2021 DECLUTTERFEST
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Things have a way of determining which direction to go sometimes. Today I decided to use my external CD drive to view the cds that my old computer wouldn’t open using my new computer and the CD reader I bought about 3 years ago. When I went to get the reader from the shelf it had resided on for several years, I discovered it wasn’t there. Apparently on one of my previous purging jags I gave it, box unopened and never used, to Good Will. Either that or it will turn up sometime when I don’t need it anymore. Upside is I ended up cleaning out that whole shelf. Not much tossed, but it’s more organized. My first SLR film camera (bought when my daughter was in 5th grade…she’s 35 now)! is in there with about 1/2 dozen unused film rolls, so I’ll have fun sometime with that.
Another twist to today…I was standing in the living room when I heard a whooshing sound come from the bedroom. Come to find out, when we had our bedroom remodeled 3 years ago, the carpenter forgot to find the studs to hang the clothes rod and the 3 nails were so flimsy I could straighten them out with my fingers😳🙄😂! my overabundance of heavy winter jackets may have been a contributing factor to the shelf failure as well 🤫 . So it was clothes purge day. I am giving away over 15 items and put about 10 jackets/sweatshirts in the upstairs closet that may be stronger🤞I’m done for the day and still no more progress on my main room upstairs😒 “Tomorrow is another day.”2 -
My husband went through his clothes that were on the closet floor after yesterday’s disaster and fixed the rod. Between us there are now 2 trash bags to take to Good Will😃. The closet looks pretty bare so I might bring down a few of my sweatshirts and jackets now that the rod is strong enough to hold them. I also went through my scrap fabric box, trimmed up the pieces, and made some quilting strips to use later, so one more thing to ✅2
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Week 3. 7/27-29 1 hrs 05 mins so far
Week 2 7/20-26 5 hrs 40 mins
Week 1 7/ 13- 19 3 hrs
On 7/28, I began limiting myself to 10 minutes a day of decluttering “I don’t Wanna’s”1 -
@MadisonMolly2017 the closer you get to being done, the harder it gets. You’re doing so well!!
Today I went through a file box that contained clipped articles on photography that I’d been collecting when I got Outdoor Photography magazine from 1997-2014. I tossed almost all of them. Some I put in a folder for color choice inspiration for my quilting endeavors. Nature provides the most gorgeous combinations! Others I still want to read a bit because even though technology changed a lot, the basic principles haven’t. My daughter moved in May and got rid of tons of stuff. She told me I shouldn’t even look…just toss. I will never miss them. Very true! She also told me she and her SO of 11 years got married this week 😍 I’m so excited for them!1 -
@MadisonMolly2017 the closer you get to being done, the harder it gets. You’re doing so well!!
Today I went through a file box that contained clipped articles on photography that I’d been collecting when I got Outdoor Photography magazine from 1997-2014. I tossed almost all of them. Some I put in a folder for color choice inspiration for my quilting endeavors. Nature provides the most gorgeous combinations! Others I still want to read a bit because even though technology changed a lot, the basic principles haven’t. My daughter moved in May and got rid of tons of stuff. She told me I shouldn’t even look…just toss. I will never miss them. Very true! She also told me she and her SO of 11 years got married this week 😍 I’m so excited for them!
@nebslp
Congratulations to your daughter!!!
So true re the sentimental is the hardest
(and last per Marie Kondo), but I’m excited that I can see the “light at the end of the tunnel”!!!
We have some real similarities @nebslp, as we’ve discovered before.. I have folders for inspiration: color, composition, etc and then some by common topics I draw/paint. I went through all my magazines, and tore out images I liked. I put the reference photos in the folders mentioned above, the articles sorted by topic, and other photos & text in my collage paper drawers by color (mostly).
It’s true we/I would’ve miss it, but I inadvertently, randomly run across something Invaluable…and we know from teaching random successes keep one going!!
Best to you & the happy couple!
🌸
Maddie
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@MadisonMolly2017 Thank you for the well wishes. My daughter and her boyfriend been together over 11 years and they seem to be perfect for each other. They actually had common law marriage in New Mexico, but when they moved to Texas, they decided to make it official.
I really didn't need the photography files I saved yesterday to my color inspiration folder but I wanted them and have a purpose for them, so I'm glad I went through the files page by page. @MadisonMolly2017 You are right about random successes!!!
