Not quite a horder - decluttering

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  • wren44
    wren44 Posts: 7,974
    edited November 2015

    Brookside, Please do look into consignment stores. All my Dansko clogs came from one. Blessings to the lady who wears my size and takes them in. Also, the YWCA here has a program that provides clothes for women going from welfare to work. They have interview outfits and let the woman pick out a week's worth if she gets the job.

  • mandy1313
    mandy1313 Posts: 978
    edited November 2015

    Wren, your YWCA program sounds wonderful. I made a decision that although some items of mine could be consigned, that it would take me too long to make those decisions so there is one charity thrift shp that is receiving my bounty. I figure the tax deduction for donating is worth something too. One frustration is that even though I have given bags and bags of clothing away,my closets still are crowded (though they are beginning to look somewhat better so there is a light in the forest so to speak).


    Back to my clutter clearing!



  • jazzygirl
    jazzygirl Posts: 11,997
    edited November 2015

    Mandy- closets seem to be an endless process to clear out. I am working on shoes right now myself. I have taken some to consignment but have some to go to the local woman's shelter too. Sometimes I just have to tackle on type of purging at a time.

    I went through scarves one day (including some of my mothers I will never wear). Kept the ones I love, and got rid of the rest.

    So many of us have problems with our feet after treatment, don't we?

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,459
    edited November 2015

    I appreciate the shoe discussion. Since chemo & neuropathy, I've gotten rid of all heels & most sandals. And they all went to a battered women's shelter. I still have WAY too many leather slip on or clog type shoes that I keep thinking I'll wear again when/if I go back to work. I wore one pair of navy Easy Spirit/Travel Time shoes almost every day for the entire two years of treatment. Hooray - I finally relegated them to the garage last week for gardening only. I know should toss them in the trash, but at least they won't come back in the house. I think I'll sprinkle them w/clorox to make sure. The work question seems to be holding up much of my cleaning. That seems to be the status of jackets & shells too. For now I'm still happy in jeans & a T-shirt or sweat shirt, but those won't work for an office. Just need to pull the trigger.

  • BUNKIE10
    BUNKIE10 Posts: 670
    edited November 2015

    Brookside - yes I am slow to get the strength back but doing better. Still dizzy most days but not spinning. BT is here to help out with his little dog so I  am not alone. Friday I went to Sams club and they had no rider carts. So I got a basket and walked very slow thru about half the store. My legs were shaking but I did it.

    I walked up the steps to do the summer cedar closet today. Opened it up and just stood there. Closed the door and changed the beds instead. Then I rearanged the freezer in the basement. Just could not do it today. We have some bad weather coming Wed. I may tackle it then.

  • brooksidevt
    brooksidevt Posts: 1,432
    edited November 2015

    So happy BT is there, Bunkie!

    You must be so proud of yourself after hiking all around the grocery store! Well, if you can do it once, I guess you can do it again. Rider carts can wait for your old age!

    I "shovelled out" my dining room, polished the furniture, and have almost everything back in place. I was under the weather all summer and there must have been 100 pounds of paperwork that just landed where it landed and made monster piles on table, sideboard, and chairs. I'd been terrified someone would stop by and see how messy my inner (or maybe outer) child can be. No such fear now. All nicey-nice.

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,459
    edited November 2015

    Brookside - you are an inspiration. I have paper piles in EVERY room now. I used to get so mad at my Dad for doing that, and then my brother. Before cancer I used to file everything every week. Now I just get the bills paid & pile the receipts. Sigh. The piles must go before I get new windows on Dec 1st.

  • brooksidevt
    brooksidevt Posts: 1,432
    edited November 2015

    True confessions, Minus Two: I really just picked everything up and dumped it in my poor office. Shameful, huh? I'm truly hoping my spiffy dining room will encourage me to do something amazing in the office soon (certainly not going to invite any clients in there!).

    Forgot to mention earlier-- I took one decrepit cookie sheet to the dump. Little steps.

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,459
    edited November 2015

    Funny brookside. That's how my paper clutter started. First dumping everything in shopping bags & putting them aside when someone was coming. Then dumping everything in my office & closing that door. Then my dresser, then 1/2 of the dining room table and finally two different kitchen cupboards. Eeek. And the shopping bags are still there too. Also I'd been bringing down boxes from the attic & going through old papers. That sorting got stalled by old diaries, children's poems, letters from my long gone parents, etc. and now I have two boxes in the guest room closet and one box in the living room that I need to be more ruthless in approaching. I sure hope I can get inspired this week.

