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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Feb 7, 2020 15:32:07 GMT
hannahruth - Not sure what is going on with the quote feature, but that quote isn't of my post!
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Post by ntsf on Feb 9, 2020 0:54:03 GMT
I cleaned out my kitchen catchall book case.. I am now tackling a cabinet that has not been cleaned out in 5 or more years!!! things are all over the floor.. but 3 bags of recycling out the door. and found a book I mean to send to a friend.
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Post by refugeepea on Feb 9, 2020 22:08:05 GMT
Cleaned up my mail pile. Moved items where they needed to go and I now have a manageable amount on my counter. I hope to tackle the basement tonight after my son goes to bed.
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Feb 10, 2020 0:18:11 GMT
So those of you who addressed the issue of old letters were helpful to me. I worked upstairs at the old house today while my husband and son worked in the basement. As I was trying to finish up cleaning out my closet, I found some old notes/cards/letters from the ex-husband. We've been divorced nine years and all feelings are quite dead and gone. I don't even have a lot of sentimentality about my relationship with him (my memories of us as a family with the children, yes. but he and I? no). So they all went in the shredder. I really didn't realize I had them and it just felt weird to read them. I don't think there's any need for our children to make that decision... I made it and got rid of them.
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Post by lindah on Feb 10, 2020 2:01:52 GMT
I took everything out of my pantry, cleaned the shelves, threw away every expired item, mopped the floor, then put just the items I will use back in there, all neatly arranged. I love being able to actually walk in to my walk-in pantry!
Then I tackled the Tupperware cabinet. Every bottom now has a top attached to it, no more fumbling around for matching top/bottoms!
I had a great weekend!
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milocat
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,900 
Location: 55 degrees north in Alberta, Canada
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Post by milocat on Feb 15, 2020 23:54:14 GMT
Cleaned out my holiday closet today. I've done the Christmas stuff before but not the rest of the seasons. Got a small bag of donations and a bag of garbage.
A few weeks ago I cleaned out the lazy susan, 2 small food cupboards and an shelf downstairs in the storage room where we keep food boxes and canned goods. Organized and garbaged.
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Post by Linda on Feb 16, 2020 2:12:42 GMT
brought a bag wotrth of random stuff plus a cast iron griddle to Goodwill Tuesday. Today we dropped off two rolling coolers plus a couple of picture frames and books.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Feb 16, 2020 2:44:33 GMT
I've spent the better part of the last two days going through my mom's boxes of papers/genealogy papers. Mom's filing system was pretty much non-existant so that meant that every single piece of paper had to be handled. I filled a kitchen trash bag with old papers and junk. Also added 2 spiral notebooks to the donation box. Also went through 3 boxes of old family photos, tossing clippings and photos that didn't pertain to the family. Pulled some things that were of my uncle and have them ready to mail to him on Monday. I was able to consolidate those 3 boxes into just 2 boxes. They are labeled and in my armoire now. Next step with the photos is to divide them up by person, weed out duplicates, then get them scanned.
Made another pass through my scrapbook supplies in the armoire. Was able to put memorabilia into one of the 12x12 Iris boxes that was just freed up in the sewing room, which freed up a Rubbermaid case. I was able to consolidate 2 med. bins of tools to just a single one. The freed up one will go into my sewing room to hold fat quarters. Added a bag of colored pencils and about 12 boxes of photo splits to the donation box. Tossed several markers and glue pens.
The armoire has been reorganized and all storage boxes all labeled. All the genealogy papers have been consolidated. Now I just need to order some binders and dividers so that I can organize everything by family.
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Post by tentoes on Feb 16, 2020 4:11:03 GMT
I've gotten rid of about 2 kitchen bags full of old papers and old mail and old magazines. I've cleaned out three drawers. I'm getting rid of a box full of sewing supplies. I found a heck of a lot of elastic! Not sure how old it is, or how stretchy it still is, so will be getting rid of it too. Not too much progress this week, but better than nothing!
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Feb 16, 2020 12:51:01 GMT
I did a 15 minute grab & chuck in my bedroom yesterday.