Today's declutter task was to sort a bag of papers labeled "inspiration, humorous, interesting..." all articles I clipped or emails I received, some of them back in 2002. I am SO glad I didn't just toss them! I laughed so hard at some of them and cried a lot, too, over some of them that were very meaningful and I will pass on to my kids with children. Also an article on a book "I Am A Man" which is about the trial of Standing Bear. I put it in the book that I have in my "books to keep" drawer. I tossed into the recycle bin about 2/3 of them though so that feels good.
I also got comic book boards from Amazon and have started wrapping my fabric around them so I can stand them up like they are in the fabric store and will be easier to access without digging through the stack on the shelf. I hope this works!
I get bored easily so I will keep flitting from one area to another (keeping it down to 2-3 areas) and eventually will say "ta-da, I'm done!!!"...if I live that long (LOL!)1 -
@MadisonMolly2017 Thank you for the well wishes. My daughter and her boyfriend been together over 11 years and they seem to be perfect for each other. They actually had common law marriage in New Mexico, but when they moved to Texas, they decided to make it official.
I really didn't need the photography files I saved yesterday to my color inspiration folder but I wanted them and have a purpose for them, so I'm glad I went through the files page by page. @MadisonMolly2017 You are right about random successes!!!
Today's declutter task was to sort a bag of papers labeled "inspiration, humorous, interesting..." all articles I clipped or emails I received, some of them back in 2002. I am SO glad I didn't just toss them! I laughed so hard at some of them and cried a lot, too, over some of them that were very meaningful and I will pass on to my kids with children. Also an article on a book "I Am A Man" which is about the trial of Standing Bear. I put it in the book that I have in my "books to keep" drawer. I tossed into the recycle bin about 2/3 of them though so that feels good.
I also got comic book boards from Amazon and have started wrapping my fabric around them so I can stand them up like they are in the fabric store and will be easier to access without digging through the stack on the shelf. I hope this works!
I get bored easily so I will keep flitting from one area to another (keeping it down to 2-3 areas) and eventually will say "ta-da, I'm done!!!"...if I live that long (LOL!)
@nebslp
I’ll have to check out the comic book boards! Thanks! Not sure the drawers are the best method anymore lol
I do best when I have a few areas, too. I like variety!
I Loved your description of your going through your priceless items!
I thought I had lost a collection of beautiful glass hearts. I’d searched eBay several times to try to replace. In a random box in a larger random box- there they were.
My theory is I would pitch things at end of school year into my truck & then into boxes to bring into the house. I’d taken the collection in to share with a class. Likely as Summer progressed, I forgot about that box!
Such an adventure!
My gold mine today: heartfelt letters (I didn’t know I had) of thanks from graduating high school students!! 💕1 -
@MadisonMolly2017 "Little, unplanned “Decluttering Maintenance” Things".... I like how you worded that. And that concept can be applied to my planned or my random unplanned times! I often piggyback maintenance decluttering/tidying on top of cleaning then it becomes a huge job. I will see it now as a separate thing and get to it more often. I did that just the other day when I just wanted to 'maintenance declutter' the master bathroom Towels & Toiletries Cabinet, and didn't add cleaning the whole bathroom on top of it at the same time. So I didn't feel overwhelmed trying to cram both into the time I had available. I tend to be all or none... which doesn't serve me well when I get caught into that thought pattern.
I also like your "I don't want to's" because allowing 'only' 10 minutes for those sound more hopeful that I'd actually do them than giving them my usual 15 or 20 minutes. I've learned to use 15 and 20 minutes segments of time for work that having "only" 10 minutes would feel like I'm being super easy on myself. Which is actually what I am needing lately. If I go over the time it will be because I'm enjoying making the progress and not stressing or feeling overwhelmed, or making the task huge from the start.
@TerriRichardson112 Your colorful drawers look amazingly organized! That is nice how you have the laundry job divided up with your DH! I also hang laundry out 😄!
@nebslp Well done taking your meds while away!! You go girl continuing on with your books!! I remember when you started purposely reading methodically through books!
Yay for the unplanned clothes purge. Sometimes those things that occur that are unplanned and totally unexpected, like the broken clothing rod, turn out to be very productive!
Congratulations on your daughter's marriage!
@ama3387 That is a very insightful way to make peace with the 'forever someday' and 'always happening' fixer upper projects to be done or going on! I do hope your insight allows you to enjoy more of the present moments in your home 🌼.
Great plan @DebyS137 ! waving back at you 🤸♀️ .
July 1-31st
Stuff to donate or give away:
Master Bedroom: 5 books and other misc items
Kitchen: Juicer, given to neighbor.
