msliz
Drama Llama
The Procrastinator
Posts: 6,419
Jun 26, 2014 21:32:34 GMT
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Post by msliz on Dec 31, 2016 20:28:31 GMT
DH is on his way to Goodwill as I type this. It feels good to be rid of more clutter. My DDs filled 3 boxes of stuffed toys too, but they didn't go today because they all want to go through each other's boxes. I have a feeling a lot of those will hit the trash instead of the donation pile, but they'll be out the door soon one way or another My goal for 2017 is to keep plugging away at the basement. I'm going to open all the boxes that have been down there since we moved in two years ago, and were packed for years prior to that. I'm going to keep sorting and getting rid of stuff, mostly sentimental stuff, and just getting rid of what I don't need. I don't want my stuff to be a burden to my kids.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Dec 31, 2016 20:45:48 GMT
I am just finishing up cleaning out our game/puzzle closet. I made sure the puzzles had their pieces and have a big pile of stuff that I am going to give to our daycare provider (she said she needs puzzles and games) and a few things for the trash. It doesn't seem like much but we have a ton of games and puzzles. I wanted to make sure that we could see what we had and hopefully it will stay more organized.
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4cboysmommy
Full Member
Posts: 213
Sept 13, 2014 1:19:39 GMT
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Post by 4cboysmommy on Dec 31, 2016 20:59:12 GMT
I am doing my goals month by month this year.
In January I want to go through all the cabinets and closets in the house. I have a bad habit of just throwing things in and saying I will deal with them later.
My biggest challenge is keeping up with things once they are done. I get lazy and stop putting stuff away like it should be.
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Post by mrssmith on Dec 31, 2016 21:05:30 GMT
I did get rid of quite a bit crafting supplies in 2016, but i know I can get rid of more. For instance, fabric. I used to quilt so I have a lot. I went through it this week and got rid of some, but still kept most of it because I "loved" them. But I haven't quilted in years. So for 2017 I really want to atrack the remaining craft items. I used to do a lot of beading/jewelry making. I kept that stuff for many many years after I stopped doing it. Finally I decided to give it to a friend who makes and sells jewelry & ornaments. I feel better knowing those beads are out in the world making someone happy vs. gathering dust in my basement! Save
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Post by mikklynn on Dec 31, 2016 21:06:00 GMT
I would like to get a handle on the photos this year. I want to buy a negative scanner. I want to take all the random boxes of photos and organize them. I also plan to use a lot of my scrapbook supplies, rather than continue to buy more. I've done a lot of purging in 2016, but there is more to be done in the basement. Lexica I think we all keep some things just for creature comfort. I have more sheets and blankets than I need, but I like to have extra for guests. I did purge all the sets that were incomplete and some ratty blankets.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Dec 31, 2016 21:07:10 GMT
I'm kind of flylady's zone system to de-clutter and deep clean. I will have one "zone" to focus on each week and go from there. I a also getting the rest of the family involved in the "upkeep" and cleaning to hopefully help us stay on top of things better.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Dec 31, 2016 21:10:58 GMT
I want to buy a negative scanner. This reminds me that I bought one back in the summer and haven't put it to use! Need to figure out where I stashed it. I'm pretty sure it's in the dining room. Ugh.
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Post by threegirls on Dec 31, 2016 21:12:35 GMT
My daughter is having two girls over tomorrow night for a sleepover so I told her we had to go through the old toys and clean out the bins so we can finally put the new Christmas ones away. I worry about her because it is so hard for her to part with anything. Her younger sister is great about purging toys. She doesn't care at all. My goal for 2017: Get some courage and talk to my mother-in-law about her stuff that she is passing on to us. She is slowly clearing out her house in the event her husband dies and she has to move. She lives out of state but finds a way to give us loads of stuff. We see her twice a year and she stuffs her car (or stuffs our truck if we are visiting her) with stuff. She also spends hundreds of dollars shipping the stuff to us. I'm fifty-one and I have all the kitchen gear I could ever want. I don't need two more wood blocks with knives. I already have one. What the heck am I going to do with two more??? I don't need giant lobster pots - I will never use them. I don't need more china or everyday dishes or towels or blankets or sheets or hats or books and on and on. My husband can't say no to her so we get the stuff and then he can't let it go. I have dropped hints like, "Gee thanks for the pots but I'm just not sure where I'm going to store them. Our house is small and we don't have extra room." Then we get knives in the mail.
