Author Topic: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!  (Read 1850111 times)

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5200 on: September 26, 2017, 07:36:38 PM »
Opened a cupboard this morning looking for something. Didn't find what I was looking for but grabbed six things (paperwork and brochures) that could all go straight in the recycling bin.

firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5201 on: September 27, 2017, 02:43:24 PM »
Exchanged a bunch of stuff with neighbors. Got rid of 25 items that we didn't need (balloon weights, books, etc) and got items we could use (soap, cleaning stuff, gift bags, etc). Even though it was not true decluttering, I'd consider it as such since we now have things we can use and none we can't. Also those things we couldn't use will be used by someone else. Double win!

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5202 on: September 27, 2017, 06:59:32 PM »
I can't remember if I've posted about this idea before but I finally acted on it.

Husband travels a lot for work. Often that means getting off an international flight and going straight to the office. Sometimes it means he goes to work in jeans and a t-shirt and finds out he has to meet with a CEO, and there's a bit of a panic over wardrobe. Sometimes he has to fly interstate with a couple of hours' notice.

We've been cutting back his wardrobe anyway, so I packed a go-bag for his office: a change of clothes, shoes, toiletries, phone charger, etc.

That gets about a dozen excess things out of my house (including a gifted overnight bag which we just didn't need).

Linea_Norway

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5203 on: September 28, 2017, 04:26:11 AM »
Exchanged a bunch of stuff with neighbors. Got rid of 25 items that we didn't need (balloon weights, books, etc) and got items we could use (soap, cleaning stuff, gift bags, etc). Even though it was not true decluttering, I'd consider it as such since we now have things we can use and none we can't. Also those things we couldn't use will be used by someone else. Double win!

It is a good form of decluttering. Well done.

formerlydivorcedmom

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5204 on: September 28, 2017, 01:42:00 PM »
My husband has been trying to get me to clear out clutter, but I've been resistant.  Y'all have inspired me to actually participate.  This week:

a) Husband cleaned our game room.  We are giving away 5 board games we don't play, and the ones we're keeping (30+ ... baby steps) are sorted so we can actually see what we own.

b) I sorted through my desk at home.  Reference books were returned to their actual bookshelf homes.   Paperwork was sorted and filed or recycled.  I finally looked in the two pretty baskets on the top shelf and realize they were full of paperwork and tchotchkes I had forgotten about.  The recycle bin is now full, my daughter took one of the baskets to organize HER desk, and the other basket went into the Goodwill box.  My husband is amazed that I can actually see the surface of my desk now (honestly, so am I).

c) We tried on 75% of the stuff in our closet.  Two big bags to give away, and a bunch of just-slightly-too-large stuff folded and put in a storage tote. If it is still too large next year, I'll give it away.

d) Cleaned off the kitchen island, which had served as an open-air junk "drawer"

e) I requested The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up from the library after I saw several people recommend it on this thread.

This weekend's goals:
1) Finish cleaning out our closet.  Be realistic about which shoes I will never wear again.
2) Get rid of 4 things in the kitchen.
3) Tackle top of dresser (I have no idea what that mess is, but I suspect I don't need 85% of it)



ZiziPB

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5205 on: September 28, 2017, 02:11:22 PM »
I am down to some difficult things that I'm trying to decide as to what to do with:

- sterling flatware (it was a gift from my parents but not something that has been in the family) - I don't like the pattern and never use it because it's a pain the neck to clean
- a set of antique silver utensils (another gift but never used)
- a gold necklace (worn a few times but not recently and doesn't fit with my current or future lifestyle)

Together, these items would probably bring $800-$1000 if sold for scrap.  But I feel bad about scrapping or selling fairly valuable gifts from my parents.  And the thought of the necklace melted down makes me sad.

I brought the necklace to a local jewelry store but they were not interested in buying it for their vintage collection.  So the only option is to sell it is for scrap.

