Donated three purses that I never use
- Also donated three pairs of shoes. I have all these high heels that I never wear!

formerlydivorcedmom

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5553 on: December 19, 2017, 09:57:27 AM »
Yay for Christmas procrastinators - I've finally managed to sell a bunch of my daughters' doll furniture and clothes.  The girls are $145 richer, and that's way less stuff in my house.  They've agreed that anything that doesn't sell by December 23rd can be donated.  I set the same rule with H - he has a stack of broken Christmas stuff that he said he would fix; if it isn't ready by Christmas Eve, it's going to be recycled or thrown away.

We are planning to take yet another full carload of donations to Goodwill on Thursday.  Second passes in most of the rooms we've already tackled revealed even more stuff no one wants. 

In a marriage-saving effort, H and I have started tackling the (nice, huge, climate-controlled, walk-in) attic.  My goal is to get everything out of there except Christmas decorations and his electronics crap.  That way I can get to the stuff I need without having to climb over the crap, and he can store all the electronics crap without me yelling at him.  Win-win!  We've given away a lot and relocated some stuff to now-empty areas in other parts of the house. 

My son (8) finished KonMari-ing his room. Over the weekend, for the first time in months, he closed himself in his room and happily played with his toys for hours.  Not a peep of "I'm bored".  This stuff really works.

horsepoor

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5554 on: December 19, 2017, 01:26:26 PM »
Decluttering is infectious; today I decluttered worn-out dry erase pens from the conference room during a boring conference call.  No more trying three pens before finding one that works properly.

formerlydivorcedmom

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5555 on: December 19, 2017, 02:55:34 PM »
Decluttering is infectious; today I decluttered worn-out dry erase pens from the conference room during a boring conference call.  No more trying three pens before finding one that works properly.

Will you please come to my office and do that? 

Cookie78

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5556 on: December 19, 2017, 09:28:27 PM »
I'm hanging out at my moms for a few months while I'm visiting family and have been helping out around the house while I'm here, trying to make her life a little easier. My mom has zero interest in decluttering but we tease each other about it. She laughs and tells me about it every time she throws something out!

Her fridge is packed full of all sorts of condiments, sauces, dressings, etc. I cleaned out a couple things with mold, and sorted out the rest so I knew what was there. We are playing a little game now where we pick one condiment in the fridge then look up a new dinner recipe we can make to use it up. So far we are 5 days in and have finished up 8 different containers. Soon there will be room in the fridge!

PS. Also I'm enjoying the little game of discovering recipes and hanging out with my mom so much!
« Last Edit: December 19, 2017, 09:32:31 PM by Cookie78 »

soccerluvof4

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5557 on: December 20, 2017, 10:49:33 AM »
Had piles of empty boxes from all sorts of stuff (ALdi's to furniture) that I have been tossing to the side in the garage. Well with winter coming I finally cut them up into small enough pieces to get them in our big recycle bin. This was like 30 boxes and if there not cut small enough they wont take them. Got them all in the bin and there gone!! Garage looks so spacious !

couponvan

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5558 on: December 22, 2017, 04:53:30 AM »
Set timer in DD's room for 15 minutes. One bag of trash and a full laundry basket of things to relocate. Preteen girls....

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5559 on: December 22, 2017, 09:06:55 AM »
I'm hanging out at my moms for a few months while I'm visiting family and have been helping out around the house while I'm here, trying to make her life a little easier. My mom has zero interest in decluttering but we tease each other about it. She laughs and tells me about it every time she throws something out!

Her fridge is packed full of all sorts of condiments, sauces, dressings, etc. I cleaned out a couple things with mold, and sorted out the rest so I knew what was there. We are playing a little game now where we pick one condiment in the fridge then look up a new dinner recipe we can make to use it up. So far we are 5 days in and have finished up 8 different containers. Soon there will be room in the fridge!

PS. Also I'm enjoying the little game of discovering recipes and hanging out with my mom so much!

