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Post by MadamG2U on Sept 9, 2024 1:48:22 GMT
Reading this has given me hope. In the process of selling my house and down sizing to a 2 bedroom condo. I’ve got 25 years of stuff to go thru.
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Post by Linda on Sept 9, 2024 2:16:04 GMT
I didn't do much "getting rid of" but I spent the whole day organizing paper, photos and other supplies to get ready for my scrapbooking retreat in a few weeks. It is crazy how long that took. But I should be able to get more done now (at the retreat and when I decide to scrap here at home) now that I have a lot of photos matched with paper. I still need to go through some of my other things but overall I am happy with my progress. I also have soooo many finished or almost finished pages that need to go into albums. It makes my head hurt a little thinking about that. I am tempted to just put them in the best I can and not worry about if they are in chronological order, etc. I am also going to start having an album per year rather than having albums for each kid and then a family album. For those of you who still scrapbook (or when you did) how did you organize your albums? If you haven't been scrapbooking in chronological order, how do you think you would organize them when putting the pages in? I did a first year album for each kid but primarily do family albums. Now my big kids have moved out and share a house, I do a separate album for their photos (but if they come home on a visit - those photos go in the family album). My older two each have a soccer album, DS has a Boy Scout album, the girls have Girl Scout albums. And of course big trips get their own album - smaller ones go in the regular family/big kid albums. I don't scrapbook in chronological order but I do organise my albums (roughly) chronologically - at least to the correct month even if the photos might not be strictly in chrono order by date - I do a mix of single and double page layouts so sometimes there's a bit of juggling to make that work. If I were in your position? I would probably start by putting layouts in albums and then if I wanted to, I would consider going back and sorting a bit more chronologically in the future but I know there are scrapbookers who like the randomness of having layouts sorted by when they were finished and/or put in an album vs chronologically so there's nothing wrong with doing that way. |
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Post by Linda on Sept 9, 2024 2:16:29 GMT
Reading this has given me hope. In the process of selling my house and down sizing to a 2 bedroom condo. I’ve got 25 years of stuff to go thru. welcome - you can do this. |
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Post by ntsf on Sept 9, 2024 2:23:25 GMT
Well I took 5 bins to the garage sale and came home with 1.5 bins. so some stuff I'll move off to the art recycle store. some goodwill.. some.. a free box on the sidewalk.
more stuff gone!! now that my kids have been through the no longer fit clothes pile, I'll sort to goodwill and some for resale and some to another thrift store.
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Post by mikklynn on Sept 9, 2024 12:58:16 GMT
Reading this has given me hope. In the process of selling my house and down sizing to a 2 bedroom condo. I’ve got 25 years of stuff to go thru. The more you do, the easier it gets. I also dumped a lot of stuff after I moved. I realized it didn't go with my new home or I really didn't need it. My grandson has learned to hand me clothing and shoes that no longer fit, so that's a win! He was really good when we cleaned his closet last fall. |
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Sept 9, 2024 13:04:26 GMT
Reading this has given me hope. In the process of selling my house and down sizing to a 2 bedroom condo. I’ve got 25 years of stuff to go thru. Welcome to the thread! It does seem like a daunting task, but you can do it! Just try to approach it one room, one closet, one drawer at a time. Otherwise it will become overwhelming and you risk getting stuck. Feel free to come here and post your progress so that we can encourage and cheer you on! Also, if you haven't already, check the first post on Page 1. There are links to several articles on decluttering, as well as some YouTube videos if you need some ideas. Hope to see you back often! |
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Post by alsomsknit on Sept 9, 2024 18:49:53 GMT
First good day after a month of COVID. Still struggle with fatigue. Unfortunately, I hadn’t recovered from the Long COVID before getting it again.
Anyway, worked at cleaning out the garage a bit more. Had the pup tethered to a tree. He didn’t dare come in the garage. 😆
Broke down some cardboard to take to recycling. Had DH take the open crate back to storage. Have egg cartons to drop off before work tomorrow. In contact with my sister regarding one of Jay’s Matchbox track set. Market bags need to be taken to work tomorrow.
I have some space in the garage (attached) now. Hopefully, one shelf will be for the living room tree. I have time to figure that out next year when it is disassembled. Trying to decide if I should move some of the cleaning supplies out there, since it is easy access.
