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Post by crazy4scraps on Apr 6, 2024 0:34:02 GMT
Yes, those. I’m the same way, I want them printed. Should check and see how much it would cost to print one and have it spiral bound. I think most of the pages are just black and white sketches so I don’t think it would be too expensive to have the printing done at a copy place. It would be worth calling around to check. |
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Post by mikklynn on Apr 6, 2024 12:35:41 GMT
I purged a box of CDs yesterday. Why did I bother moving them? I couldn't tell you which ones I had. I haven't listened to them in years.
I glanced through them and added a few to my Iheart radio play list.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Apr 6, 2024 14:46:28 GMT
I purged a box of CDs yesterday. That is something I need to do. They live in a drawer in DH's office so they are out of the way and I tend to forget about them. |
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mich5481
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,761 
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Post by mich5481 on Apr 6, 2024 16:51:11 GMT
I purged a box of CDs yesterday. Why did I bother moving them? I couldn't tell you which ones I had. I haven't listened to them in years. I glanced through them and added a few to my Iheart radio play list. You know, I think about doing that sometimes with my DVDs, but then I'm reminded of how things get pulled because they are now deemed offensive - for example, the "Diversity Day" episode of the Office no longer airs on Comedy Central and Nick at Nite doesn't air the season opener of season 10 of Friends (the one where Monica gets braids to deal with her hair during the Barbados trip). I'm still a little salty that the cold open of the Office's haunted house in the warehouse was cut from the DVD, due to complaints about Michael's faked suicide in the haunted house. Edited to add: don't even get me started on George Lucas tinkering with Star Wars - I still get mad thinking about seeing Hayden Christensen as the ghost of Anakin Skywalker at the end of "Return of the Jedi" and the Han shot first fiasco. |
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Post by dewryce on Apr 6, 2024 20:59:33 GMT
Daily declutter task from My Simpler Life Declutter Calendar: Go through me cubby in the entertainment center. We did our final cull through our CDs several years ago and kept only our very favorite, know every song on the album discs. We love to road trip and there are always spots on the way where we can’t get streaming music or a good radio station. So I got one of those travel CD cases and put them all in there and now they live in the vehicle. I think we only have 15-20 left. For TV shows DVDs we are down to maybe half dozen of our very favorite, you can pry them from my cold dead fingers collections. West Wing, Sopranos, Buffy, Dexter, Alias and Anne of Green Gables. Movie DVDs are another story. While we have gotten rid of tons of them, our collection was ridiculous, I still feel like we can do better. The goal was to keep only those we’d be really bummed if we couldn’t find them available for streaming. But in my current get rid of it all mode I’m betting there are some that slipped through the cracks. Wait. What? mich5481 |
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mich5481
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,761
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Post by mich5481 on Apr 6, 2024 23:04:59 GMT
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Apr 7, 2024 11:52:06 GMT
Hello again, ladies!
For me, decluttering has at least two sides of it.
First, deciding what to keep that I already own. And this isn't a one time process. I can thoroughly go through an area, then at a later time, realize more can go.
Second, bringing in less. And with more purpose. I haven't bought anything just because it is cute or it catches my eye in so long.
And I'm very thankful that those who gift me things on my birthday/holidays have been good about giving practical and consumable things. They asked for a list, then actually went off the list.
Coffee, tea, potted plants, a new sheet set, useful garden things.
I've been really trying to stay atop paperwork things. Shredding and tossing junk as it comes in. Opening and filing things that need to be.
Now that it's spring, I'm focused on the gardening. Yesterday I moved things that had been lingering in the yard to the shed. And I pulled out several large pots that I will fill with flowering plants (probably annuals) in about a month, once the nighttime temps don't dip quite so low.
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Post by lg on Apr 7, 2024 12:36:29 GMT
Collected all the empty pots (dead indoor plants mostly) gave them a wash and will take to the markets this weekend to give away or sell. Added a large pottery strawberry pot I’m no longer using too. Thought I was done outside but this was a pile of 8 items ready to go out the door!
