Let it GO! Decluttering (simplifying) your life of (people, places or things) success stories?

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Replies

  • StayFITTer
    StayFITTer Posts: 968 Member
    @Gisel2015 Thank you so much for the encouragement as well as sharing where you are in your journey!

    You and I are on the same page as far as making plan to tackle the declutter, I was doing the same thing on Sunday night!

    I feel as though the past 3 days has been productive for me in the cluttering department and I journaled about it--I'll share more hopefully by the end of the month.

    Rooting for us all!
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,189 Member
    edited February 20
    Hi @ RubyRed427
    Good job about the cards, and it does make a lot of sense!
    I have 2 or 3 large boxes full of cards (birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, and more). I ditched many of them during the pandemic but my ever-sentimental sweetheart that I have for a husband got attached to many of them, especially if they were sent by his mother or other family member now deceased, and he doesn't want me to ditch the cards.
    I don't think that my children or their families would ever appreciate or relate to them either. But for the time being I am savings them; however, cards sent by friends get ditch quite often.
    If possible, I save the front page of the cards and I mail them to St. Jude's Ranch for Children. I get satisfaction knowing that the cards will have a second life and a good purpose.



  • StayFITTer
    StayFITTer Posts: 968 Member
    Didn't even know this was a thing....

    https://stjudesranch.org/recycled-card-program/

    Thanks for sharing.

    @Gisel2015
    @RubyRed427
    Gisel2015 wrote: »
    Hi @ RubyRed427
    Good job about the cards, and it does make a lot of sense!
    I have 2 or 3 large boxes full of cards (birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, and more). I ditched many of them during the pandemic but my ever-sentimental sweetheart that I have for a husband got attached to many of them, especially if they were sent by his mother or other family member now deceased, and he doesn't want me to ditch the cards.
    I don't think that my children or their families would ever appreciate or relate to them either. But for the time being I am savings them; however, cards sent by friends get ditch quite often.
    If possible, I save the front page of the cards and I mail them to St. Jude's Ranch for Children. I get satisfaction knowing that the cards will have a second life and a good purpose.



  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,189 Member
    Greetings everyone!
    I am taking a short break from organization, cleaning, and de-clutting plans and goals noted in my-to-do-list, in order to tackle other routine daily chores.
    I selected this week some books that I will not read again for donation. I am planning to stop at the library in the gated community where I live tomorrow. If the library doesn't take them (they are picky…), I will drop them at the donation center because I am too lazy to make an especial trip to the Public Library.
    I also reviewed a couple of baskets where I keep magazines and brochures, and I discarded the old ones in the recycle trash-bin. This is an ongoing project that I tackle every month and doesn't deserve special credit.
    Last week I was checking inside my closet and I decided not to remove any more items at this time. I can keep wearing most of the clothing, and there is no need to spend money or time in new outfits right now. Many items had not been worn for a while (remember the pandemic?), so it is time to put them back in circulation.
    Well, that's all for now folks. Wishing all of you a nice week ahead. G.
  • Sand_TIger
    Sand_TIger Posts: 1,099 Member
    Gisel2015 wrote: »
    Hi @ RubyRed427
    Good job about the cards, and it does make a lot of sense!
    I have 2 or 3 large boxes full of cards (birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, and more). I ditched many of them during the pandemic but my ever-sentimental sweetheart that I have for a husband got attached to many of them, especially if they were sent by his mother or other family member now deceased, and he doesn't want me to ditch the cards.

    Right now the cards have a good purpose if they give him happy memories - at least they can be neatly boxed and put away. Good thing he's not collecting motorcycles or something! I can't imagine having enough cards saved that I'd need even one box, that's amazing.
  • ElfBodGoals
    ElfBodGoals Posts: 46 Member
    The author of "Goodbye, things: The New Japanese Minimalism" also lost weight when he decluttered. His name is Fumio Sasaki. People who think Marie Kondo wanted them to get rid of literally everything they owned should read his book to see what that really looks like, lol.

    I guess none of the trouble we get ourselves into is an isolated incident. Once I research the best ways to get rid of the stuff I've been clinging to, it's gooone. I hope it takes my weight with it!!
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,189 Member
    @Sand_TIger
    It is more than one box neatly stored in my closet. Inside the boxes are also cards that we sent to each other in different occasions thru the years. We will be celebrating our 58th wedding anniversary in April, and that can give you an idea of how many cards were saved. Even if some were already discarded due to our several moves.
    He is not collecting motorcycles (over my dead body), but he still has in the garage cabinet a box full of personal stuff that he packed when he retired back in 1996, clothing in his closet that has not be worn (and wouldn't fit anyway) in more than 10 years, plus electronics that we are no longer using. It is a lost battle with him. But he is a great husband and partner so I choose the battles that I can win very carefully.
    However, since I control the inside of the house all the rooms are in perfect order. More power to me!!
  • Sand_TIger
    Sand_TIger Posts: 1,099 Member
    Gisel2015 wrote: »
    He is not collecting motorcycles (over my dead body), but he still has in the garage cabinet a box full of personal stuff that he packed when he retired back in 1996, clothing in his closet that has not be worn (and wouldn't fit anyway) in more than 10 years, plus electronics that we are no longer using. It is a lost battle with him. But he is a great husband and partner so I choose the battles that I can win very carefully.