There is a box of Rubbermaid containers. Small, but thinking I might donate them. Probably would be a good idea to get an appropriate sized container for molds. It was the only thing in the box I knew I wanted to keep. Will ask SO if any of the storage containers would be helpful to take his lunch to work.
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Post by cecilia on Sept 9, 2024 18:57:59 GMT
Trying to stay busy. Upset over Elvis, who is in the doggy hospital for a couple days. Need to work on back porch since Baby's vet is coming out tomorrow.
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Post by lg on Sept 10, 2024 4:32:45 GMT
Sorted some photos roughly into albums so they are at least in a place where I would look for them… and found all the ones I reprinted in the meantime as I couldn’t find the originals 😂
Even if I’m not scrapping at the time I need to learn to be more in top of this process as the piles of photos everywhere don’t work for me!
Finished seven albums (yes seven)… just in time for our next holiday 😂😳😅
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Post by cecilia on Sept 10, 2024 5:38:56 GMT
I got the back porch as good as it's going to get for the home vet. Next I need to tackle my room.
Don't know what to do about my closet though. It's a mess but Elvis hangs out in there when he doesn't feel good so part of me wants to keep the floor of it the same for him.
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Post by Linda on Sept 10, 2024 13:34:21 GMT
Holiday Grand Cleaning Plan
Week Two? It’s all about questions during Question Week in the Holiday Grand Plan!
During this week, we’ll continue making lists and planning our holiday. We’ll get in touch with our values through important questions.
In the cleaning component, we tackle the living room, decluttering and deep-cleaning to prepare for holiday entertaining.
Ready? Let’s get organized with the Holiday Grand Plan!
Holiday Prep: Question Week
In the kitchen:
Buy extra flour, sugar, shortening, etc.
Make one extra meal for the freezer labeled HOLIDAY MEAL. This should be large enough to feed the family plus two people.
Browse Week:
Develop ideas for gifts, decorations.
Order Christmas cards and address labels.
For your friends of other religions take the time to find out what their major holiday is and look for an appropriate card to send to them at that time.
Divide gift responsibilities with other family members.
Ask these questions:
Do I see Christmas time primarily as a time for entertaining friends and renewing long lost acquaintances or as a time for family?
How much emphasis do our Christmas activities place on the spiritual side of Christmas?
How involved is my family in the Christmas preparation?
What activities are particularly important to our family at Christmas? To myself?
Why do we observe the traditions we do in our house?
How important is an elaborately decorated house, homemade gifts or food, to my feelings about Christmas?
What would my ideal Christmas be like?
Cleaning/Organizing Area: Living Room
This week’s assignment, from Katie Leckey’s Cleaning Grand Plan:
Begin by washing the outside of the windows in this room. You will appreciate being able to see outside when you sit down at the end of the week in your beautiful, clean, and organized living room!
Take everything off walls, dust it, and set it aside.
Dust or wash the wall, vacuum or dry-clean draperies and blinds. Get your favorite cobweb killer and sweep down ceilings, corners and tops of doorways
Take cushions off furniture. Vacuum thoroughly, replace cushions, spot treat any stains and shampoo if necessary.
Wooden furniture (and anything with drawers/shelves): Empty, sort and throw away what you really don’t need. Put the rest where it belongs.
Dust/polish the piece you’ve finished with and repeat with other pieces. Don’t forget the maintenance on piano.
Baseboards: depending on condition they’re in, dust or wash them.
Coat closet: empty, sort clothes (by family member, season).
Remove any “off-season” items and decide whether to trash, donate, or store elsewhere. Replace only those items which should be in your coat closet.
Clean the TV screen (if you have a set in this room). Don’t neglect the stereo items either. Re-organize tapes/records/videos as per your needs.
Clean/change the silk flower arrangements as per seasonal needs. Wash/trim any live plants in this room.
Other items needing attention if your room has them:
Fireplace/mantel/chimney/glass doors
Lamps (does the shade need dusting or replacing?)
Electrical cords (check for frayed wires)
Mirrors (items framed w/glass) get out the Windex
Doorknobs/drawer-handles (are they clean?)
Now is a good time to measure furniture pieces and windows, to enter in your planner or Household Notebook and keep on hand for shopping for necessary items.
Stacks (of anything!): Take time now to use the sorting method of trash/donate/store elsewhere. Now put these new piles where they belong.
Vacuum the carpet and clean if necessary.