  • brooksidevt
    brooksidevt Posts: 1,432
    edited November 2015

    Any horizontal space is at risk in my house!

  • mandy1313
    mandy1313 Posts: 978
    edited November 2015

    Bunkie: congratulations on all that you are managing to do.


    I have a paper pile in my kitchen that just does not go away--and unlike you gals, I don't have a separate office in which to put the stuff. I have spent a few hours today, preparing things for shredding and trying to take care of anything that requires a response.....the pile still is large. I hope that if I put in a few hours a day for the next week, it will strt to give me hope. I am good with the new stuff and I am sure to go through that evvery day but the old (within the past 3 or 4 months, not ancient) stuff still has to be read and handles.....argh!

  • mel147
    mel147 Posts: 291
    edited November 2015

    I can totally relate to the paper piles! My mom used to do the same thing and I always said I would never be that way, too...but...guess what, the horizontal spaces in my house are like magnets, too! I made some progress in the kitchen today - got the small table looking good. Did some shredding and recycling. It's amazing to me how much junk mail I get. My goal is always to take care of it as soon as it comes in the house, but that can be challenging. MinusTwo - I also have some bags of receipts...I keep saying I'm going to balance my checkbook and then get rid of the receipts, but I haven't balanced it in probably close to two years!!! I've been telling myself lately that I just need to go back two months and get it as close as possible then just shred all the receipts, but that is kind of last on my to do list. My desk area has stayed pretty good since I worked on that a few weeks ago, so now I have to tackle the cabinet behind my desk. Good luck, everyone! And keep up the good work!

  • jazzygirl
    jazzygirl Posts: 11,997
    edited November 2015

    My goal this month is to put some things together by this Friday for one of the area charities that is coming through and doing pick up! I have one more consignment apt on the 30th and hoping to get out any final fall and winter items that are worthy of resale. I need to check my accounts at the two stores and will use some of the $$ for some final Xmas shopping!

  • mandy1313
    mandy1313 Posts: 978
    edited November 2015

    I had someone work with me in the kitchen on my papers---to my shock and surprise, we organized things fairly well. I am not finished but the kitchen table is once again visible and the kitchen counter is too. I think with two more days, my kitchen may actually return to being a kitchen! And I did it the right way--I went through the papers--did not just box them and move them. That is what took longer but having someone there to support this effort made all of the difference.

    I have about 6 bags of stuff in my car and on Wednesday, I will drive to the thrift shop and deposit them there. Hopefully I'll have another bag of books to send off! There still is a long way to go, but I am feeing that maybe by Christmas, my house will look less like a storage unit and more like a home.

    Hugs to all. Mandy1313

  • wren44
    wren44 Posts: 7,974
    edited November 2015

    Great news Mandy. You go girl.

  • jazzygirl
    jazzygirl Posts: 11,997
    edited November 2015

    Mandy- good job and keep chipping away at it. I have been working on getting stuff out for a good 15 months now. It is for sure a process. You will suddenly notice more space and love it; a clean counter top, a chair without a pile of clothing, papers in folders in their filing spaces.

  • artistatheart
    artistatheart Posts: 1,437
    edited November 2015

    Haven't posted here in a while but have been on a slow but methodical mission to simplify. I just went through about 10 years of Jewelry making and craft magazines. I ripped out some pages of projets for ideas but the whole rest went in the recycle bin. Opened up about 1/2 of a large closet! woohoo!

  • glennie19
    glennie19 Posts: 4,833
    edited November 2015

    Cleaned out my messy pantry yesterday! Got rid of expired stuff and cleaned the shelves. Looks way better!

  • jazzygirl
    jazzygirl Posts: 11,997
    edited November 2015

    Yesterday put a bag of clothing to the curb for one of the local charities doing a used clothing drive!


  • Dee2010
    Dee2010 Posts: 24
    edited November 2015

    I'm not alone!!! The shoes! The monster piles! The unfinished crafts! But also, giving away to those in need, being able to repurpose things, recycling and tossing things out. My husband works with developmentally disabled adults, and there is always need there for shoes and clothing so I don't even second-guess. I get an inkling that I don't need something anymore, and away it goes!

  • mandy1313
    mandy1313 Posts: 978
    edited November 2015

    Made it to the charity thrift shop this morning with 3 bags of clothing (one of the bags had shoes which I neatly had sorted into pairs so that they don't have to sort them) and one bag of books. Today I am going to try to tackle one of my kids' rooms--I had to get some dry wall work done there so I had to move so many things around that it feels chaotic-- the dry wall is done so I have no excuses (other than it is a beautiful sunny day). But I am determined to say on task today.

    Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,459
    edited November 2015

    I went to an estate sale w/a friend this morning. We both knew the lady who had died. I wanted to check out the procedure and get a business card. My son lives out of state & we have already agreed he will call in a company to hold a sale of all my "stuff" when I'm gone. My friends daughter told her we didn't have enough "fancy" stuff for an estate sale company to be interested. We were both interested to see that "estate" no longer means only high priced items & antiques. Lots of tchochkes, normal kitchen utensils, everyday furniture, a few old Life magazines, a couple of quilts, one or two large old wardrobes and stuff. Seemed more like a regular garage sale to me. Anyway, that will work for what my my son will need. Now I just have to get busy culling.

  • wren44
    wren44 Posts: 7,974
    edited November 2015

    We called in someone to hold a sale for my parents' house. They said not to throw away anything. They said it was surprising what would sell and what wouldn't.

  • BUNKIE10
    BUNKIE10 Posts: 670
    edited November 2015

    Well I had a bit of a setback. My pulse rate is jumping up to 135 when I start moving in the morning. Dr asked me to up the fluids and salt. I may have overdone the salt a bit because my ankles are a little swollen at night. So I still have not tackled the closet at the top of the stairs. A friend called and said they were having a church give away for clothes and I am determined to get that stuff to her for Christmas.

    Brookside - I tried Sams today but ended up with a cart. I did however park it at the things I wanted and stood up to get them. I came home and I have that same 4 mos of paperwork on my table in the dining room. BT likes to hang his coat on the chair and I looked at 4 mos of magazines and stuff piled up. I bought the new Pioneer Woman Cookbook and so that means I need to toss out 3 others. Going to take them to the library. I went thru a time when I thought I had celiac so I have about 6 of those cookbooks. I will keep one and donate the rest. My problem is not the magazines that come in every month...20 to be exact but the special ones I pick up at the store....like Cast Iron Cooking etc. Then I do not want to toss them. So I bought 3 containers that will hold the recipies I tear out. The rest will get to the Drs ofc etc. What a mess. I am cooking a small bit again.

  • artistatheart
    artistatheart Posts: 1,437
    edited November 2015

    Today I went back to the CD drawers to cull out some more. I originally had about 350. I sell them online and get some extra cash for something else. I am a huge music fan but have learned how to subscribe to Pandora so no longer need most of the hard copies. Got rid of 14 more and made $40!!

  • mel147
    mel147 Posts: 291
    edited November 2015

    Helped my daughter get some deep cleaning done in her room Friday and yesterday and have been working on my room today. Cleaned the blinds and the baseboards and working on my bathroom. It feels good to get things in shape!

  • Beatmon
    Beatmon Posts: 617
    edited November 2015

    wonder why in the world I have 3 meat tenderizers and 4 meat thermometers? I've started keeping a box going continually for charity pickup

  • mandy1313
    mandy1313 Posts: 978
    edited November 2015

    Bunkie--sorry to hear about your set back. Take care of yourself. Hugs. Mandy1313

  • jazzygirl
    jazzygirl Posts: 11,997
    edited November 2015

    Good morning friends- wishing you a good holiday week. Thanksgiving week is a good week to share with those who have less. Whether you go into your pantry to put a bag together for local holiday food drives, take a bag to a shelter, or the like, it is always appreciated.

    One of our local news stations and the post office partner every year for a food drive. I went into my pantry last week and found lots of things to share, from can of tuna, to soup mixes, to packaged soups, pastas and more. Threw a few protein bars in there too which help to fill a stomach when a meal is not available.

    I am working on some final fall and winter clean out and putting together another round to take to consignment next monday. Went through my holiday wear today and pulled out a number of things I don't wear and are perfect to recycle back into the community. I used to go to a lot more holiday events and one only needs so many velvet or sequiny things for such events. I often wear black velvet and have learned to accessorize with holiday scarves or pretty jewelry to change it up each year.

    But here is a fun part of decluttering, fabulous new cowboy boots! I was down in the area of one of my consignment stores Sat afternoon and there is a new owner moving to transition in and she has all this great western wear. I got a wonderful purse with some credit the last time I was there and this time, I scored on a pair of wonderful slightly worn Ariat cowboy boots. And I had more than enough credit to take them home. This is what I love about consignment, you bring things you no longer wear and come away with something fun you will use!

    image

  • wren44
    wren44 Posts: 7,974
    edited November 2015

    OOOH! Very jealous of the cowboy boots! They are almost impossible to find up here. Enjoy.