Let it GO! Decluttering (simplifying) your life of (people, places or things) success stories?
Replies
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My partner has started doing MFP with me. I started 2 months ago, and he started 2-3 weeks ago. I mentioned this thread to him and suggested we could work towards this eventually, once he's settled in with his eating and exercise. He agreed. But tonight, he's just started clearing out our youngest two children's wardrobe.
We love decluttering but have been slack in the past few years, and it's time again. Thanks for the great thread to remind us
Candy, how utterly bombdotcom are you and your partner? That's absolutely tremendous and THANK YOU so much for contributing to this thread--y'all rock, period.2 -
Wanted to share something quick:
Here's some experienced "tips" that help me tremendously in all that we've been sharing:
If you take it out...put it back as soon as you're done, NO exceptions.
Do it yourself...stop depending on others in your household to do what YOU should/need to be doing, no exceptions. (Think NEAT exercises).
Don't you DARE walk past that dirt on the floor, that old newspaper, anything you see that needs to be picked up and thrown away or swept, DO IT YOURSELF, stop waiting for someone else to do it.
Dishes in the sink are forbidden, if the dish washer is loaded, wash it out and dry it off old school, believe me, after a month or so of no longer allowing dirty dishes in the sink, you'll become a master of the clean kitchen. Not having dishes in the sink AND sweeping regularly and keeping the counters and stove clean does something POWERFUL in you...it really does.
Washing clothes? Just don't fold them up and leave them, put them away IMMEDIATELY, as soon as they are done. This helps keep your closets and drawers neat and clean too. Don't wait until "tomorrow" to iron the clean clothes. Dedicate an hour or so to ironing your clean clothes and hang them up immediately--serious self-control/discipline this WILL create in you, for realz!
Don't you DARE entertain the idea that "poor me, nobody's helping" MESS...NAW, do it yourself and by yourself if necessary and do it with a super GOOD attitude too. REFUSE to look at cleaning/maintaining your home as "I "got" to do this or that...MAKE yourself look at it as I "get" to do this or that instead. Counting your blessings as you work. Honey, 10 million people would trade places with you, 100,000,000 OR MORE peoples all over this world would take y/our problems and woes in a heartbeat and count them as a sheer unadulterated blessing--start today, understanding that no matter how "hard" it is, it could be a million times worse--MAKE yourself see the "glass half full, instead of half empty"--MAKE yourself count all the yuck as joy, because you aint dead yet, and it aint over until you're dead--everyday is a new start, it really is--even if it's a new start in your attitude and the way you perceive things. Keep your heart, mind, home and appearance up with sheer JOY, cause you "get to" and can, period.
{{{{{{{
Hugs 
AND High Fives }}}}}}} 18 -
Decluttering is good for the bank balance.
Having done so much work clearing so much space, I’m now very prudent about wanting to buy any products that will use up even a tiny amount of space.
Having a “capsule wardrobe” of only good quality clothes that fit and match means I’m very reluctant to add anything to my cupboards. A garment has to fill a lot of criteria and has to have space to be stored.
I see shop windows filled with colourful plastic crap and it doesn’t make me want to buy the latest household gadgets or gimmicky fad. (Have you seen all the plastic unicorn crap?!)
When I was decluttering, I had to throw out a huge basket of my son’s old assorted plastic Kinder Surprise pieces. They’re too small to be recycled here. I feel bad about that all going into landfill. Now I see most things in the shops as just soon-to-be landfill.
This all means I don’t spend as much as I used to. It's a really good feeling being in control of one's spending. No more impulse buying!
I had to empty out a good portion of my parents house with my brother in 2015. It really showed me how many knick-knacks and useless things we bought for them just to say we got them something. It was a terrible feeling. The next year we downsized from a 1200 sq foot 3 bdrm townhouse + finished basement to a 720 sq foot 2 bedroom mobile home. Let me tell you, it was heartbreaking getting rid of so many items that I "thought" were treasured. When I really had to think about what meant the most to me all of the Partylite, Princess House, "name the direct marketing item" really meant nothing to me. I probably sold 10K worth of stuff for about 500. I seriously consider what I am buying now and am very careful with my choices. I buy most of my books from a local second hand store that sells them for 25 cents per inch. I then read them and donate them back except for a couple authors that I will reread over and over.
I am slowly losing weight and having to replace clothes. I keep a large shopping bag on my closet floor, as something no longer fits or I decide I don't like I throw it in the bag. As soon as the bag is gone it goes to the second hand store.