Hang the items back on walls, if you haven’t already and take a good look around. It should look pretty good by now.
Take out camera and take pictures for inventory.
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Post by alsomsknit on Sept 10, 2024 13:50:13 GMT
Reading this has given me hope. In the process of selling my house and down sizing to a 2 bedroom condo. I’ve got 25 years of stuff to go thru. Welcome to the thread! It does seem like a daunting task, but you can do it! Just try to approach it one room, one closet, one drawer at a time. Otherwise it will become overwhelming and you risk getting stuck. Feel free to come here and post your progress so that we can encourage and cheer you on! Also, if you haven't already, check the first post on Page 1. There are links to several articles on decluttering, as well as some YouTube videos if you need some ideas. Hope to see you back often! In addition, think of the process of creating your new home. Think of the home you want to be at peace in, thrive in. Does this item fit my vision? Does this item support my life or will it feel as if it is weighing me down? How much space do you want to dedicate to sentimental items? A closet? A bookshelf? A room? Welcome! I look forward to hearing of your progress. |
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Post by Linda on Sept 10, 2024 17:22:23 GMT
scrappyesq - loads of tips and encouragement here. Hope you'll join us
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Post by Linda on Sept 10, 2024 17:28:52 GMT
In addition, think of the process of creating your new home. Think of the home you want to be at peace in, thrive in. Does this item fit my vision? Does this item support my life or will it feel as if it is weighing me down? Along these lines, look at the floorplan of your new place - what purpose(s) will each room/space serve? What is your vision for each room/space? You don't have to be restricted by the labels on the rooms - so make the place work for YOU. You'll probably have to really consider size and placement of furniture - oftentimes when downsizing, furniture from a bigger place doesn't work well in a smaller one. And possibly your needs have changed and instead of a big sectional you might prefer a recliner and loveseat for instance. Or instead of a big dining room set, a cozy kitchen table might work better. With wall decor - you'll probably have less space for it - perhaps when it's time to hang it - hang your absolute favourite first. Then your next favourite. and so on until you have enough. The rest might be easier to let go now because you've already discovered that you like them less than others. |
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Post by Linda on Sept 15, 2024 14:55:09 GMT
Welcome to Week Three of the Holiday Grand Plan: Entry/Foyer Week!
This week, we tackle deep-cleaning and decluttering our entryway or foyer, to create a welcoming entrance to the home for holiday guests.
Holiday prep chores focus on baking and kitchen as we plan our baked goodies and start stocking up for holiday meals. More printable forms help our Holiday Grand Plan notebooks grow.
Ready? Let’s get organized with Entry/Foyer Week at the Holiday Grand Plan!
Holiday Prep:
Make one batch of Holiday Goodies.
Make one extra meal for freezer again labeled HOLIDAY MEAL.
Buy two canned food items from Menus (get 2 of each item, one to use and one to donate to food drive).
Keep 2 boxes in a pantry area or storage place to put these in so that they are not used in everyday cooking – make sure to label them so that when food drives start your holiday supply stays intact and the food drive gets the food purchased for it.
Buy all supplies for homemade gifts. Package each project with directions and other information in zipper food storage bag and place in a basket or box in craft/sewing area.
Buy film, camera batteries, blank videotapes. Hide them; write yourself a note.
Cleaning/Organizing Area: Entryway or Foyer
This week’s assignment, from Katie Leckey’s Cleaning Grand Plan:
Use the basic remove/clean/replace policy for those items which are wall-hung.
Consider how the area looks when a visitor enters your home. Again if it doesn’t belong there, remove it!
If you have a chair or rack that welcomes clutter, consider moving it until everyone breaks the habit of just dropping everything off in the foyer.
The next time you enter the front door after being away a few hours, look around and sniff around just like you were in a strange house. Our homes can develop “houseatosis”. There are a great many air freshener products and potpourri assortments on the market today, use one if you need it!!
Don’t forget to clean out the umbrella stand, if you have one. If you don’t, do you need one?
Do you have a rug or maybe carpeting in this area? Do a thorough job of vacuuming it. you’ll be pleased.
Do you have a window in your front door, or “side lights” which could use bit of glass cleaner?
Don’t forget to thoroughly dust/wash front door itself, and also the baseboards in the area.
Plan a place for everything which needs to be kept near the front door and keep it there! Everything else goes!
