Let it GO! Decluttering (simplifying) your life of (people, places or things) success stories?
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Yesterday I started working on my bathroom. I had old cleaning supplies I didn’t know I had. How long can you keep laundry detergent and Lysol bathroom cleaner? I figure it doesn’t go bad does it? Any way I opened up a little more space in my bathroom. I have much more to sort thru and get rid of but it felt good to get started doing something yesterday.4
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Yesterday I started working on my bathroom. I had old cleaning supplies I didn’t know I had. How long can you keep laundry detergent and Lysol bathroom cleaner? I figure it doesn’t go bad does it? Any way I opened up a little more space in my bathroom. I have much more to sort thru and get rid of but it felt good to get started doing something yesterday.
Maybe put the overflow items in the basement. I find it so much easier to clean when my supplies are streamlined. I don't believe they expire.3 -
RubyRed427 wrote: »What do you do with cards from special people? I can't save all of them and they mean something only to me, so not sure what to do?
@emmclean Thanks for the tip. I will check her work out.
I went to my sister's house. Her house is overwhelmed with clutter but her husband just can't part with anything. I feel badly for her- she said well if I keep hounding him about the clutter, it's like a cancer on our relationship. That's a battle- when one person is neat and the other messy. I live alone- so I have total control. Just ramblin'
I have a lot of cards and memorabilia that I've saved over the years too. I've kept them thinking when I'm much older, it'll be fun to go thru them all while sitting in my rocking chair! lol
My hubby doesn't like to part with things either. He turns 70 this year and he still won't part with his college textbooks or "nik naks" from his days in Japan while he was in the Air Force. I packed up a couple boxes of his treasures and put them in the garage a few years back. He never noticed they were gone! I won't toss his stuff but as least they aren't cluttering the inside of the house any longer!4 -
Happy Mardi Gras (one day late)! It took me a while to figure out that it was Mardi Gras. aka Shrove Tuesday / day before Ash Wednesday and the 1st day of Lent.
When I realized it was Mardi Gras, it reminded me of a suggestion one of my coworkers had about Lent. Instead of giving something up, give something. The suggestion was to dig into your closet each day and select something you don’t wear. Set it aside and at the end of lent you will have a cleaner closet and a bag of clothes you can donate. A variant would include non-clothes items. Really, anything donatable or could go on Freecycle etc.
What do you think?7 -
I'm trying out the Kondo method of letting-go of those items that no longer spark joy.
So Far, So Good.
I've recently thrown out an electric bill, a vacuum cleaner & a bag of frozen kale.
Baby Steps, right ?
That being said, my mother-in-law is coming to visit this weekend.
This whole Kondo thing might not end well.....7 -
I have a real desire to de clutter but I don’t have that much control over my household. My husband has a lot of trouble letting things go. He’s been known to actually take things out of the trash. And they were my things, not his. But we have been able to improve. He really tries.4
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Went through a box yesterday. Threw things out, found things I've been looking for, put other things away. Another box ready to burn!5
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I may not do things in Marie's suggested order, but I am starting to try out what her folding does for my drawers, putting all my sewing things together in one place - and contemplating the kitchen drawer of 'rarely if ever used preparation utensils'. And the big blender is going as soon as there is a drop-off place open to take it to!
Once I started pulling all my sewing paraphernalia together, I realized that I am about to totally empty two whole drawers in my tall-boy simply by relocating. That means plenty of space to move the off-season clothes out of the spare room and put all in the same room. THEN I will start the Kondo "start with choosing which clothes bring you joy" Lesson 15 -
I will be applying "keep only what brings you joy" to my sewing patterns. Keeping only those that are sized to my current measurements, and FROM that pile, keep only those that will make up into something I would wear at this point in my life (some patterns have been in my possession for a very long time - and I am just not the person who would wear "that" in my current life any more.)
Any suggestions for re-homing for sewing patterns? Particularly never-used ones? I have heard of modge podging onto a wall as a decorating choice. (I am not enough into sewing myself for that, and haven't landed on a designated "forever sewing place" yet either) .4 -
One time, our school (I'm a teacher) set up a long table in the lounge. We put items from home on there that were excellent condition, but we didn't need anymore. We put down a little box to collect money. So, I purchased a few things that were simply adorable from that table. And we donated the money to a food bank. Maybe this spring, I would be allowed to do that again (we will mostly be vaccinated by then). I still LOVE these appetizer plates I picked up from that table.
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@BMcC9
If you belong to a church or any other organization, you can donate what you don't need or want anymore. You can also reach to your local schools, including tech schools, to find out if they can use the patterns for sewing classes.
Some communities have a "neighborhood e-mail center" where people advertise the sale or give-away of items that they not longer need. Check if you have it in your community, and also check the link below. Good luck!
