August 2020 to Jan 2021 Declutterfest
Options
Replies
-
It is hard to go through your parents' things and then deal with guilt you feel as you get rid of what obviously meant so much to them. But you can't keep everything or nothing would be special. I need to go through the things I kept from my parents and label everything, and then my kids will have to decide what's important someday.
@MadisonMolly2017 You have devised a great plan for organizing those important sentimental items. The foundation has been laid for a successful result, or at least the plans have been drawn up!0 -
Aug 26 - collage papers marathon. Will hopefully finish tomorrow! (The job that almost feels done each day lol ie the ever-expanding task!)
Lots of other random Decluttering as the day is the first cool one in a long time! Heat definitely effects my activity level lol0 -
@SummerSkier I also learned a lot after my siblings and I went through my parent's house/ our childhood home after their death. That was a sad time because they kept literally everything. I learned to hold things more loosely, and also to give special things to my children that they always liked, both mementos or useful things, while I am still alive. And give them mementos of their grand parents also for the same reasons. That way I can enjoy the fact that they are enjoying them.
@MadisonMolly2017 wow! that looks like a good plan. Did you get to being able to pull
out 'The Very Best' of the Mementos that make you most happiest? I liked how you explained that in your post.
@nebslp oh, yes. I remember us having to get rid of stuff that were obviously important to my parents like mementos from their courting days. But it meant nothing to us because most of these things had been tucked away for so long that we never even saw them before. It felt weird and was also sad tossing those sort of things.
I'm planning eventually to go through everything because I had forgotten where I had last stored things as I have moved stuff around over the years. I dread the thought that my kids would have to go through what my siblings and I went through. This is fresh for me because I found more on Wednesday. The things I found were mementos I saved from when my children were young. Not tons of things but special things from a certain time period. So I know that there has to be other things elsewhere, oh my. I am most certainly glad that we are all decluttering together and sharing our experiences. It is making me determined to really get this done now.
@MadisonMolly2017 speaking of college papers, my brother had all of our father's college papers that dad had saved! It seems that these may have been special to Dad at one time, because they weren't from every class he took. I knew that they existed because he would talk about them occasionally, but they were stashed up in the attic with everything else so they never got pulled out. Another lesson for me to grasp... it's stuff that gets stored away and stays that way if not taken care of someday. Then the stories never get really told.
He and I went through them and saved a few that we both liked and kept a few to send to our siblings, and also a few that my children might like because of their own studies, and to see what it was like to do calculations etc without computers or calculators 😮.
You are doing great with your own college papers!
My nursing school papers and professional magazines have been gone for many years after I finally realized how outdated these things became very quickly as advancements were being rapidly made. We still used glass thermometers and did not have disposable needles back then, for instance, when I was a young nurse! Oh, my. That was a long time ago.
Thanks you everyone for sharing your experiences and thoughts 💖!
🤠🌺0 -
This group is humming!!!
Please don’t worry about which discussion strand you post to! We all read all of them! 😁
Just keep those comments a-coming!! 💪🏻😃🎉
4 more days in August! We can do anything for 4 days, right?0 -
My Declutterfest Update:
August 25 I spent my time continuing to clear my work table. It is cleared off now!
August 26 I started back on stored boxes that were on the other side of my paper and other photo album making supplies drawers. Currently I am focusing only on things that really don't belong in this room at this time. And clearing the flat surfaces of accumulated stuff that has landed in the room.
I don't want to just dump these boxes back into my closet or into the spare room. That room has issues enough right now 🥴. My goal is to have only what I really want or use in my little room, and eventually the same in the spare/guest room when this is project is done.
I found some cool things I saved from the kids earlier school years. Not a lot because its all in one box. Probably my favorite of the favorites... I saw some of their really funny stories and other things they wrote, for starters. I stopped myself from going down memory land and quickly closed the box up. I'm planning to go through it with my DH and then I will make packets for each of the kids to give most of it to them and we will keep a few favorites or make a few copies it that works better. It will be fun to go through it with my DH because some are stories about camping trips with their daddy. He will like that! That is what gave me the idea to stop and look through it together.
Years ago I had made each child a big binder of all kinds of their childhood memorabilia and some school papers, church events and sports ribbons etc. I put these into those page protectors and gave it to them when they each were moving out of the home. It was a scrapbook of sorts but they could move things around or take it out to look at or to someday show their children when that time came. Keep what they feel is important to them as time goes on, or keep all of it. It is their choice now. Not fancy at all but it got done and they were happy.
August 27 took a break from decluttering/ organizing!
