Deleted
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Oct 6, 2024 12:27:00 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2014 17:04:22 GMT
I'm going to have the opportunity to get a whole-house decluttering done over a week-long period in August. It's most likely just going to be me and I really need to get as much done as possible since this is a golden opportunity.
So many websites I have visited talk about baby steps, doing a little at a time, etc but these don't apply to my situation. Any tips or websites anyone has found useful in this regard?
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scorpeao
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,521
Location: NorCal USA
Jun 25, 2014 21:04:54 GMT
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Post by scorpeao on Jul 27, 2014 17:35:28 GMT
That's a good list. I kept the last christmas card my grandma sent me. I had no idea it would be the last card, as she lived for a few more years. There was just something about it that made me keep it. Now that's she passed I cannot get rid of it. I tell myself that my dd doesn't want it, so I should toss it, but I just can't. This list let me know it's okay. I declutter quite often thinking about my dd having to clean it all up should I die. I worked in an antique store for years, so I saw how much crap people collect, and how it really becomes a burden when family has to deal with it. I don't ever want my dd to have to figure out wtf to do with 1500 salt and pepper shakers |
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Post by aggiebonfire00 on Jul 28, 2014 5:12:33 GMT
I weirdly hang on to clothes too. I will not wear 1/10 of the clothes in my closet, but I cannot donate them. I did pass on two pairs of jeans that no longer fit me (thanks to weight loss)!
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 28, 2014 5:16:19 GMT
I love the idea of taking pictures and/or scanning much of the artwork and making it into a photobook.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 6, 2024 12:27:00 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2014 11:28:06 GMT
In relation to getting rid of sentimental stuff, I will admit that although I can be pretty "heartless," I do hit a stumbling block with some things.
For example, I've had grand plans for years to take Christmas cards we've received and turn them into some kind of album. I think it's time to accept the fact I'm never going to get around to this, and just toss all but the most sentimental.
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msliz
Drama Llama
The Procrastinator
Posts: 6,419
Jun 26, 2014 21:32:34 GMT
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Post by msliz on Jul 28, 2014 11:52:26 GMT
If you can be satisfied with a photo of a sentimental object, snap a picture and get rid of the object.
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Post by lightetc on Jul 28, 2014 12:03:01 GMT
The Minimalists talk about a packing party - that's something that's done in a weekend but might be a bit extreme. There are other thought provoking posts on their site. You don't have to take it quite to the extreme they have, but it gets you thinking. www.theminimalists.com/start/This essay that they link to is always a great reminder to me about where I want to end up. Or rather where I definitely don't want to end up. www.theminimalists.com/crap/ |
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Post by lightetc on Jul 28, 2014 12:10:12 GMT
Oh, and Becoming Minimalist is a good site for a much gentler approach from someone who has a family and doesn't just throw away everything they own. I believe he wrote a list of 101 things you can consider getting rid of right now. There's always something on that list that doesn't need to stay in my house :-)
Good luck! You know how to do this - the whole keep-donate-sell-trash boxes thing. I find I just need to be in the right mindset, which is where the websites come in.
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grinningcat
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,663
Jun 26, 2014 13:06:35 GMT
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Post by grinningcat on Jul 28, 2014 12:21:42 GMT
That minimalist site is interesting. As I've posted elsewhere on here, I'm having a really hard time finding a positive attitude towards purging during my moving process. The site is interesting and I'll have to explore it more, I just hope that there is no more holier than thou attitude like what I read in the "no more TV" post.
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momto4kiddos
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,153
Jun 26, 2014 11:45:15 GMT
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Post by momto4kiddos on Jul 28, 2014 12:22:07 GMT
I have plans to do my attic in the Fall when it cools down. I'm looking forward to it (sound crazy I know!)
I know somewhere i've read about getting out some boxes and labeling them, "keep" "throw" and "donate". Sounds like a good system to use to me.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 6, 2024 12:27:00 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2014 15:27:53 GMT
Thanks for the website recommendations, lightetc. I've used the "keep, toss, donate" method before and am good with purging on a small scale but I need to get my head in the game and make serious progress.  |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 6, 2024 12:27:00 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2014 15:31:20 GMT
I have plans to do my attic in the Fall when it cools down. I'm looking forward to it (sound crazy I know!) Not crazy, I do actually enjoy the process and the feeling of freedom once it's done. I'm planning on a little bonus in each room once I'm done overall, like decorating the wall above the piano in the living room. |
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Post by AN on Jul 28, 2014 15:55:01 GMT
Even when I'm going full tilt, working hard all day, I do better working in small increments with lots of breaks. Maybe work 20 minutes, take a 10 minute break. Or work 45 minutes, take a 15 minute break.
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Post by Prenticekid on Jul 28, 2014 16:42:12 GMT
Even though you have a week planned, I would suggest that you do small prep sessions so that it isn't too overwhelming. It will also let you know what you are in for. Decluttering always takes me longer than I think it will, often because I have to account for being indecisive or not know exactly how I want to deal with something. Perhaps you could spend an evening or two looking at each space that you need to declutter. You'll have a better idea of boxes and other supplies needed too.