Added two lingerie wash bags to the pile - I really only ever need one. Also threw out empty container I meant to repurpose in the laundry… I haven’t in 5 years so it’s time to say goodbye 😂
Also FIL came and reattached my laundry sink to the stone… don’t overload your under mount sinks peas - that’s my helpful handy hint for today!!!
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Post by lg on Apr 8, 2024 7:48:54 GMT
Made a trip to IKEA to get new floating shelves - wanted the white versions of ones I already have. Put the shelves up using the existing brackets we already had installed on the wall, and packaged up the old ones to take and sell at the markets this weekend. So happy with the result!
Also got new cushions for the chair outside - inherited it and it had no cushion so it was very low. Found some that fit but the covers we wanted were out of stock so we’ll have to wait to get them. Decided it’s better to just get cushions that are almost perfect even if they’re not exactly what I want instead of having to get a custom order foam piece cut and then someone to upholster a custom cover etc… that gets pricey!
While I was putting the cushions on the chair (sans covers for now so I left them in the plastic) I noticed the cover/bag for the soccer goal I dismantled and threw out so I put it in the rubbish as well.
Every single time I think there’s nothing more to get rid of there’s always that one last item 🤣
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Post by dewryce on Apr 8, 2024 16:01:53 GMT
Daily declutter task from My Simpler Life Declutter Calendar:
Do all of your pots lids go to a pot you still have?
I have seen several times where they say you can donate lids only for pots and pans, maybe they think someone can make a match?
Bonus: Check all of the lids for small appliances, casserole dishes, and food storage as well. A recommendation I see a lot is to store your food storage containers with the lids on. Once you’ve matched everything recycle the unmatched containers and lids. And we do this, I love it! All of our around the house food storage is Pyrex glass with lids so if we have one without a lid I order new lids. We do have plastic food storage for camping, those I don’t store with lids on but I just verified the numbers match up recently.
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Post by ntsf on Apr 8, 2024 20:47:38 GMT
moved junk and opened up a hallway closet.. got some clothes out of there.. some for thrift, some now fit and some suits dh is getting rid of .. so far, a bag for textile recycling, a kitchen plastic bag with 4 suits in it, a blazer to keep and a pair of slacks to keep.
minor steps.. have some things for curbside free give away. told dh my plan to get rid of large furniture.. we will tackle it after we know when he will have surgery. (appt tomorrow to find out
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Post by dewryce on Apr 8, 2024 23:30:23 GMT
We just did the kitchen a couple of weeks ago so all of our lids have matches. We did a quick run through of our entertainment center again. Pre Roger Moore James Bind movies are gone, go DH! I found a couple more that can go and about 5 or 6 I took out that I plan to watch again and likely donate after that. A game that can go and a couple we are going to play to decide if we are going to keep. A few camera accessories and a blanket are also leaving. And DH picked up a few sentimental publications from previous marathons he is going to look through and decide if he wants to keep. Plus we have a donation box from upstairs that just made its way to the car. It’s not a lot but it’s items we didn’t use or need out of the house. Feels awesome! Took the kitchen aid off the counter, yay! More breathing room. We rarely use it but DH wanted it there for a long time; he’s over it now.  I had been hoping to put a pretty ceramic bowl in it if he wanted to keep it out but I’m glad he didn’t because they don’t make pretty bowls in the 7 qt lift size. Plus we got a few small house projects completed like hanging a mirror, straightening half a dozen items on the walls and putting quake hold on the corners so they stay that way, and I sanded and painted a wire shelf for our laundry room because Clorox spilled on it and wasn’t cleaned up so it eroded the epoxy coating. Epoxy spray paint for the win! |
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Post by Linda on Apr 9, 2024 0:49:15 GMT
Week 12- We are in the dining room this week. Using the basic plan, take everything off the windows and clean them.
Take everything off the walls and clean items and wall.
Empty all drawers, shelves, ledges, etc. Clean items, but don’t replace– YET.
Using the philosophy from the “It’s Here Somewhere” decide what you want to use this area for. eating, entertaining, playing games, alternative office space, etc.; then place only those items related to those uses back into drawers, shelves, whatever. Declutter! Use the 4 box method, place everything that isn’t useable in this room into the appropriate box. trash, Goodwill, someplace else or storage.
