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Post by crazy4scraps on Jan 9, 2024 14:28:06 GMT
dewryce Your project room was kind of what I envisioned doing in my basement utility room when we first moved in. I put my dozens and dozens of boxes of rubber stamps on the shelves and set up a banquet table in there because I thought I would use the space to go through the boxes of stamps where they would be out of the way as I had time. Except the table quickly got piled up with other miscellaneous crap and I never did sort through all of those stamps.  It was such a mess down there for ten YEARS. 😳 So that’s the only warning with having a space like that, you have to really stay on top of keeping the projects organized so it doesn’t get out of control. But now I will say that when I finally did have the time to get it sorted and cleaned up, it was nice that it was all out of the way so I could work on it little by little and leave it in a way that I could come back to it as I had time to chip away at the mess. It’s so much better now that I sorted through all the boxes of random stuff and got rid of a lot of that. I still have all the stamps that I need to go through piece by piece but at least it’s neat and orderly. It’s going to be a HUGE project to go through the literal thousands of rubber stamps that I collected over the years, and right now that’s not high on my priority list so it can wait. I need to work on decluttering my work tables and my main desk down in my studio again. There’s also another big pile of randomness stacked up in front of my paper cubes down there that I hate looking at and need to go through, and a box of kid stuff that is slated for either Buy Nothing or donation underneath my ironing board which really needs to go. It’s all a bunch of semi related educational things for younger kids. I didn’t want to post any of it until I had all of it collected together, since I kept finding things here and there and thinking of other things that could go in that box. I haven’t added to it for a while, so maybe now would be a good time to drag it upstairs, take a couple photos and post it so someone can come get it.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jan 9, 2024 14:33:26 GMT
Supposed to get really cold here Friday/Saturday and last for a few days. Going to work on the outside (including cold weather proofing rescue dog's house) and work on inside while it's cold. (Before anyone jumps on me about leaving my dog outside. He's a German Shepard Dog. He loves snow. Elvis has jumped on him twice over food. Elvis nearly died because of it. We have to keep them separate. I beat myself up over it every time it gets cold.) As long as the house is well insulated, isn’t too big for his body heat to warm up the interior space and has a flap for the door to keep the wind out and dry straw vs. blankets will work better to keep him warm. And a heated water bowl if you live where his water would freeze solid is a good idea too. We’ve never had an outdoor dog but know people who have and that’s what they did. |
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Post by bunnyhug on Jan 9, 2024 15:00:54 GMT
Supposed to get really cold here Friday/Saturday and last for a few days. Going to work on the outside (including cold weather proofing rescue dog's house) and work on inside while it's cold. (Before anyone jumps on me about leaving my dog outside. He's a German Shepard Dog. He loves snow. Elvis has jumped on him twice over food. Elvis nearly died because of it. We have to keep them separate. I beat myself up over it every time it gets cold.) As long as the house is well insulated, isn’t too big for his body heat to warm up the interior space and has a flap for the door to keep the wind out and dry straw vs. blankets will work better to keep him warm. And a heated water bowl if you live where his water would freeze solid is a good idea too. We’ve never had an outdoor dog but know people who have and that’s what they did. I live on the Canadian prairies ... the forecast low for Friday night is -45'C and the high for Saturday is -33'C ... and almost every farm has a dog who lives outside! As long as they have appropriate shelter (and often when it's this cold, they get to sleep in porches or shops or garages!), it's all good. The livestock don't have the porch sleeping option, but with shelter, they are fine, too ... so don't feel overly guilty about your pup sleeping outside. |
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Post by dewryce on Jan 9, 2024 15:25:28 GMT
Daily declutter task from My Simpler Life Declutter Calendar: Clear off the top of a nightstand.Bonus: Polish your nightstand and clean off everything as you put it back in place.Organize your wires. I was able to attach a surge protector to the back of my night stand, many come with USB slots so you don’t even need a charging block. You might have a good spot for screws in wood, otherwise 3M Velcro Command strips work well (just check the weight limits of the strips). I can easily lean over the nightstand to unplug things, but you can’t see it from in front of the nightstand. Then you can either roll and your wires and wrap up charging cords so they’re not too long and all over the place, or buy shorter cords. I love the Anker brand braided cables (never had one break), they come in many colors and 1 and 3 foot lengths. If you have an issue with wires falling behind or beside your nightstand, you can try some like this or this. (If you’re concerned about damage to the surface of your nightstand you can attach it to the back at the very top.) Confession time from yesterday’s declutter task: I had five pens in my top nightstand drawer. FIVE! All purple, of course. And I found a toe ring I thought was lost for good. I’ll be adding feet to the baskets that don’t have them this morning so they stop moving around when I open the drawer, can’t wait for that improvement! |