🤠🌺2 -
My Declutterfest Update:
August 28 This morning I've been working on the papers that have been languishing on the table. First I finished up all of the loose paper/ new mail/ and miscellaneous papers. Some paper to-do items need to be attended to and then filed or mailed perhaps. I began to work on those. A few will take some extra time so I will probably do them tomorrow or Monday depending what needs to be finished to complete them.
When it was time to start on the actual folder/file pile a thought came to me.... place the intact files and folders into a bag or box, and take one out at a time to work on. As I was placing the folders into the bag I discovered in between the bottom two was another pile of loose papers/ envelopes. Oh my 😱 how did all that get in there 😲 . No wonder the pile has tried to slide about.
Since I'm about finished for today, my next thing will be to start on the paper to-do items first when I restart the Paper Tiger tomorrow. Then I will begin to see to the found loose paper pile.
🤠🌺0 -
Wow @texasgardnr !!!
Way to go! You mayst feel so pleased to have the Paper Tiger by the tail!!
I LOVE that you took a much deserved & needed day of rest! Self care first!!!
You inspire me!1 -
Aug 27 update
Significant progress.
1. Completely cleaned bedroom, dusted all those hidden spots.
THEN Created a yoga spot & tabletop display of things that calm & encourage me. Lay down, breathed, did stretches etc.
2. Mopping marathon (1/2 house, including 1/4 of Garage lololol) + laundry
3. Continued with recycling & organizing magazine images. See light at end of tunnel!! Plan to be done by midnight, Aug 31 pretty fun!
Aug 28
Lay down this morning in my mat after brushing my teeth to watch a yoga video chickened out. Instead, I did arm & back PT Exercised & some stretches. Tried to listen to am guided meditation but AirPods dont work. I can see why I take it slowly. Takes a while to work out all the kinks...dust, AirPods, where to set up mat, what time of day is best, do I need props?
I will likely move my collection of mindful books up to the (just named) Gratefulness Garden
I am Super Excited to be creating this special place & practice. I’m glad I moved all the other things out of our bedroom.
Also as I deep cleaned (emptied bookcase) I found a list of all my favorite objects from 2017-2018. I had walked to each room & wrote down what I’d want to keep.
I swear I’m in Groundhog Years As I had just mentioned this plan in here.
The interesting part? Many of the items on the list are not my favorites now😳😳😳
Fascinating!
Also I made a drawing last night & 3/4 of the way through realized a made a Very Similar drawing in 2017. Weird. Oh well - maybe that’s my art style. Who knew? haha haha I’m always the last to know Hahaha!1 -
Well decluttering continues!
@MadisonMolly2017 (Maddie) that is pretty funny that you are in ground hog day but your tastes have changed. I want to say that it is because you are now in year 3 of new kidney and your donor DNA is kicking in. LOL. I am making a joke but seriously everyone who I have known personally who has had a bone marrow transplant mentions strange changes. One of my friends started liking strawberries. Of course his blood type changed completely also. The most important "things" to me to grab if we should have a fire or some event that required evacuation would be my kitties. I make sure to have enough carriers on hand to gather all of them up. After that just legal documents like birth certs, passports etc which would be hard to replace. Other things of sentimental value are just that and mean nothing to anyone but me and are not important really in the biggest scheme of things as life is.
@texasgardnr (Mary) that paper tiger has 9 lives!!!! Funny how more loose papers were hiding out than you thought! I did a huge declutter of paper in 2005 when I was between jobs and my ex had just up and left for a hippychick. It was amazing how many pay stubs and bills etc I kept from the 70's and 80's. lol. Anyway at one point I decided to try instead of filing by type to file by month and then each year I could cleanse. Well, then in 2010 my Dad passed and all of a sudden I was doing EVERYTHING for 2 households in regards to bills. So now I have a 10 year old pile of paper which will eventually get sorted but I think I can wait until I retire or move. LOL. It just grows but a bit less as more things are online each year.
@nebslp yes I agree that you have to go thru and figure out what is important. But I think you cant really let them decide. When going thru my parents house we had NO idea of what things were valuable and what were sentimental. I have some expensive rings which I will eventually give to my niece I think because she will probably end up being the one who helps clean up after I am gone even tho she lives in Dallas. I assume my older sister and brother will most likely pre decease me. How morbid are my thoughts this morning yikes!!!