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Post by cindyupnorth on Jul 28, 2014 17:39:00 GMT
I am decluttering my closet today. Going thru all my clothes. So what's the rule for getting rid of clothes? I'm finally giving in to the throwing the clothes that were 2 sizes ago.....there go my skinny hopes...
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Post by 950nancy on Jul 28, 2014 18:22:13 GMT
For clothes, get rid of what you can. Then turn the hangars around facing backwards. As you wear something, it goes back on the hangar correctly. At then end of six months (or your time allotment) whatever is still turned backwards, should be given away. This works.
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Post by 950nancy on Jul 28, 2014 18:24:13 GMT
Also, have three large boxes toss and give away and put in another area. Don't leave a room until it is purged. You can do it quickly (usually) if you do not leave the room. The boxes make that possible.
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Post by anonrefugee on Jul 28, 2014 19:33:36 GMT
Thank you for links. The Small Notebook piece connected with me.
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Post by cindyupnorth on Jul 28, 2014 20:44:52 GMT
I am getting rid of 3 garbage bags of clothes, and old sheet sets. Feels good. Think I will just take them to a donate site. I would try to sell them at a rummage sale, but women's clothes NEVER sell, and a pain to lug around.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 6, 2024 12:27:00 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2014 0:08:51 GMT
I am getting rid of 3 garbage bags of clothes, and old sheet sets. Feels good. Think I will just take them to a donate site. I would try to sell them at a rummage sale, but women's clothes NEVER sell, and a pain to lug around. I really got to the point that I just donate everything. Garage sales around here are hit or miss--we've had a few in the years we've lived in this house and I could barely give away kids' clothes in good condition and nice toys with all the pieces intact. As someone mentioned on another thread, it does make me cringe when I think what I've spent on some thing over the years, but the best lesson for me is just to be more selective in what I'm buying from here on out. |
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Post by Dori~Mama~Bear on Jul 29, 2014 0:40:54 GMT
I used to watch those clean home shows. any way they took really large tarps and put them in the yard. They labeled each one of them Keep, Donate/sell, and trash.
Then they would empty everything out of each room they were going to clean out. They did a quick sort to get everything out of the room. then the donate/sell pile got donated or set aside to have a garage sale. then they hauled off the trash. Then they took the keep pile and right next to it they laid out a smaller tarp. Then they sorted out the rest of the keep pile. It was amazing that most of the people got rid of mush more stuff the second time they sorted it. Maybe if you don't haave room in your yard maybe you can just take the trash and donate/sell piles out and put the keep pile in your garage to sort through.
I know when we moved here we had a storage unit that we had too much stuff in and we put it all in a trailer and brought it over stacked it in the garage and my daughter and I went through every box. I had 3 6 foot tables lined up end for end and I put all the keep stuff on the tables. I had a row of boxes that were to be donated. as they filled up we put them in the car. once my car was full we would fill her car and then we would take them to good will. the trash boxes then were loaded in my car and we took them to the dump.
We then went through the keep pile again. I did find much stuff more to donate. I didn't keep stuff I was going to have to store unless it was holiday decorations, or craft stuff (mostly material).
I put all the stuff my husband had to sort through in a stack made him sort through them. I was not going to do any decision making with his stuff. I did the same with daughters stuff. In all with going through the holiday stuff and purging that it only took us not quite a month. I still have a lot of holiday stuff which in that past year I have decided to get rid of a bunch more of it this holiday season.
I started with all of the books we had. I put them in stacks of whos they were and made them go through them. After that it was easy going through all the other stuff. I did find craft stuff that I forgot I had. It was like Christmas morning.
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lisasahm
Junior Member
Basement cat is easily annoyed.
Posts: 81 
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Post by lisasahm on Jul 29, 2014 0:48:00 GMT
Oh I love this thread and will be watching it! I need to get at my basement. Many years ago, I rented a small dumpster and did a HUGE purge of stuff (crap) from the basement. Sadly it's filling up again. Not like a hoarder, just stuff in piles, and it bugs me. It doesn't help that DH keeps so much of his stuff.
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Post by katlaw on Jul 29, 2014 1:03:26 GMT
I am decluttering this month too. I have stuff I have inherited from different family members and it is getting ridiculous. Just because I am the scrapbooker I have become the keeper of pictures and old papers for everyone in the family.
I started by making a plan for what I wanted the room to look like when I was finished with it and what purpose the room would serve. Then I would know what to keep and what I was using it for.
Then I moved stuff all to one side so I could make piles of stuff as I sorted it, all onto the space I had cleared. Donate, garbage, sell (garage sale, Kijiji, Facebook buy and sell) and keep. The stuff in the keep pile all has to have a permanent place in my home going forward.
Everyday I make sure everything that is garbage is packaged to be recycled. I then go for a drive, drop off any items I am choosing to donate at the donate bin and recyclables at the bins we have for them.
I am starting in one room and hoping to go through every room in my house while I am on vacation from work.
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Post by anniefb on Jul 29, 2014 2:11:17 GMT
Useful thread - thanks for all the tips. I've successfully used the taking pictures of memorabilia approach in the past and think that can work.
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