Streamline down to what you will actually use in this room.
Remove all furniture, and clean the floors and baseboards.
As furniture is replaced, clean each piece with appropriate cleaner/wax. Check chair/table legs to see if they need new protective caps.
Re hang pictures. on the wall — only try using only half of them. Then add more only if you can’t stand the empty look. According to the “Law of Household Reduction”, when you decrease the number of things, you expand your space visually as well as physically.
Add a new arrangement or fresh flowers and plan to invite company for dinner!
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Post by dewryce on Apr 9, 2024 3:06:55 GMT
Thank you linda ! The protective caps are a great reminder, our chairs could use some. I didn’t expect to, but we kept going a bit after dinner. Cleaned out a small box of protective gear in the garage and found a few items to donate. We had 2 pairs of knee pads…these badly arthritic knees have a 0% chance of being on them so we don’t need the second pair! And DH said he’ll never use the apron…plus something else I forget. And we donated our fishing rods. I think it’s been 12 years since we used them, no 14. No…16!?!  But they were up against the garage door railing so we never noticed them. Already in the car with the rest of the donations. And I did another small project, detangling and organizing wires behind a table. It looks so much better! |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Apr 9, 2024 3:33:55 GMT
Thank you linda ! The protective caps are a great reminder, our chairs could use some. I didn’t expect to, but we kept going a bit after dinner. Cleaned out a small box of protective gear in the garage and found a few items to donate. We had 2 pairs of knee pads…these badly arthritic knees have a 0% chance of being on them so we don’t need the second pair! And DH said he’ll never use the apron…plus something else I forget. And we donated our fishing rods. I think it’s been 12 years since we used them, no 14. No…16!?!  But they were up against the garage door railing so we never noticed them. Already in the car with the rest of the donations. And I did another small project, detangling and organizing wires behind a table. It looks so much better! We got little furniture “socks” from Amazon for our tables and chairs. They work SO much better than the stick on felt pads that never stayed stuck on and they fit no matter what shape the chair legs are. A friend of mine had them which was how I knew they were a thing. I spent some time in my studio because DH needed the tables moved for the electrician to come in. We’re having solar panels installed soon and he wanted to change over to an electric water heater before that happens. Right now we have an older gas water heater that will need to be replaced anyway sooner than later, so it makes sense to make that switch now. Anyway, I cleared off the smaller 5’ table that I had butted up to the end of the two 8’ tables and just moved everything to the utility room so it would be out of the way. Put some things away and some other things I’ll have to look at closer when I have a little more time. Moved the stuff that was under the big tables too so they could be moved out of the way. I’ve got extra work this week so I won’t get the chance to put anything back until next week at the earliest. There was someone in my Buy Nothing group looking for scrapping supplies so I’ve been putting together a box of stuff for her. I’m sure when I go through that stuff I moved there will be more things going into her box. |
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Post by natscraps on Apr 9, 2024 3:45:33 GMT
I took two small moving boxes and a rubbermaid tote full of scrapbook stuff and an xxl scrapbook tote to a crop with me this weekend for the garage sale and freebie tables. Almost all of it was stuff from the storage unit we emptied. Got rid of everything but an iris container of paper/embellishments and a few unused albums. Albums will get donated this week and the other stuff will be kept until the next time. It’s a container that I regularly add stuff to and has a home in my scrap room. And I made a pretty good amount of money.
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Post by dewryce on Apr 9, 2024 13:37:04 GMT
Daily declutter task from My Simpler Life Declutter Calendar:
Spend a few minutes going through the pantry area.
If you’ve already done your pantry this is a great time to see what changes are working for you and what aren’t. And a quick check for food that has expired and food you left in there thinking you’d eat it now that you knew you had it, but just haven’t. Donate it before it expires!