This sounds so lovely, and made me smile that you are turning it into a fun experience with your mom.

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5560 on: December 22, 2017, 10:55:45 AM »
Went through younger son's backpack, and we sorted out all of the paperwork, signed everything that needed to be returned, & recycled the remainder.

Rollin

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5561 on: December 24, 2017, 04:40:10 PM »
I'm hanging out at my moms for a few months while I'm visiting family and have been helping out around the house while I'm here, trying to make her life a little easier. My mom has zero interest in decluttering but we tease each other about it. She laughs and tells me about it every time she throws something out!

Her fridge is packed full of all sorts of condiments, sauces, dressings, etc. I cleaned out a couple things with mold, and sorted out the rest so I knew what was there. We are playing a little game now where we pick one condiment in the fridge then look up a new dinner recipe we can make to use it up. So far we are 5 days in and have finished up 8 different containers. Soon there will be room in the fridge!

PS. Also I'm enjoying the little game of discovering recipes and hanging out with my mom so much!

Now that is creative! And, wonderful that you get to spend time with your mother.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5562 on: December 24, 2017, 08:25:57 PM »
Two years of conscious decluttering and I do have two regrets. I really wish I hadn't given away half of my nail polish collection, and I really wish I still had my soap making supplies. But mostly I'm glad to have less stuff

Sibley

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5563 on: December 26, 2017, 11:54:19 AM »
I just started a new job, so of course don't have any PTO. Thus, I'm in the office. There's about 5 people here (out of 120ish)

My desk had a ton of stuff on/in it. I sorted through all of it, pulled out the binder clips, salvaged a notebook and couple binders, and stacked the rest. The paper shredding bin I'm required to use was almost full, so I filled it up and left the rest of the 2 foot tall stack of paper in the drawer. Once it gets emptied I'll be rid of the rest of it.

At home, gathering stuff up to make it all disappear. I plan to donate several things I got for Christmas, and have some shopping I need to do. I will happily take advantage of the post Christmas sales on things I need anyway.

iris lily

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5564 on: December 26, 2017, 12:32:50 PM »
January is usually a time I declutter like mad.

We have put in an offer on another house, one that would act as a second home. That means all decluttering of useful items is stopped until we get that house and can move stuff there.


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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5565 on: December 26, 2017, 01:16:34 PM »
I did a big declutter of the downstairs of my house ready for guests on Christmas Day.  My sitting room in particular is now looking splendidly decluttered and intentional.  Sadly nearly all of the detritus is just hiding upstairs behind the closed door of the spare bedroom.  I'm counting it as a win, though, because 1) there are a couple of black bags ready to go to the charity shop next time I'm in town, and 2) most of the rest is waiting to find its proper place when the house extension is finished (I will have a library to go along with the study: priorities, right?).  I just need to avoid any unintended guests in the meantime.

Astatine

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5566 on: December 26, 2017, 11:45:59 PM »
We have a small chest of drawers next to the front door. The bottom drawer is our 'to be filed' drawer. It was nearly full (ie about 5cm high stack of paper) because we hadn't done filing for about a year.

I run a lever-arch folder system. So we have about 5  or 6 folders for different categories, like finances, medical stuff, house stuff and so on. We tried to cull as we went. All got filed yesterday! Yay!

Then today my folder of old papers (that I unfortunately need to keep) was niggling at me. It covers some yuk periods of my life. I went through it more detail and only kept the essentials, and threw out a huge stack more of papers. Enough that we could consolidate 2 folders in one.

So: got rid of about 8 cm high stack of paper (either in recycling or in the compost if the document had sensitive info on it like bank details) and one lever-arch folder. Huzzah.

formerlydivorcedmom

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5567 on: December 27, 2017, 07:55:47 AM »
Congratulations, Astatine!  Sorting the filing cabinets is on my tentative list for this weekend.