Any ideas as to how to deal with these?  Should I just get over the guilt and sell the lot if I know I won't be using it? 

firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5206 on: September 28, 2017, 03:49:40 PM »
ZiziPB, I don't have any suggestions but I can commiserate on the difficult feelings. I have listed my toddler's (preschooler now) tricycle. Even though I know she will not use it anymore and had outgrown it (nor will her siblings use it), I want to hold on to it just for the memory's sake. It feels as if I'm giving away a part of her toddlerhood. :(

The only thing that has helped so far is taking pictures of it and reminding myself that the bike has given us fun memories which are stored in my heart and I don't need the bike to remind me of them. Still working on it though.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5207 on: September 29, 2017, 02:58:14 AM »
My husband has been trying to get me to clear out clutter, but I've been resistant.  Y'all have inspired me to actually participate.  This week:

a) Husband cleaned our game room.  We are giving away 5 board games we don't play, and the ones we're keeping (30+ ... baby steps) are sorted so we can actually see what we own.

b) I sorted through my desk at home.  Reference books were returned to their actual bookshelf homes.   Paperwork was sorted and filed or recycled.  I finally looked in the two pretty baskets on the top shelf and realize they were full of paperwork and tchotchkes I had forgotten about.  The recycle bin is now full, my daughter took one of the baskets to organize HER desk, and the other basket went into the Goodwill box.  My husband is amazed that I can actually see the surface of my desk now (honestly, so am I).

c) We tried on 75% of the stuff in our closet.  Two big bags to give away, and a bunch of just-slightly-too-large stuff folded and put in a storage tote. If it is still too large next year, I'll give it away.

d) Cleaned off the kitchen island, which had served as an open-air junk "drawer"

e) I requested The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up from the library after I saw several people recommend it on this thread.

This weekend's goals:
1) Finish cleaning out our closet.  Be realistic about which shoes I will never wear again.
2) Get rid of 4 things in the kitchen.
3) Tackle top of dresser (I have no idea what that mess is, but I suspect I don't need 85% of it)

Awesome progress for just a week!

ZiziPB

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5208 on: September 29, 2017, 07:33:38 AM »
ZiziPB, I don't have any suggestions but I can commiserate on the difficult feelings. I have listed my toddler's (preschooler now) tricycle. Even though I know she will not use it anymore and had outgrown it (nor will her siblings use it), I want to hold on to it just for the memory's sake. It feels as if I'm giving away a part of her toddlerhood. :(

The only thing that has helped so far is taking pictures of it and reminding myself that the bike has given us fun memories which are stored in my heart and I don't need the bike to remind me of them. Still working on it though.
Thanks for the support firelight!  Even though I'm not particularly sentimental it is hard to deal with objects that have all these feelings attached to them.  In my case, one additional feeling I'm struggling with is guilt - I know that these gifts were a big expense for my parents at the time they were given so it's hard to just discard them and show total disregard for that.

PMG

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5209 on: September 29, 2017, 08:07:00 AM »
ZiziPB, I don't have any suggestions but I can commiserate on the difficult feelings. I have listed my toddler's (preschooler now) tricycle. Even though I know she will not use it anymore and had outgrown it (nor will her siblings use it), I want to hold on to it just for the memory's sake. It feels as if I'm giving away a part of her toddlerhood. :(

The only thing that has helped so far is taking pictures of it and reminding myself that the bike has given us fun memories which are stored in my heart and I don't need the bike to remind me of them. Still working on it though.
Thanks for the support firelight!  Even though I'm not particularly sentimental it is hard to deal with objects that have all these feelings attached to them.  In my case, one additional feeling I'm struggling with is guilt - I know that these gifts were a big expense for my parents at the time they were given so it's hard to just discard them and show total disregard for that.

Not knowing anything about your relationship with your parents... These gifts are like a cashmere sweater that is two sizes too big.  It's beautiful and lovely but just doesn't fit you and it's just not useful, and honestly it's so big and baggy that it loses its beauty and looks rough.  You would trade in that sweater for one that fit.  And you can trade in these items for something that fits.  Maybe that is money towards debt or savings.  Maybe it is a necklace or kitchen utensil you're more likely to use.  They served their purpose.  You have admired their loveliness. You aren't disregarding their worth.  You tried them on.  They don't fit. 


