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Not quite a horder - decluttering

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Comments

  • Meggy
    Meggy Member Posts: 74
    edited May 2012

    My brother helped me by telling me what helped him.  He would say to himself, "OK, what do I want more, this particular object, or a less stressful,  more relaxing home"  Helps me everytime to decide if something is worth keeping.

  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 10,618
    edited May 2012

    That's a good idea.

  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 1,997
    edited May 2012

    Decluttering confessions.

    I have four boxes of Colwater Creek returns packed up and ready to go out tomorrow. The items just sort of accumulated over time and then inertia set in and they cured for awhile. Maybe even years. Embarassed

    Someone in the returns department is going to hate me once they arrive there. My returns are not oganized by invoice. I spoke to customer service and they told me to just get them there and they will scan the items in and find them in my account and give me the full value of what I paid for them. Bless their hearts that is so nice of them. 

    I am glad the boxes, rather large, are gone from the front hall, previously dining room, previously master bedroom, previously Illinois houses. It looks almost too empty, like it is lonely and needs to be filled. Kidding on that. :) 

    Hugs Ginger

  • blessings2011
    blessings2011 Member Posts: 1,801
    edited May 2012

    Wow - Ginger - that's amazing! Good for you!!!!

    (And how nice of them!!!)

  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 10,618
    edited May 2012

    Wow with that sort of customer service it makes me want to shop there.

  • Kaara
    Kaara Member Posts: 2,101
    edited May 2012

    I tried to just exchange something at Chico's once without a sales slip and they gave me such a hard time...wouldn't let me do an even exchange for the same item in a smaller size.  I was so annoyed that I almost didn't want to shop there again, but then who would that be punishing:(

  • patoo
    patoo Member Posts: 5,243
    edited May 2012

    GO!

  • GramE
    GramE Member Posts: 2,234
    edited May 2012

    I have very little left to Unclutter after selling the house, downsizing a lot,  and moving to an apartment, then to this smaller apartment.   However, today I took 3 tote bags full of books to my son's.   They were his father's.   

    Not sure you saw this post on another thread:

    Word of the day:    EXHAUSTIPATED -- Just too tired to give a shit.

  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 1,997
    edited May 2012

    Four boxes in the mail. Two boxes of donation filled.

    Yes, Cold Water Creek has a no time limit reurn policy. I have an account with the, a great idea with that company. Become a One Creek Customer. Great online sales too.  Also Talbots has great sales but short return policy. 

    Still more to do. I have jeans a size down in the box. If I lose weight I will buy a couple new pairs. Tempting to keep them tough.

    I need to go through more tops and knits.  

    My husband will keep a sweater for thirty years if I don't intervene. He has put on some weight and will go to work with a swweater on that hugs his tummy or one that looks like a maternity top. Argh. I will get DD to intervene there he will listen to here. He works in a casual office and dresses better when he travels but all the company execs are in this office. 

    Hugs Ginger

  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 10,618
    edited May 2012

    Well, I opted to pot  some vegetables and do some repairs to the drip water system yesterday, so I am off to a slow start.  Bt maybe eating all the yummy vegetables will give me strength to declutter soon.

  • Kaara
    Kaara Member Posts: 2,101
    edited May 2012

    I'm starting to think about packing for our trip to NC where we go every summer through fall.  This year I am determined not to take a bunch of stuff that I'm not going to wear.  We left on a cruise from there last year so I had to drag all the cruise clothes along.  BF complains bitterly when I do this, so I'm going to pare down this year.  It's a very casual area...jeans and golf shorts and a couple of going out outfits and I'm good.  I'll have to declutter up there because lots of those clothes will now be too big for us to wear.  BF will be happy to part with his 36's.  Goodwill will be happy to see us again.

  • ptdreamers
    ptdreamers Member Posts: 639
    edited May 2012
    Off to a good start. Two boxes and a huge garbage bag filled with clothes and stuff for donation. Took about two hours to sort and list.Laughing
  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 10,618
    edited May 2012

    I finished getting read for work 15 minutes early yesterday so I used that time to put some things in their place in the sewing room.  Not a huge bite out of the task, but better than ignoring it.

  • Kaara
    Kaara Member Posts: 2,101
    edited May 2012

    OK...I went a little overboard yesterday....went to the mall and bought things I didn't need...a cute pair of shoes, a long maxi dress (BF said where are you going to wear that??) and two tops!  Now, keeping to my rule, I have to figure out what I'm going to get rid of today.

  • blessings2011
    blessings2011 Member Posts: 1,801
    edited May 2012

    GramE :

  • Linda-n3
    Linda-n3 Member Posts: 1,713
    edited May 2012
    I have been AWOL from here for a while.... now am needing to get back into the spirit of decluttering.  Exhaustipating.... word of the day for the past year.... hoping I get enough energy back to get some boxes OUT OF MY HOUSE!!  I did get one bag ready to go, it is sitting in my utility room just waiting for a ride to our local charity.  Setting a goal for May 15 as school is done and I don't have students to worry about after Saturday's graduation!  Nice to see so many of you making progress! Hooray!  Smile
  • ptdreamers
    ptdreamers Member Posts: 639
    edited May 2012
    Started in on the living room. Moved and sorted. :) Found this pic that all should enjoy.
  • patoo
    patoo Member Posts: 5,243
    edited May 2012

    Finding I can't rest knowing I committed to doing this this month so after work, shopping (ended up not buying anything), and choir rehearsal, packed up about 30 books and went back out and dropped them off at the library.  More tomorrow.

  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 1,997
    edited May 2012

    Go Patoo!