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Nanner
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,963
Jun 25, 2014 23:13:23 GMT
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Post by Nanner on Dec 31, 2016 21:32:07 GMT
We are planning on moving this spring or early summer. So I will be purging and cleaning everything in preparing to sell our house. We are having the flooring all replaced in a couple of weeks (no, I didn't want to give a credit because it REALLY needed to be done to show nicely, and I know someone who does floors who is giving us a super price). So we rented a storage unit and having been packing and moving stuff there, because firstly, it'll have to be moved off of each floor to replace that flooring. When the floors are done, we'll move back only what we need as we work towards listing the house. And as we've been doing this, we've been getting rid of A LOT of stuff. We've been here 21 years, so have accumulated far too much stuff. DD is also home and went through the final 25 boxes of her stuff in the basement. She kept 9 boxes of stuff. 10 boxes just left my house this morning. I am VERY happy about that. So far today I cleaned under the kitchen sink and cleaned and tossed old cleaning stuff. I purged and cleaned out my pantry I cleaned my kitchen cabinets and packed away a bunch of stuff DH cleared off his desk in the office.
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Nanner
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,963
Jun 25, 2014 23:13:23 GMT
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Post by Nanner on Dec 31, 2016 21:35:41 GMT
Gypsy Girl: I LOVE your drawer organizing suggestion. That's brilliant!
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FurryP
Drama Llama
To pea or not to pea...
Posts: 6,969
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 19:58:26 GMT
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Post by FurryP on Dec 31, 2016 21:45:26 GMT
Where can I buy inexpensive and good organizers? I bought mine at BB&B with coupons. You could also check with the dollar stores, WalMart or Target. January is when you will find lots of organizing supplies on sale. When you buy the individual organizers, check to make sure they have straight sides. You will get a better fit and use all your space. I've had some in the past that have a slight slope to the side and/or a rolled edge to the top. Both of those eat up precious space! My favorite right now are the ones made from bamboo. Save shamrockpea, I am thinking along the lines of smaller type organizers, but in addition to Bed Bath & Beyond with a coupon, I find a lot of good ones at stores like Ross and TJ Max, if you have any of those in your area. I just found two really great ones for $8 at Ross that would have been minimum $20 at BBB or The Container store.
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Post by tracyarts on Dec 31, 2016 21:46:02 GMT
We're moving in the last quarter of 2017. Not far, just to the other side of the metropolitan area, but still a move is always a hassle. We'll be moving into a similar sized house, so thankfully we're not having to deal with a major downsizing effort.
So, it'll be a matter of sorting through everything and getting rid of anything we don't want badly enough to be willing to pack, transport, and unpack.
The thing is...my husband is a hold onto stuff kind of person, and I'm a get rid of stuff kind of person. We'll see how it goes.
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Post by getting started on Dec 31, 2016 21:48:56 GMT
My 2017 goals: -clean out basement! This will take months. -maintain the garage, kitchen and bedroom in the 2016 decluttered state
My tips: -in January 2016 I started a capsule closet. This was so helpful! I cleared out old/unused winter things in Jan to Feb. Revisited again in May when winter was done and I found a few things that I had hung onto that really didn't get used much. In May I also tackled spring/summer clothes. Then in Aug/Sept I revisited spring/summer and looked ahead to fall/winter. The blog I followed made two suggestions that made all the different to me. 1. Set your favourites aside. You don't need to consider them for keep/donate/throw out because they are your favourites. Doing this let me move clothes and accessories into the donate and throw out piles easily because I was less fearful of giving up something I loved. 2. Photograph the clothes you are donating that you think you'll miss. I forgot I did that! I recently found the photos of the clothes on my phone and was surprised to feel no regret over giving those things away. I have fond memories of those clothes but looking at the photos it was clear to me months later than those things really were old, worn and outdated. I don't miss them at all!
As with most of these blogs they suggest if you bring something new home you need to give up one or two of the things in your closet and I've found that has gotten easier over the past year.
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amom23
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,329
Jun 27, 2014 12:39:18 GMT
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Post by amom23 on Dec 31, 2016 21:50:15 GMT
I have 2 closets that I didn't make it through this year. Otherwise it's more of a maintenance plan for me. My main goal for the new year is to try to spend as little as possible. I say this every year, but I'm seriously going to try REALLY hard to stick with it this time.
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FurryP
Drama Llama
To pea or not to pea...
Posts: 6,969
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 19:58:26 GMT
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Post by FurryP on Dec 31, 2016 21:52:09 GMT
I am doing my goals month by month this year. I'm liking this idea! Between today and tomorrow I am purging,reorganizing, and re-lining my pantry shelves. Monday I will purge and put away all holiday items with an inventory sheet so I can quickly see what I already have when it comes time for next year. Then I will work on a January goal list.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 9, 2024 20:48:09 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2016 22:17:47 GMT
Thank you for continuing this thread! I read all the posts last year with interest & felt inspired.