ZiziPB

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5210 on: September 29, 2017, 08:29:35 AM »
ZiziPB, I don't have any suggestions but I can commiserate on the difficult feelings. I have listed my toddler's (preschooler now) tricycle. Even though I know she will not use it anymore and had outgrown it (nor will her siblings use it), I want to hold on to it just for the memory's sake. It feels as if I'm giving away a part of her toddlerhood. :(

The only thing that has helped so far is taking pictures of it and reminding myself that the bike has given us fun memories which are stored in my heart and I don't need the bike to remind me of them. Still working on it though.
Thanks for the support firelight!  Even though I'm not particularly sentimental it is hard to deal with objects that have all these feelings attached to them.  In my case, one additional feeling I'm struggling with is guilt - I know that these gifts were a big expense for my parents at the time they were given so it's hard to just discard them and show total disregard for that.

Not knowing anything about your relationship with your parents... These gifts are like a cashmere sweater that is two sizes too big.  It's beautiful and lovely but just doesn't fit you and it's just not useful, and honestly it's so big and baggy that it loses its beauty and looks rough.  You would trade in that sweater for one that fit.  And you can trade in these items for something that fits.  Maybe that is money towards debt or savings.  Maybe it is a necklace or kitchen utensil you're more likely to use.  They served their purpose.  You have admired their loveliness. You aren't disregarding their worth.  You tried them on.  They don't fit.

Yes, that's good advice! 

I was thinking though that I should let my mom know I'm doing this and the reasons for it.  She's a logical person who will understand.  And I will feel better if this is cleared up between us instead of being left unsaid.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5211 on: September 29, 2017, 08:35:43 AM »
ZiziPB, I don't have any suggestions but I can commiserate on the difficult feelings. I have listed my toddler's (preschooler now) tricycle. Even though I know she will not use it anymore and had outgrown it (nor will her siblings use it), I want to hold on to it just for the memory's sake. It feels as if I'm giving away a part of her toddlerhood. :(

The only thing that has helped so far is taking pictures of it and reminding myself that the bike has given us fun memories which are stored in my heart and I don't need the bike to remind me of them. Still working on it though.
Thanks for the support firelight!  Even though I'm not particularly sentimental it is hard to deal with objects that have all these feelings attached to them.  In my case, one additional feeling I'm struggling with is guilt - I know that these gifts were a big expense for my parents at the time they were given so it's hard to just discard them and show total disregard for that.

Not knowing anything about your relationship with your parents... These gifts are like a cashmere sweater that is two sizes too big.  It's beautiful and lovely but just doesn't fit you and it's just not useful, and honestly it's so big and baggy that it loses its beauty and looks rough.  You would trade in that sweater for one that fit.  And you can trade in these items for something that fits.  Maybe that is money towards debt or savings.  Maybe it is a necklace or kitchen utensil you're more likely to use.  They served their purpose.  You have admired their loveliness. You aren't disregarding their worth.  You tried them on.  They don't fit.

And you have feel the love that the givers of these gifts wanted you to feel.  They have completed their purpose in your life.  There is some one out there that may have another use for these items.  And if you can translate them into something more useful in your life, then you should.

firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5212 on: September 29, 2017, 09:30:00 AM »
I ended up giving the toddler bike to another mom with a 1.5 year old. I now know someone else will use it well and get to make more fun memories with it. That made it a wee bit easier to part with it.

Nederstash

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5213 on: September 29, 2017, 11:16:28 AM »
Another run to Goodwill last night: bed linens, towels, kitchen stuff...  I think I'm slowly getting there.  The agent who listed my house for sale commented that the house feels "minimal" (in a good way :-)

And I took an easy way out on the cleaning/laundry products.  I put the lot in the local laundromat with a sign saying Free stuff - please take.  Hopefully there will be some takers.

Animal shelters also get great use out of linens and towels!

firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5214 on: September 30, 2017, 09:33:28 PM »
Two items out the door and two more pending pickup tomorrow. Time to list more items.

I have some fan memorabilia for shows like orange is the New Black, Bojack horseman, etc. Putting as auction on eBay would give the best possible price but would include shipping work, cut in profits to eBay etc. Posting as porch pickup on Facebook and Craigslist keeps it local and doesn't have shipping hassles but I won't get the best price. What should I pick?

