Not quite a horder - decluttering
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So sorry to hear about the vertigo. Great work on the wardrobe thinning. I would wait to get clothes in Calif. too. Even the colors are different.
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Wren - I know. I can not find any cute sweat shirts here in Mi. Everything seems so dull like the weather. I also love white sweatpants, jackets etc and here they believe that old saying about no white after Labor Day. Good grief. They love brown, beigh, navy and black here. Makes me depressed if I get too much of that. I now have 3 pairs of jeans and 6 sweatshirts. I started out with 15 pair of jeans and about 30 sweatshirts. I am feeling good about all that stuff going away. I never wear it...just keep grabbing the same stuff. I had 7 robes. I used to collect them at hotels when I would travel for work. How many white long robes do you need?
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Good job Bunkie!
I need some motivation to get my pantry and kitchen cleaned out. There is no space to put the holiday food. We are not decorating or exchanging presents. However, the doxies will get their stockings. I did not want to cook, but there is a slight chance of snow, so I do not want to be stuck on Christmas with no comfort food.
So I had better get my behind in gear ASAP.
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Lovely Teka.
Hope that everyone has enjoyed the holidays!
Hugzzzz.
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Wishing everyone a 2015 of health, hapiness and peace.
Mandy xo
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Bet I can guess what some of our resolutions will be this year.
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I actually went through the kitchen cupboards this afternoon and pulled out all the items I no longer plan to eat or cook with - not to mention all the things out of date since I didn't eat for the year of chemo. Things that were still good already given away. Old things down the disposal and the bottles & cans washed & out for re-cycle.
Happy New Year everyone.
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I made such progress--My friend didn't feel up to throwing her usual New Year's Eve party so I volunteered. Got the dining room table completely cleared off, and the buffet, and the coffee table, and the kitchen counter. I feel so victorious, and, frankly, it wasn't such a big deal. New Year's resolution is to entertain (and organize) at least quarterly.
I will confess that most of the flotsam and jetsam wound up piled in my office. Piled.
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I'm reading a book called "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing."
Wow, so much of this MAKES SENSE! It is unlike any cleaning/decluttering advice I have ever read. I'm just about done with the book (its a quick read but I don't get much reading time.) My kids go back to school next week and then I start!!!
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Noonrider, please give us a clue. What's their secret?
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The absolute most important thing was picking up each object and deciding if it gives you JOY. If it does not give you JOY then get rid of it. (ok, it is different for necessary items but I haven't gotten to that chapter yet.
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I got the pantry cleaned out and organized. I will look up that book. Love anything that motivates me.
Happy New Year to all..let's make good memories.
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Interesting list Onco. Let us know how it works for you.
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All I have to do is make a list. Then I will never do anything on that list. I have had read serger book on my list for over 2 years and have never taken it out of the pocket. DH gave it to me just as I was diagnosed.
I'm working on clearing off the top of my dresser. I put contact paper on 2 foob boxes today to make them more attractive. One has my old foob and the other is for all the liners I'm getting with Genie bras and my microbead forms.
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Christmas tree still up - waiting for DH to return from business trip Friday night... besides, it entertains the cat. There is no dust on the keepsakes on my dresser top - they are covered with clothing. I cleaned/straightened up before my BMX... hmmm... I have week 22 done! no mudroom and nothing but a small table in the front hall - it's a cat perch so no clutter... I will think some more about attempting Onco's list.
I read this thread regularly to give me motivation. Thanks!
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I love the joy thing. It is not about what to throw, but about what to keep. If something truly gives me JOY it wouldn't be buried or hidden beneath other items. An emotional attachment is different than giving JOY. Once I get rid of all that does not give me JOY, my house is de cluttered and easy to keep tidy.
Having said that, papers are my nemesis. Having 5 kids with disabilities and all the paperwork that comes with that (if you have typical kids who constantly bring home paper from school, multiply that x5, and now x5 kids and that is how much paperwork related to kids with disabilities. ) I have purchased a really expensive shredder and having in my kitchen, right where the mail USED to collect! Trying to get better about tossing the other papers right away, or filing them. If they don't bring me JOY they cannot sit out on my counter top.
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I'm not sure anything in my house brings me joy. Not sure I would like absolutely bare tho. I think owning a sofa the cat has not trashed might bring me joy. No point in getting it while I have cats.
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Well Teka & Onco - I too have dresser scarves. I only keep them on one dresser anymore, but I can't seem to let that go.
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All right, I have dresser scarves also. I'm hoping to reduce the amount of dust on the furniture.
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The joy thing is good--I have too many family mementos and I am drowning in them. But the truth is that only a few bring me joy. I think if I am able to reduce to the mementos that bring me joy, it will be really good. The problem is what to do with the rest--they are not "junk" but rather are procelain, jade, and silver where each piece might be worth from $100 to $5000 or so. I have to figure out how to sell on ebay (or to see if there is a company that will sell for me and charge a percentage). Do any of you know of an ebay sales company.
Thanks for that idea of how to sort.
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Hello- it is time for me to join this thread as I have been doing some home renovation since last summer and am lightening my load in the process. I built my house 11 years ago, so it is still "new-ish" but it was time for some fresh paint, and I am replacing the crapped out carpeting with new hardwood floors. I did a lot of work last summer but now am finishing it, and as the house gets finished, the last of the de-cluttering must get done. I am trying to create usable space for every room in my house, which is also a small house.
My de-cluttering to date has involved the dumpster, paper shredding (I take it to Staples now to do for me instead of dealing with the forever jamming up shredders for home), donations (including those that will come pick them up curbside), and have been taking clothing to a great consignment store that will take my better items.
