Not quite a horder - decluttering
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I hear the question to ask is "If I need this can I replace it in 20" for $20?" If the answer is yes, out it goes. We're also downsizing and DH has a garage still full of tools. This is after he's given away gobs. I think men must have an invisible bumper sticker that says, The One with the Most Tools Wins.
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Yes! DH says the garage is next. Ha! Good luck. It’s such a daunting task, I almost feel bad for him.
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Sounds awesome ladies. Glad to hear it.
I did get a delivery today for something that is really cool. I have this elliptical that I can pedal while sitting on the couch which is nice when I want to keep moving during a tv show but I wanted to be able to use my laptop at the same time for surveys, videos for cash or just youtube or movies. I looked on amazon and found what you could think of as almost a bed table. Has legs that adjust up and down , has a lip to keep devices from falling off when at an angle and will fit my laptop. It does not interfere with pedaling and folds flat. I just have it stuffed at the end of couch where it will be used. I am looking to get more physical activity.
This was a good add to my house I think.
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Suggestion for those who have a hubby who refuses to downsize preparatory to a move;
Rent a small storage unit, and put everything that he doesn't use in it. You could tell him, but you hold the key. If he hasn't used any of those things by the time a year is up, it all gets sold or tossed. Many variations on the strategy, but it is more respectful of him than the brutal option.
Reason it to him that if he had to do it all in a rush, he might make some decisions that he would regret.
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Good idea. Sometimes it is the just doing that starts the clearing out and once a person starts, it usually goes quickly I find. I have a broken spin dryer that I am going to ask my brother to take to goodwill so they can recycle for parts. I have been tempted to put out with trash as other residents here have done so, but I know that is not right so I kept the broken spin dryer in my bedroom closet. I really want it gone so I can properly see what I am working with.
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MCBaker, I think my DH would buy that idea.
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MCBaker, I appreciate the suggestions.
Personally, I could not do that though, while the disorganized process can be frustrating, keeping his possessions under my control (holding the key) feels like an ultimatum. I’d lose my mind if he ever tried to tell me what to do with my stuff, so for now, I’ll wait and hope his pace catches up to mine.
More bags of stuff almost ready for my friend and whatever I decide to give up after the move will go to the local thrift store that benefits the local animal shelter. Last time I popped into the thrift store, I noticed may items that were kind of cheap, old and worn, I’m hoping our stuff will add some variety.
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Well, got out more stuff from my closets that I was not using. Going under my bed this weekend, I do have a couple of storage bins but no lids for them, think I will get rid of those and wait to get some proper containers that will do up for under the bed. Haven't checked with DB about goodwill but that is not a pressing issue.
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Tackled my side of the bedroom today. Organized two shoe piles, sorted and cleared a 4x2 ft pile of clothes/misc. stuff along a wall and emptied a cedar chest/bench. The result was two more bags of donation clothes and two bags of trash. Now I’m beat and feeling the effects of all the dust I kicked up but glad it done.
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Yay, Illimae, four more bags out!
When we downsized, I had to sort the whole big house myself, including DH's things, except for his office. And except for kid's room. For the garage, I sent out an SOS to DH's brothers, nephews, and friend to please come and help him. That is the only way it was going to happen.
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SP, 12 days to go to be out of sold home and DH has barred me from the shop and banned me from talking to him about why he waited so long. We return in 2 days to finish and clean. To be continued.
Tensions are high.
But you know what? We are currently unpacking in the new home and I am taking a break and joining my adult children for wine tasting today DH is canning pickles.
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Sandi, taking a break is a grand idea. The shop is your DH’s shop, and his responsibility; he has made that clear. So let it go completely. You don’t have to step in and deal with any problems connected with it. Walk away from it figuratively and literally. Let DH figure it out. If it is not empty when the buyers show up, DH will have to deal with it. Don’t be there. I really don’t mean this in a vindictive way, just a self-preservation and relationship-preservation way.
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Shetland - walking away is always harder than it sounds but really true. Lucky your DH had brothers to call.
Sandi - That's good advice. Just don't BE there. Find something to do at the new house or at the store or in the park or signing up for a new gym or.... And try to put it out of your mind.
Mae - you are making great progress. If you said, I can't remember - do you have a target move date?
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Sandi, the break is an excellent idea. Enjoy yourself.