Tossed two pairs of kid pants that I had planned to sew the hole in the seam, but obviously it wasn't that important to me, as they've been there months now.
Tossed a cardboard box that had stuff shipped to me in it.
In my scrapbook area, I have a bin that I hold my photo prints in. I moved envelopes of years 2011-2019 into labelled zip bags, then moved them to a less accessible area in my room. I've scrapped those years/months (or i have the pics pulled already and in page kits). Now the bin is no longer bursting at the seams, and is just holding January 2020 envelope & an envelope titled "Kid albums."
I tossed a grocery bag full of non-important school papers from December.
Tossed a thank you note from around 5 years ago. It was a lovely note, and it did it's job, but it's not something i need to reread over and over, and nothing that would mean anything to my family when I'm gone.
I want to go through my scrapping supplies, but I've held myself back for so long because it still has use in it, or I don't want to chuck it because it should have a home, or what if i want it someday...?
Sounds crazy.
My plan is to be ruthless with paper scraps first.
Then attack the sticker sheets. And the rub-ons.
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Post by M~ on Feb 16, 2020 14:27:28 GMT
We are slowly donating my Grandmother’s things. It’s really hard. She was a pack rat and there’s still the hurt of her passing that we deal with every time we want to donate or throw something out. This month we managed to agree to donate her old DME (walkers, canes, new oxygen concentrator, electric scooter) to a monastery. Her room is still intact and she occupied three large closets. She was a clothes horse so essentially all of her clothing is of amazing quality (think of business wear). She also collected statues of saints-we allied family members to take a statue if they wished but we still have tons inside her room. We are at a standstill because well- it’s weird but it’s still HER space.
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J u l e e
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,531
Location: Cincinnati
Jun 28, 2014 2:50:47 GMT
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Post by J u l e e on Feb 16, 2020 14:50:11 GMT
I’m so sorry M~ . I missed it if you shared before about your grandmother passing. Big hugs and take your time. |
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milocat
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,900
Location: 55 degrees north in Alberta, Canada
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Post by milocat on Feb 16, 2020 15:42:13 GMT
M~ Sorry for the loss of your grandmother. Sounds like you have no time pressure to go through her things, probably both a blessing and a curse. LavenderLayoutLady I have decluttered and organized areas more than once just to avoid my scrap space. I don't scrapbook anymore. I do want to keep some supplies because I am a crafty person and some basics would be always handy to have. But I don't ned what is almost a room of stuff. It's overwhelming what to do with it all and it's sooo pretty. But in all reality I haven't scrapped in years, partly because it's a mess, mainly because I don't want to scrapbook anymore. I think once I do an initial big purge, I'll feel so light and free that then I'll be able to to another go through. That's what has happened with other areas. I just keep going through and taking a couple more things out, even though they are pretty neat and not overstuffed now.
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Post by freecharlie on Feb 16, 2020 15:44:06 GMT
Admittedly, I haven't read the thread this month.