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5568 on: December 27, 2017, 08:46:42 AM »
We have a vacation home, and I've already started going through some of the clothes left here (I leave a few items of clothing for each kid), making a big stack for donation. They've outgrown many of the items. Sadly, I too have outgrown some of my clothing and/or since we each only have a few things here, and line drying is harder in this house, the clothes are dried in the dryer much more frequently.

Every time we're here, my goal is to weed out the pantry/fridge/freezer from random things people leave behind, and go through our closets. Sounds like a good project for today, as I'm not feeling great.

Rowellen

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5569 on: December 27, 2017, 08:19:08 PM »
 I helped my son clear out some toys to make room for his Christmas presents. Two large black garbage bags going to charity. Another in the bin. A slightly smaller white garbage bag is in my room as he was unsure. I'm confident he won't want anything from it. This from a kid I had to work hard with not very long ago as he insisted on keeping actual rubbish. So proud of him.

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5570 on: December 28, 2017, 07:54:17 AM »
Cleaned out a giant toy bin/organizer. Made piles to donate, recycle or toss. Saved the very few toys people still play with, and then listed the empty organizer on Craigslist. No idea if this area has a robust enough Craigslist to get any action, but we'll see. If not, I'll have my sister bring it with her on her next trip & give it to the Goodwill.

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5571 on: December 28, 2017, 07:58:27 AM »
Spent yesterday on the mending pile.  It only warmed to minus 11 C yesterday - but the wind was wickedly cold.  So dealing with the mending pile was a great excuse to not go outside.  Some of the stuff in the mending pile should have been in the rag pile all along.  And here I was dreading the mending pile. 

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5572 on: December 28, 2017, 01:59:13 PM »
Finally tossed the broken ironing board and curtain rail.

Christmas presents - and bags of Christmas packing - are gone from spare room.

Went through my bedroom at my parents' place and put a few things in the donation bag.

Husband got some new socks for Christmas so I'll go through his sock drawer and toss a couple of pairs that are past it.

Jim Fiction

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5573 on: December 28, 2017, 03:02:43 PM »
Over the past few days I went through every article of clothing I own and got rid of several large boxes worth of stuff. The newfound drawer space will be used for the little one that my wife and I are expecting in June.

gypsy79

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5574 on: December 28, 2017, 03:23:15 PM »
Today I put together a bag of clothes for charity and also filled about half a trash bag with items for recycling. We keep things pretty clutter-free around here, so I knew it was time when I started getting annoyed at full closets and drawers!

Fresh Bread

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5575 on: December 28, 2017, 04:14:26 PM »
I'm away on holiday but keeping up with this thread and itching to get back to cull more stuff. This time last year I was given the Marie Kondo book and began a massive purge. A year on, I'm ready to go back and get rid of clothes that I have not worn in the last year.

Also, we have friends staying at our place while we are away which meant we got a preview and discussion of what it would be like to Airbnb our place. We still are at levels of stuff where it would not be possible. And we just don't keep the place clean enough - it basically needed a massive & time consuming spring clean for our friends and would need to be a whole other level for Airbnb.

My focus areas are clothes, random stuff that I've been meaning to list on eBay, and the pantry.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5576 on: December 28, 2017, 05:18:14 PM »
I just listed a dozen things on eBay that are the very definition of one man's trash...

The only thing stopping me from dropping them in the recycling bin was the idea that I might get a few bucks for them, so I finally photographed them and listed them.

At least now if they don't sell I can toss them guilt-free.

Actually, it's not just the possible cash. I do like to see things re-used rather than get tossed out.

Rowellen

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5577 on: December 28, 2017, 06:38:56 PM »
Back in my son's room today. Cleared surfaces of dresser and bedside table. Another small bag of rubbish gone. Plenty more rehomed. The surfaces are now visible.

NoraLenderbee

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5578 on: December 29, 2017, 10:38:37 AM »
Got rid of another box of papers and stuff from a job I left in 2001. The box included a bunch of awards in frames. I took the paper awards out of the frames. Now they take up much less room, and I have six or seven frames with glass suitable for photos (or donation).
I don't know what to do with the awards that are actual plaques mounted on wood. They have my name on them, so I don't feel comfortable just donating them.