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Post by lg on Apr 10, 2024 12:42:16 GMT
I actually started looking through the pantry last week - old marshmallows used for afternoon tea after school for the kids, dried mushrooms rehydrated and eaten on toast with halloumi for breakfast one morning, chips kept out of reach of kids until ALL the old packets were eaten first, random lollies collected in the one bowl for me to graze on. Just have some cashews to snack on or use in a recipe and I’ve successfully cycled through all my “in danger of going out of date” stock. I hate wasting food though so I’m pretty militant when it comes to eating what we have and refusing to buy more until the old stuff is completely gone.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Apr 10, 2024 12:44:44 GMT
I said it awhile ago but I really need to stop buying snacks until we eat what we have. The pantry is definitely an area that I need to focus on. I buy a lot of snacks for myself (things that are healthier or higher in protein) but then don’t end up eating them (I really don’t snack much).
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Post by dewryce on Apr 10, 2024 12:45:18 GMT
Daily declutter task from My Simpler Life Declutter Calendar: Toss old packets of seasoning, etc. in the kitchen. lg That’s impressive! |
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Apr 10, 2024 12:47:19 GMT
Daily declutter task from My Simpler Life Declutter Calendar: Toss old packets of seasoning, etc. in the kitchen. lg That’s impressive! The other day Dh got take out because I was sick. I initially thought I would keep the packets of Parmesan and toss the red pepper flake packets but ended up throwing them all away. So I guess that was in preparation for today’s task.  |
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mich5481
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,761
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Post by mich5481 on Apr 10, 2024 13:51:30 GMT
We had the clothing swap at church last night. I took a laundry basket and a half filled trash bag with clothes.
I took home 3 pairs of jeans to try on (1 or 2 NWT), a cream fisherman style sweater, and a lightweight Talbots sweater. I need to try them on - if I like them/they fit, I'll keep them. If not, they will be donated.
My mom took several tops (including 2 that I had taken to get rid of...) and 3 pairs of pants. I will say 3 of the tops were ones she would have purchased at Talbots, including a linen one that is very similar to one she'd seen in the catalog recently that she wanted to buy. So I guess on the money front, that is a win.
Thankfully, someone else took all of the stuff that wasn't claimed to donate today.
I think I may have talked them into a community yard sale this summer, where everyone has their own table and then a portion of the proceeds go to the youth or the new church family life building. We'll see if that happens. I don't particularly care about the money, I just want things gone.
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Post by dewryce on Apr 11, 2024 18:17:51 GMT
Daily declutter task from My Simpler Life Declutter Calendar:
Declutter extra measuring spoons and cups.
This is one I purposefully won’t do. Since it’s just the two of us and we hand wash all of our pots and pans it takes forever for us to get enough for a full load in the dishwasher. So there are lots of items we have in bulk to help with that including one medium sized draw filled with all of our measuring spoons and cups, a tiny liquid measurements set, and the bowls and dip containers we use for mine en place. In addition to those we also have many multiples of spoons, spatulas, whisks, tins, spoonulas, etc. And lots of glassware, quarter cooking sheets and cutting boards. We used to keep lots of extra plates and bowls, but right now they’re in our ‘Time Will Tell’ bin to consider getting rid of, or at minimum not keeping them in the cabinets with our daily dishes. Having extra of everything else has proven to be a benefit for us and not added to our load. But it’s been the opposite with extra plates and bowls. DH does the dishwasher, and the more we have the longer he goes without doing them. Like with the laundry, we are trying to limit our inventory to force us to keep up with the cleaning.