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Post by dewryce on Jan 9, 2024 15:29:06 GMT
crazy4scraps That’s a very good point, don’t just let it be another space that collects clutter! That’s why I think guest bedrooms are a good option, isn’t that what most of them are already used for anyway?  I would maim for a basement and/or utility room to be able to have a work space like that set up permanently. And a good place to store holiday items. *sighs*
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jan 9, 2024 15:48:32 GMT
crazy4scraps That’s a very good point, don’t just let it be another space that collects clutter! That’s why I think guest bedrooms are a good option, isn’t that what most of them are already used for anyway? I would maim for a basement and/or utility room to be able to have a work space like that set up permanently. And a good place to store holiday items. *sighs* I think part of the reason why that utility room space doesn’t really work very well as a staging area for projects like that is because the lighting down there is terrible! There is one sad overhead bulb in a room that’s much too big for that one light. I probably should switch out the one bulb for a daylight bulb so at least it would be white light instead of the warm white that casts yellow. When I was working down there last summer I had an old broken lamp that I had taken apart to throw away. I ended up needing to put it back together and put a lightbulb in it so I’d have enough light in that room to even see what I was doing! The rest of my studio has really nice overhead cloud lights with all daylight bulbs so it’s literally like night and day going between those two adjacent spaces! And LOL, currently my guest bedroom is full of clothes again that need to be sorted for donation now that DD went through all of her stuff and pulled out all the things she won’t wear. |
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Post by dewryce on Jan 9, 2024 16:25:39 GMT
crazy4scraps Give this light a try. SO bright! We haven’t upgrading the lighting in our garage like we meant to so I finally caved and bought this. It’s amazing. Now, I’ll fully admit to being paranoid (for no knowledgeable reason at all) about it starting a fire simply because it’s not the lighting original to the electric plan, is so bright, and we didn’t have an electrician install it. You just screw it in to your light socket. So we make sure and turn it off every time. Again, based on no actual knowledge whatsoever. I’ve never noticed it getting hot.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Jan 9, 2024 16:35:28 GMT
don’t just let it be another space that collects clutter! That’s why I think guest bedrooms are a good option, isn’t that what most of them are already used for anyway? It seems to be that way, guest room = junk/storage room. While I was impressed with your detailed list I had to laugh because I have all the tables...you just can't see them because they are buried under so much stuff! As is the portable clothes rack. In my defense, we are coming out of a two year period with a remodel that involved us using the guest room as our living room for 5 months, followed by two major health episodes with DH and redecorating the entire front of the house this past year. The guest room became the proverbial dumping ground. This year it will be worked on with the plan being to redecorate the room later this year. Good to have a goal! It is the last room that needs attention in our downsizing/purging efforts. 🎉 DH's office could really use some help but that is his domain and I don't touch it (and he doesn't touch my sewing room/office). With his retirement on the horizon I know it will get done eventually. Meanwhile I am fortunate that it is in the bedroom wing and no one else has to see it. |
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Post by dewryce on Jan 9, 2024 17:00:16 GMT
**GypsyGirl** You’re almost there!  I know your house has been in upheaval mode, I’m so excited for you to finally truly be able to reap all the rewards for your hard work! It’s just the two of us in our 2400 sq ft house so we have a bit of room to spread out. And I’ve been an organizer since I came out of the womb. And purposefully decluttering for at least 20 years. I just got a lot better at it after I read Peter Walsh’s book. It spoke to my 1) save just in case 2) I have plans for that 3) we paid a lot of money for that and 4) I may want to be that person but I’m not personalities. After that I went at it hardcore and made huge progress quickly when I was able to work on it. I’m lucky in that DH now wants my help organizing his stuff. He got a lot out of the book too, so he doesn’t need it nearly as much for decluttering, just the occasional encouragement. But it’s not at all unusual anymore for him to add to our donate box, or give to friends/family drawer. It’s the organization he needs help with.