Tick-Tock

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5215 on: October 01, 2017, 08:45:29 PM »
Another couple boxes of clothes and misc to the thrift store and some books to the library for its upcoming sale.  Every little bit helps.

marielle

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5216 on: October 02, 2017, 06:37:26 AM »
Two items out the door and two more pending pickup tomorrow. Time to list more items.

I have some fan memorabilia for shows like orange is the New Black, Bojack horseman, etc. Putting as auction on eBay would give the best possible price but would include shipping work, cut in profits to eBay etc. Posting as porch pickup on Facebook and Craigslist keeps it local and doesn't have shipping hassles but I won't get the best price. What should I pick?

Large stuff: Definitely Craigslist/FB route.

Small stuff: Start on Craigslist/FB, sell the rest on eBay or give away if low value (<$10). Having envelopes/boxes ready for each item helps if you do eBay, cuts out the stress of last-minute shipping.

Debts_of_Despair

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5217 on: October 02, 2017, 08:02:10 AM »
Two items out the door and two more pending pickup tomorrow. Time to list more items.

I have some fan memorabilia for shows like orange is the New Black, Bojack horseman, etc. Putting as auction on eBay would give the best possible price but would include shipping work, cut in profits to eBay etc. Posting as porch pickup on Facebook and Craigslist keeps it local and doesn't have shipping hassles but I won't get the best price. What should I pick?

Any kind of niche interest item is best sold on eBay.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5218 on: October 02, 2017, 08:12:22 AM »
Made $35 on a Super Nintendo game on ebay this weekend.  (Which makes me wish we had listed the hundreds of games we sold to Half Price books last year... but mostly, I wanted them out of the house- this is one we somehow missed.)

Didn't do a great job getting stuff out of the house this weekend.
Gave some ribbon away, which was hard. Craft stuff is always "what if I need this later".
Got rid of the dish towels we don't like, and the dog towels that are super old and we downgraded other towels to dog towels.

Also, last weekend I got rid of unused power strips that had been sitting around for years. This weekend, I needed a power strip. Go figure.

norabird

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5219 on: October 02, 2017, 08:29:34 AM »
A friend wants some more kitchens tuff so I'm going to give her some of the spare spatulas and glasses we have around. Maybe even some of my fancy dessert plates--I have roughly a million...

ZiziPB

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5220 on: October 02, 2017, 08:39:45 AM »
3 hand-knitted shawls out of the house this weekend - I gave them as gifts to my cousin, aunt and friend.  But my cousin gave me some yarn to add to my knitting supplies.  In my defense, she wanted to give me a full bin but I selected 6 or 7 skeins out of it and didn't take the rest.

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5221 on: October 02, 2017, 10:29:56 AM »
The pile in the garage grows but there is an increasing spaciousness in the house.
This morning I cleared out the sauna - yes we have a sauna that came with the house and we have been using it for storage ever since we moved in.  I really want to take sauna's. 
We made it much smaller a couple of years ago and it has never been re-connected.  It just held less junk.  This morning I carried out all the junk, (an old computer box, a spare shower door, and a bunch of old text books).  Daughter grabbed the big ball for her room - they are old enough that they don't fight over the ball.  I hid it in there in desperation one day probably four years ago.
I also grabbed two random boxes in the utility room and they are in the garage.  One was really good children's clothes that I was going to keep forever.  Now I have six nieces and nephews under four so the outfits can be offered to them and then released if there are no takers.
Daughter is giving her dollhouse and random toys to little cousins. 
The last of the flooring was installed on Sunday so we can get rid of all the extra bits.
It also means that we can set up hubs' mancave stuff and make him a work out room.  The treadmill that we got from parents is going to get carried down from the garage.  Weights in son's room under bed and random boxes from the garage will live together in one place. It gets lots of light now that the windows aren't blocked with the clutter!
We overheated the shredder but got through about four boxes.  We are down to a small filing cabinet and one bankers box.  As my hubs does all the booking keeping for his family I think this is ok.
Son emptied all the extra hockey gear from his hockey bag that he hadn't worn for his game.
This coming weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving and the garage is getting sorted.  A dump run, donation run and a photography session to list stuff on kijiji is happening.   
It is feeling amazing even though we only have so much more to do.


Frankies Girl

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5222 on: October 02, 2017, 11:11:53 AM »
It looks like several Halloween stores exploded in our living room. We're pulling everything out, going through it and culling a large amount of decorations.