I am still in the process of figuring out the linen closet. Decided that instead of trying to put up a shelf without tools, I will take some of my picture hangers with hooks, Nail them higher up on either side and put all my extra oxyclean containers of which there are quite a few. It will be a while before I need to use them, but it gets them out of the living room. I have a compulsion toward having extra laundry supplies as well as extra liquid and handsoaps which is ridiculous but I can at least keep them put away. The linen closet is the largest closet I have.
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Mara - you have such clever ideas. You go girl!!
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Minus, our target date is Halloween and it’s coming quick.
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I did check out the linen closet, cannot really hang bags up there. Will probably put an over the door hanger and put a bag that way. I can also attach a small bag to the bottom door. That will move some stuff out of the closet. I will put picture frame hooks around different places in the house. The one I nailed to my apartment door is holding all my grocery bags no problem. I have another hanging in the kitchen holding some odds and ends. The picture frame leaves very tiny holes in the wall as well which is good.
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SandyBeach and illimae - you are doing so great getting your things cleaned out and organized.
Great ideas Mara on creating places for storage.
I did clean out some of my kitchen cupboards today. I am actually quite embarrassed that I threw out 3 cake boxes that two were dated 2015 and one 2014. It seems crazy that I would keep buying them. I think I was trying to make sure I had some because my granddaughters would come over and want to make a cake, but they got older and was out of the cake baking .
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Mara - I have a number of aluminum & plastic pieces that fit over the top of the door. Some have only one hook but some have three or more. I LOVE them for hanging bags with all sorts of stuff. On some doors I actually have hooks hanging both ways - inside & outside. Below is a Home Depot Link just for ideas. No holes, no installation. I don't know what they have in Ontario, but some of these seem to be available on Amazon or at WalMart.
https://www.homedepot.com/b/Storage-Organization-H...
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I hear ya..I agree. Ready to start fresh in new place. DH and I will camp in October and all the stress will be gone.
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It will probably be a few years before my husband and I move, and we have plenty of space now. Even so, we continue to get rid of more than we get, a little at a time. A week ago I sorted through my linen cabinet and the non-clothing things in my walk-in closet. (My clothing is already sorted to a fairly small number of things.) I got rid of a little, including a Vellux blanket that was disintegrating and a thread-bare sheet set. At same time, DH went through some boxes in our storage room and trashed a few things.
The things I most want to work through belong to our son. He hasn't lived here, other than a couple of summers, since he started college 13 years ago. I've tried a number of times to get him to do it himself, but made minimal progress that way. He's lived out of state for 7 years, and because his wife hates us, they aren't likely to come this way any day soon. He'd be pissed if we got rid of stuff without his permission, and he'd be pissed if we boxed it up and shipped it to him. We can't really win either way. And since we do have the room, there's no urgency to deal with it. Still, it gnaws at me.
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MM, Tell him you're willing to move it into a storage unit which he pays for. Then it's up to him.
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I agree with Wrenn, tell him you can put it in storage that he pays for or you will ship it to him. Take the space back. Especially if he hasn't been there for 13 years. If he says no to storage and shipping, you will donate it. You shouldn't have to bothered by it even you do have the space.
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Wren and mara, that would make sense if we needed the space or were about to move. Given the way things are between us, it would only make the relationship worse. So it isn't something I would do now. Thanks for the thought.
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I understand MountainMia.
I am still on a mission to get my apartment in better shape so I can get some decent furniture. Looked hard a my laundry area and decided that I need to scale back the amount of supplies I keep. They should all fit in the area I have. When it comes to stuff in my house, I am giving away or tossing. I would rather have empty shelves than stuff that I don't use. I don't have a vehicle but have a broken spin dryer in my bedroom closet. I decided to list on a buy/sell and trade website on facebook for free. I would bring it out to the curb at an agreed upon time. Told them what was broken and that it is FREE. I would be surprised if no one picks it up. My brother just hasn't had the time and I cannot bring myself to just take it out to the apartment garbage. We will see what happens.