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mich5481
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Post by mich5481 on Jan 9, 2024 17:10:27 GMT
Emily Ley's Simplified challenge for today is to go through your bed linens and pare them down to two sets per bed. Based on the comments, many say you need 4 sets - 2 for summer and 2 for winter.
Having just washed some of my sheets yesterday, and finally putting on one set of my flannel sheets, I think I am going to get rid of this set of sheets the next time I change them. They are a little scratchier than I remember!
She also suggested getting rid of blankets that no one uses. We got rid of one blanket this week that was torn, now I just need to convince my mom to get rid of some of her other blankets. I also need to make sure I keep a close eye on my blankets when I wash them, as they have a strange tendency to find their way to her room if I leave them in the laundry room for too long...
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Post by ntsf on Jan 9, 2024 17:33:50 GMT
I got another bag full for goodwill.. and it will go out the house today. each little step...
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Post by dewryce on Jan 9, 2024 17:43:15 GMT
Thank you for the prompt mich5481! I had forgotten about donating the rest of the sheet set when I got a new one for Christmas because it was in the wash. Done. Will go through the blankets with DH tonight. You might consider keeping a couple extra pillow cases, I like to change mine mid-week. |
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Jan 9, 2024 17:46:29 GMT
Emily Ley's Simplified challenge for today is to go through your bed linens and pare them down to two sets per bed. Based on the comments, many say you need 4 sets - 2 for summer and 2 for winter. I am in the 2 sets of sheets per bed camp. One set on the bed and one in the linen closet. We have a down comforter for winter and more quilts than any one person should have. Even living in extremely cold climates that system has worked for us 40+ years. I know your house has been in upheaval mode, I’m so excited for you to finally truly be able to reap all the rewards for your hard work! It’s just the two of us in our 2400 sq ft house so we have a bit of room to spread out. The front of the house is finished and it is so nice to be able to just sit and enjoy it. I told my designer that for the first time in 32 years I feel truly comfortable in my house and love spending time here now. Even my sewing room is under control! We also have 2,400 sq ft (a one story ranch) and just the two of us. All the remodeling we have done has been with a focus on aging in place as we plan to retire here. Hoping to get the last of this decluttering done before DH retires, then we are free to play and travel! |
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Post by workingclassdog on Jan 9, 2024 18:41:27 GMT
She also suggested getting rid of blankets that no one uses. We got rid of one blanket this week that was torn, now I just need to convince my mom to get rid of some of her other blankets. I also need to make sure I keep a close eye on my blankets when I wash them, as they have a strange tendency to find their way to her room if I leave them in the laundry room for too long... I take our old blankets to the Animal Shelter.. they are always asking for blankets/towels, stuff like that. I need to do that. Although my St. Bernard LOVES to carry blankets around.. He currently has three that every time I try to eliminate one he KNOWS.. he follows me and takes it back. Such a big baby! |
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mich5481
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Post by mich5481 on Jan 9, 2024 19:13:16 GMT
She also suggested getting rid of blankets that no one uses. We got rid of one blanket this week that was torn, now I just need to convince my mom to get rid of some of her other blankets. I also need to make sure I keep a close eye on my blankets when I wash them, as they have a strange tendency to find their way to her room if I leave them in the laundry room for too long... I take our old blankets to the Animal Shelter.. they are always asking for blankets/towels, stuff like that. I need to do that. Although my St. Bernard LOVES to carry blankets around.. He currently has three that every time I try to eliminate one he KNOWS.. he follows me and takes it back. Such a big baby! Yeah, that's why I have to watch my blankets - if they end up in my mom's room, the dogs will claim them and/or ruin them. |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jan 9, 2024 19:34:26 GMT
crazy4scraps Give this light a try. SO bright! We haven’t upgrading the lighting in our garage like we meant to so I finally caved and bought this. It’s amazing. Now, I’ll fully admit to being paranoid (for no knowledgeable reason at all) about it starting a fire simply because it’s not the lighting original to the electric plan, is so bright, and we didn’t have an electrician install it. You just screw it in to your light socket. So we make sure and turn it off every time. Again, based on no actual knowledge whatsoever. I’ve never noticed it getting hot. Thank you for that suggestion, I bet something like that would be perfect for that area and even possibly the garage.  |
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Jan 9, 2024 20:01:30 GMT
Just spent a little time clearing out my gmail account. That account is mostly for junk mail, newsletters, etc and no longer used for important or personal things. Deleted about 6,000 messages! Still have 14,000 in there but will do more another time. Took me maybe half an hour.