Where to Donate or Sell Your Old Sewing Patterns
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/where-to-sell-old-sewing-patterns-2978104#:~:text=Donating Used Patterns 1 Goodwill or Salvation Army:,love the opportunity to sort through your treasures.4 -
I have bought patterns at a thrift shop. Usually 25 cents. Better bargain than what they are at the fabric store.6
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Thank you @RubyRed427 , @Gisel2015 , and @RetiredAndLovingIt for the pattern rehoming ideas. I will be checking out the www.sprucecrafts.com site in more detail, as it seems to have content of interest in more than one of my "craft and/or aspire-to craft " categories.4
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RubyRed427 wrote: »What do you do with cards from special people?
I've been kinda stuck on this one myself. I was thinking to photograph them, and then part with the physical objects? Haven't done that yet - but that is my plan this summer. Thank goodness for digital photographs now. They take up so little space that having an "archive" folder of memorabilia doesn't seem so bad.
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Purging and organizing is my hobby. When I’m bored I find a drawer or closet to organize or reorganize.
I do have a “keep it forever bin” (a fairly small Rubbermaid container) for sentimental items but even that I go through occasionally. It mostly contains cards and notes from my husband and kids and homemade gifts from my kids.
Sometimes I find I regret tossing certain items. Particularly clothing. I wish I still had my Benetton rugby shirts from high school and a trucker hat with my name in puffy letters I had as a kid.7 -
My plan by the end of the weekend is to finish sewing the waistband on a skirt (diminishing the clutter of uncompleted projects) and getting all sewing paraphernalia neatly contained in one place. Allowing me me relocate off-season clothes into two newly-emptied tall-boy drawers in my bedroom. And do a "Route out ROT" pass on my work-at-home papers. (that's information-management speak for "Redundant / Obsolete / Trivial" ... like ToDo task - lists that are already weeks old; meeting notes once the Record of Decision has been posted; that kind of convenient-in-the-moment but past its' time and not of ongoing business OR reference value)4
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I started cleaning out our desk today. Sorted piles of paperwork, and filed or threw it out. Looks better, only have hours to go on it. Lol4
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Last week I finished cleaning several drawers in my office. Lots of old papers were shredded, and now my folders are more organized and documents are sorted out as well.
I have a big cabinet full greetings cards that I get from the places where I send donations, old pictures, and who knows what else is there, that I need to clean up and organize as well. It will be a several hours job that I have been procrastinating to start and complete. I really need to put my big girls pants and start working on that. I know that I will be pleased when I am done.
Great job, to all of you that posted your accomplishment. I should use your comments as an inspiration and motivation
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Skirt is made. Sewing paraphernalia round-up next on the ToDo list.
a "Route out ROT" pass on my work-at-home papers by the end of NEXT weekend (if not before)5 -
no ..... you aren't contemplating pattern / material match-ups YET . .... FIRST finish sewing paraphenalia round-up. THEN cut out next project!
(aren't you the least bit curious about "how all the clothes in the same room" is gonna go together ..... ONCE YOU FINISH EMPTYING THOSE TWO DRAWERS IN THE TALL BOY?3 -
I too have been doing this, when I tackle a closet or drawer. Anything that I do not use or will not fit back into that space neatly has to go! Closet is my biggest challenge, hard to find pants that are comfortable & fit right so I have many! I love cloths but still working on cleaning that part out, and it does feel a lot better and easier to clean and keep that way!3
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We finished clearing out the desk. The new one arrived yesterday. This one has drawers so I'm hoping to keep this one dustable! Hubby might make it a struggle. We'll see.3
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We're going to take a lot of random crap that was left in a storage shed here when we bought the house to the dump, and then while we have the pickup truck, we're going to go get lumber and plywood to make some large storage shelves for the garage to put the totes on. We had that at the old house and it worked well, but we definitely need it here.7
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I'm obviously here because I have way too much clutter in my house and am appreciating all the comments and interactions from others. My main personal problem is an emotional connection to inanimate objects, probably familial as my mother was the same. She was a child of the Depression, and saved everything because it "might be useful down the road". I am addressing my own issues slowly and learning about myself as I plug away.
But aside from me, I have a question and am looking for suggestions. I have a very dear friend who's adult child that lived with her suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. She has left their bedroom untouched, and several years later. is now approaching the strength to start going through her child's belongings. Out of all of her multitude of wonderful friends, she has asked me if I could help her do this. Eeek! I seriously want to help, but with my own inability to discard many things, I'm afraid I might not be the best person to help. I would be crying along side of her and be the most supportive friend to lean on, but how do I help the best with what to keep, what to donate? Anyone with experience in this, any thing I can read? I will probably learn more about my own issues while helping. but I want to be there for her, to help the best way I can. Open to suggestions!8 -
I just love these posts. You are all so inspirational and motivating. I just love your drive and how in touch you are with what you need to do to get to where you want to be. I just starting in that direction. I have just lately been feeling how much I really do love my body no matter at what stage it is at. Congratulations especially to you all for getting rid of toxic former bosses and jobs - they are just not worth it - life is too short - better just to release and let it go (assuming that you are in an affordable place to do so - and all my blessings to those that need to hang in there)5
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#SbetaK
Nice of you to be willing to help your friend in her time of need. Sometimes sharing stories and sorrows make things, especially the pain, easy to handle. I have never been in yours or your friend’s situation so I don’t have experience on how to handle that task. On top of that, I am also one of those people attached to "things” and inanimate objects. For me everything that I have has a meaning, even if I am the one giving it.