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mich5481
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,761
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Post by mich5481 on Apr 11, 2024 18:26:38 GMT
Daily declutter task from My Simpler Life Declutter Calendar: Declutter extra measuring spoons and cups. This is one I purposefully won’t do. Since it’s just the two of us and we hand wash all of our pots and pans it takes forever for us to get enough for a full load in the dishwasher. So there are lots of items we have in bulk to help with that including one medium sized draw filled with all of our measuring spoons and cups, a tiny liquid measurements set, and the bowls and dip containers we use for mine en place. In addition to those we also have many multiples of spoons, spatulas, whisks, tins, spoonulas, etc. And lots of glassware, quarter cooking sheets and cutting boards. We used to keep lots of extra plates and bowls, but right now they’re in our ‘Time Will Tell’ bin to consider getting rid of, or at minimum not keeping them in the cabinets with our daily dishes. Having extra of everything else has proven to be a benefit for us and not added to our load. But it’s been the opposite with extra plates and bowls. DH does the dishwasher, and the more we have the longer he goes without doing them. Like with the laundry, we are trying to limit our inventory to force us to keep up with the cleaning. I'd love to do this, but with my mom's memory issues, she moves stuff so it won't "get lost" and now I know locations of only the 1/4 cup measuring cup, a 2 cup glass measuring cup, and one small set of measuring spoons. It's super frustrating. |
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Post by dewryce on Apr 11, 2024 18:33:16 GMT
Are any of y’all doing the Take Your House Back course with Dawn the Minimal Mom, Cas from Clutterbug and Dana K. White? It’s on sale for $94 right now, with a live guided all day declutter coming up on April 27th. From what I understand it’s around 20 recorded classes, several live guided all day declutter events, and a Facebook group with led work on different areas every week and you have access for a year. I’ve seen tons of their free content on YouTube thanks to the y’all’s recommendations, and read one or two of Dana’s books a while back and find them all very motivating in different ways. I feel like I have a really good handle on decluttering and organizing, it’s one of my super powers  . However, watching their videos and participating in this thread have been very motivating for me and I’m still learning things. From what I can tell, this course will be like those things on crack. Beth from My Simpler Life (where I get the daily declutter prompts) leads a declutter group and I joined a few years ago and had some big breakthroughs during the group. Doing it live with the group, participating in the chats, and having paid money for the class proved to be big time motivators for me and I was successful in getting rid of a lot of big items I had been holding onto for years upon years. Including selling a lot of it and decluttering and organizing picky items like an huge box of our electric cords and small items. So, while I don’t need it, I’m sure it will further my quest to really and truly simplify our home. |
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Post by dewryce on Apr 11, 2024 18:45:28 GMT
mich5481 I’m sorry, that must be really difficult, physically and mentally/emotionally. I lose things when my mom visits and helps out as well, but she doesn’t live here, I can’t imagine. Right now I’m still working on my craft room. And I’ve got quite a pile going in the corner now, including some big items so I’m pretty excited. This time I’m actually getting rid of some basic craft supplies that I’ve been keeping because I’m a crafters I need crafter’s basic tools, right? But I’m thinking about how long it’s been since I’ve used some of them, and acknowledged that I’m not likely to need them for the crafts I enjoy doing most. So I made myself follow the 20/20 rule (can replace for $20 in less than 20 minutes) and am donating a lot. Even some quilting items that I used for a t-shirt quilt that would cost quite a bit more than that to replace, but the likelihood that I will pick up quilting any time soon is pretty low. So they were added to the pile last night. Along with a shoe box full of small sewing accoutrements. I am keeping my sewing machine, serger and some items to go along with those. But I’ve cleared a lot of breathing room in here and am organizing to fit the newish way I’m crafting and it feels great.