How many towels per person do you have? In thinking about purging and then thinking about being sad that I did.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Feb 16, 2020 16:26:56 GMT
Admittedly, I haven't read the thread this month. How many towels per person do you have? In thinking about purging and then thinking about being sad that I did. I have 10 sets in our master bath. 6 sets are the old towels that DH refuses to give up, and the other 4 sets were bought when we remodeled. Normally, I keep 8 sets total. We only do one load of towels per week and that gives us enough to last between washes. The guest room has 3 sets because that is what will hang on my racks in there. There are a about 3-4 bath towels in the drawer as well, left over from our expat days. They are still in great condition and I have the space so they stay. They come in really handy when you flood your laundry room/sewing room/breakfast room!   |
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Post by Linda on Feb 16, 2020 17:02:05 GMT
Admittedly, I haven't read the thread this month. How many towels per person do you have? In thinking about purging and then thinking about being sad that I did. master bathroom - there are 6 bath towels, 4 hand towels, and an unknown number of flannels - DH and I use this one and sometimes DD13 takes a bath in here main bathroom - there are 4 bath towels, 4 hand towels and way too many flannels - DD13 uses this but so do DD19 and DS 28 when they come home We also have beach/camp towels - I think 6 or 7 - probably going to purge down to 5 (one each) |
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Post by M~ on Feb 16, 2020 19:40:09 GMT
I’m so sorry M~ . I missed it if you shared before about your grandmother passing. Big hugs and take your time. Thank you! She passed away in her sleep January 3,2020. She was three months away from 105. It’s been a rough year. The retina in my right eye completely detached a month before her passing and having surgery tomorrow. 2020 is total shit. Exhale. Anyway. Thank you very much. |
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Post by M~ on Feb 16, 2020 19:42:51 GMT
M~ Sorry for the loss of your grandmother. Sounds like you have no time pressure to go through her things, probably both a blessing and a curse. LavenderLayoutLady I have decluttered and organized areas more than once just to avoid my scrap space. I don't scrapbook anymore. I do want to keep some supplies because I am a crafty person and some basics would be always handy to have. But I don't ned what is almost a room of stuff. It's overwhelming what to do with it all and it's sooo pretty. But in all reality I haven't scrapped in years, partly because it's a mess, mainly because I don't want to scrapbook anymore. I think once I do an initial big purge, I'll feel so light and free that then I'll be able to to another go through. That's what has happened with other areas. I just keep going through and taking a couple more things out, even though they are pretty neat and not overstuffed now. Thank you very much. I fear that we are too scared to do something but neither me nor my sisters want to turn her room into a museum. We all balk at making decisions for different reasons so I guess none of us are ready. It still feels she’s in a trip somewhere. |
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Feb 16, 2020 19:59:38 GMT
Thank you very much. I fear that we are too scared to do something but neither me nor my sisters want to turn her room into a museum. We all balk at making decisions for different reasons so I guess none of us are ready. It still feels she’s in a trip somewhere. You will know when you are ready. My mother passed in April 2016. I just started going through the boxes of her photos and papers. It's been almost 4 years. There is no timeline except your own. My sympathies for your loss. |
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Feb 16, 2020 20:01:56 GMT
Found another medium size bin of photos, so went through those today. I started making a pile for each of my nieces. Surely everyone needs goofy photos of their mom?  Threw away a few things, but not as much as before. I was able to fit what I kept in the other box, so one more bin empty! Hoping to start on the dresser in the guest room this coming week. |
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Post by Linda on Feb 16, 2020 20:12:44 GMT
M~ - ((((Hugs))) and prayers. Everyone is on their own timeline for dealing with stuff like that. My sister and I really had to get going on mum's stuff pretty quickly because neither of us is local and the house needed to go on the market this spring (or wait until next spring - it's in a beach town so spring is the time to sell before the summer season).
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Feb 16, 2020 20:50:26 GMT
So, I did a ten minute trash-it break between episodes of Hoarders. I find that if I rush myself to grab & toss, I don't second guess myself.
I tossed a Christmas sweater from 2014 or 2015 that I only wore once, and only for a work function. I guess I thought I'd wear it again, but I haven't, so out it goes.
Tossed a khaki skort that i wore once, hated how it looks on me and felt silly in.
Tossed a dressy top that i bought second hand years ago, snapped a NYE selfie in, but have no where to actually wear it. Plus it feels too young for me now.
Then went into kids room & tossed a grocery bag full of too small kid clothes that have gone through 2 kids. Too worn to donate.
Then found 2 books that I forgot to toss before.
Really good ten minute decluttering.😁
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Post by cecilia on Feb 16, 2020 21:00:11 GMT
I am going to the library Tuesday for a talk on Native American history so I plan on taking my donation for the Creative ReUse class then.
I am also trying to get stuff together to donate to Goodwill
My second EHC (volunteer) group is teaching an Easter wreath class next month so some of my "stuff" is going to go to that as well.
The big flea market we are in has a dollar day promotion every few months. It is where dealers take an item originally $20 or more and price it $1. I am grouping excess inventory to get $20 for the next one in June. Whatever we don't sell I will donate. Last one we had 8 dollar day items and sold 7. Hope to have at least 25 for June.