I have also thought about my gift giving and buy more meaningful things for my family. It was really a life lesson.12 -
I finished the second cupboard today. Now there's a place for all the garden stuff that's been on top of the dishwasher! Another flat surface becomes visible!
I've come to the conclusion that the other 2 are up to hubby, for now. I'm afraid I'll throw out something he uses.9 -
LET GO of worrying/fretting/arguing/fussing/murmuring/complaining (about everything and about "stuff" and STOP it (worrying/fussing/about with others and especially with yourself)...LET IT GO, because we CAN...we really and truly can let go of the "mess & clutter" of worrying and strife/stress--it's a choice--CHOOSE stress-free thinking/living/being (minute by minute, day by day forevermore--practice makes better) .
7 -
Snowflake1968 wrote: »Decluttering is good for the bank balance.
Having done so much work clearing so much space, I’m now very prudent about wanting to buy any products that will use up even a tiny amount of space.
Having a “capsule wardrobe” of only good quality clothes that fit and match means I’m very reluctant to add anything to my cupboards. A garment has to fill a lot of criteria and has to have space to be stored.
I see shop windows filled with colourful plastic crap and it doesn’t make me want to buy the latest household gadgets or gimmicky fad. (Have you seen all the plastic unicorn crap?!)
When I was decluttering, I had to throw out a huge basket of my son’s old assorted plastic Kinder Surprise pieces. They’re too small to be recycled here. I feel bad about that all going into landfill. Now I see most things in the shops as just soon-to-be landfill.
This all means I don’t spend as much as I used to. It's a really good feeling being in control of one's spending. No more impulse buying!
I had to empty out a good portion of my parents house with my brother in 2015. It really showed me how many knick-knacks and useless things we bought for them just to say we got them something. It was a terrible feeling. The next year we downsized from a 1200 sq foot 3 bdrm townhouse + finished basement to a 720 sq foot 2 bedroom mobile home. Let me tell you, it was heartbreaking getting rid of so many items that I "thought" were treasured. When I really had to think about what meant the most to me all of the Partylite, Princess House, "name the direct marketing item" really meant nothing to me. I probably sold 10K worth of stuff for about 500. I seriously consider what I am buying now and am very careful with my choices. I buy most of my books from a local second hand store that sells them for 25 cents per inch. I then read them and donate them back except for a couple authors that I will reread over and over.
I am slowly losing weight and having to replace clothes. I keep a large shopping bag on my closet floor, as something no longer fits or I decide I don't like I throw it in the bag. As soon as the bag is gone it goes to the second hand store.
I have also thought about my gift giving and buy more meaningful things for my family. It was really a life lesson.
WOW Snow, how utterly powerful...POW-ER-FUL! Thank you so much for posting this super thought provoking and most excellent share!2 -
NewLIFEstyle4ME wrote: »Wanted to share something quick:
Here's some experienced "tips" that help me tremendously in all that we've been sharing:
If you take it out...put it back as soon as you're done, NO exceptions.
Do it yourself...stop depending on others in your household to do what YOU should/need to be doing, no exceptions. (Think NEAT exercises).
Don't you DARE walk past that dirt on the floor, that old newspaper, anything you see that needs to be picked up and thrown away or swept, DO IT YOURSELF, stop waiting for someone else to do it.
Dishes in the sink are forbidden, if the dish washer is loaded, wash it out and dry it off old school, believe me, after a month or so of no longer allowing dirty dishes in the sink, you'll become a master of the clean kitchen. Not having dishes in the sink AND sweeping regularly and keeping the counters and stove clean does something POWERFUL in you...it really does.
Washing clothes? Just don't fold them up and leave them, put them away IMMEDIATELY, as soon as they are done. This helps keep your closets and drawers neat and clean too. Don't wait until "tomorrow" to iron the clean clothes. Dedicate an hour or so to ironing your clean clothes and hang them up immediately--serious self-control/discipline this WILL create in you, for realz!
Don't you DARE entertain the idea that "poor me, nobody's helping" MESS...NAW, do it yourself and by yourself if necessary and do it with a super GOOD attitude too. REFUSE to look at cleaning/maintaining your home as "I "got" to do this or that...MAKE yourself look at it as I "get" to do this or that instead. Counting your blessings as you work. Honey, 10 million people would trade places with you, 100,000,000 OR MORE peoples all over this world would take y/our problems and woes in a heartbeat and count them as a sheer unadulterated blessing--start today, understanding that no matter how "hard" it is, it could be a million times worse--MAKE yourself see the "glass half full, instead of half empty"--MAKE yourself count all the yuck as joy, because you aint dead yet, and it aint over until you're dead--everyday is a new start, it really is--even if it's a new start in your attitude and the way you perceive things. Keep your heart, mind, home and appearance up with sheer JOY, cause you "get to" and can, period.