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Post by Linda on Apr 12, 2024 0:01:49 GMT
I'd love to do this, but with my mom's memory issues, she moves stuff so it won't "get lost" and now I know locations of only the 1/4 cup measuring cup, a 2 cup glass measuring cup, and one small set of measuring spoons. It's super frustrating. (((Hugs))) that has to be so hard Are any of y’all doing the Take Your House Back course with Dawn the Minimal Mom, Cas from Clutterbug and Dana K. White? It’s on sale for $94 right now, with a live guided all day declutter coming up on April 27th. I don't really have the time right now to focus on something like that and $94 is well out of my budget also (it's been an expensive year so far - drainfield, new tyres for the car, trees coming down tomorrow) Right now I’m still working on my craft room I need to take a good hard look at my non-scrapbooking craft supplies and make some of those hard decisions. Maybe tomorrow while the tree guys are here, I can go through some of the cubes. |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Apr 12, 2024 0:20:19 GMT
Daily declutter task from My Simpler Life Declutter Calendar: Declutter extra measuring spoons and cups. This is one I purposefully won’t do. Since it’s just the two of us and we hand wash all of our pots and pans it takes forever for us to get enough for a full load in the dishwasher. So there are lots of items we have in bulk to help with that including one medium sized draw filled with all of our measuring spoons and cups, a tiny liquid measurements set, and the bowls and dip containers we use for mine en place. In addition to those we also have many multiples of spoons, spatulas, whisks, tins, spoonulas, etc. And lots of glassware, quarter cooking sheets and cutting boards. We used to keep lots of extra plates and bowls, but right now they’re in our ‘Time Will Tell’ bin to consider getting rid of, or at minimum not keeping them in the cabinets with our daily dishes. Having extra of everything else has proven to be a benefit for us and not added to our load. But it’s been the opposite with extra plates and bowls. DH does the dishwasher, and the more we have the longer he goes without doing them. Like with the laundry, we are trying to limit our inventory to force us to keep up with the cleaning. Same here, you’ll have to pull my measuring cups and spoons from my cold, dead hands LOL. I have three full sets of each plus a few miscellaneous randos mixed in there. The one I wish I had yet another of is my half tablespoon. Only one set had that size and it’s so handy to have! |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Apr 12, 2024 0:32:32 GMT
mich5481 I’m sorry, that must be really difficult, physically and mentally/emotionally. I lose things when my mom visits and helps out as well, but she doesn’t live here, I can’t imagine. Right now I’m still working on my craft room. And I’ve got quite a pile going in the corner now, including some big items so I’m pretty excited. This time I’m actually getting rid of some basic craft supplies that I’ve been keeping because I’m a crafters I need crafter’s basic tools, right? But I’m thinking about how long it’s been since I’ve used some of them, and acknowledged that I’m not likely to need them for the crafts I enjoy doing most. So I made myself follow the 20/20 rule (can replace for $20 in less than 20 minutes) and am donating a lot. Even some quilting items that I used for a t-shirt quilt that would cost quite a bit more than that to replace, but the likelihood that I will pick up quilting any time soon is pretty low. So they were added to the pile last night. Along with a shoe box full of small sewing accoutrements. I am keeping my sewing machine, serger and some items to go along with those. But I’ve cleared a lot of breathing room in here and am organizing to fit the newish way I’m crafting and it feels great. A couple years ago my friend gave me all of her mom’s clear quilting rulers and a few rotary cutting tools plus replacement blades. I haven’t quilted in probably two decades but I’ve used those quilting rulers and rotary cutters SO many times for other things since then! They’re great for tasks like evenly shortening pants hems, cutting off selvedges evenly, shortening king sized pillowcases down to standard size, cutting bias strips for other sewing projects among other things. I’m so glad I have them because those rulers are EXPENSIVE! |
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mich5481
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,761
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Post by mich5481 on Apr 12, 2024 1:07:36 GMT
Thanks, dewryce and LindaIt's difficult, but it is only for a season. At least I've been able to keep some silverware in the kitchen since we bought the boxes of 36 pieces of Sam's Club cheap catering knives, forks, and spoons. I put 6 of the knives and 9 each of the spoons and forks out. Once we got low on the spoons and forks, I added 9 more of each. Someday I'll be able to donate them all and use the silverware my grandfather gave me belatedly, but for now, this works. |
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I had been hoping to put a pretty ceramic bowl in it if he wanted to keep it out but I’m glad he didn’t because they don’t make pretty bowls in the 7 qt lift size. 
But they were up against the garage door railing so we never noticed them. Already in the car with the rest of the donations. 
But they were up against the garage door railing so we never noticed them. Already in the car with the rest of the donations. 
. However, watching their videos and participating in this thread have been very motivating for me and I’m still learning things. From what I can tell, this course will be like those things on crack. Beth from My Simpler Life (where I get the daily declutter prompts) leads a declutter group and I joined a few years ago and had some big breakthroughs during the group. Doing it live with the group, participating in the chats, and having paid money for the class proved to be big time motivators for me and I was successful in getting rid of a lot of big items I had been holding onto for years upon years. Including selling a lot of it and decluttering and organizing picky items like an huge box of our electric cords and small items. So, while I don’t need it, I’m sure it will further my quest to really and truly simplify our home.