August 2020 to Jan 2021 Declutterfest
Options
Replies
-
I've been working on my upstairs bedroom where all photos, family information, and stuff is hidden away. Getting a late start so tonight will be day 4 and I will sort through the grandkids' treasures that I've been saving for 12 years. Earlier this week I went through "antique" books (anything older than me
), containers, and picture frames. Just need to find a home for some things. 3 -
@nebslp You wrote: "Earlier this week I went through "antique" books (anything older than me ), ."
Now that is really a brand new twist on the meaning of "antique" 😂😁🤦♀️ .
November 14 several more files in the file cabinet gone through for the first pass through.
November 16 file cabinet: top drawer, and I 🌿🐯🌳 began working in a sentimental box: children's school papers. However, I stopped for now until I can get the opportunity to share with my DH. Then I will mail or give most of it to our (adult) children to have now. It is for them to enjoy and share with their families or whatever they wish after that. It will be a childhood blast from their past 😄 .
November 30th again, more in the general miscellaneous paper category including going through junk mail and such. Keeping the 🐯 tiger at bay. I did do the tiny bit of paper work that needed to be finished this month. Anything else I will check on later this week. I did not reacquaint myself with the chair pile as I had hoped. No worries it won't be going any where 😵😁 .
🤠🌺1 -
Went through all of our financial Filing drawers to get a sense of what was in them & where.
I am posting a photo of a form a friend gave me...I’m looking in line & finding newer ones that divide items into on-line & physical locations- more accurate.
Thought I’d include it in case it would assist anyone else in getting important papers, passwords, etc in order.
Someone I know passed away & the executor could never find the password for one of his accounts. No way to get into the account or even learn the balance, so funds were not part of estate. This has spurred me onwards!
3 -
A very smart idea! Having been thru this with my parents I can tell you that the guessing game is very VERY stressful for the survivors.
And my Dad was pretty durn well organized. But even so I had no idea of all of the accounts and things he had or why. Quite lucky that his last night before bypass surgery he spent showing me all his accounts and giving me a cheat sheet. And this was after he had months before given my brother and I joint access to his bank accounts and copies of his will and legal documents for both him and my Mom. There are just SO many things. And online makes it even more complex. I remember doing their taxes the first time after he passed away and being totally lost in how different it was... wow. 3 -
My husband and I occasionally mention getting things in order but if I don't do it, it doesn't get done, and I've been dragging my feet on this one. At least we do have a will. I have things on my daily list that need to be done but can't seem to get those phone calls made. I have a few plan sheets on a Pinterest board similar to the one @MadisonMolly2017 posted here. Those forms are very helpful in knowing what's important. But what's really important is the commitment to filling them out.
Today I inventoried my zipper "collection" which totaled 35 zippers of varying lengths. Most are perfect for 20" pillow invisible closures. Others would work for small zippered bags. Maybe 2021 will be the year to clean out my zipper box and move out some of my fabric stash. My house is a disaster right now and I chose to clean out a small box in a drawer. WHY?!? (eye roll)!2 -
My husband and I occasionally mention getting things in order but if I don't do it, it doesn't get done, and I've been dragging my feet on this one. At least we do have a will. I have things on my daily list that need to be done but can't seem to get those phone calls made. I have a few plan sheets on a Pinterest board similar to the one @MadisonMolly2017 posted here. Those forms are very helpful in knowing what's important. But what's really important is the commitment to filling them out.
Today I inventoried my zipper "collection" which totaled 35 zippers of varying lengths. Most are perfect for 20" pillow invisible closures. Others would work for small zippered bags. Maybe 2021 will be the year to clean out my zipper box and move out some of my fabric stash. My house is a disaster right now and I chose to clean out a small box in a drawer. WHY?!? (eye roll)!
@nebslp
I did the same, organizing first aid supplies in bathroom. But over time, we build that muscle, and almost 5 years later, I’m getting all the financials in order. (Part of it was my husband did all this - even though I asked) but now that he sees how nice it is to have everything organized, and we’ve both realized I’m the organized one, we are now true teammates to do this final push.
I almost started organizing momentous today, but stopped myself. Time to find all important papers & info. All else is 2nd priority (other than calories & daily exercise.)
It takes time. Self-kindness. There are reasons we’ve avoided this, and it takes time to peel them back.
Bravo on the zippers! Recently I was head down in beads & buttons. I get it.2 -
Looking back, sorting zippers was easy! I've been working on my youngest daughter's room. She's been away from home since 2004 so I guess it's time to go through her school papers and pictures. I just miss her and having her things in the drawers made it seem like she might come home and spend some time up there again. No such thing will happen since she's happily settled 900 miles away from here. So I have 3 piles, keep for sure, maybe keep, and remove. It's the middle group that complicates the process so tomorrow will be decision day. Then I will be rearranging furniture and doing a deep clean before Friday when my older daughter and kids will be visiting. I feel better removing a bagful of old school papers, but I did keep all of her compositions to read at another time.2
-
Looking back, sorting zippers was easy! I've been working on my youngest daughter's room. She's been away from home since 2004 so I guess it's time to go through her school papers and pictures. I just miss her and having her things in the drawers made it seem like she might come home and spend some time up there again. No such thing will happen since she's happily settled 900 miles away from here. So I have 3 piles, keep for sure, maybe keep, and remove. It's the middle group that complicates the process so tomorrow will be decision day. Then I will be rearranging furniture and doing a deep clean before Friday when my older daughter and kids will be visiting. I feel better removing a bagful of old school papers, but I did keep all of her compositions to read at another time.