Quickest and easiest way is to start in the All Mail folder, enter the email you want to clear out in the search box , then run the search. Next I click the box at the top to Select All, then click the Trash Can. If there are more than 25 emails, first I click Select All, then click on "Select all conversations that match this search", then click the trash can. Remember that this just sends everything to the Trash folder, so you will need to empty the trash to completely be rid of them.
Go forth and delete! 🗑️
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jan 9, 2024 20:24:03 GMT
I was feeling a little motivated today so I moved a small rolling table and a folding chair out of the front room and back down to the basement. I like that the table is portable so I don’t want to get rid of it. (It can also be used as a high chair for a little kid because we sometimes have extended family with young children.) I also moved a big box of paper cups down there too because there’s more room for storing things like that. Put DD’s beanbag chair back in the family room since it had been relocated due to the Christmas tree being in its spot, but now that the tree has been put away, it could go back. Tossed another few things in the donate box.
Once I was in the basement, I tackled that random pile in front of the paper cubes. It was mostly empty storage containers, so now that the utility room had been cleared out there was space for them in there. I don’t like to get rid of things like that because I would rather repurpose what I already have vs. buying something else if I can at all make it work. I emptied out a box of random diecuts and will give some to a lady on Buy Nothing who was looking for some scrapbook stuff, tossed some that didn’t seem like they would be useful to anyone and will post some other crafting supplies on Buy Nothing that were in another box.
So now the pile has been reduced to a Rubbermaid tote with excess cookie packaging supplies that I can use later this year and another Rubbermaid tote full of stickers that I’m not quite sure what to do with. There are a lot of them and many duplicates from when I had my scrapbook business so I kind of hate to just donate all of it, but it might come down to that. I’d really like to sell some of that extra stuff and donate the money to Alzheimer’s research, but I’m not sure how I would go about doing that. I have soooo much extra patterned paper, patterned cardstock and stickers that I will never use especially since a lot of it was purchased in retail packs back in the day. Some of it I can still use for certain things, especially the printed cardstock, but a lot of it could really just go.
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mich5481
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Post by mich5481 on Jan 9, 2024 20:52:17 GMT
another Rubbermaid tote full of stickers that I’m not quite sure what to do with. There are a lot of them and many duplicates from when I had my scrapbook business so I kind of hate to just donate all of it, but it might come down to that. I’d really like to sell some of that extra stuff and donate the money to Alzheimer’s research, but I’m not sure how I would go about doing that. I have soooo much extra patterned paper, patterned cardstock and stickers that I will never use especially since a lot of it was purchased in retail packs back in the day. Some of it I can still use for certain things, especially the printed cardstock, but a lot of it could really just go. if you have a bunch of duplicates, could you create some kind of page/card kit and post them for sale with a note saying all of the proceeds go towards Alzheimer’s research? |
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Jan 9, 2024 20:54:51 GMT
Does anyone know if you can donate individual protein or granola bars to the food shelf? I have some boxes of bars that are opened but still have several left and nobody really likes them.