After my mother died I decided I would not have a ton of stuff for my kids to go through when I die. Most of the "stuff" is inherited treasures from my parents & grandparents. I realized that my kids & grandkids will not care about 90% of that stuff. So I have been lusting on eBay & donating a lot. This year, I will continue to purge & organize. I want to get back to printing photos & putting them in albums so I can enjoy them. A huge place I need to tackle this spring is our garage. My DH will keep any little thing "in case he needs that part". Well, he doesn't really work on stuff anymore so that hoard is going! We buy tools & parts at Home Depot because we can't find the tools & parts we have in the garage!!
I'll be reading this thread.
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Post by anxiousmom on Dec 31, 2016 22:39:54 GMT
Y'all don't hate me...but once I get all the boxes unpacked and everything put away, I will be done. I decluttered and pared down while I was packing and other than about three boxes of paperwork that I didn't take the time to go through, I am pretty much good to go. I have to admit, it is pretty much freeing. Now-don't get me wrong, I have an entire storage unit that is PACKED to the gills-but all of that was gone through as well and I got rid of what I didn't want or need or more importantly, what I didn't love.
I am pretty glad that I did. I lived in that house for so long that I got complacent and kept things either out of obligation or laziness. I decided that everyone should have to move every so often simply just because it forces you to face your clutter.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Dec 31, 2016 23:06:46 GMT
@knot - You are at the same stage I am. My mom died in April and so much of the stuff in the dining room is hers. I was pretty ruthless when we emptied her house, but enough made it back to be a problem. Because of having to deal with that, I am now starting to get rid of things that I know DD isn't going to want. She really shouldn't have to deal with the guilt of tossing my old things just because I couldn't deal with it. I've been donating, trashing and some eBay listing. It's a lot of work! anxiousmom - Show off! That's it - you are banished! Actually, I'm envious of you right now. Hopefully I'll be in a similar spot at the end of the year. Our last phase of the house remodel starts in a few weeks and it is forcing me to get the job done. You will have to come back and cheer the rest of us on!
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Post by Linda on Dec 31, 2016 23:29:46 GMT
Where can I buy inexpensive and good organizers? thrift stores and yard sales? I tend to do inexpensive rather than good (I'm cheap). But in general I've found that buying organizers does help until I've gotten rid of the clutter and made a solid plan for how I'm going to use/store what's left - organisers are fun to buy but it's important to pick ones that fit your space, fit your stuff, AND work with how you get stuff out/put stuff away.
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Post by Linda on Dec 31, 2016 23:36:27 GMT
I decided that everyone should have to move every so often simply just because it forces you to face your clutter. Yes! We've lived here 8 years and the last house for 9 but before that I moved every year or two my whole life (lived in 8 houses in 4 countries by the time I turned 10 - and another 14 houses/flats since then) and it's SO much easier to declutter when you're packing it all up ...is it worth packing, moving, and unpacking really helps make the decision to get rid of stuff easier
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Post by LisaDV on Jan 1, 2017 0:35:52 GMT
We moved into a house in Sept 2014 that we are refurbishing. So everything feels like a constant battle. When work goes on, then things get moved and moved and then moved again. This year I hope to get my filing and paperwork under control and organize the basement. I'll also have to help dd organize her room. If I get more time than that, I would love to get my recipes organized since dd is now off so many things (gluten, dairy, egg, dyes, preservatives.....) I've added so many new recipes and really need to have easier access to them. genealopea, I've been thinking of starting this for my dd. Do you care if I pm you in a few weeks to see if it's making a difference?
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Jan 1, 2017 0:37:45 GMT
Is anyone else an "all or nothing" cleaner? Once I start, I want to do more and either end up making more mess but trying to do more than I have time for, or get frustrated and overwhelmed by how much clutter and mess there is in the house (most likely, both). Part of the problem is that things are not cleaned up well as we go along the day and I simply do not have the time to clean up after 6 people all week long and go to work. If I can get everyone into better routines, it would be easier. But how to get them/us into the routines?!
I am going to really work on reducing the amount of stuff in the house this year, as well as not buying as much. But with 6 people there is just a lot of stuff in general. Our house is not that big, especially in the kitchen and entryway, and I am always shifting things around to try to make it more organized and more functional. It is frustrating.
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oaksong
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,164
Location: LA Suburbia
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 6:24:29 GMT
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Post by oaksong on Jan 1, 2017 0:49:32 GMT
I'm in for 2017! Since both kids have now left home, it's time for a major purge. There is so much unneeded stuff in every closet, drawer and shelf. New things got piled on top of old over the years. I'm thinking one room a month.
Then there's the garage - ugh! DH moved my BIL out of their family home a few months ago under duress, and we ended up with a lot of things stacked in piles to sort through. MIL died quite a few years ago, and, thankfully, she did a great job of paring and organizing her belongings in her later years. It could have been so much worse.
