Not quite a horder - decluttering
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Oh, yes, I forgot also. I can now see the top of my dining room table and part of the couch next to me. Broke down some cardboard boxes to go in recycle next week. Straightened my shoe closet and put away the summer shoes, got out the winter ones and boots. Didn't get rid of any of them though.
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Rachelvk: Keep doing the little things. It will add up. Good luck if you decide to yard sale.
Patoo: Keep it up. My dining room table gets cluttered up and then I clean if off. It's always seems to be in use. I'm framing some family photos for Christmas presents on it right now, but my piles of misc. papers are all gone. I agree about Ebay. I bought a used Talbot's skirt for $14.00 and it didn't fit so I listed it and only one person bid on it for $4.99. When I bought it there were multiple bidders. I didn't hope to make money, but I did hope to recoup my $14. I was just going to call the S&H a wash.
Tossed out 2 long dresses, yellow and navy blue pantsuit, 2 shirts,a few other clothes, silk flower arrangement and set of 3 candlestick holders. My clothes closet was straightened up and organized, but now there is breathing room. I can slide the hangers easily. I don't know what possessed me as I have been thinking about the clothes for a while. Still have 38 pairs of shoes. I'm thinking about lining them all up and trying them all on and trying to get rid of 4 pairs. That's my goal for Nov. I'm too busy sewing Halloween costumes now. Blue is for Cinderella and Gold is for Belle.The church party is the 28. Gotta go.
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No decluttering this weekend. Hanging out with ruthbru, hbcheryl and badger, all posters here, in Minneapolis Fri-Sun. Going to be fun, fun, fun.
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Hi ladies, I've been off the boards for quite a while - you've all been very busy bees! I haven't decluttered anything in the last three months. Today, I'm tackling my pantry (while I wait for the Michigan State and Wisconsin football game to come on - Go MSU). I'm embarrassed to say I haven't cleaned out the floor and swept and mopped it in many years. I'm waiting for the floor to dry and then in goes only the stuff I need - I've already thrown a bunch of old things away. Enjoy your weekend without decluttering. Have fun with the ladies in Minneapolis this weekend - tell badger that although whe's a wonderful sister, I hope her team loses tonight!
Hotandcold - I just bought a beautiful pair of shoes on ebay for $20 (they were 125 shoes) and they don't fit - I can't believe it. I may be doing what you had to do and resell them (for a loss of course)
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Teka,
I do love my pantry but it isn't quite big enough to make pies in and there are no windows so it's not sunny. It is a luxury though! I'll hope you win the lottery soon so you can have a pantry too!
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Joining in from Ottawa Canada.
I have lived in my home for 17 years and have saved things that were my childrens or what I thought they might need later on. Well, now my kids are grown and have munchkins of their own. The thing is they really don't want my collection of stuff for them, and I am having a hard time to get rid of it just in case they change their mind.
... and then of course there are the memories. I am slowly clearing out some of the things I no longer years and tackling my wardrobe.
Now, I haven't read much of this thread yet, but felt a good place to start would be to post.
Once step at a time.
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since both my sister, and y mom have died in the past few years, i was saving all kinds of things.. even toys my sister sent for my grands. got them all out: i KNOW my son wouldn't want any of it.. so, i had the kids over, and let them "pick out what THEY liked.. then, took them home with them.. whether he throws it away or nnot, i gave them to them like my sister and mom wanted...
i also have a few blankets my mom crocheted for them.. they aren't going.. even though my son doesn't want them (jerk) i have some special stuff in a space bag; and i intend to put it all together in peices, as an art project; when all is decluttered. for the meantime, its shruken, and in a draw on the porch.. those i won't donate.. i had a collection that my younger son had od hand puppets my youngest loved when he was little, he didn't want them, so a kid I know who doesn't have much, got all but one. He loves them, and one is enough for my memoris... so far, so good. this will take awhile, so, everyday, a little.. we'll see how far we can get.......3jays
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Welcome dragonfly55.