I also learnt that once a person passes, we should a little bit at the time clear rooms, closets, and belongings as a way to accept their deaths. At the same time keeping something special to remember them can be comforting. Encourage your friend to choose few things, including clothing, that were special for her child and to put them in a box of memories. Maybe by doing this will make it easier to detach herself from the rest,
1) Books can be donated to a library, school, or church.
2) She can contact children’s hospitals, shelters, and or/churches to find out if they would accept clothing, books and/or toys and posters for their recreation centers.
3) Military families are often in need of help, so that is another source to reach out to.
4) There are many organizations that will happily take clothing of any age and size since so many people are now out of work or with limited income (American Red Cross, United Way, Good Will, to name a few)
5) Humanitarian organizations sometimes collect clothing and books to send to central America or to third world countries where the need is great.
See below the information that I got online
• Donate Your Old Clothes to a Women’s Shelter. One of my favorite places to give clothes away to is …
• Donate Clothing to Crisis Centers and Homeless Shelters. There are also likely many other crisis …
• Give Away Clothes to Disaster Relief Organizations. During times of crisis and natural disasters, the …
• Give Old Clothes to Local Churches. Some churches work hand in hand with different group of …
•
See full list on whatsupfagans.com
If your friend has attended grief sessions with a therapist, he or she may be able to help her place her child's belongings as well. I hope that some of these ideas are helpful to you and your friend. I am sorry for the loss of her child, and she is lucky to have your help.
G.
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I'm obviously here because I have way too much clutter in my house and am appreciating all the comments and interactions from others. My main personal problem is an emotional connection to inanimate objects, probably familial as my mother was the same. She was a child of the Depression, and saved everything because it "might be useful down the road". I am addressing my own issues slowly and learning about myself as I plug away.
But aside from me, I have a question and am looking for suggestions. I have a very dear friend who's adult child that lived with her suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. She has left their bedroom untouched, and several years later. is now approaching the strength to start going through her child's belongings. Out of all of her multitude of wonderful friends, she has asked me if I could help her do this. Eeek! I seriously want to help, but with my own inability to discard many things, I'm afraid I might not be the best person to help. I would be crying along side of her and be the most supportive friend to lean on, but how do I help the best with what to keep, what to donate? Anyone with experience in this, any thing I can read? I will probably learn more about my own issues while helping. but I want to be there for her, to help the best way I can. Open to suggestions!
I’ve been in your shoes to some extent, and I helped someone with a problem while I was learning to work on my own and I’m still not done sorting and getting rid of my stuff.
I worked with an agency that sent people to my house who taught me how to sort through everything I had. I threw much of it out, donated a lot, and kept some. I learned how to make these decisions about my things and they worked with me while I did that. It was great support. Everything had a story and I was able to share those stories with the helpers as I worked on my apartment.
I imagine you would be a good helper to your friend and could support each other while you both work on and learn how to do this. There is a book called Buried in Treasures by Tolin, Frost, and Steketee that I read some of. It’s a practical guide that is help for compulsive Acquiring, saving, and hoarding. I worked on my place without the book. Going through stuff is hard and your friend has to sort through the things. You being there might be just the support she needs as she goes through things. You could help each other. I hope it works out, whatever you choose to do.5 -
Thank you mssue18 and Gisel2015 for taking the time to share thoughts and sources with me, I really appreciate it. Hoping this challenge will be beneficial to both of us down the road, especially for my friend.
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@SbetaK First I will share that many of us here, including me, struggle with being too sentimentally attached to our belongings. I can't help but think your dear friend asked you to help her for a reason. I think she really trusts you and can be vulnerable with you as she sorts through these possessions. I agree with all the other posts on this matter, that you may even gain some valuable insights about sorting, decluttering and saving as you work on this together. Mostly, I think you will help a friend tackle more than just a physical task of the room, I think you will go on a real sentimental journey together and that will help her enormously. You sound like a really valued and trusted friend. Blessings to your friend who has lost her child as there is no greater loss. Good luck to you and please let us know how it goes when you finish this project. (I have friends that take pictures of some sentimental things before they let them go as a way of still "keeping" it without keeping the actual object.)6
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@SbetaK - I agree with what others have suggested, especially the photos of treasured items.
Your friend obviously values your advice and feels that you will be compassionate and sympathetic in this vital healing process.
Encourage her to see the donation of her child’s belongings as a last final act of generosity on their behalf.
She could find a special container of some kind to hold the items she chooses to keep.
Good luck be with you both as you navigate this delicate task.6
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