At work, we're moving to a new office building. I dumped a ton of paper that would have filled 2 moving boxes (I work on hard copy a lot and paper tends to accumulate.) 

And a few more tchotchkes into the donation box. I love getting rid of stuff I don't even like.

Step37

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5579 on: December 29, 2017, 08:49:26 PM »
I made a great (and early!) start on my 2018 mission of sorting the basement office storage area. I’ve decided to switch the office with the guest room, which is upstairs, since I plan to work more from home and rarely have overnight guests. Spent the morning blissfully making a diagram of each of the rooms, and arranging the little furniture cutouts I’d made (to scale, of course - I may have missed my calling).

I decided to sell a dresser that would no longer fit in my new configuration, so checked kijiji to see what they were fetching vs. new (common IKEA dresser). I didn’t even have to list it! Someone was searching for one and she’s already come and picked it up for the price I wanted. I have some space back, $200 in my wallet and did not have to deal with a single flaky person.


firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5580 on: December 30, 2017, 01:08:21 AM »
I made a great (and early!) start on my 2018 mission of sorting the basement office storage area. I’ve decided to switch the office with the guest room, which is upstairs, since I plan to work more from home and rarely have overnight guests. Spent the morning blissfully making a diagram of each of the rooms, and arranging the little furniture cutouts I’d made (to scale, of course - I may have missed my calling).

I decided to sell a dresser that would no longer fit in my new configuration, so checked kijiji to see what they were fetching vs. new (common IKEA dresser). I didn’t even have to list it! Someone was searching for one and she’s already come and picked it up for the price I wanted. I have some space back, $200 in my wallet and did not have to deal with a single flaky person.
Ah! I like it best when the stuff flies off the to-sell list without even having to list. Great work!

Car Jack

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5581 on: December 30, 2017, 11:47:48 AM »
Ok, I DIDN'T THROW THINGS OUT TODAY!  (wait for collective gasp)  Well, I did throw a couple shopping bags of burnable crap into the wood furnace, but that's par for the course for me and boring and not worth making a post about.

My college son who's also a weight lifter, so bigger than me went through his drawers and came out with a big bag of clothes to donate and asked me where to put them.  Knowing that it takes my wife at least 8 years to decide to throw out a onesie even though our youngest is 17, I said to hide it in my room.  So I went to sort through, figuring everything will either be tossed or given to my 17 year old.  Bunch of pairs of pants, in new condition.  Hmmmm.....the waste size is my size.  I try them on.  They all fit.  Couple of T shirts as well that fit.  So I have about 6 pairs of pants, 4 of which can be used at work. 


former player

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5582 on: December 30, 2017, 12:07:49 PM »
Ok, I DIDN'T THROW THINGS OUT TODAY!  (wait for collective gasp)  Well, I did throw a couple shopping bags of burnable crap into the wood furnace, but that's par for the course for me and boring and not worth making a post about.

My college son who's also a weight lifter, so bigger than me went through his drawers and came out with a big bag of clothes to donate and asked me where to put them.  Knowing that it takes my wife at least 8 years to decide to throw out a onesie even though our youngest is 17, I said to hide it in my room.  So I went to sort through, figuring everything will either be tossed or given to my 17 year old.  Bunch of pairs of pants, in new condition.  Hmmmm.....the waste size is my size.  I try them on.  They all fit.  Couple of T shirts as well that fit.  So I have about 6 pairs of pants, 4 of which can be used at work.
Repurposing is good: even if you didn't get rid of stuff you did clear out clutter by moving the pants from your son's drawers to yours.  I bet you now have surplus pants which you can get rid of, right?

Sibley

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5583 on: December 30, 2017, 07:08:08 PM »
Finally got everything ready to donate. 1 big bag, 1 box. Will take it to goodwill tomorrow (squeaking in under end of year deadline for tax deductions!).