{{{{{{{ Hugs AND High Fives }}}}}}}
"Do it yourself" has been reverberating through my head all day. I have been happily picking things up, sweeping, etc. Thanks for the attitude adjustment!
I did decide to leave those 2 cupboards, but only because I'm in a "everything goes" frame of mind.7 -
Snowflake1968 wrote: »
I have also thought about my gift giving and buy more meaningful things for my family. It was really a life lesson.
So much this. I now try really hard to buy gifts for my friends and family that are either consumable or an experience. I will buy a gift card to a nice restaurant, a certificate for a mani/pedi, or something that I know will be used but that comes with a gift receipt.
For their birthdays, I took my sister and brother-in-law to a screening of Lost Boys last year at a local movie house that serves beer and dinner, and it was awesome! We forgot how hilariously bad that movie was, and had a great time.
Experiences over things, right? That's the direction I am trying to head.13 -
NewLIFEstyle4ME wrote: »
Girl, I sure did wear that cutiepie dress and my beloved husBOO loves me in that dress so much--he continuously told me how good it looks on me--also since dropping 56+pounds, he's telling me DAILY how good I look, in a completely DIFFERENT way than he used to tell me when I was obese ), as we were oout and aboot--just walking and hanging out for hours, he was flirting with me like we were teenagers again (we've been together since we were teens--that's a whole bunch of moons ago, a whole generation ago). He just was starring at me and winking at me at dinner--it felt so FUN and GOOD--I LOVE me some him. After dinner, ya know what he said? I asked him if he enjoyed the meal, and he said "not as much as the company". I'm telling ya, if you want to really add some more "spark and flame" into your marriage, start looking CUTE and CUTER (for yourself AND your loved one) more and more and watch what happens--BOOM!
“he's telling me DAILY how good I look, in a completely DIFFERENT way than he used to tell me when I was obese ), as we were oout and aboot--just walking and hanging out for hours, he was flirting with me like we were teenagers again”
This. I totally relate! To ALL of it!
One of my favorite MFP posts ever!!6 -
Hey gang!
We're LETTING GO of sooooo much "stuff", "stuff" that has been mastering/controlling/dominating and causing us (some of us) an entire lifetime of misery, woe and all kinds of serious mental/physical/emotional/social/spiritual/financial DIS-EASE and MESS and harm. Today, I want to add one more LET IT GO to our list. This one "may" appear minor or not so essential, but it super is. Here it goes:
The BLASTED scale and depending on it and what it SAYS (sometimes multiple times per day). LET THIS "tool" GO as your "main" motivation or y/our "means" for happiness and contentment. The scale as a tool is/can be good....as a MASTER and BOSS of you and me--it's a recipe for all kinds of YUCK. Let me give you a personal example:
I'm still at 163.4lbs (56.4lbs down from almost 220lbs as my highest weight ever). The scale hasn't MOVED down in almost 2+ weeks, BUT... L@@K at my inches loss in 2+ weeks:
Neck: .5 inches down
Arms .5 inches down
Waist: 2 inches down
Chest: 1.5 inches down
Butt: 2 inches down
Uhhhhhhh......W W Thank you JESUS, that's 6.5 big ole ugly inches forever gone to the place where the sun aint ever gonna shine off of my body and it's super visible and feel sooooooo GOOD!