Did I mention I'm a super duper Halloween decorator? So we're talking LOTS and LOTS of stuff. I have a full sized carnival ticket booth in the garage and a clown mouth entrance arch and skeleton/clown performers, along with an entire graveyard complete with stones, fencing and resident ghosts. And not even counting the junk stored inside the house.

BUT I'm also tired of storing so much stuff, and tastes/themes have changed so some of it is just not my style any more and I'm creating quite a large pile of stuff to re-home.

I do also have a large amount of clothing/shoes to take to the thrift store this week as well.

And the husband is going through several large boxes of his old toys - GIJoes, transformers, ET, Star Wars... all really bad shape tho, so he's likely going to ask a few die-hard friends if they want the majority of the stuff. 

The Halloween stuff likely will be listed on Craigslist or my Halloween group's site (just depends if I feel like dealing with shipping junk all over).

kaypinkHH

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5223 on: October 02, 2017, 02:45:47 PM »
Got rid of a frozen turkey today!

We had a old frozen turkey way down in our deep freeze, and won't be using it for Canadian Thanksgiving, so with the move coming up I posted it online, and it was gone within 30 mins. Someone will be eating old turkey, but probably delicious!

I legit had a dream about food waste the other day so I think getting rid of the turkey will make me feel better.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5224 on: October 02, 2017, 05:41:02 PM »
Got rid of about 35 things over the weekend.

Lots of birthdays at the moment so I'm delighted to be working my way through my stash of cards and gift bags.

I pulled out my stash of velvet and satin Christmas ribbons to give to my mum to use up (I will never get through them).

Husband agreed to part with some more work-related paperwork.

Next job is to list a pair of shoes on eBay.


formerlydivorcedmom

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5225 on: October 03, 2017, 11:54:19 AM »
This weekend's goals:
1) Finish cleaning out our closet.  Be realistic about which shoes I will never wear again.
2) Get rid of 4 things in the kitchen.
3) Tackle top of dresser (I have no idea what that mess is, but I suspect I don't need 85% of it)

1) I bought a new pair of shoes this week, so in exchange I threw away 2 pairs that are really worn out, I'm giving away two pairs that pinch my toes, and a third pair that pinches I'll try to sell.
I also gave away a few more clothing items and packed several more into the "slightly-too-big-for-me, will-give-away-in-a-year-if-I-maintain-the-weight-loss" box.

2) I found 3 things in the kitchen I didn't want anymore.

3) Instead of the dresser, I cleaned out the hall closet.  We hung up two framed pictures that have been hiding there since we moved in 4 years ago, threw away a bunch of stuff, moved several things to areas where I will remember that we actually have them (what possessed me to put paper plates in the hall closet?????), sorted through the coats to give away the ones that don't fit anymore, and gave away other stuff that we didn't remember we'd stuffed in the closet.

Bottom line - I filled up a giant trash bag full of stuff for Goodwill, filled a bin for recycling, and realized that if you have to store things in weird places just to say you have a home for it, then you have waaaaay too much stuff.

I also realized I need to do another pass through our linen closet to find room for the tablecloths that were in the back of the hall closet, and I need to find a better way to sort and store scarves and gloves.  I apparently buy new ones every year (especially for the kids) when I can't find the old ones.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5226 on: October 04, 2017, 01:37:24 AM »
...if you have to store things in weird places just to say you have a home for it, then you have waaaaay too much stuff.

Stealing this.

Fresh Bread

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5227 on: October 05, 2017, 07:43:43 PM »
I'm doing this gauntlet for October. It's the one where you do one object on Day 1, two on Day 2 etc. Hubby is quite adamant that we've decluttered enough so the challenge will be a combination of decluttering and storing things in their correct place for me.

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/minimalist-challenge-for-october/

Linea_Norway

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5228 on: October 06, 2017, 01:52:19 AM »
I'm doing this gauntlet for October. It's the one where you do one object on Day 1, two on Day 2 etc. Hubby is quite adamant that we've decluttered enough so the challenge will be a combination of decluttering and storing things in their correct place for me.