Also put the tv thingy back into place after painting woodwork behind it, and my friend came over to lend a pair of hands in putting the support structures up in the big closet. With the hooks and bar back up, I have finally put everything back into the closet that has been junking up the dining room. In the process, sorted out the big box and storage tubby. Added a few things to the donate pile, put a couple things where they were supposed to be, generally rearranged, and the big box isn't in the closet anymore!

I have a couple light fixtures from my parent's house that I told them I'd put on ebay, and have been collecting boxes to find ones that would fit. I've got quite a few now, need to actually check them against the lights and recycle the ones that don't work.

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5584 on: December 30, 2017, 07:26:24 PM »
sorted through my fabric stash - and now only have one bin - the other bins is empty.  I also mentioned to my step mom that I have this fabric for a Christmas tree skirt but no pattern.  She has offered to actually make the skirt because I don't actually have enough fabric.  So I am giving her the fabric that I have and will likely get a skirt next December.

4alpacas

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5585 on: December 30, 2017, 07:43:45 PM »
We dropped off a car load of clothing at Goodwill today.  I also posted a few items on my local Buy Nothing group. 

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5586 on: December 31, 2017, 09:39:22 AM »
-Sent a ton of toys/outgrown clothes with my parents, to take to the Goodwill. (We're at our vacation house, and it's not close to a Goodwill. Normally, we handled the drop offs ourselves. :-))
-Gave my toy chest/furniture to my eldest nephew, as he's hoping to start a new side business of listing things on the local Facebook page & selling it for his car insurance money. :-)
-Found a couple of nice kids clothing items with tags still on them, so I will take these back home & sell on my local FB page.

oneday

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5587 on: December 31, 2017, 05:30:39 PM »
Also squeaking in under the wire by taking a donation to charity yesterday (1box). Wouldn't you know it, today I ran across a pair of slippers that I don't like. Wish I had got those out of the house yesterday, grr. Time to start a new box, I guess.

Rosy

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5588 on: December 31, 2017, 06:09:28 PM »
The purge continues.
1. Ten large new picture frames - donated. Kept one picture frame and reframed an existing picture.
2. A big box of miscellaneous household and craft items - donated.
3. Papercraft - new project material - donated.

4. Eight or more paint cans - various sizes - took it to the landfill - paid seven bucks for the privilege.
5. Disposed of a gas cylinder.

Half a box of donations left sitting in the shed.

Next week ..... I'm starting in on the boogey bear - boxes and more boxes of paper to sort, trash, file. Not looking forward to it, but I will work on it every day until it is done.
Then it is time for the closet, a small cabinet and finishing up the sorting out of the shed.

I am chomping at the bit to make some jewelry and work on my photography website. I need some creativity in my life - may even mosaic the door first, just for fun.
Regardless, I'll sort one box of paper and then clear out the work area in the shed/cum studio, so I can finish a long time jewelry project, an Egyptian style necklace with lapis and coral and gold.

Hopefully, that will keep me entertained and motivated to clear out all those boxes of paper.

 

marion10

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5589 on: December 31, 2017, 08:11:34 PM »
Sorted out all my stuff in the bathroom- threw away some things I finally admitted I was never going to use again. Had many sample sizes- donate most of them to our church for homeless program.

CU Tiger

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5590 on: January 01, 2018, 04:39:41 PM »
Ist day of 2018, I decided to start small. I decluttered my bed-side table. A bunch of paper went to recycling, some things returned to their places, and other items were tossed.

Baby steps!

Astatine

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5591 on: January 01, 2018, 06:35:55 PM »
Ist day of 2018, I decided to start small. I decluttered my bed-side table. A bunch of paper went to recycling, some things returned to their places, and other items were tossed.

Baby steps!

Well done for getting started!