SLAVERY is terrible and slavery to the scale is something we need to HATE and FORSAKE at all costs, period. Got a challenge for us (me included) I double dog DARE us to only get on the scale once per week--just because we can, we're tough minded like that, we super ARE! I use the "excuse" of weighing daily to measure what I'm eating, if it's good or not--B.S. (being silly, of course). I aint got no more time for being "silly" or obsessive/impulsive/whack about anything anymore, especially this dog-gone scale. Let's LET IT GO, depending on what the scale tells us daily and look to how we're looking, measurements and just plain humbling ourselves and embracing the process, the good, the bad and the ugly of it all with JOY. This is NOT a race, we're NOT dieting, this is a lifestyle change and everything that involves it. Lastly, my motto is "TAKE Y/OUR TIME and do it right AND righteously " Hurry/obsession/compulsion/fear/worry/anxiety and impulsiveness (and all the other YUCK associated with these types of "things/feelings" is of the
AND counter-productive AND unnecessary and a THIEF of our inner peace and joy...FOR REAL! 3 -
MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »NewLIFEstyle4ME wrote: »
Girl, I sure did wear that cutiepie dress and my beloved husBOO loves me in that dress so much--he continuously told me how good it looks on me--also since dropping 56+pounds, he's telling me DAILY how good I look, in a completely DIFFERENT way than he used to tell me when I was obese ), as we were oout and aboot--just walking and hanging out for hours, he was flirting with me like we were teenagers again (we've been together since we were teens--that's a whole bunch of moons ago, a whole generation ago). He just was starring at me and winking at me at dinner--it felt so FUN and GOOD--I LOVE me some him. After dinner, ya know what he said? I asked him if he enjoyed the meal, and he said "not as much as the company". I'm telling ya, if you want to really add some more "spark and flame" into your marriage, start looking CUTE and CUTER (for yourself AND your loved one) more and more and watch what happens--BOOM!
“he's telling me DAILY how good I look, in a completely DIFFERENT way than he used to tell me when I was obese ), as we were oout and aboot--just walking and hanging out for hours, he was flirting with me like we were teenagers again”
This. I totally relate! To ALL of it!
One of my favorite MFP posts ever!! {{{{ Hugs and High Fives }}}}} Ya got my smiling muscles working big time on my face and neck--Boom and YAY YOU!!!! 3 -
NewLIFEstyle4ME wrote: »Wanted to share something quick:
Here's some experienced "tips" that help me tremendously in all that we've been sharing:
If you take it out...put it back as soon as you're done, NO exceptions.
Do it yourself...stop depending on others in your household to do what YOU should/need to be doing, no exceptions. (Think NEAT exercises).
Don't you DARE walk past that dirt on the floor, that old newspaper, anything you see that needs to be picked up and thrown away or swept, DO IT YOURSELF, stop waiting for someone else to do it.
Dishes in the sink are forbidden, if the dish washer is loaded, wash it out and dry it off old school, believe me, after a month or so of no longer allowing dirty dishes in the sink, you'll become a master of the clean kitchen. Not having dishes in the sink AND sweeping regularly and keeping the counters and stove clean does something POWERFUL in you...it really does.
Washing clothes? Just don't fold them up and leave them, put them away IMMEDIATELY, as soon as they are done. This helps keep your closets and drawers neat and clean too. Don't wait until "tomorrow" to iron the clean clothes. Dedicate an hour or so to ironing your clean clothes and hang them up immediately--serious self-control/discipline this WILL create in you, for realz!
Don't you DARE entertain the idea that "poor me, nobody's helping" MESS...NAW, do it yourself and by yourself if necessary and do it with a super GOOD attitude too. REFUSE to look at cleaning/maintaining your home as "I "got" to do this or that...MAKE yourself look at it as I "get" to do this or that instead. Counting your blessings as you work. Honey, 10 million people would trade places with you, 100,000,000 OR MORE peoples all over this world would take y/our problems and woes in a heartbeat and count them as a sheer unadulterated blessing--start today, understanding that no matter how "hard" it is, it could be a million times worse--MAKE yourself see the "glass half full, instead of half empty"--MAKE yourself count all the yuck as joy, because you aint dead yet, and it aint over until you're dead--everyday is a new start, it really is--even if it's a new start in your attitude and the way you perceive things. Keep your heart, mind, home and appearance up with sheer JOY, cause you "get to" and can, period.
{{{{{{{ Hugs AND High Fives }}}}}}}
"Do it yourself" has been reverberating through my head all day. I have been happily picking things up, sweeping, etc. Thanks for the attitude adjustment!
I did decide to leave those 2 cupboards, but only because I'm in a "everything goes" frame of mind.
BOOM!!!!! My absolute pleasure and you're MORE than welcomed too. You got it going on honey, period. Wow, just plain mega enthusiastic W W!!!!
{{{Hugs&High Fives }}}} you winner YOU!!!!!3 -
NewLIFEstyle4ME wrote: »Hey gang!
