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Post by MissBianca on Jun 28, 2021 3:43:49 GMT
Yesterday I worked in my dining/craft room. DS20 helped me make like piles and then put most of it in the appropriate places. I can’t get to my craft cabinets so the craft stuff on the table will just hang until I can get it boxed. Also went through the cookbooks and boxed those up. We will be eating basic meals for the next month. Today my brother and I made a good dent in my parents dining room. We accessed and made like piles. Went through all the books. Filled 2 boxes for the used book store, my brother took a huge pile of sheet music to sort for people, Photographed all my moms trains, and gave my dad a big pile of homework. Stuff he needs to go through. Then DH and I moved 2 huge boxes of games and puzzles to my car. I’m taking those to rummage sale tomorrow. And we took 2 old guns from his family and did a buy back program at the local police dept, we got $200.
The neighbors also came over so we could talk about them potentially buying both our properties. I really hope they do so we don’t have to put them on the market.
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Post by Linda on Jul 1, 2021 22:20:08 GMT
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Post by Linda on Jul 1, 2021 22:27:07 GMT
MissBianca - wow - you guys are making awesome progress! well done! Managed to bring 3 full totes to Goodwill yesterday - AND I didn't buy anything when we went inside to browse. Even better - DH had a small pile of donations he added. I'm definitely in the maintenance phase right now - the major decluttering (except for DH's stuff) is pretty much done. We still need to finish clearing out the small shed (mostly tools I think) and the carport at the old house - waiting on the garage to be finished here...it's well behind schedule due to supply shortages but hopefully within the next week or two. I have a few projects still to tackle - digitising a few more albums, taking photos off CDs/DVDs, scanning some yearbooks and baby books but I feel good about where I'm at as far as decluttering and organising. My biggest goal right now is to stem the in-flux of stuff. I'm on a scrapbook spending freeze and once DS heads back (he's home on leave), I'm going on a fullout freeze except for groceries/consumables that we actually NEED right then (no stocking up etc...)
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PLurker
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,739
Location: Behind the Cheddar Curtain
Jun 28, 2014 3:48:49 GMT
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Post by PLurker on Jul 1, 2021 22:37:58 GMT
I need to make another pass through our storage area and try to reduce the number of bins in there. We are moving in March. That is the best purging tool ever, moving. Get rid of and leave behind as much as possible that you don't really need. Not much is missed after the fact and it's such a refreshing start. Ask me how I know. 😉
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Jul 2, 2021 15:58:16 GMT
Fellow declutterers and organizer peas - We have a challenge for the next week! shamrockpea is planning to spend the next week (beginning today) doing a deep dive into her decluttering project. She is looking for virtual partners to offer encouragement. Let's use this thread to offer encouragement and support to her for the next week! I will be popping in every day for the next week to update on what I've managed to accomplish. If any of you would like, please jump in whenever you have the chance and let us know how you are doing with your decluttering/organizing as well! Hoping to see shamrockpea and any other posters (new and old!) here over the next week!
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Post by kenziekeeper on Jul 2, 2021 16:21:18 GMT
I’m in for a hard hitting few days this week! Probably not on the 4th itself, but I’ll be back at it on the 5th. Looking forward to having some company ☺️.
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Post by MissBianca on Jul 2, 2021 17:54:59 GMT
I’m still plugging away purging at my dads house and packing up things to take. We had a bit of a knock down drag out last week but it’s better now. He’s so ADHD right now, he can not stay on one task so I’m constantly putting out his mental fires. But I’m still making progress, at his house anyway. Not at mine. One boy is home today working on his space. The 3 boys share a room so only 1 can sort and pack at a time.
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Post by Linda on Jul 2, 2021 20:04:41 GMT
I'm not doing much decluttering this week because DS is home on leave but I didn't buy anything that wasn't on my grocery list today and the only thing I bought at HL was albums and adhesive (and I used a gift card). Trying to limit what comes in...
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PLurker
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,739
Location: Behind the Cheddar Curtain
Jun 28, 2014 3:48:49 GMT
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Post by PLurker on Jul 2, 2021 20:07:32 GMT
I just dropped off a box of misc stuff and a bag of clothes off at Goodwill.
Ive only lived here since November so don't even know how I have stuff to donate. Lol. Actually it does make sense as it is freeing having less stuff so it's easier to let go now, still fresh in that feeling.