@nebslp I totally resonate! Your approach is sound!
Please don’t forget the photography method for those “maybe’s”! I use my camera to photograph papers & 3-D items of our son’s. A great tool for sentimental items, I find!
With a huge hug,
Maddie
2 -
@MadisonMolly2017 do you think that we should change the name of our declutter thread to change it up and encourage more participation 🤷♀️?? Or just update the year 😁 ? Any thoughts?
@MadisonMolly2017 thank you for sharing your insights and the example of how/ where to find important information. This is a very important consideration. And also a part of what I need to take care of...
@nebslp well done inventorying your zipper "collection". Sometimes it is easier to work on something small, or seemingly insignificant, when much needs to be done elsewhere. I still see this as a success nevertheless, and who knows which smaller area might be what inspires you to eventually tackle the more difficult areas of your home. Sometimes the smaller bits are all that our mind or body has the energy for at the time. But it all adds up in the end.
December: Paper:
December 1 & 2 🌿🐯🌳 junk mail and other easy miscellaneous papers.(posted previously)
December 3, 4, 5, 8,14, 22, and 29th were noted as maintenance (new papers).
December 7, 10, and 17 were the only other dates that I decluttered other papers that I found while doing some light cleaning elsewhere in the house.
December: Digital:
December 10, 21, 28, and 30th. These included the ever problematic email declutter and phone/ tablet declutters.
December: Stuff:
December 18th decluttered a bit more miscellaneous stuff and added it to the Donate Boxes. I then took it all to a Good Will store that still accepts donations at this time. It took some doing to find one near to me since the one very near to me is temporarily closed at this time.
January 1st: 6 items including puzzles, a game, a book etc to be given away/ donated.
🤠🌺1 -
2
-
I like the name! Thank you @MadisonMolly2017. It definitely updates and revitalizes our ongoing decluttering thread! Great Choice of a name!
Perhaps a special declutter focus in February might be just what we all could use. I've always been more inspired and challenged during our planned group wide special declutterfest events than when I am doing it mostly by myself, as an individual. Good idea!
🤠🌺2 -
AHA!!! Great new name!!
2 -
Thank you @texasgardnr & @SummerSkier
Closer to Feb, maybe we can poll the group to see which month folks would most like to focus!2 -
January 1st: 6 items including puzzles, a game, a book etc to be given away/ donated.
January 2nd: today the chair pile was decluttered, with only two small folders remaining. One I always use for miscellaneous things that come along that my DH and I need to go through together, the second one is a new folder that I just made for several papers that I need to take action on this week or the next. I like the idea of containing the several loose papers into a folder.
I need to find a better home for these folders so that I can see them lest I forget them, but not on the chair or the table 🤦♀️🤷♀️. And not hiding in the file cabinet which is for putting paper away when finished with or to file.
🤠🌺0 -
texasgardnr wrote: »January 1st: 6 items including puzzles, a game, a book etc to be given away/ donated.
January 2nd: today the chair pile was decluttered, with only two small folders remaining. One I always use for miscellaneous things that come along that my DH and I need to go through together, the second one is a new folder that I just made for several papers that I need to take action on this week or the next. I like the idea of containing the several loose papers into a folder.
I need to find a better home for these folders so that I can see them lest I forget them, but not on the chair or the table 🤦♀️🤷♀️. And not hiding in the file cabinet which is for putting paper away when finished with or to file.
🤠🌺
@texasgardnr
Yes, I hear you! I have placed three large magazine folders on a large kitchen counter: home repair, medical/Medicare, will/financial.
I also have a couple near the spot where I read most often of “need to do soon.”1 -
January 3rd: Digital- deleting email.
January 7 & 9: Paper: (on bookshelf in bedroom)
January 8: Digital- deleting email, emptied trash: 300 so far for January. Unsubscribed two newsletters 😉.
🤠🌺0 -
I went through my daily planner sheets that I kept since October and threw all away after taking notes on things that I want to remember that I did. I found the list from 2019-2020 and added to that.2
-
Xmas in mid-January
I was gifted 3 boxes of arts & craft supplies by a friend who is Decluttering!
1. Pastels, brushes, and some w/color & acrylics
2. Shape & corner cutters
3. Rubber stamps & ink pads
With her permission, I’m having fun “Marie Kondo-ing the art supplies, and will offer the ones that “don’t make my heart 🎶 sing” to my art club!
I hope you are all doing well!
Maddie❤️3 -
Just realized I’m using my art studio daily & my new organizational system is keeping it clean & usable!! Finally! Haha!
My haha...must keep
Horizontal Surfaces mostly cleaned off & tidy or else I don’t make art. So I have a table where I lay out (neatly) my work-in-process(WIP)
(I often have 8-10 I am adding to over time.) 🤣
So now, if I’m not sure what I want to make, I’ll saunter over to my table & peruse my WIP, choose one & take it to my drawing station, my “wet art table” or my textile/stitching table...and Begin!
This works well because it optimizes Beginning, which is often the hardest part for me!
PS I’m still sorting they the box of Goodies I received. Have a box set up for give-sways. And an area set-up for Keeps. The Middles lol are on the coffee table so I can ponder...
Taking my time to get a sense whether I reall love them or not!
❤️
Maddie1 -
Please let me know if you want to do any of the following In February:
A. Monthlong Declutterfest 📆
B. 2-week Declutterfest (say Feb 1 to Valentine’s Day ❤️as a gift to ourselves)
C. 1-week Declutterfest (aka Fast & Furious)
D. Not Interested.
E. Other
🎉
Maddie2