I wonder for those things that were kept hoping the kids would want them, or may change their mind - can you give them one thing together with the birthday present, another together with the Christmas/Hanukkah present, give one with the anniversary present, take one to leave when you go to visit, etc. That way you declutter from your place, have passed them on and what they do with them is no longer your concern? Just a thought.
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yup. i spent days, and i do mean days shredding awhile ago.. butned out the shredder (it was a cheapie obvy..) waiting for payday, getting a better one. then, it'll be days again...
we actually have bern purging fruniture, now, really streamling the look in the house.. nov. 17th is a couch; thr last peice.. it never DID fit into our little villa right.. silly me, i bought it with irs last year; with a little hole in it. it never bothered me.. faux leather, and i keep covers over everythijg with my pups.. but its impossible to "recycle" and where we are, no bulk pickup.. my son finally said he'll pick it up, and put it out at his house.. last beig peice to go, and we can move in that room!!!!........3jays
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If any of you have Freecycle in your area it is a wonder! People who don't want to fill up the local dumps put usable items up on Freecycle. The those intertested respond and a pick up timeis agreed to. No need to give out personal info to the offer or respond person other than email addy and adress of where to pick up. For those who might want something, I got a kids kitchen set of the highest quality, to cabinets had piano hinges and the wood is thick. I got a glass top coffee table for our family room that was exactly what I was going to buy. This is a great resource to declutter your house with. Look at the websites and decide for yourself.
Me, I finally began using house cleaners several mionths ago and I am so glad. I was embarassed with my unpacked boxes from the move in 2010 but they just worked around it and made it much easier for me to get a few things done. I am SO glad I got house cleaners. Hugs Ginger
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Back from surgery - and it was great to walk in to a professionally cleaned home. I had managed to reduce some of the clutter, and she actually organized my knick knacks and books so they looked... tidy!
I'll still never be the type of person with completely clean (ie: empty) surfaces. That gets too sterile for me. But hopefully I can keep the clutter down and make it easier to dust occassionaly.
Teka - Funny about the couch. Mine just collects newspapers to be read. At one point, when I got both the daily local paper and weekend NYTimes.... I think at its worst the pile went back over a year! Hazard of being a journalist - I feel compelled to read my colleagues' work. That's diminishing over time.
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Patoo, you said you boxed up summer clothes and got out winter. How do you store them? Here in S FL everything is always available but I really could box up the shorts/tank tops right? Do you store this stuff In the attic or in another bedroom. Can you tell I've lived here all my adult life and haven't had to adjust to big temp. changes..... I'm dealing with smaller closets and definitely not enough room for everything.
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samsue, sorry that wasn't me. I have so much closet space that it all stays out. Used to be the bedroom closet was for heaver, winter clothing and the downstairs closets held the lighter summer stuff. Now it's all mixed up and so that is another item "to do". I wouldn't think you needed to box up in So FL. Say it ain't so!
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i don;t pack mine up, i stole all thr closets...hahaha really, i use space bags (tm) and threy work fine, no mildew, they're waterproof, etc......3jays0
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Well, Halloween is over. This year I didn't even decorate. Does that mean it's time to get rid of the box? My house was once so scary that I would walk out to the munchkins to give them their treats.
Thank you for the tips. That regifting idea is pretty good patio.
Congrats 3jaysmom on getting rid of couch and your "new room".
Samsue, I wouldn't store clothes in the attic. I have some nice plastic containers to store seasonal clothes in either in closet or underbed. Shorts and summer tops are pretty small,perhaps underbed containers would work well. You can grab them at anytime that way.
I just bought a paper shredder. I see I few movie nights coming up. Just need the motivation.
I have a real issue with books. I buy them because they interest me, especially cookbooks,then I rarely use them. I can't part with them, just in case.
Definitely having some trouble with decluttering. I'm moving stuff from one place to another or boxing it.
It wow be great to have someone do a thorough house cleaning or have someone come in and help me dejunk.