That and helping with cleaning out my MIL's house (gasp!) I vowed to never do that to my children. Later I helped my mom (neat as a pin) get rid of stuff when she DOWNsized. That was further eye opening as it was crazy how much stuff there was when taken out of cabinets and closets, neat as it was.
Note to self: Keep it simple, stupid. It's so much easier on self and those to follow.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Jul 2, 2021 20:54:43 GMT
Trying to limit what comes in... This right here has a huge effect on decluttering. Unless you tame the amount coming in you will never be finished decluttering/organizing Actually it does make sense as it is freeing having less stuff so it's easier to let go now, still fresh in that feeling. This is what we have realized as well. It was really hard for DH to begin decluttering, but once he did it's no holds barred! it was crazy how much stuff there was when taken out of cabinets and closets, neat as it was. Guilty as charged! This is me. Friends are surprised when they find out how much I've gotten rid of, because the house never looked bad. I'm just a master at cramming maximum amounts of stuff into the available space. More than once movers have had to get more boxes because they underestimated how much stuff I had!
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Post by mikklynn on Jul 3, 2021 12:42:04 GMT
I need to empty out the bonus area in the basement where our treadmill and all my scrapbook stuff lives for the painters. I think I'll tackle that today. I intend to purge as I go.
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Post by dewryce on Jul 3, 2021 15:12:18 GMT
Managed to bring 3 full totes to Goodwill yesterday - AND I didn't buy anything when we went inside to browse. Even better - DH had a small pile of donations he added. I'm definitely in the maintenance phase right now - the major decluttering (except for DH's stuff) is pretty much done. This is where we are at; and I have to admit, the not buying things I the hardest part for me. When I’m manic? Wow. I have been known to come home to stacked deliveries as high as I am on more than one occasion. But it’s been a while, and I’m hoping the fact that we’ve been through everything we own will motivate me to only buy what we need. That is the best purging tool ever, moving. Get rid of and leave behind as much as possible that you don't really need. Not much is missed after the fact and it's such a refreshing start. Ask me how I know. 😉 There was a time in our life we moved every year on New Year’s, for maybe 6-8 years IIRC. And you’re right, about the purging! We were so streamlined back then. We’ve been in our home 13 years now and we are not so streamlined anymore Guilty as charged! This is me. Friends are surprised when they find out how much I've gotten rid of, because the house never looked bad. I'm just a master at cramming maximum amounts of stuff into the available space. More than once movers have had to get more boxes because they underestimated how much stuff I had! There is a quote that says you can’t organize clutter. I wholeheartedly disagree, and that’s why I was right where you guys are, cause I am the Tetris master. It’s really nice to have so much more space in our drawers and closets, but I wouldn’t mind just a tad more in some places. More room to breathe.
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Post by volunteergirl on Jul 3, 2021 15:17:22 GMT
It was cool here this morning, so we tackled the stacks in the garage. One big pile to donate, one big pile to take to a fundraising yard sale, and several things to sell. I am thrilled. Now I have to actually take the steps to get it sold.
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Post by Linda on Jul 3, 2021 15:23:54 GMT
This is where we are at; and I have to admit, the not buying things I the hardest part for me. When I’m manic? Wow. I have been known to come home to stacked deliveries as high as I am on more than one occasion. But it’s been a while, and I’m hoping the fact that we’ve been through everything we own will motivate me to only buy what we need. getting rid of credit cards and digging ourselves out of debt helped me with that (and getting the mania under better control). Dh LOVES flea markets, thrift stores, yard sales, clearance racks....and ebay and bricklink and goodwill auctions and .... so stemming some of that still needs to happen. I think boxing up all his stuff and him realising that all the boxes didn't fit in his 20x20 room (and the overflow nearly filled out two car garage) is helping him realise he needs to buy less and keep less. I also think the fact MY room which is much smaller (9x11 I think) fit all my stuff and was set up and usable before we even moved in completely whereas his is still stacked with boxes is motivating a bit. There was a time in our life we moved every year on New Year’s, for maybe 6-8 years IIRC. And you’re right, about the purging! We were so streamlined back then. We’ve been in our home 13 years now and we are not so streamlined anymore I moved nineteen times between 18 and 29 and then only twice between 29 and 50...yeah, moving helps. There is a quote that says you can’t organize clutter. I wholeheartedly disagree, and that’s why I was right where you guys are, cause I am the Tetris master. It’s really nice to have so much more space in our drawers and closets, but I wouldn’t mind just a tad more in some places. More room to breathe. You CAN organise clutter to a degree and I'm a master but eventually you run out of spaces to store it. I have some empty shelves and cabinets and I'm loving that (and I'm hiding them from DH because one thing that has happened over and over again is that I empty out/declutter a space and his stuff overflows into it.