We're LETTING GO of sooooo much "stuff", "stuff" that has been mastering/controlling/dominating and causing us (some of us) an entire lifetime of misery, woe and all kinds of serious mental/physical/emotional/social/spiritual/financial DIS-EASE and MESS and harm. Today, I want to add one more LET IT GO to our list. This one "may" appear minor or not so essential, but it super is. Here it goes:
The BLASTED scale and depending on it and what it SAYS (sometimes multiple times per day). LET THIS "tool" GO as your "main" motivation or y/our "means" for happiness and contentment. The scale as a tool is/can be good....as a MASTER and BOSS of you and me--it's a recipe for all kinds of YUCK. Let me give you a personal example:
I'm still at 163.4lbs (56.4lbs down from almost 220lbs as my highest weight ever). The scale hasn't MOVED down in almost 2+ weeks, BUT... L@@K at my inches loss in 2+ weeks:
Neck: .5 inches down
Arms .5 inches down
Waist: 2 inches down
Chest: 1.5 inches down
Butt: 2 inches down
Uhhhhhhh......W W Thank you JESUS, that's 6.5 big ole ugly inches forever gone to the place where the sun aint ever gonna shine off of my body and it's super visible and feel sooooooo GOOD!
SLAVERY is terrible and slavery to the scale is something we need to HATE and FORSAKE at all costs, period. Got a challenge for us (me included) I double dog DARE us to only get on the scale once per week--just because we can, we're tough minded like that, we super ARE! I use the "excuse" of weighing daily to measure what I'm eating, if it's good or not--B.S. (being silly, of course). I aint got no more time for being "silly" or obsessive/impulsive/whack about anything anymore, especially this dog-gone scale. Let's LET IT GO, depending on what the scale tells us daily and look to how we're looking, measurements and just plain humbling ourselves and embracing the process, the good, the bad and the ugly of it all with JOY. This is NOT a race, we're NOT dieting, this is a lifestyle change and everything that involves it. Lastly, my motto is "TAKE Y/OUR TIME and do it right AND righteously " Hurry/obsession/compulsion/fear/worry/anxiety and impulsiveness (and all the other YUCK associated with these types of "things/feelings" is of the AND counter-productive AND unnecessary and a THIEF of our inner peace and joy...FOR REAL!
I often say the scale and I have a love/hate relationship but the measuring tape and I have a deep and steady love affair going on.7 -
I've been in a funk this week, our dog died Monday and he wasn't doing well all weekend. Today was the day to make myself do something besides what I have to. I washed the outside of the dryer (it looked horrible next to the new washer). Not much, but I feel better.20
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I've been in a funk this week, our dog died Monday and he wasn't doing well all weekend. Today was the day to make myself do something besides what I have to. I washed the outside of the dryer (it looked horrible next to the new washer). Not much, but I feel better.
I'm so sorry @snoo61 - losing a pet is so hard, no matter how it happens. Certainly do what you need to feel like you accomplished something, but also know that it's okay not to accomplish anything for a while. It's okay to grieve, be sad, cry. Be kind to yourself.3 -
I've been in a funk this week, our dog died Monday and he wasn't doing well all weekend. Today was the day to make myself do something besides what I have to. I washed the outside of the dryer (it looked horrible next to the new washer). Not much, but I feel better.
So sorry for your loss - pets are part of the family. Hugs2 -
I've been in a funk this week, our dog died Monday and he wasn't doing well all weekend. Today was the day to make myself do something besides what I have to. I washed the outside of the dryer (it looked horrible next to the new washer). Not much, but I feel better.
{{{{{{{{{ HUGS }}}}}}}}}}}} I'm so so so sorry to hear about your dog Snoo 
I never really realized the real love and closeness animals/pets/fur-babies can bring in/to a person/a family's life. I adopted a kitten several months ago, after living almost my entire life without living with an animal/fur baby and being a pet mom and even though it's only just been several months since having this darling kitty fur baby in my life and home, wow...I REALLY love and care for our cat so very much already. I totally get it, about being in a "funk" and grieving the loss of your dog/family member actually. For you to step outta yourself and make yourself do something (besides what you have to do) is more than admirable to me...it's powerful (full of power) to know that even though you are experiencing some real loss, pain and even shock/stress/trouble, your choosing to make yourself do something you simply and rightfully so didn't "feel" like/have to be doing is again, something that "sparks" something in me that is causing/inspiring me to LET GO of some things that have been "bothering me" and tempting me to open the door to being in a "funk" of sorts this week/last week too. THANK YOU SNOO for taking the time, care and power to post/share with us what's going on in your precious life--you're helping more people than you can ever imagine by posting/sharing this with us--THANK YOU again, and please know you'll be in my thoughts
{{{{{{{{ HUGS again AND you ROCK, period. }}}}}}}}}}}}2 -
Thank you @LuckyNumbers, @AJB1014, and
@NewLIFEstyle4ME for your warm thoughts. Enjoy your fur babies, they are definitely family. 1
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