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/minimalist-challenge-for-october/

To be honest, that challenge would be too much for me. I might have something to declutter every day for a month, but not 30 things on day 30. Luckily my house is tidier than that. ;-)
... or maybe I do, but don't realize it. Cannot rule that out...

Rowellen

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5229 on: October 06, 2017, 02:00:09 AM »
You never know until you try linda norway. I let 23 things go today.  I have so much more to go.  I have already got rid of so much too.

Fresh Bread

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5230 on: October 06, 2017, 02:07:16 AM »
Linda, I'm totally cheating in how I count the items :)

firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5231 on: October 06, 2017, 07:03:59 PM »
7 items out the door. Sadly I bought three toys for kiddo so the final tally is only 4. Looking forward to getting rid of more tomorrow.

nick663

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5232 on: October 07, 2017, 09:02:57 AM »
Sold a random part from a ceiling fan (spare downrod) on ebay today.  Always nice to clean out clutter while growing the savings account.

Rowellen

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5233 on: October 07, 2017, 03:02:46 PM »
Another 45 items to go. Have to wait for the charity store to open since it's the weekend but I have it boxed and ready to go. This includes 31 cookbooks, several coffee mugs, some glass bowls still in their boxes and some other random kitchen items.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5234 on: October 07, 2017, 05:47:11 PM »
Husband took his ruined bike to the bike library.
We get a tax receipt and space in the garage. They get some salvage parts.

Rowellen

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5235 on: October 07, 2017, 07:39:35 PM »
Reduced number of loose leaf recipes from 9 display folders to one. Recycling the pages. Storing the display folders for kids to use at school. This has taken me a couple months to work through.
« Last Edit: October 07, 2017, 11:22:20 PM by Rowellen »

firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5236 on: October 07, 2017, 10:38:50 PM »
Sold an old phone. One item out the door.  Chipping away...

Ascotillion

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5237 on: October 07, 2017, 11:56:53 PM »
I moved apartments recently and packed a fair few boxes full of stuff that has been a "to sell" or "to throw out" for years. I thought I'd be motivated to do better after the move, but of course they've sat there in boxes for the last couple of months. Such is life, hey?

Except my partner's father passed away last week, and we've been cleaning out his house. He has rooms and rooms of junk, with a study full of messy paperwork from 2008 mixed in with mouldy towels and his daughter's artwork from primary school, and two sheds full of cobwebs and old broken furniture.

It's like a shock of cold water to the face to see this much junk. When I get back home I'm going super hard on my clutter and boxes - no excuses.

Fresh Bread

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5238 on: October 08, 2017, 02:30:46 AM »
So sorry to hear about your FIL Ascotillon.

It's pretty bad clearing out leaving junk for others to clear but I have to say that my dad and I had a reasonably good bonding experience clearing out my mum's stuff after she passed. It was sort of cleansing, it helped somehow. That was just one room (her study) though!

We had a great win today. Up til now our tv, apple tv, PS3 and aerial have plugged into a power board that lies below the tv cabinet, gathering dust and dog hair. Every time we tried to vacuum up the aerial got knocked out. The PS3 we barely used, it's really just used for DVDs and we have Netflix now, so that was unplugged is stored in the tv cabinet. We bought 2 x surge protected double adaptors and some reuseable ties and coiled up the other three cords so that they are hidden behind the tv and not touching the floor. It looks so much better.

firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5239 on: October 08, 2017, 10:30:53 AM »
So sorry about your FIL and that you have to clear so much junk.

I have a few boxes of stuff to sell for the past few years. But with kids, I never ended up doing it and moved with it more than 400 miles. We have another move in 6 months and that is my end date - what doesn't get sold but then goes to donations. That thought has spurred me to start selling. Hope you get to sell/donate your stuff too.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5240 on: October 08, 2017, 12:32:12 PM »
I am making baby steps. I gave away one of my books ito a colleague. I promised of my books to a friend. I just haven't met this friend for a few weeks, so the book is still here. I also think I am going to give away a third book to my SIL when I see her in the Christmas holiday.

Nederstash

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5241 on: October 08, 2017, 12:37:06 PM »
I moved apartments recently and packed a fair few boxes full of stuff that has been a "to sell" or "to throw out" for years. I thought I'd be motivated to do better after the move, but of course they've sat there in boxes for the last couple of months. Such is life, hey?