Now, do you need to go back and spend time on last week’s project? If not, could you choose another declutter project that would enhance the beauty of your home?
Choose something close to the entry or living room to help give that feeling of flow between organized rooms.
Like smiles and yawns, organization is contagious!
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amom23
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,446 
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Post by amom23 on Sept 15, 2024 17:25:45 GMT
I'm finishing up a good closet purge. I do this 2x a year. I also keep a shopping tote in my closet that I use to toss anything that I know longer like or doesn't fit right anymore. It's nice to immediately put items in that tote.
There is also a growing donate pile in the storage room. I have a few other areas in the house I want to do a walk through and mini purge. Then in the next week or 2 I'll load up the car and head to goodwill.
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Post by cecilia on Sept 20, 2024 1:35:55 GMT
Started to go through all of the toys I bought Elvis. Didn't realize I had bought him so many. (Nearly 6 years of BarkBoxes plus extras). Going to keep his faves and toys from his last box, give rest to animal shelter. Not sure how long it will take me. Start to get upset when I sit down to do it.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Sept 20, 2024 1:44:13 GMT
Started to go through all of the toys I bought Elvis. Didn't realize I had bought him so many. (Nearly 6 years of BarkBoxes plus extras). Going to keep his faves and toys from his last box, give rest to animal shelter. Not sure how long it will take me. Start to get upset when I sit down to do it. Hugs to you. It's tough to get through a loss like this. |
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Post by ntsf on Sept 20, 2024 3:26:27 GMT
I have three big bags of clothes I am taking to my fav thrift store (it supports a community library).
I have a box of technical outdoor gear in the car ready to send off to geartrade (if they can sell it, you get money).. I have a stash of stuff for poshmark when I get back from a short vacation.
I had done a lot of cleaning of our spare room --I was talking all about it. I was gone for a weekend and dh put everything in my cleanish room from our bedroom.. everything that he didn't want to deal with, was not his. etc.. so I have to come back and clean out 5 more piles. what fun. so he folded his tshirts but didn't find a place to put them away.. I think I will have to do that. (we have a bedroom that is 9x17)
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scrappinmama
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,120
Jun 26, 2014 12:54:09 GMT
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Post by scrappinmama on Sept 20, 2024 14:27:08 GMT
Last year I did some decluttering, but I fell off the wagon. I need to get back into the habit. What worked for me in the past was to select a room to work on during the month. This weekend I'm going to work on my closet. You all are inspiring me!
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Sept 20, 2024 16:29:04 GMT
Last year I did some decluttering, but I fell off the wagon. I need to get back into the habit. What worked for me in the past was to select a room to work on during the month. This weekend I'm going to work on my closet. You all are inspiring me! Welcome back to the fold! I find that seasonal changes are the perfect time to work on closets. This past week I've been moving summer things to the guest closet as they come back from the dry cleaners. The clothes are still wearable (our temps are upper 90's this week) but I'm tired of them and want less summery fabrics now. It's a mental game I play! One t-shirt has been tossed as it was very stained. It's the little things, done consistently, that really keep the clutter and chaos under control for me. |
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Post by alsomsknit on Sept 20, 2024 20:55:43 GMT
Worked on the counter tops in the kitchen. DH’s crap was getting out of hand. Moved some of it to the popcorn bucket of previously culled crap that resides in the back of the cabinet where the cat/dog food and bowls reside. Tossed some items from that particular cabinet. Also, tossed some unnecessary items from the junk drawer. Lost one of my favorite rings that had been given to me by my kid. Plan to take my bed apart tomorrow to see if it happened to end up under there. We have looked. Hoping it is hiding somewhere. Moved my nightstand today…just feathers and dust. Edit 9/22: No ring  |
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Post by Linda on Sept 20, 2024 21:52:09 GMT
alsomsknit - I hope your ring turns up soon Not a ton of decluttering going on here but lots of cleaning and organising in preparation for DD24 visiting and DH and I leaving on an overseas trip. I am decluttering anything obvious along the way though and a broken bookcase WILL be disassembled and gone this weekend.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Sept 20, 2024 23:44:43 GMT
Spent a couple of hours in the guest room this afternoon since I had an 'at home' day. I rearranged the furniture a bit to open up more space, went through 2 more book boxes and emptied them. All books/scrapbooks/photo albums are put away and the boxes flattened and added to recycling bin. The room is still a massive ton of photos, memorabilia and my vintage linen/fabric collection to go through but at least it is all accessible now so I can start to work a bit here and there when I have time. Added a few small things to the donation bin as I ran across them.