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Post by Linda on Jul 3, 2021 15:24:23 GMT
It was cool here this morning, so we tackled the stacks in the garage. One big pile to donate, one big pile to take to a fundraising yard sale, and several things to sell. I am thrilled. Now I have to actually take the steps to get it sold. awesome!!!
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Jul 3, 2021 15:27:16 GMT
Yesterday I managed to get some photos of needlepoint canvases so I have some things to list on eBay today/tomorrow. I also trimmed the baby quilt that has just been sitting for a few months. In the past I would save every single scrap of fabric I trimmed, either for future projects or collected over time to pass along to other quilters. Not this time! As much as it pained me, I tossed all those trimmings straight in the wastebasket. That's a major step for me. Today I plan to get the quilt backing pieced and then layer the quilt so I can start quilting it. shamrockpea - How did your first day of decluttering go? Were you able to make a good start on your project? We would all love to hear how you are doing!
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Post by tentoes on Jul 3, 2021 15:33:40 GMT
You guys are doing so well!! Good for you!! I've hit a standstill. I still have lots more I COULD do, but just don't do it. Two of my daughters are coming for a visit in September, and they have "plans" to help me go through some more stuff. We'll see how that goes!! In the meantime, it's been too darn hot to do much of anything but breathe!!
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Post by dewryce on Jul 3, 2021 16:21:20 GMT
linda, We don’t have any credit cards for that reason! WOW, that is a lot of moving. I’m a big declutterer fortunately, so that helped us fit in our spaces neatly. Yesterday I managed to get some photos of needlepoint canvases so I have some things to list on eBay today/tomorrow. I also trimmed the baby quilt that has just been sitting for a few months. In the past I would save every single scrap of fabric I trimmed, either for future projects or collected over time to pass along to other quilters. Not this time! As much as it pained me, I tossed all those trimmings straight in the wastebasket. That's a major step for me. Today I plan to get the quilt backing pieced and then layer the quilt so I can start quilting it. shamrockpea - How did your first day of decluttering go? Were you able to make a good start on your project? We would all love to hear how you are doing? I’ve started doing this with my paper crafting as well. And I’ve got a box for the good sized scraps as well as any paper from a collection that I know I’m not going to use, and embellishments. I’m hoping a teacher can use them for an art project.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Jul 3, 2021 16:24:45 GMT
You guys are doing so well!! Good for you!! I've hit a standstill. I still have lots more I COULD do, but just don't do it. Two of my daughters are coming for a visit in September, and they have "plans" to help me go through some more stuff. We'll see how that goes!! In the meantime, it's been too darn hot to do much of anything but breathe!! Hello tentoes! So nice to see you popping in now and then. Considering the amount of work you put in over the last couple of years, you've earned this break! Stay cool in the meantime!
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Jul 3, 2021 16:29:44 GMT
And I’ve got a box for the good sized scraps as well as any paper from a collection that I know I’m not going to use, and embellishments. I’m hoping a teacher can use them for an art project. Check with some of the summer kid's programs (schools, churches, etc) and see if they want them. Most are on tight budgets and welcome anything they can get. A few years ago my sister was in charge of arts & Crafts at a summer kids camp. The amount of stuff I gave her was huge! I probably cut my scrapbook stash by half at least that year.
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Post by wordsmith on Jul 3, 2021 16:35:40 GMT
I’m newly joining this decluttering thread.
We have a major issue with our foundation getting fixed in august, so we have until them to clear almost the entire basement of our home where we’ve lived for twenty years. I am overwhelmed. The basement has my scrapbook room, my husband’s office full of books, and just all the things we’ve needed to store over the years.