Except my partner's father passed away last week, and we've been cleaning out his house. He has rooms and rooms of junk, with a study full of messy paperwork from 2008 mixed in with mouldy towels and his daughter's artwork from primary school, and two sheds full of cobwebs and old broken furniture.

It's like a shock of cold water to the face to see this much junk. When I get back home I'm going super hard on my clutter and boxes - no excuses.

Sorry for your loss! Must be tough to find items worth keeping between all the mess. But all the more reason to dispose of your own junk, so it's very clear which items mean something to you and which items aren't adding anything positive.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5242 on: October 08, 2017, 04:06:57 PM »
There is a council clean-up scheduled for my building tomorrow. Finally!

Fresh Bread

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5243 on: October 08, 2017, 04:12:36 PM »
There is a council clean-up scheduled for my building tomorrow. Finally!

Ours is normally October but I'm waiting, waiting... We've got a couch and a bunch of downpipes to go!

Ascotillion

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5244 on: October 08, 2017, 04:20:41 PM »
Must be tough to find items worth keeping between all the mess.
My partner and his sisters don't want any of their dad's stuff, but their mum is insistent that our generation throws too much stuff away and all of this stuff is still good. She also says that she needs to buy an extra storage unit because her house is already full of old furniture. Can't make this stuff up.

Imma

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5245 on: October 09, 2017, 07:07:32 AM »
Must be tough to find items worth keeping between all the mess.
My partner and his sisters don't want any of their dad's stuff, but their mum is insistent that our generation throws too much stuff away and all of this stuff is still good. She also says that she needs to buy an extra storage unit because her house is already full of old furniture. Can't make this stuff up.

Sounds very familiar. And if they run out of arguments, they can always say: 'you know how happy we were to have x when the war happened?'. First of all, the war was 70 years ago. Warfare is different now. Secondly, they were lucky to have been able to stay in their house, many people had to flee or had their houses destroyed by bombs. Thirdly: if a war happens, you're not going to need Wedgwood porcelain or fake Queen Anne style furniture. What you are going to want is money, so you can leave the country before it happens. You know what the rich people in our town did right before WWII? They left en masse to the US, where they were more than welcome, found a place to live, put their kids in school and put their skills to good use supporting the war effort. They only took their money, stocks and bonds. They knew everything else was replaceable.

It is a fact that the younger generations throw away a lot of stuff that belonged to the older generations, but it's wrong to guilt trip the kids into keeping it all. After all, the parents were the ones who bought too much stuff and held on to other people's crap too. That overconsumption was a waste, but you can't undo that waste by hanging on to the products. It's much better to take it to the dump so it can be recycled into useful stuff.

ZiziPB

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5246 on: October 09, 2017, 07:12:00 AM »
Haven't made any progress this weekend but next weekend Daughter will be home so I'm planning to set aside stuff that she may want.  If she doesn't, out it goes.

Imma

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5247 on: October 09, 2017, 08:35:43 AM »
I have just decided that the boots I wore to work need to go. I've had them for 10 years, they are super comfortable and matched with both jeans and dresses, but they are now beyond repair. There's a big rip in the leather on the side of the foot where it's supposed to be attached to the sole. The heels are damaged and so is the leather on the nose. I've also condemned an old shirt and pair of shorts that belong to my partner. He lost weight a couple of years ago and he's not going to get that heavy again. They are now so big he can't wear them anymore.

jordanread

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5248 on: October 09, 2017, 01:15:56 PM »
Well, we just started Operation Glistening Wood. In short, we reclaimed a bunch of oak flooring for free, and are going to redo our house. Since our house isn't that big, some tetris is going to be played. I'm hoping to use this as a motivation to declutter.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #5249 on: October 09, 2017, 09:44:06 PM »
Council clean-up stuff went out this morning.

A friend just messaged me offering me some work clothes (corporate stuff) which she no longer needs. I asked what I can trade her, and suggested a few things, which she jumped at.

Even if the clothes don't work out, it will be easier for me to donate her things than mine.

(And we always exchange like this with no strings attached.)

I owe 90 per cent of my running gear to this friend (all new when she gave it to me). Happy days!