Here is one small accomplishment for today, I had put all my linens from a small shelving area in my guest bedroom into bags during the painting, and as I was doing so, thought here was one good opportunity to get rid of some things. Linens that perhaps don't work anymore, but still good enough to use and donate. As I put everything back today after the painting is now done there, I probably cut out half the stuff that was literally "stuffed" into that space. Now I have the best items remaining and also created space for some beach towels on the bottom most rack that were stored elsewhere, freeing up more storage space in that other area for as well.
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Mandy- I am going through the same process too, trying to decide what from my parents home to keep and let go of. The most emotional of the decisions and after clearing out the home in 2005 when we had to move our mother to CA, I still have a lot of the things from their house in my possession.
My mother was a painter, and I have a couple of things she painted which I will keep, but a number of other nice paintings that I am ready to let go of. I am going to research if any of these artists are well known and if the paintings could be worth anything, otherwise, they may go to a high end consignment shop in the area. I have some crystal, glassware, etc. and probably way more than I want or need to keep at this point.
I think there are E-bay stores around different cities that can help with taking in your items and will be responsible for shipping them when things get sold. My sister found one out in her area in Southern CA and sold a wind surfer that way. I have not done much with E-bay, but for antiques, understand it may be the way to go to get fair value for items.
I would be interested to hear if others here are E-Bay saavy.....
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Hi folks- really into the decluttering now that my home reno is done. I have been working on the closets this weekned, and also going through my book shelf today.
My goal this week is to try to take something out of the house every day, whatever that looks like. My goals this week are as follows:
1) Monday- to take an old laptop and doc-ing station to the local computer store (laptop for recycling, docing station never used and they might buy it to re-sell if it works with any of the other Lenovo's they sell).
2) Tuesday- to take some bags of clothing and some decent suitcases to the women's shelter.
4) Wednesday- to take a bag of used books that are good enough for resale to my local book store.
5) Thursday- to take some spring items to my favorite consignment store (apt made)
6) Friday- to take as much to Staples I have ready to go for shredding.
With any luck, I am also going to try to get some old paint to the haz waste recycling center too!
I realize sometimes my challenge with getting rid of things is being clear about where I can take things that can be re-used or repurposed, so I spent some time figuring that out this week.
Wish me luck and will let you know how it goes and anything interesting or useful I discover along the way! I am on a mission!
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Happy New Year, Clutter-Busters!!!!
Oh, what a long strange month it's been.
On Christmas Day, my sister (77) fell and broke her hip. She had replacement surgery, and is still in a nursing home. I was doing all her medical management until New Year's Day.
On New Year's Day, my 93 year old FIL fell and broke his hip. He had replacement surgery, and was a total Rock Star in Rehab. They actually started his PT only 2 hours after surgery. At the Rehab facility, he always did his therapy and volunteered to do more. Now THAT was a man who valued his independence!
Unfortunately, that meant we had to drop EVERYTHING we were doing at our own house to clean up, and spend morning, noon, and night at Dad's to make it safe for him to come home to.
Mom (who passed a year ago at the age of 93) and Dad were hoarders. They never threw anything away, including old food in their refrigerator. Just walking into the house made you gag. There were only narrow pathways on the carpet to maneuver through the living room. There were no empty spaces in the tiny kitchen. All the dry goods had larvae in them (BLECHHHH!!!) I won't even describe the refrigerator - you'd faint.
So DH and I spent every single day over there, throwing things away. I tossed medications from 1987 from the bathroom. I took down all the curtains and soaked them in BIZ. As soon as they went in the laundry tub, the water turned black.
When I started to empty Dad's pajama drawer, a huge cloud of yellow dust came with them. I realized all his clothes were full of bugs, eggs, larvae, and dead bodies. Everything went into trash bags, came home with us, and stayed in the garage until I could wash everything.
SIL came over to tackle the kitchen. It took two weeks and two SILs to do it. Most of the food got tossed - something that has always infuriated FIL in the past. This time he had no choice. We threatened him with the fact that Adult Protective Services might condemn the house as unliveable, and then he'd have to live out the rest of his days in the nursing home. That wasn't true, but it worked.
After two solid weeks of scrubbing and cleaning and replacing filthy carpet (I must have gone through a case of Lysol spray and Clorox wipes) finally, the house no longer stunk when you opened the door. All the trash was gone. The living room was clean and safe, as was the bedroom. All the clothing and linens were freshly washed. The only thing we didn't get to was painting the walls, but that can be done later.
Dad is banned from several rooms - they are packed with boxes of things and are just too dangerous for him to navigate with his walker. He is also banned from the packed-to-the-rafters garage, which stores an old car from the '50s, and who knows what else. That's also where the washer and dryer are, and where he stores his canned soup, even though the temps in the summer time are at least 150 degrees in there.
I've watched so many "Hoarders" shows on TV, but I never thought I'd have to clean one myself. At least this was just old papers, old food, buggy clothing, etc, and not bags of human waste or animal feces on furniture. But it was awful. We wore surgical masks and gloves the whole time, and showered and washed our clothes the minute we came home. And we kept the windows open over there no matter how cold it got.
Now Dad is home, with a caregiver that comes in every morning. We now have time to take care of our own mess. But aside from just putting the Christmas decorations away a few days ago, I don't have much energy left!
Can someone fax me some?
Oh yeah - I love the "joy" concept. I do have a nice wall unit with glass doors, that a few years ago, I picked out the most special of my Grandma, Nana, and Mom's things, and they are nicely displayed. Peter Walsh always asks the question: "If this is so important to you, why are you treating it like trash, piled in a heap of unimportant things?" That part I got.
Happy cleaning, everyone! I'm off to check out the books and websites!!!
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