My decluttering efforts the past 2 days have been in the yard. Now that the fence is all spiffied up I noticed that the leaves I neglected to rake last winter were keeping the grass under the tree from growing. So yesterday I raked the leaves out of the bare spots and today I picked up the piles. You can see the runners which are already happier to have their freedom in the grass. And me - a nice blister on the thumb from raking which I did not even realize until I pulled the scab off last night by accident. ow. A lot of leaves altho it doesn't look like much. I did the whole side edge and filled my large green collection tub with debris.
before photo and after
2 -
@MadisonMolly2017 thank you for your encouraging words 💐 . I needed a planned day off 🤠 .
Your "Mopping marathon " reminds me of what I have been avoiding :noway: . What a fantastic idea to make a peaceful yoga spot that will be waiting for you when you're planning to practice again.
Oh, my goodness.... "Groundhog Years !" 🤣🤸♀️😂. Your finding many of the items on your previous list that are no longer your favorites anymore explains perfectly why I started a declutter notebook during Decluterfest spring of 2019. And what I find when I do my purposeful second pass through areas that I have already done!
@SummerSkier wrote: " (Mary) that paper tiger has 9 lives!!!! Funny how more loose papers were hiding out than you thought!" . Yes it was funny when I took a breath and realized that is why everything had been slipping and a sliding.
this whole time. Maybe it will take 9 pass throughs to finally conquer my paper tiger buddy 🐯 , with its nine lives :laugh: .
On the floor next to the file cabinet I have a box of files that have already been through the first pass through a while back. After I get through the files/ folders that were on the table I will do those because they will be easier the second time around and, that will give me a boost.
Look at all the work that you did under the tree! Yes the spot is indeed happy! And, I definitely know how much work raking that pile of leaves actually turns out to be! Good for you and your happy grass!
My Declutterfest Update:
August 29
Today I focused entirely on the "loose pile of assorted paper" that I discovered yesterday. Piece by piece I tossed/ shredded / put into the folder or file where I would've found it if put away properly in the first place. Anything that requires myself and/or DH's attention I put at the end of the table for us to take care of tomorrow. DH agrees to take care of those things with me tomorrow!
Tomorrow I will go through the two folders which will be fairly easy now, and I'll need some information from one of them for an appointment this week. If the file is really easy then I will do that, otherwise I will put it back in the file cabinet and it will be back in line waiting it's turn again, after I do the second pass through box on the floor this week. That is my plan for the upcoming week!
🤠🌺0 -
texasgardnr wrote: »@MadisonMolly2017 thank you for your encouraging words 💐 . I needed a planned day off 🤠 .
Your "Mopping marathon " reminds me of what I have been avoiding :noway: . What a fantastic idea to make a peaceful yoga spot that will be waiting for you when you're planning to practice again.
Oh, my goodness.... "Groundhog Years !" 🤣🤸♀️😂. Your finding many of the items on your previous list that are no longer your favorites anymore explains perfectly why I started a declutter notebook during Decluterfest spring of 2019. And what I find when I do my purposeful second pass through areas that I have already done!
@SummerSkier wrote: " (Mary) that paper tiger has 9 lives!!!! Funny how more loose papers were hiding out than you thought!" . Yes it was funny when I took a breath and realized that is why everything had been slipping and a sliding. this whole time. Maybe it will take 9 pass throughs to finally conquer my paper tiger buddy 🐯 , with its nine lives :laugh: .
On the floor next to the file cabinet I have a box of files that have already been through the first pass through a while back. After I get through the files/ folders that were on the table I will do those because they will be easier the second time around and, that will give me a boost.
Look at all the work that you did under the tree! Yes the spot is indeed happy! And, I definitely know how much work raking that pile of leaves actually turns out to be! Good for you and your happy grass!
My Declutterfest Update:
August 29
Today I focused entirely on the "loose pile of assorted paper" that I discovered yesterday. Piece by piece I tossed/ shredded / put into the folder or file where I would've found it if put away properly in the first place. Anything that requires myself and/or DH's attention I put at the end of the table for us to take care of tomorrow. DH agrees to take care of those things with me tomorrow!
Tomorrow I will go through the two folders which will be fairly easy now, and I'll need some information from one of them for an appointment this week. If the file is really easy then I will do that, otherwise I will put it back in the file cabinet and it will be back in line waiting it's turn again, after I do the second pass through box on the floor this week. That is my plan for the upcoming week!
🤠🌺
@texasgardnr I love how you make your plans, and I learn from it. There is self-kindness & boundaries! You have gotten so much done!!