Step37

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5592 on: January 01, 2018, 08:46:19 PM »
Committing on this forum to deal with my closet in 2018 has spurred me to take a good first step. I was talking with a friend the other day and she asked if I’d heard of an Instagram/FB site (in our city, amazingly!) that sells luxury fashion items on consignment (she was asking because she thought I might want to buy stuff, but that’s okay;). I contacted the site, sent photos of everything that might be suitable, and I have 15 items going (rather bulky, as I kept original shoe boxes). IF it all sells at the prices they’ve set, I could net just over 2k (and not have to ship anything or deal with anyone - just have to drop it all off at once to them, only 10 or 15km away).

I'm so relieved to be over my interest in (owning or buying) luxury fashion. It was an expensive phase of life.




MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5593 on: January 01, 2018, 09:01:02 PM »
-Brought 6 things to donate, and 3 things to sell from our vacation house. I need a weekend there to really go through everything, but did make some serious progress.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5594 on: January 01, 2018, 09:46:44 PM »
One of my colleagues has been talking for a year about how she desperately needed to declutter her home.

She took a month off over Christmas, and that was one thing she hoped to get done.

Back at work today and ... she didn't make much progress.

She said it was too overwhelming and that she needed a system to get organised, so she was going to go buy a notebook to help keep track of her decluttering tasks.

She came back to work with two notebooks ("I couldn't decide which colour"), a pencil case, a shopping list pad and a lamp. What clutter problem?

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5595 on: January 02, 2018, 08:34:36 AM »
One of my colleagues has been talking for a year about how she desperately needed to declutter her home.

She took a month off over Christmas, and that was one thing she hoped to get done.

Back at work today and ... she didn't make much progress.

She said it was too overwhelming and that she needed a system to get organised, so she was going to go buy a notebook to help keep track of her decluttering tasks.

She came back to work with two notebooks ("I couldn't decide which colour"), a pencil case, a shopping list pad and a lamp. What clutter problem?

hahaha. Although, I feel sad that she took an entire MONTH off & didn't make any progress. That was a prime opportunity, wasted. How I would love a month off for that type of work. I do have today off, so hoping to make the most of it! Maybe a used copy of the Mari Kondo book could make its way to her desk?

marion10

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5596 on: January 02, 2018, 09:53:17 AM »
Excess clothes boxed up and waiting for pickup for swap.com. Wool sweater, Fleece jacket and wool socks set aside for homeless clothing distribution this Saturday at church.  I have too many Christmas ornaments- going to make another sweep when we are putting the tree away and donate those.

4alpacas

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5597 on: January 02, 2018, 11:16:35 AM »
We dropped off a car load of clothing at Goodwill today.  I also posted a few items on my local Buy Nothing group.
A bunch of stuff given away through my Buy Nothing group with minimal effort.  I also gave a friend a bunch of stuff that I know she uses (and was just collecting dust in my house). 

I have a few things to list on eBay.

nick663

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5598 on: January 02, 2018, 12:12:23 PM »
Sold a VHS tape on ebay yesterday for $6.

Yes, you didn't misread that.  VHS

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5599 on: January 02, 2018, 01:45:03 PM »
One of my colleagues has been talking for a year about how she desperately needed to declutter her home.

She took a month off over Christmas, and that was one thing she hoped to get done.

Back at work today and ... she didn't make much progress.

She said it was too overwhelming and that she needed a system to get organised, so she was going to go buy a notebook to help keep track of her decluttering tasks.

She came back to work with two notebooks ("I couldn't decide which colour"), a pencil case, a shopping list pad and a lamp. What clutter problem?

hahaha. Although, I feel sad that she took an entire MONTH off & didn't make any progress. That was a prime opportunity, wasted. How I would love a month off for that type of work. I do have today off, so hoping to make the most of it! Maybe a used copy of the Mari Kondo book could make its way to her desk?

In her defence, she did have two young kids on school holidays and a terminally ill mother in and out of hospital every week, so the time off just didn't go as she had planned.

But I think maybe she has realised there is no perfect time or perfect way to declutter - she just has to do what she can, when she can.