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Post by Scrapper100 on Jan 9, 2024 21:04:44 GMT
I also organized my bathroom counter and tossed some older cosmetics - thought I liked a lipstick as it looked good in the container but looked orange on which is so weird and when I wiped it off it looked great on the tissue but since it didn't look good on me it went in the trash. I found a couple of old mascara samples that I just tossed knowing they had be be too old to use. It felt good to toss some older cosmetics. I need to spend a bit more time and purge my stash of anything I don't love. I am trying to use up some older products - old leave in conditioners and such - I am hoping in a few months to only have the newer products left. I also am trying to use up some sheet masks as I accumulated a lot of them through sales with FabFitFun. I have one less little container of stuff on the counter and moved a few other things under the sink - it looks better but I still have more stuff than I would like but want to keep stuff where I can see them so I will use them up. For those items that you’re trying to use up and think will take a couple of months, have you considered removing your current versions of these things and putting them in a bag under your sink? I did that for everything I could and it made the process go a lot faster. Also, some of these small items can be great for travel! Lol I actually did this yesterday. Well there are still a few of my favorites out but I did put a lot of others away. I need to maybe put a few more out of sight. I have to say when I got up and saw the counter it made me smile. It’s far from perfect but baby steps. |
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Post by Linda on Jan 9, 2024 21:26:04 GMT
Does anyone know if you can donate individual protein or granola bars to the food shelf? I have some boxes of bars that are opened but still have several left and nobody really likes them. I would think that if they are all individually packaged (which granola bars typically are) they would be fine but I suspect different food shelfs/banks have different needs/rules. If not, maybe a school would like them? |
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Jan 9, 2024 22:00:00 GMT
Does anyone know if you can donate individual protein or granola bars to the food shelf? I have some boxes of bars that are opened but still have several left and nobody really likes them. I would call and ask them because it seems they all have different rules on what they will accept. Is there a lunch or break room at your office? Can you put them out on the counter there? That's how we get rid of extras like that, Halloween candy or cupcakes/cookies. DH didn't believe me the first time I sent a box of mini cupcakes to work with him. He said in less than 20 min. they were all gone! Now he's happy to take things up there. Something about an office break room and free food! |
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Jan 9, 2024 22:00:56 GMT
Does anyone know if you can donate individual protein or granola bars to the food shelf? I have some boxes of bars that are opened but still have several left and nobody really likes them. I would call and ask them because it seems they all have different rules on what they will accept. Is there a lunch or break room at your office? Can you put them out on the counter there? That's how we get rid of extras like that, Halloween candy or cupcakes/cookies. DH didn't believe me the first time I sent a box of mini cupcakes to work with him. He said in less than 20 min. they were all gone! Now he's happy to take things up there. Something about an office break room and free food! I don’t have an office but maybe DH could bring them to work. I’ll ask him. |
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Post by dewryce on Jan 9, 2024 22:03:25 GMT
Does anyone know if you can donate individual protein or granola bars to the food shelf? I have some boxes of bars that are opened but still have several left and nobody really likes them. I would think that if they are all individually packaged (which granola bars typically are) they would be fine but I suspect different food shelfs/banks have different needs/rules. If not, maybe a school would like them? Or, if they’re not cardboard tasting just not your family’s jam, you could put them in your car and/or purse and give them to people asking for help on the side of the road. |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jan 9, 2024 22:18:52 GMT
Does anyone know if you can donate individual protein or granola bars to the food shelf? I have some boxes of bars that are opened but still have several left and nobody really likes them. Post them on Buy Nothing or NextDoor, we have elementary teachers on my local groups looking for stuff like that all the time for the kids in their classrooms who maybe don’t have much at home and need an afternoon snack. ETA: Alternately, you could put them out on your porch with a note for the UPS or other delivery people to take a snack. We get so many packages year round for DH’s business that we put a big deck box out on our porch for them to put our packages in so things don’t sit out in the open for porch pirates driving past to spot, and we put assorted snacks inside the box so the delivery people can help themselves to a treat. |
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Jan 10, 2024 0:26:46 GMT
While I was making dinner I cleaned out the cereal cabinet (also has DH's growing pharmacy of supplements). Threw away some old boxes and also did a very quick run through of a few other shelves in our small food closet. I really need to do a big purge but am having a hard time mentally thinking about getting rid of some of the things, even though they are old. For example, we have a lot of tea. But hardly every drink tea. And some other items that I bought when I did Trim Healthy Mama but haven't used since before Covid. Why is it hard to get rid of these things even though we haven't eaten/used them in so long and we have precious little kitchen space? Is it because it can't be donated and will just get thrown away? I will need to be in a purging state of mind when I go through it more thoroughly.