I agree 2nd pass is much easier! I’m getting to the point where I’m ready to give away/toss more items. It’s a fascinating process!2 -
15 minutes works! Took care of a (pretty big) pile of papers!!!!1
-
Nice work, everyone!1
-
@MadisonMolly2017 thank you for your inspiring words. I never thought of what I do as including 'self-kindness & boundaries' in it, but after thinking about it, you are right! That is cool because I have tried to lighten up on myself when tasks seem more daunting. Thank you!
You sure did a lot with those 15 minutes... Another big pile of papers done with!! Yay 👍 .
My Declutterfest Update:
August 30
We did handle all the paper that needed both of our input, or opinions. There are a few that I still need to make copies of before mailing them out. And I need to do a bit more with something else.
August 31
I changed my plan and chose another hanging file folder. It had been decluttered in May 2019 so this was a second, more thorough pass through.
September 1
I wanted to get away from the table papers for a while, so I quickly went through the files with household appliances' manuals. This was a second pass through so it was easy peasy to let go of more of what I deemed important the first time. One thing I do is that after the warranty period has passed by I thin down the manual by cutting out any additional languages included in the manual. After these hanging files were finished I chose another hanging file of my older papers that I hadn't seen for many years. I shredded the vast majority of them. That went faster than I had expected!
September 2
Two of the two pocket folders that were part of the big pile of papers on the table were sorted through, and heavily decluttered, and then reorganized.
I put the last two pocket folder that was on the table with some others on a chair near the file cabinet. I will work on them at a later time, perhaps later this week 🤷♀️.
At this moment I am thinking that tomorrow I will tie up all the loose ends mentioned elsewhere so that I can mail the papers, as well as some other things. Then I may as well do a few other errands while I am out in that direction. Then the 'pile of papers/ folders on the table' portion of the paper project will be finished.
🤠🌺1 -
I am going to continue on with my decluttering efforts this month as I did last month.... Anyone wanting to continue on also?
Remember this is our No Rules..."Come and Go Declutterfest 2020" , Just come and go when you want to, or are able, 👍 and declutter / reorganize however each of us happens to want to.
Anyone who hadn't joined in during August is more than welcome to join us during September or beyond 😉 .
🤠🌺
0 -
You are very welcome, @texasgardnr ! And thank you for your lovely comments re: 1000th day
Wow, you have done a lot, and as I’ve said before, you have greatly inspired me!
YES, I will be continuing with decluttering!!
I’m glad you will be continuing - always more fun with others!!
Sept 2: sorted images I’ve torn out over the past week from old magazines/catalogs into categories & filed 90%. This has been very time-consuming, but well worth it!!
I’ll be continuing on this project for at least a week longer. I’m working very thoroughly, and also going through previously filed collage papers to see if I should give some away & to move any images of objects to my “reference images” folders.
My husband & I are both committed to clearing out what is not serving us well. It will take some time, but every step makes us both so much happier & less stressed.
Next: Financial papers
1 -
Sept 3 sorting collage pages into categories & filing.
Sept 4 cleaned my art table!1 -
Sept 5 Moved subject reference pics to large drawer I’d cleared next to art table. Now they are right at hand & I moved a big box and a large filing container to my empty storage bins area in another room!LOL
Filled some magazine papers.1 -
@MadisonMolly2017 Look at you go!! I am so glad that you can join in on our continuation of Declutterfest 2020!
My Declutterfest Update:
September 3
Today I really didn't do any serious decluttering! Just basically shuffled paper around trying to find something that I wanted to actually dive into. Since I wasn't going on any errands I really couldn't finish up those loose ends of some of the table paper pile. I took them off the table. That will become next week's project.
Today is is my 70th birthday and I had so much fun when my daughter and friends surprised me with a "Porch Party". They also brought me lunch to eat after for they left! Yummmm. That was so very sweet of them to totally catch me off guard and surprise me 💟🎀.
September 4
More work done on medical folders/ files. Coordinating our calendars and a few appointments. Mail caught up again.
September 5
Decluttering some papers and current mail today, but mostly finding and gathering together like paper for the next phase of my paper project. Next week I need to tie up those loose end and coordinate errands with that, as I finish off a little bit more that remains from the table pile.
Tonight my table is clear except for my birthday cards, which I want displayed for a while longer. My Jane Austen book (Sense and Sensibility) that I am currently reading, and one thing I'm leaving out so that I remember to do it tomorrow.
🤠🌺
0 -
Oh my Happy Belated 70th on the 3rd!!! How did I miss that!!!! HAPPY HAPPY and the porch party surprise.
Maddy and Mary are the 2 decluttering queens for Sept so far for sure!
bON1