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UPDATE I called around my city where electronics are taken and no one was accepting a small stainless steel spin dryer. I finally found another place that will take the spin dryer off my hands for 60 dollars which is cheaper and frees up my closet. I tried to move it to my linen closet but at 30 lbs, it was too unsafe for me to do. This way, it takes it off my hands. I had trouble finding someone, even goodwill who used to be a place to recycle electronics would not take it. I have no car so I needed to make sure it would be accepted before ubering or whatever. One thing down, many to go. As said earlier, going to whittlle everything down that is not needed and stop buying ahead. I have so much hand sanitizer and rubbing alcohol, I will not run out anytime soon. I don't need extra soap. Laundry detergent wise, I will just go with powdered products and dissolve in loads that do not use hot water. Way less space taken up by huge plastic bottles.
I am also going to give away two working window fans which I never used since living here. Either to DB or put out back and write free and still work. DB and SIL don't want them so I put them in the entryway of my apartment building with a note saying free fans both working. Other people in the building may be able to use them in the summer. I just never did use them. I used them at my condo and never got rid of them.
Threw out extra things as well, may put out hangers out the back door with a label of free. I don't have enough stuff to hang up.
Edited to add, the two fans were taken with the spin dryer. Only cost 70 which was considerably less and gave me the option to clear them out today. My bedroom floor space is looking better.
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Great job, Mara!
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Happy first day of autumn! Since it has cooled down here in the southwest some the past few weeks, I have been busy doing some final clean out and purging in my garage (otherwise known as the final frontier). I will have more to take to consignment and donations too, think some things are going to get tossed in the trash too. Everyone speaks of spring cleaning but think the fall is also really good to get things done while there is still a bit more light and in most cases, the weather is good for us here in the northern part of the world.
MM- when I was younger, my mother used to try to get me to take stuff from her attic and because I was moving around some, I was trying to keep my belongings small and simple. When I moved to the southwest 24 years ago, shortly after I built and moved in to my new home, my mother became ill and within a year we were required to clean out and selling her house for money for her longer term care. Do it now or do it later as I found out.
Can you at least box up and consolidate things into some larger storage boxes so his things are out of the way? Stick them in a attic or basement with his name on them so if and when he is ready to either go through them, have them go to storage or have them shipped.
Ill- you are making progress and Halloween is coming up quickly! Hope you got a good break in between cycles of purging.
Mara- I have a super small laundry area. I buy my supplies in bulk at Sam's and store out in my garage in a storage closet and just keep some smaller containers in the actual space for use (and refil as needed). Allows me to have the supplies I need without clutter up the little space.
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Jazzygirl, that is a good idea. I have an exceptionally large linen closet that holds MOST of what I have. I bought a lot every shopping trip and have so much but it is starting to fit in there. I have decided on limits for each ingredient and they will all fit in there soon.
My bedroom looks better. I took the working spinner which is only used when I am washing bedding fits in the closet now as well as another item that was just taking up floor space. I put the cat carrier which is too big for under the bed and moved it to the corner of the room. I took one of my door hanger knobs and put the house coat and extra tortilla chips and put them inside the closet. Looks much better in there. Not doing too much today. Busy making money and pedalling my mini elliptical. Garbage will probably go out again and checking under the bed if anything can go.
Just got kind of a creative thought, maybe I purchase an extra dresser with fabric drawers and wood top and store the carrier there and drape an ottoman cover over it to make it look nicer. So many ideas, I do have to save more for this to be made reality.
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Jazzy--Dick's daughter asked Mom to help pack up Dick's things that he can take to Assisted Living, not everything. Much of his stuff will stay in the house, the kids plan to use it as a camp and so will keep the furniture and appliances (Dick traded his half of the huge TV they bought together for Mom's washer and dryer, now she doesn't have to move them into storage since her apartment already has those installed). Mom will be packing a set number of winter outfits and summer outfits and other clothing items, a set number of kitchen and bathroom linens, a set number of plates, bowls, mugs, utensils, some personal items, all per a list from the Assisted Living facility. Everything else the kids will use in the camp. Since Mom has to sort through most of that stuff to find her own anyway, it's not a big job, apparently. She has to have all of her stuff out by the end of the month, and give them her keys. Mom has been trying to get me to take stuff for ages, I've gotten pretty good at saying "no" or taking it and putting it directly into the dumpster when I get home. A lot of it is stuff she can't bring herself to throw away, but doesn't really mean anything to me, so I play the buffer.
Mara--you do have good ideas! I'm glad they help you keep your momentum!
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