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Post by calgaryscrapper on Jan 10, 2024 1:43:19 GMT
iamkristenl16, we can compost ingredients from tea bags etc in our green carts and re-cycle the packaging. I see many people offer up open packages of tea etc on our local Buy Nothing Facebook group.
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Post by fiddlesticks on Jan 10, 2024 1:52:21 GMT
This weekend we are supposed to get some snow/ice that has changed my plans. DD has a dance convention and while I wasn't going to stay at the hotel the convention is at (because it is stupid expensive) I was worried that I would be a mile away but still not able to travel to the convention. So, I am now staying at the more expensive hotel BUT the advantage is that it is one of those weird rooms that doesn't have a bed. They are calling it a parlor room and it has a pullout bed but it also has a little kitchenette and dining room table. So, we are packing our food so we don't have to spend money eating out AND while my daughter in in class for 6 hours on Saturday and Sunday, I can take my huge photo project with me.
I have all the photos from my parent's, and I need to sort, get ready of duplicates, and put them in some sort of order. So, while it isn't exactly what I wanted my weekend to look like, I will have a chance to actually get some things done!
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jan 10, 2024 2:38:44 GMT
While I was making dinner I cleaned out the cereal cabinet (also has DH's growing pharmacy of supplements). Threw away some old boxes and also did a very quick run through of a few other shelves in our small food closet. I really need to do a big purge but am having a hard time mentally thinking about getting rid of some of the things, even though they are old. For example, we have a lot of tea. But hardly ever drink tea. And some other items that I bought when I did Trim Healthy Mama but haven't used since before Covid. Why is it hard to get rid of these things even though we haven't eaten/used them in so long and we have precious little kitchen space? Is it because it can't be donated and will just get thrown away? I will need to be in a purging state of mind when I go through it more thoroughly. BTDT Kristin! I end up throwing away so many partial boxes of crackers, breakfast cereal and other similar stuff it’s just sad. DD will get on a kick where she will mow through a whole box of something really fast, which leads me to (incorrectly) believe that it’s something she loves so I buy it again. Then she’ll eat one or two servings of the second box, then NOTHING. And the rest of the box will sit there until it’s stale and nasty. For example, she was buying Funyuns at school a la carte at $1.75 for a tiny bag. Found them in the store and she ate the whole ten pack in like three days. 😳 Then I saw some BIG bags at Costco so I thought, YEAH! I got a couple bags of those to give her for Easter. I think she ate half of one of those bags and the other whole big bag ended up in the trash. 🤦🏻♀️ I too have to be in the right frame of mind to just sigh, chuck the stuff in the trash and move on. |
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It was such a mess down there for ten YEARS. 😳 So that’s the only warning with having a space like that, you have to really stay on top of keeping the projects organized so it doesn’t get out of control. But now I will say that when I finally did have the time to get it sorted and cleaned up, it was nice that it was all out of the way so I could work on it little by little and leave it in a way that I could come back to it as I had time to chip away at the mess. It’s so much better now that I sorted through all the boxes of random stuff and got rid of a lot of that. I still have all the stamps that I need to go through piece by piece but at least it’s neat and orderly. It’s going to be a HUGE project to go through the literal thousands of rubber stamps that I collected over the years, and right now that’s not high on my priority list so it can wait.