Kids' Room: 4 + items
Master Closet: 4 items
Master Bathroom: Towels & Toiletries Cabinet: From a pass through 6 month ago- items to "revisit & reconsider" (most, as well as other additional items, were decluttered during this pass through.)
All items to donate that were gathered during June are now gone to Good Will. I mailed several other items that were set aside for this purpose during June.
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Does anyone have a good system for sorting through papers? I have piles of boxes of old papers (medical, credit card statements, childrens' school papers, pictures, postcards, you name it) going back a few years and I've been procrastinating going through them because it's so overwhelming. When I do start to sort them, I end up just putting them into new piles and not tossing out very much. Meanwhile new paper piles accumulate! I have a file cabinet which is pretty full already, so perhaps I should weed that out first? I need to break it down into steps so I will keep at it until it's done.0
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@walk4today
A “I have piles of boxes of old papers;
medical
credit card statements
childrens' school papers
pictures
postcards
you name it”
B “When I do start to sort them, I end up just putting them into new piles and not tossing out very much”
Hi @walk4today!
First off, it CAN be done!!
For A:
Go through, tossing what you can.
Then go through & sort.
Medical
Financial
Kids: School
Sentimental: Photos
Postcards from Family
Postcards from Friends
I’d also set up:
To Do - Urgent
To DO - Soon
To Do - Later
To Do - Maybe
Set ALL Sentimental aside in a closet, a cabinet, a corner of a room. Do these LAST.
I did Medical first.
Then financial.
Then To Do lists/back-up info
Then old warranties/owners manuals
Then recipes
Then work
Then hobbies
If you find you can get rid of things, you may have gotten rid of all you can.
So, file them.
Set up a binder for To Do’s
Scan or photograph anything you don’t need unoriginal form.
By dividing & conquering, you will get to the point where you need to keep very little.
Oh, and I highly recommend only doing 10-15 minutes of this 7 days a week. You get a lot done but it doesn’t wear you out!
If you have any questions, please ask.2 -
@MadisonMolly2017
Thanks so much for this great sorting plan! I really like the idea of just doing 15 minutes a day, since I try to do this for a few hours at a time and it is so exhausting! Then I don't go back to it for a week or 2 and I practically have to start all over again.0 -
walk4today wrote: »@MadisonMolly2017
Thanks so much for this great sorting plan! I really like the idea of just doing 15 minutes a day, since I try to do this for a few hours at a time and it is so exhausting! Then I don't go back to it for a week or 2 and I practically have to start all over again.
@walk4today
Yes!! You might even want to do 10 minutes a day. I’ve been doing that the past few weeks & have averaged 25-30 mins on average. Sometimes, I get caught up in it & go longer, but knowing I can stop at 10 minutes helps on those busy or tiring days!!
Let me know how it goes!
🎉
Maddie🌸2 -
Thanks, Maddie, I will let you know.
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oh I see now where everyone is hiding out! LOL... @nebslp congratulations on your daughter's wedding!
@texasgardnr great update! nice to see you here.
I am apparently all about the accidental "house" cleaning thing vs the declutter.
Summer3 -
Well, it took awhile, but I reduced a 5-year section of teaching to small folder, a composition notebook, a book of the students’ writing, and a VHS tape!
The rest of the curated memorabilia & photos, I photographed.
I’m now fixing up the labeling of my albums on my computer, and will be moving those photo into ~ 10 sub-albums.
Then onto the other grade I taught for 6 years. It’s much leaner except for the first. Now, having figured out that I have three categories:
1. I want to be able to touch it.
2. I want to be able to look & remember.
3. I’m thankful for the good times, but it’s time to say thank you & goodbye.
I can feel the internal shift!!
I also purchased 4 towers of large drawers. After finishing my work life, I will be sorting all family photos, letters into them by person, trip, etc. After all is sorted I will go through each drawer for those same three categories.
Very pleased.
The plan: I spend at least 10 minutes each day on this.
The actual: averaging 40 minutes per day2 -
It took 30 hours (wow), but those 5 years of teaching are completely done🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
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MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »It took 30 hours (wow), but those 5 years of teaching are completely done🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
that is AMAZING!!!! Congratulations!!!!!
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@MadisonMolly2017 you have a great system and it’s really working! Awesome persistence👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻0
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@MadisonMolly2017 you have a great system and it’s really working! Awesome persistence👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you @nebslp!! I really want this part of my life streamlined, organized, & accessible, so I can enjoy the “Best of” and not worry about special photos/items being damaged/lost.