I also swapped out my winter and summer shoes. Out of season shoes live on shelves in the guest room closet and current season in my wardrobe in the master bedroom. So that has been done and I now have a better idea of what shoes/boots I need this fall. It feels so much better to walk by and see an organized mess, rather than the total chaos I've been dealing with for several months.
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Sept 21, 2024 20:12:31 GMT
Started to go through all of the toys I bought Elvis. Didn't realize I had bought him so many. (Nearly 6 years of BarkBoxes plus extras). Going to keep his faves and toys from his last box, give rest to animal shelter. Not sure how long it will take me. Start to get upset when I sit down to do it. Big (((hugs))) I'm so sorry. |
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Sept 21, 2024 20:17:46 GMT
It's the little things, done consistently, that really keep the clutter and chaos under control So true. |
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Post by lg on Sept 22, 2024 9:46:00 GMT
Had a whole free weekend so I put myself to work and did a lot of project catch ups and completions. Once I’d finished and caught up as much as I could (and set up some projects for the future to make things easier for myself!) I was able to condense supplies and empty two 12x12 iris cases into other existing storage containers as well as another 8x11 tote as well.
My aim is to finally complete some of my ongoing never ending projects to a point where I can clear out some items that I no longer need. It’s the aim, but it’s a long term project!
In the process I broke the shredder so it’s straight in the bin… sigh…
I still have another 8x11 tote half full of ephemera to go through - I got half of it either put away or discarded (kept some things for dd, asked her if she wanted it, she said she’d never look at it ever again, I got rid of it as i was placing more importance on the items than she did).
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Sept 22, 2024 14:45:29 GMT
I still have another 8x11 tote half full of ephemera to go through - I got half of it either put away or discarded (kept some things for dd, asked her if she wanted it, she said she’d never look at it ever again, I got rid of it as i was placing more importance on the items than she did). This is so important to note! I've done the same with DD when going through her school projects/papers, as well as other items. For the most part she is less sentimental than I so it has been helpful for me to get past the saving every single precious memory stage. If it is not something that I look at frequently - and she doesn't attach meaning to it - then it makes it easier for release it to the trash bin. Now that the guest room chaos has been tamed I plan to start spending a bit of time in there when I have the time. I made a huge dent during the pandemic then normal life returned and the project was never completed. |
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Post by ntsf on Sept 22, 2024 15:22:25 GMT
my daughter and her wife were up from new zealand.. and I got her to go through her box of school papers. I went through the discards and saved a couple.. some I will photograph and some I will keep. the pile of her stuff at my house is growing smaller and smaller.. and I will take the last two bags to her when I visit in dec. she and her wife took a bunch of. my old clothes that no longer fit me.
so I have three big bags of clothes in the car that will go to thrift store on monday.
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Post by alsomsknit on Sept 22, 2024 21:08:54 GMT
I still have another 8x11 tote half full of ephemera to go through - I got half of it either put away or discarded (kept some things for dd, asked her if she wanted it, she said she’d never look at it ever again, I got rid of it as i was placing more importance on the items than she did). This is so important to note! I've done the same with DD when going through her school projects/papers, as well as other items. For the most part she is less sentimental than I so it has been helpful for me to get past the saving every single precious memory stage. If it is not something that I look at frequently - and she doesn't attach meaning to it - then it makes it easier for release it to the trash bin. Every once in a while I ask Jay for his help with decluttering. It is good and not so good. The kid hasn't a single sentimental bone in his body. He is an only child and I do not want him dealing with excessive stuff. So, It’s nice when I am undecided and he says toss. Though, I have asked forgiveness over things I can’t part with because I know it will land on his shoulders. When he goes through his room, he sometimes asks for my help. The things he has tossed or given away hurt my heart sometimes. A few times I have rescued items. How do you balance just tossing stuff the way he does and having a few memories stored in a box? He is the one who made such a fuss, I simply quit taking pictures of him. From 15 on, I have school pictures. His Dad makes him join in pictures on birthdays and holidays. So, do I keep the special pictures for me and toss the large majority? He doesn’t care now. What about 30 years down the road when most everyone is gone? |
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