I finally emptied all the bags of soil I bought 2 weeks ago. Need to organise the outside sheds before the snow flies.0 -
just one thing, everyday.. it seems like it'll be forever.. but, there's good days, and a lot of bad days here. as long as one, im good on the bad days.. i also didn't decorate, but plan on a little next year.. we've got just a bit to put out front, and in the garden/ we live in an over 55: but i still like all the holidays. don't like the cookie cutter look lol.......3jays0
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Well, it took my mom all of two days of being with me to 'suggest' that perhaps if I shut the computer off for 30 minutes a day, I could cut down on the clutter... I gave her the evil stare. She's right, but let's talk after I've been recuperating a bit more than four days post-op!?! I did have that on my list of things to do once I got through my initial days of resting up, since it doesn't take any effort to pick up a single piece of paper and toss it in the garbage!
Now that I'm focused on moving in 6 months (as opposed to the end of this year, which would have been a disaster) I am determined to clear things out over the next few months.
Dragonfly - Books are a huge issue for me. I bought a bunch while working in a bookstore in college (a lot of non-fiction) that I 'intend' to read.... someday. I started a history of India the day I had my biopsy (figured I'd start hitting the bucket list right off the bat) but barely made it through Chapter 1. I've been asked by several people why I hang on to all my books. My feeling is my bookcase defines who I've been and who I want to be - Russian studies, history, science fiction, historical fiction. If you walk in and just look at my book case, you know me.
Hope everyone is doing well.
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rachel.. forget about it!!! you need to rest, read and BE ON the comouter.. anything that'll help you to heal.. this time is for you.. healing before any worries..............3jays0
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I am very organized...could probably start a new career helping people declutter and organize their homes and offices.
When I was in business I had a rule about my mail. I only touched it one time, and it either got answered, filed, or put in the trash.
Now that I'm retired, I am careful about keeping my home clutter free. If I buy something new to wear, I donate an item of clothing to goodwill or to one of my DIL's who are my size. After I retired I took all of my good work clothes and evening event clothes and put them in a consignment shop...I made more money on them than I did the furniture I sold!
I don't buy newspapers or magazines anymore unless it is a cookbook or something I am going to use ongoing. I love to read, and have resisted going electronic; however, the books I buy and read, I donate after I'm finished. They don't hang around to clutter my shelves.
I think part of the reason I'm organized is that we had to move so many times...probably made about 25 moves in 50 years, and you just can't keep taking all that stuff with you, so I learned to donate it, have a huge garage sale, or throw it away.
I have a wonderful cousin who is a hoarder...she wasn't always that way. It happened after she had a severe business failure. She lost her home and had to sell a lot of her possessions. What she was able to keep, she really doesn't need, but she won't part with it. Her brothers have no patience with her, and while she was visiting a friend out of town, they went into her apartment and cleared out a lot of stuff. Can you imagine how violated she felt when she returned! Now she is worse. I can't even get her to come visit me..she won't leave her home for very long.
Real hoarding is an illness and needs to be treated as such. I tried talking to the brothers, but they blow it off...say she just needs to get her act together. I don't live nearby, so I can't help.
It's sad to see the state she is in at this time in her life. I wish I could help her, but she doesn't want help from me or anyone else righ now.
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i'm so sorry to hear that story.. one of my sons' cleaned out a storage garage behind our house, yrs ago; whike i was gone a few days.. he threw everything id stored there.. important papers, pictures of my boys childhood... im sure thats' why its so hard to lose any of their old stuff... recently, one of the family from my ex; has been sending old photos of my boys to my oldest.. thank goodness for technology now; i just scanned them into my pictures... what a good feeling to have re gained some of them.....
and the journey continues...3jays
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Family or friends are terribly misguided and uninformed to go through anyone else's possesions. Somehow informing those who may be tempted might be the best thing one could do for a person at risk. I know a woman who was widowed young and then the problem began. Her family ordered up a dumpster while she was hospitalized and "cleared" out her house. She is much more seriously ill now thanks to their help! Makes me glad I am an only child. Hoenstly I wonder if family does this to men? I kind of think not.
I popped in to say that I have had cleaning service now for several months and it is helping me be more organized. Everything looks really good for about a week and pretty darn good the next week until they come again. In areas where I still have some moving boxes they work around it very nicely.
