Anyone up to de-cluttering with me???
- Thread starter BAM
- Start date
allwildgirl
Cathlete
Yes, if I look closely, I can see the Virgin Mary in them. I was thinking of trying to sell them on EBay
kathryn
Cathlete
Shelley's mention of holey socks makes me think of ways of getting rid of stuff without landfilling (which can sometimes make it easier to get rid of).
Your local animal shelter might appreciate the following:
old sheets and towels (for animal bedding; vets can also use them sometimes).
Old newspapers (for bedding)
Partially-used cleaning supplies
unmatched socks that you turn into catnip socks by putting a tablespoonfull or more of catnip in the toe and tying a knot with the leg portion (though the foot of the sock needs to be hole-free).
Donate books, DVD's, CD's, magazines to your local library (and get a donation receipt for your taxes).
ANy other ideas?
Your local animal shelter might appreciate the following:
old sheets and towels (for animal bedding; vets can also use them sometimes).
Old newspapers (for bedding)
Partially-used cleaning supplies
unmatched socks that you turn into catnip socks by putting a tablespoonfull or more of catnip in the toe and tying a knot with the leg portion (though the foot of the sock needs to be hole-free).
Donate books, DVD's, CD's, magazines to your local library (and get a donation receipt for your taxes).
ANy other ideas?
Wow! It seems lots of us are in the same boat. I feel unified with all of you! 
I guess nobody wants to follow any of the guidelines I suggested and that's cool. I guess we'll all do our own thing but I know me and I know that I will need help on what to do with certain things when I get started. Unfortunately that may not be for 5 or 6 days but knowing all of you are here will keep me in check. Yeah, yipppeeeeeee! I can't wait to get started. Thanks everyone!!!! :*
Bam
I guess nobody wants to follow any of the guidelines I suggested and that's cool. I guess we'll all do our own thing but I know me and I know that I will need help on what to do with certain things when I get started. Unfortunately that may not be for 5 or 6 days but knowing all of you are here will keep me in check. Yeah, yipppeeeeeee! I can't wait to get started. Thanks everyone!!!! :* Bam
>>You've got great timing Bam! I woke up this morning and just HAD to do some decluttering. I get into the mood sometimes... I went through both closets and have a great big pile of clothes to take to Goodwill tomorrow. It feels soooo good and satisfying to have some freed up space in the closets!
Next is the office... I'll make a committment to tackle that tomorrow afternoon.
Great idea, thanks!
Connie>>
You go girl!!!!!
>>I wish I could come over and do it with you or for you! I love cleaning, and throwing things in the trash or giving things away! I go crazy every couple weeks and purge!!!!
Good Luck!!!!
Mary>>
Mary, me too! You're hired. Ooh, I think I hear a vacuum. Is that you outside my door??? :7
Bam
Next is the office... I'll make a committment to tackle that tomorrow afternoon.
Great idea, thanks!
Connie>>
You go girl!!!!!
>>I wish I could come over and do it with you or for you! I love cleaning, and throwing things in the trash or giving things away! I go crazy every couple weeks and purge!!!!
Good Luck!!!!
Mary>>
Mary, me too! You're hired. Ooh, I think I hear a vacuum. Is that you outside my door??? :7
Bam
>>Shelley's mention of holey socks makes me think of ways of getting rid of stuff without landfilling (which can sometimes make it easier to get rid of).
Your local animal shelter might appreciate the following:
old sheets and towels (for animal bedding; vets can also use them sometimes).
Old newspapers (for bedding)
Partially-used cleaning supplies
unmatched socks that you turn into catnip socks by putting a tablespoonfull or more of catnip in the toe and tying a knot with the leg portion (though the foot of the sock needs to be hole-free).
Donate books, DVD's, CD's, magazines to your local library (and get a donation receipt for your taxes).
ANy other ideas?>>
Kathryn, I never would have thought of an animal shelter. I can't wait to get rid of old sheets and towels. Now I just have to convince my mother to do the same! }( I also have partially used cleaning supplies that I can give to them. It's great when you can find a home for your residual stuff.
Bam
Your local animal shelter might appreciate the following:
old sheets and towels (for animal bedding; vets can also use them sometimes).
Old newspapers (for bedding)
Partially-used cleaning supplies
unmatched socks that you turn into catnip socks by putting a tablespoonfull or more of catnip in the toe and tying a knot with the leg portion (though the foot of the sock needs to be hole-free).
Donate books, DVD's, CD's, magazines to your local library (and get a donation receipt for your taxes).
ANy other ideas?>>
Kathryn, I never would have thought of an animal shelter. I can't wait to get rid of old sheets and towels. Now I just have to convince my mother to do the same! }( I also have partially used cleaning supplies that I can give to them. It's great when you can find a home for your residual stuff.
Bam
kathryn
Cathlete
I just cleaned out my bathroom medicine cabinet (which, in my case, has no "medicine" in it, beyond a capsaicin-based sinus spray, but has quite a bit of personal care stuff). Anything that was more than 6 months old (or that I couldn't remember using in that time) was tossed.
It's a small step, but I feel a small sense of accomplishment from it.
It's a small step, but I feel a small sense of accomplishment from it.
story1267
Cathlete
WTG Kathryn!!