I'm looking forward to inspiration here, and a nicer home to start 2018.
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Post by anxiousmom on Jan 1, 2017 0:56:11 GMT
- Show off! That's it - you are banished! Actually, I'm envious of you right now. Hopefully I'll be in a similar spot at the end of the year. Our last phase of the house remodel starts in a few weeks and it is forcing me to get the job done. You will have to come back and cheer the rest of us on! Yeah well...guess what?? I lied. I started trying to get clothes in the closet tonight. The little bitty tiny apartment closet. That is about 1/8th size on my closet before. Oh my hell, it is so not going to happen. So I guess I am going to have to cull through my clothes in the next day or so as I try to shoe horn my life into a much smaller space. I probably should have done it before but didn't think I needed to. Well...yes. Yes I should have. (on another note: I have no life. New's Year Eve and I am unpacking boxes and going through clothes. Alone. )
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Post by genealopea on Jan 1, 2017 1:17:59 GMT
... genealopea , I've been thinking of starting this for my dd. Do you care if I pm you in a few weeks to see if it's making a difference? Lisadv - of course! I hope I can give you some good news about it!
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Jan 1, 2017 1:29:36 GMT
- Show off! That's it - you are banished! Actually, I'm envious of you right now. Hopefully I'll be in a similar spot at the end of the year. Our last phase of the house remodel starts in a few weeks and it is forcing me to get the job done. You will have to come back and cheer the rest of us on! Yeah well...guess what?? I lied. I started trying to get clothes in the closet tonight. The little bitty tiny apartment closet. That is about 1/8th size on my closet before. Oh my hell, it is so not going to happen. So I guess I am going to have to cull through my clothes in the next day or so as I try to shoe horn my life into a much smaller space. I probably should have done it before but didn't think I needed to. Well...yes. Yes I should have. (on another note: I have no life. New's Year Eve and I am unpacking boxes and going through clothes. Alone. ) See what happens you brag (said in my best 'mom' voice)? What is it with clothes? I am dreading dealing with my closet and dresser when we start the remodel. We will be moving to the guest room while our room is torn up. The guest room is where my clothes reside. I am going to have to share that space with DH. I see a major wardrobe purge coming up soon. The dresser is overfull and really needs a purge as well. As for no life, I am spending the evening listing a bunch of DH's stuff while dog sitting a neurotic dog. I did stock up on wine, so I should survive the evening! Happy New Year to you! Save
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Post by MalleyCat on Jan 1, 2017 1:38:43 GMT
Where can I buy inexpensive and good organizers? The Dollar Tree has great organizers. They sell different sized bins for drawers, that you can get 2 or 3 for $1.00😊
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Post by MalleyCat on Jan 1, 2017 1:58:20 GMT
I read Marie Kondo's book this Summer. It helped a lot and I started my purging and organizing then.
- I now put folded clothes standing up, so that you can see them all in the drawer.(instead of them being stacked on top of each other and only seeing them few items on the top of the pile)
-Right now I am working on our garage. I want to get rid of Extra Christmas decorations as I put them away in the garage. I hate having so many holiday decorating items that we only use about 1 month of the year.
It would be great if everyone posted pictures of their progress! 😊
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Post by Sassenach on Jan 1, 2017 3:04:23 GMT
Today, I sorted and organized all of my Christmas decorations by dividing everything up in to 4 categories.
1. Stuff that was used this year 2. Stuff that I probably won't use anymore, but I'm not ready to get rid of yet 3. Donate 4. Throw Away
Everything that was used this year was put into boxes and marked with "Yes" so that next Christmas, my husband will only bring down those boxes from the attic. I am so excited for next Christmas. I feel like decorating for the holiday will be sooooo much easier. I really pared things down and only used the things I loved this year.
The other boxes I will keep for another year or two and if they don't get used they will get donated.
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Jan 1, 2017 3:12:21 GMT
My tip: DO NOT BUY ORGANIZERS.
Well, what I mean is that you'll never really organize too much stuff. The real freedom comes in paring the stuff down. I really like the concept that the belongings that we choose to keep should have "room to breathe."
I have always been naturally organized and move through my home regularly purging, reorganizing, and straightening. But when I read Marie Kondo's book this fall, it really resonated with me. I have truly embraced the idea of only keeping what I love... what brings me joy. I have been much more ruthless as I cruise through closets, drawers, cupboards, and other storage now. What's left behind becomes so much easier to organize with no additional "organizer" needed.
It's just an idea. I'm finding it's changing my whole approach. And as I have incorporated it, my husband -- who loves his stuff and has LOTS of it -- is learning to give it a try. I was really impressed by how far he was willing to go in cleaning out his closet just recently. And the more we each do, the more encouraged we are to do more. We worked in the basement today and made great progress down there, too.
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