  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 10,618
    edited May 2012

    FDIL and I went into my sewing romm and chatted as we put like with like.  Only about 45 minutes, but she fixed up some binders of quilt -patterns as I put some things where I knew they beloged.  Having someone else there made it seem less like work.

  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 1,997
    edited May 2012

    Meece, yes! I work so much better with someone else around to encourage or discuss things with. Just not someone who is being bossy, then I shut down.

    Yeah for you getting things done with future DIL. She must be a great girl.

    Ginger

  • MariannaLaFrance
    MariannaLaFrance Member Posts: 166
    edited May 2012

    This is an awesome post. I struggle with keeping my house uncluttered. I work full time and have 3 kids, ages 9, 6, 4. I've been reading through here getting some amazing tips! I feel like I can take some steps to getting some zen into my life! I am a neat person at heart, but cannot seem to control the clutter that occurs at our home. With the kids, dog, husband (not really a very neat person), I cannot get out from under the clutter.

    I've wished that I could hire an organizer, but we can't afford one, so what little hours left I have in my day, I will have to come up with ideas for my decluttering! What a good source I have found here.

    Now, where to find the 2 hours extra I need in my day??? 

  • patoo
    patoo Member Posts: 5,243
    edited May 2012

    MarianneHB, not 2 hours, only 15 mins a day.  Pick an area or a corner and work diligently for those 15 mins.  You can increase the time if you want but don't try and find 2 hours.  With 3 kids under 10, DH and a dog it just ain't gonna happen.  Start small, you can do it.

  • dougieswife
    dougieswife Member Posts: 74
    edited May 2012

    Oh, my!!!  I need to declutter and CLEAN!!!!  The last 6 months everything has been survival mode...doing only what needed to be done at that moment.  

    Back story...When my DH and I got married, we each had our own houses..between the 2 of us, we had 7 sets of dishes...full sets...some for 12....no one needs that many dishes!!!  We did have a yardsale and got rid of some...I think we now have just 4 sets...but one is my grandmother's china.  Then came baby, add MORE stuff to the mix, then we moved to a 100+ year old house with ZERO storage.  Fast forward 3 years and my mom passed away...I have a lot of her things.  I have held on to most of those things just for memory's sake...not because I will ever use them or wear them.  

    I think I am ready to start getting rid of some of those items...especially the clothes.  I got some new cookware this week and I tossed some of my old, nasty pans that just needed to go!!!  I have a date set for a yardsale, so I have to stick with it.  AND...after the yardsale...I'm using that money to get my house painted...so I have a reward that I am working towards.   

  • patoo
    patoo Member Posts: 5,243
    edited May 2012

    And, in order to paint you have to move everything out of the way - another way to declutter as you can get rid of stuff instead of packing it away somewhere.  Yes your mon's stuff is precious to you but you can keep one or two really special items and bless someone else who can use the rest.  Your mom lives in your heart.  Today my mom would have been 89 years old.  None of her stuff can ever replace her memory.

    I know what you mean about nasty pans.  Why do we keep them?

  • dougieswife
    dougieswife Member Posts: 74
    edited May 2012

    And I know she would be okay with that, Patoo!!!  : )

    I can still hear her saying to me..."You can do it, you can do it, if you set your mind to it".  It would drive me nuts when she would say that, but, now that's all I hear, LOL!!!  

    Again..with the nasty pans...we had so many between the 2 of us...uugghh!!!  Oh...and baking dishes..really....how many do we need???  We must have 5 or so...I think 2 or 3 MAX....and mixing bowls...getting rid of a TON of those, too!!!!   

  • ptdreamers
    ptdreamers Member Posts: 639
    edited May 2012

    It does seem almost overwhelming. I also have four sets of dishes, numerous pots, baking pans etc. There are only two of us now and we certainly don't need all this stuff. We also have tons of our son's belongings and he is clear across the country and not good when it comes to asking him to let us know what we absolutely must save for him. Oh well, we will do what we can. Did get the office straightened up and a fair amount of paper shredded or recycled today. Tomorrow I'm going under the stairs to take out all the Xmas stuff we never use anymore and put in the charity box or sale box.

    Good night all.

  • 3jaysmom
    3jaysmom Member Posts: 2,604
    edited May 2012
    well, with hand surgery, the big "may" date isn't going to work for me so well.. but thank you, patoo, for your reminder.. i CAN do 15 mins everyday. havent even gotten everything away from the house being tented, et.. but, like with like IS happening, albeit, slowly...3jays
  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 1,997
    edited May 2012

    PTDreamer

    I have 4 grown kids. I boxed up their things and began giving them to them when they were at the house. Then, we began shipping them to them as they moved across the country. We shipped our DD books to her at book rate. Less than a mover.  You might want to begin shipping your DS things to him. Don't ask just start doing it.  I had one son who kept leaving his things behind, once even with the excuse he couldn't fit this medium size box in his car because it was a sports car. Seriously kiddo, it can fit in the passenger seat.  What finally got us all cleaned out from the kids things was moving across country.Our stuff ALL got moved because others packed us because I had BC DX just as we were packing and I had surgery there so I couldnt pack.

    I hope you can get your sons stuff to him. 

    Hugs Ginger

  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 10,618
    edited May 2012

    I have 3 boxes in the garage that as I come acrossed something of one of the kids', I put it in their box.  When the oldest comes to visit he always gets sent home with a box.  The youngest will get married in Nov, and my wedding gift will be getting his boxes out of my garage.

    Have you ever noticed the nasty pan doesn't seem so nasty until you have a replacement on hand?  Then you can't imagine ever using the old one!

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