I am SO glad I have the cleaning service, I should have done it years , decades, ago! I thought I would be embarassed and ashamed and I tell you it really wasn't a problem. Also it is cheaper than therapy! Therapy $150.00 an hour, cleaning $40.00 an hour per worker. Three cleaners for 1 hour and 15 minutes for $138.00 and they get a huge amouint done. Worth every penny.
Ginger
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hiGingerz; its' so good to see you here! yes, it unfortunately, gets to men, also. My DH mur, got really bad.. around the time we moved here, a much smaller place than we had.. everything was in boxes, and i got my dx.. he's really still not keen on going thru stuff; from"before"...
so, my wanting to hang on to sentimental stuff; and him wanting not to face what alls "changed" in outr lives, its' a crap shoot!!
i actually was a housekeeper; for yrs. when my ms allowed me to work.. first, i was a massage therapist, but my knees and hands wouldn't allow that for too long.. then, i got a job working for a rich family in ft. lauderdale, as daily for awhile.. hated the job itself the ple, but found i loved clreaning.. thats why i get horrified that we've had such a time decluttering.. my house is clean; steam clean, etc.. but the chaos kills me. my hub fights any progress, too, so thats' hard.. onward, and upward!!!
hope thins stay well for you.........3jays
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Ginger: You are so right about the cleaning service! I used to have one when I was working, but when I retired I decided I could do it myself. Well...that lasted almost six years...this year when we came back to Florida I took one look at the house, the screened porch, the windows, and promptly called a local service who sent two efficient women out on a day when my boyfriend was playing golf and not there to get in their way. In no time at all, the place looked like a model home!
I didn't feel the least bit guilty! Have a great day everyone!
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Ginger and Kaara,
I am with you, I have someone come in every two weeks. She also works around cluttered areas of the home. I had one corner in my room that was just a pile of stuff I hadn't taken care of (falling over piles) and last week she organized it and now all I have to do is put stuff away. As long as I'm working I'm keeping her. DH grumbles every two weeks but he misses the clean house if she has to skip a time or two.
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Got a bag for another charity collection next Monday. Mom is excited about helping me go through and pull things out to add from my closets... And every day I've managed to throw out at least a few old business cards or papers that were just hanging around.
Next week I might pick a small project or two to tackle beyond that. Thanks for being a great motivating group!
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getting more done here.. about two laundry baskets full to go to goodwill each week. tommorow, over 20 books to go to the store, where i trade them for credits.. so far, so good. gotta go thruhvholiday boxes, and downsize soon...........3jays0
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3jaysmom: Good for you! I always feel better when I've taken a load to goodwill...makes me feel like I've accomplished something of value. Another good place to donate if you have clothes that you wore for business, etc, is Women in Distress. A lot of those women have nothing but the clothes on their backs because they had to leave so quickly to avoid abusive relationships.
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Many hairdresers do provide that service. Check with local organizations sponsoring back to work programs. Also I had a free hair cut before chemo and it was very nice and caring.
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Another great program is Dress for Success. I've donated a number of suits to them - though they always need size 10 and above, and mine are 8 and below.
I just put a call into United War Veterans Council who are making the rounds Monday. My old computer monitor and printer are headed out, as is a bag of stuff I've had in my 'for the next tag sale' pile for ages. Guess I'll give up on squeezing cash out of any of that junk. I'll look for more stuff over the weekend. I had to laugh - the postcard I got with the donation bag was stamped "We especially need Chotskies!" Chotskies? Have I got Chotskies for you!!!
Mom got a hold of the plastic holder where I keep all my lipsticks and nail polishes and she's wiping it all down. I've tried to whittle them down - all those crazy colors I never really use.
Thanks for the encouragement. Here's to a weekend of decluttering!
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rachelvk, I have the same 'yard sale' pile. The junk didn't sell in the two I did this year, why do I think they will sell if I hold them until the spring? Hoping to go through it this weekend. Does Goodwill take anything and everything?
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