Today, I’m committing to cleaning off one bookcase and boxing books to donate and spending one hour in my office/scrapbook room trying to get a handle on that. It’s dark and depressing in that area, so once the kids left, I moved some of my art stuff into one of their rooms upstairs and just abandoned the rest. I don’t even want to go down there. 😞
Anyway, posting here for accountability.
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Post by dewryce on Jul 3, 2021 16:41:13 GMT
Good idea **GypsyGirl**, thanks! Welcome wordsmith. That sounds like a reasonable goal, I’m sure you can do it! Turn on your favorite music and the time will go by much faster do you.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Jul 3, 2021 16:48:48 GMT
Today, I’m committing to cleaning off one bookcase and boxing books to donate and spending one hour in my office/scrapbook room trying to get a handle on that. It’s dark and depressing in that area, so once the kids left, I moved some of my art stuff into one of their rooms upstairs and just abandoned the rest. I don’t even want to go down there. 😞 Can you move some bright LED lights down there to brighten it up? Also, put on a playlist of very upbeat music! Anything that gets you motivated and moving! Set the timer and race against the clock. Be realistic about what needs to be kept. If you've truly abandoned it down there and not needed it (how long since the kids left?), what are the odds that you even want/need to keep the bulk of it? Good luck and check back in with us this evening to let us know how much you accomplished!
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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 Jul 3, 2021 18:02:46 GMT
I have 1 kid home who just graduated from college and is starting a new job at the end of the month and another kid who is home on college summer break. Right now the house is full of college apartment and dorm room stuff. After they both leave I plan to do some serious cleaning and take back the family room for DH and I LOL. For now not much to do as I've done a pretty good job of keeping the house decluttered.
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Post by Linda on Jul 3, 2021 18:44:42 GMT
As much as it pained me, I tossed all those trimmings straight in the wastebasket. That's a major step for me. like dewryce - I've been doing this with paper scraps and I'm being more judicous about fabric scraps - if I don't have an actual plan, they are leaving. You guys are doing so well!! Good for you!! I've hit a standstill. You'e done SO much already - a break is good. Glad to see you popping in though I’m newly joining this decluttering thread. welcome! I hope you find it encouraging
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Post by simplyparticular on Jul 4, 2021 16:34:28 GMT
I’ve taken a long unintentional break due to the unexpected passing of my father. My last big success posted here was the electronics recycling, and I ran out of time to purge the hard drives so that will have to wait for next year’s recycle event. At least mine are only a small box. DH has shelves and shelves. I had managed to unpack all my craft supplies, and purged quite a bit. Craft room setup - private linkI had the room all set up, but when my father was hospitalized, the room got quick-changed to a guest room for out of town siblings, and then changed again when their spouses/children came for the funeral. I haven’t had the mental energy to put things back yet, plus it’s been really hot here. But I am very grateful for the time and care I put into organizing my childhood photos and recently putting everything in a single bookcase - my husband and daughter were able to find and scan 150 photos of Dad, upload to the funeral home site for their video scroll, make a photo album and photo prayer card quickly. It was a great comfort during the funeral to see so many large photos of him. I plan to continue to scan more for sharing with all the siblings and Mom. I’ve shifted my attention to helping Mom with his financial records and settling his estate - lots of document scanning, which has reminded me I have some work I can do here, too. And we have his truck to prep and sell, along with decades of random bits and bobs he collected because he always found a use for them. The garage is chock full of tools, and partially finished projects.
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Post by Linda on Jul 4, 2021 18:52:04 GMT
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Post by Linda on Jul 4, 2021 19:09:44 GMT
unexpected organising today - DS29 decided to re-organise my pantry...we tossed a few things and he's gotten it all straightened out. We'll see how long it lasts...my guess, until the girls put away the groceries on Friday.
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Post by deafpea on Jul 4, 2021 20:51:00 GMT
My project last week was papers. I had a Kallax cubby full of papers to go through, plus a crate of folders from a previous paper organization project. I got that cubby emptied out, consolidated files, put papers where they needed to be and recycled a whole bunch and shredded a kitchen garbage bag full worth. There's still some fine tuning to do which I hope to accomplish this week. But the important files are in pretty good shape! yay!
Happy Independence Day!
Merilee
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Jul 4, 2021 21:01:51 GMT
simplyparticular - I am so sorry for the loss of your father. Your craft room is lovely (so much space!) and it was a blessing that your work on the photo scanning made that task easier for your family.
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