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Post by christine58 on Feb 16, 2020 21:40:44 GMT
Forgot to check in here...
I have three bags of clothes to donate, cleared out the drawers and under the upstairs sink area, and now on to one more pass of my scrap/stampin stuff. I go on a weekend retreat twice a year and they have a give a way table and a table to sell. I have about 4 weeks to do this....LOL
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Post by lisacharlotte on Feb 16, 2020 21:51:03 GMT
I'm continuing on from my January upheaval after moving my uncle in with us. It's created a ripple effect in various parts of our house needing to find a new home for things or getting rid of them. I'm on the getting rid of kick. I'm tired of storing things because "I might need them again some day." 15 years and I haven't looked at most of that stuff. Right now, I'm overwhelmed trying to organize my craft space since I lost a 12x22 space for a very small and awkward walk in closet sized space. It's forcing me to continue my craft supplies purge, which is overwhelming, but also freeing. I can't create in this chaos and I miss it.
My basement is always on the list, but it never really gets done. We get parts of it completed, then promptly fill it up again with stuff from upstairs. I'm working on convincing DH we really need a dumpster and brutal toss of the crap weekend.
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Post by natscraps on Feb 16, 2020 23:00:03 GMT
I cleaned out the junk cabinet in the kitchen yesterday. Think junk drawer but bigger scale. It's basically where we throw everything we don't want our 4yr old find or get into. I threw out most of the junk DS brought home from school for Valentines day. So much junk and candy. Why do parents feel the need to go so over the top?!? Some of these parents must have spent $50 on Valentine's Day goody bags for a bunch of 4yr olds. We spent $2 on a box of valentines with cool stickers and the kid was happy. Sorry for the rant. It's just so wasteful.  |
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pgmamaof3
Junior Member
Posts: 64
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Post by pgmamaof3 on Feb 16, 2020 23:05:12 GMT
Found a bookcase on the local buy and sell..so excited! Just waiting for the husband to anchor it to the wall. Put a bunch of stuff up for sale, and have half a box filled for donation! Goal is to fill the box and drop it off on Wednesday!
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Feb 16, 2020 23:42:01 GMT
I cleaned out the junk cabinet in the kitchen yesterday. Think junk drawer but bigger scale. It's basically where we throw everything we don't want our 4yr old find or get into. I threw out most of the junk DS brought home from school for Valentines day. So much junk and candy. Why do parents feel the need to go so over the top?!? Some of these parents must have spent $50 on Valentine's Day goody bags for a bunch of 4yr olds. We spent $2 on a box of valentines with cool stickers and the kid was happy. Sorry for the rant. It's just so wasteful. I can relate! Both my boys came home from school with a ton of cheap plastic dollar store crap on Valentine's. There's no use for any of it, and it's just more plastic to pollute the earth. |
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Post by mikklynn on Feb 17, 2020 11:50:27 GMT
I’m so sorry M~ . I missed it if you shared before about your grandmother passing. Big hugs and take your time. Thank you! She passed away in her sleep January 3,2020. She was three months away from 105. It’s been a rough year. The retina in my right eye completely detached a month before her passing and having surgery tomorrow. 2020 is total shit. Exhale. Anyway. Thank you very much. I'm so sorry. Grandmas can be really special people in our lives. How lucky you were to have her so long.  Good luck with your eye surgery. |
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Post by tentoes on Feb 17, 2020 14:45:03 GMT
M- so sorry for the loss of your grandmother.
Well, my son and ddil came over last night for pizza. After the pizza my son walked through the house and I showed him the stuff I was planning on moving over to his house when I move in July. He got a bit "nervous" --(I've known him a long time and can sense it). The area I'll be "in" at their home is about the size of two bedrooms (in one room) with a bathroom. He started fidgeting and finally said he thinks I'm taking too much over. So, back to the drawing boards. I will have a shed over there--that will be big--but he was looking at the stuff I plan to be in the "room" with me!
I didn't sleep much all night just worrying about it all. I think I finally fell asleep around 1 or 2--and was awake by 5 am. It's going to be a long day.
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