    I love that perspective and those priorities. :-) My own spouse has trouble letting go - we both came from histories of poverty and deprivation so I get it. But she's also pretty great!
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,189 Member
    @ElfBodGoals
    Thank you for the information about that book from F. Sasaki. I will check it out.
    I don't embrace everything that Marie Kondo practices and recommends, but I did learn few things from her that I already follow with good results. But I don't discard things that I haven't used in a year or two (especially if they still bring me happiness) :). Sometimes I don't wear a special clothing because the opportunity or the occasion didn't present itself. I have nice looking pants and tops, very classic that can be worn in special occasions, so I keep them until the occasion comes.
    It is not easy for me to find something that fits me well, since I am short. When I find something that I like, a good price, and classic, I hold on to it for life.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,189 Member
    Another "cleaning" done without planning it.
    1) Looking for some information in my e-mail box, I found items that were old and not relevant. They went to the e-trash can.
    2) Looking for something else in my night-table, I also found papers, receipts, and other stuff that I didn't know where they came from. I don't remember why I kept them or for how long they have been in the drawers. All went to the trash as well. Nothing was recyclable.
    3) Looking for an envelope in the stationary closet in the office, I decided to go further and organize some of the shelves. I found too many unwanted empty envelopes that were used to send payments. All payments are done electronically now, so those envelopes went to the recycling bin.
    I kind of like this approach. No fuzz, no pressure, no overwhelming lists to follow, and no more clutter.
    G.

  • SbetaK
    SbetaK Posts: 400 Member
    @Gisel2015 Hahaha, I read your post and entirely related to it. Yesterday I was looking for an item upstairs in my house, and seems there were LOTS of things in the way of getting to it. So, being the easily distracted person that I am, I started going through that stuff and wondering WHY I had all those things I'm not using, wearing, or what reason made me save them. Impromptu, unplanned cleaning and organizing!
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,189 Member
    @SbetaK
    We rock, and "impromptu" is king!
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,189 Member
    Another cabinet organized today. Some stuff went to the recycling bin, others directly to the garbage can. This is actually and on going project that I do every couple of years or as needed. But I didn't in 2023 so I started 2024 with another accomplishment. It feels good :)
    Hope that all of you have a nice week ahead.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,189 Member
    I clean up/purged some folders in my PC that I don't need anymore and my computer lost a lot of weight :). Amazing the things that we (or at least "I") save thinking that we may needed them in the future. Delusional!
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,189 Member
    Two office drawers cleaned-up/de-cluttered/organized yesterday afternoon in the spur of the moment.
    They were in my list to-do this weekend, but I decided to start earlier. Many things went to the trash bin (including a phone-book from 30 years ago :o ), receipts and paper instructions from items no longer in use, etc., etc. The drawers look nice and items are easier to see and find. More paperwork to go thru still pending, and I may start doing something today.
    Happy to see that others are also tackling the organization of their homes. I think that we get inspiration and motivation from each other. Let’s keep it up!
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,794 Member
    Gisel2015 wrote: »
    Two office drawers cleaned-up/de-cluttered/organized yesterday afternoon in the spur of the moment.
    They were in my list to-do this weekend, but I decided to start earlier. Many things went to the trash bin (including a phone-book from 30 years ago :o ), receipts and paper instructions from items no longer in use, etc., etc. The drawers look nice and items are easier to see and find. More paperwork to go thru still pending, and I may start doing something today.
    Happy to see that others are also tackling the organization of their homes. I think that we get inspiration and motivation from each other. Let’s keep it up!

    This group does inspire me, I need to get rid of magazines from 20yrs ago! Still have me pay stubs from work going back some years, why? I don't know lol
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,410 Member
    Gisel2015 wrote: »
    My organizing/de-clutting plans have came to a halt. I was in a car accident on 7/08 so I am recuperating at home and unable to do much. Two days in a trauma center and 7 days in a rehabilitation facility, plus the injuries and shock of the accident really knocked me down.
    I hope that all of you continue with your plans, and I will be reading your progress as often as I can. MFP is not my priority right now. At my age every moment counts.
    Good luck everyone.

    Best wishes on your healing. That is terrible that you were in an accident. Sending you positive healing thoughts Gisel.
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