My bathroom was the first room I tackled during what I call The Purge since it was the smallest and had the least amount of "stuff" in it.
I did just go through some of my things in my linen closet as well and did some tossing. Feels great.
Currently, I'm working on my room and the kids room - the last major areas that need help. I had saved every.single.piece.of.paper those two came home with since preschool. Mind you, my youngest is 11 and in 5th grade.
So, I've been zooming through those totes and doing major toss /recycle / re-use activities. Even DD got in on it and she told me "Mommy, I never thought I'd ever throw anything away."
Ah, sweet freedom.
My bathroom was the first room I tackled during what I call The Purge since it was the smallest and had the least amount of "stuff" in it.
I did just go through some of my things in my linen closet as well and did some tossing. Feels great.
Currently, I'm working on my room and the kids room - the last major areas that need help. I had saved every.single.piece.of.paper those two came home with since preschool. Mind you, my youngest is 11 and in 5th grade.
So, I've been zooming through those totes and doing major toss /recycle / re-use activities. Even DD got in on it and she told me "Mommy, I never thought I'd ever throw anything away."
Ah, sweet freedom.
Jess_jugs
Cathlete
OK, so far today I cleaned out my 9yo's closet and drawers of all but a few winter clothes, clothes that are too small or looking really worn, etc. And went through all of my dd's school papers and only kept the *special* ones, reorganized their little craft table (sharpened pencils, tossed half colored pictures, etc). Still on a roll today, my OCD really kicks in for spring cleaning!
SirenSongWoman
Cathlete
Man, this is all too funny because I thought it was just me. When I tell people I spent my vacation cleaning house they feel bad for me but, honestly, it was THE BEST. I'd planned to hit the attic and the basement but wound up spending the whole time cleaning my rooms. At one point I was standing in my foyer while a locksmith I hire was messing with my front door lock. I was talking to her but kept being distracted by those big pink suitcases resting along the wall. She noticed and asked what was up. I said "You know how when you leave clutter in a place for too long you don't even see it as clutter anymore? Those pink suitcases have been sitting there since I came back from Greece... LAST OCTOBER! I've just been vacuuming AROUND them." She laughed and said "Girl, I thought I was bad." As soon as she left I dragged those things up to the attic, where they belong and, when I got up there I panned around. All I saw was crap that has to go. When you've been a bad housekeeper for so long and you start seriously de-cluttering it changes your way of looking at everything. Once you get serious all you see is stuff you have to get rid of RIGHT NOW. When I was on "vacation" I had two shredders I kept toggling back and forth between. I had to. They kept overheating and stopping!
Count me in. As soon as I'm done typing this in I'm back to cleaning. I'm loving it.
Count me in. As soon as I'm done typing this in I'm back to cleaning. I'm loving it.
My2girls
Cathlete
I have gone through my girls craft dresser and threw out all the tid bits of "stuff" they (and maybe me ) thought they could use to make something.
Funny thing is as much as I am able to go through and get rid of stuff, it is continual; it never ends!!! That flylady line about if you don't love it...just made me think and look around at all the stuff I need to find another home for!!
I'm off to do it while my girls are other-wise-occupied!
Mary
) thought they could use to make something. Funny thing is as much as I am able to go through and get rid of stuff, it is continual; it never ends!!! That flylady line about if you don't love it...just made me think and look around at all the stuff I need to find another home for!!
I'm off to do it while my girls are other-wise-occupied!
Mary
allwildgirl
Cathlete
This weekend is closet time! My DD hates it because I make her try everything on to see what still fits and we usually end up with a HUGE pile for Goodwill.
Kathryn, thanks for the idea about the animal shelter donation!
Kathryn, thanks for the idea about the animal shelter donation!
story1267
Cathlete
*Green with pantry-envy* Sigh.
My room is almost actually clean. This is a huge step forward from living for years with the stuff I literally shoveled into my own room out of my kids room.
I might be able to manage between today and Saturday afternoon the next big step which is to move a large book case out of my room and swap it for the 2 smaller ones in the kids room.
This will allow bin storage for their "stuff" and more open space for me.
I admit that it feels very weird and takes some getting used to - this having open space thing.
Growing up the way I did I always felt a need to be surrounded and protected and I managed to do that with stuff instead of building healthy personal boundaries.
WooHoo - lightbulb moment!
My room is almost actually clean. This is a huge step forward from living for years with the stuff I literally shoveled into my own room out of my kids room.
I might be able to manage between today and Saturday afternoon the next big step which is to move a large book case out of my room and swap it for the 2 smaller ones in the kids room.
This will allow bin storage for their "stuff" and more open space for me.
I admit that it feels very weird and takes some getting used to - this having open space thing.
Growing up the way I did I always felt a need to be surrounded and protected and I managed to do that with stuff instead of building healthy personal boundaries.
WooHoo - lightbulb moment!
kathryn
Cathlete
I'm getting envious of those of you who have time to do your cleaning/decluttering now!
I'm in the last week of classes, with finals coming next week, so my decluttering can't start in earnest until sometime next week. Though your posts are giving me the itch to do it! (I just hope the motivation keeps up when I actually have time to!)
I'm in the last week of classes, with finals coming next week, so my decluttering can't start in earnest until sometime next week. Though your posts are giving me the itch to do it! (I just hope the motivation keeps up when I actually have time to!)