I found I could delete photos on my phone that I didn’t want on my walk yesterday. I’m also doing that while chatting with friends (using computer). Somehow using all this time up feels better if I’m getting exercise or visiting with a friend!! It might even get me back on my exercise bike! LOL
I hope all is going well for you! Since you also create many things…that’s the most difficult part…I’d like to be putting this energy into my creating, but I have re-framed it as I’m organizing & celebrating my past & “ clearing the decks“ to really dive into my Making without guilt.
(This will include at least one last major house repair.)
All my best,
Maddie0 -
Hello, I am trying to get active on My Fitness Pal.com. I am overwhelmed by all the threads! I too have been doing quite a bit of decluttering. I find I still have boxes but there are some items I am not ready to part with! I did pottery this summer and was not great at it! But I loved the movement of the wheel and clay in my hand! I hope that by decluttering I will have more room/time to be creative!2
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Do any of you, my Decluttering companions, ever have a flash of a fear that things will feel “empty” when you are done?
I think, for me, it’s an irrational fear, as both my husband & I have vastly preferred our current state. We still have things out & about - certainly not even close to a hotel or minimalist home.
I’m going to ignore that little voice, and carry on.
I would love to hear if you sometimes have that little voice, too.
I guess it explains why I’ve had to do this as multiple passes…1 -
I have done this in multiple passes. My fear is that I will run out of energy before I run out of passes! I really do not want to leave it for my son. Mostly I don't remember much of what I give away and just love the organization and peace decluttering brings!2
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Rosemarie2972 wrote: »I have done this in multiple passes. My fear is that I will run out of energy before I run out of passes! I really do not want to leave it for my son. Mostly I don't remember much of what I give away and just love the organization and peace decluttering brings!
@Rosemarie2972
This perfectly describes my experience, too..
“Mostly I don't remember much of what I give away and just love the organization and peace decluttering brings!”
Thank you!
🌸Maddie1 -
MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »Do any of you, my Decluttering companions, ever have a flash of a fear that things will feel “empty” when you are done?
I think, for me, it’s an irrational fear, as both my husband & I have vastly preferred our current state. We still have things out & about - certainly not even close to a hotel or minimalist home.
I’m going to ignore that little voice, and carry on.
I would love to hear if you sometimes have that little voice, too.
I guess it explains why I’ve had to do this as multiple passes…
@MadisonMolly2017 My husband is a “nester” and I aspire to be a minimalist, so I think our home is “safe” from ever feeling empty. 😂😂🤣 Honestly - we’ve been opposite in this regard since 1988. The difference for me now is my active role in DOING something about my own (and our shared) things and not just complaining. And his realization that our daughter takes after him, and it would torture her to leave all this to her to deal with. ❤️
Today we are doing the boxing up of our things for the prison book drive. He has taken a third pass through his many books and I am thrilled that some will be leaving our home!1 -
Decluttering sentimental is going great!
10
Minutes a day!2 -
Deleting old work emails off an old laptop…
DELETED
-17,000 SENT emails today.
- 3,500 RECEIVED emails today
It was time.
Still to go..
14,400 SENT
6,500 (?) RECEIVED3 -
Plan: To tackle the linen closet. I let my husband put computer equipment in here years ago! Yes...into my Linen closet. Today this changes....can't wait to have a closet of towels, sheets, blankets, ect!4
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Update Sept 27
A. Current ❤️ Status - work emails
10 RECEIVED
<5,000 SENT
B. VHS:
11 ready to be scanned
5 important to be reviewed
20 final review & discarded
40 ready to discard but I’m reviewing them all a 2nd time to make sure (as I didn’t realize rewinding could go on to a negative number.
(Found 2 with priceless memories so far!!!)
C. Ordered slide & negative scanner. Should be here tomorrow.
251 packages of 4x6 family photos
Haven’t counted slide boxes yet LOL
D. Gathered all media in one room from our home.
I’ve worked on this a long time, and all of that work made this easier. Now, I’m doing the final pass & digitizing ALL!
Previous posts:
Original
SENT emails 32,000
Received not sure
Set 15 DELETED
-17,000 SENT emails today.
- 3,500 RECEIVED emails today
It was time.
Still to go..
14,400 SENT
6,500 (?) RECEIVED[/quote]
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I’m continuing to Declutter Sentimental daily.
I’m able to do it now without getting “down.” Time does seem to help.
I only need to spend 10 minutes, but I often spend multiple hours. It’s time.
Currently, I’m
***clearing final 1,000 set work emails after deleting 30K+ EASY now that end is in sight. Good to do while in phone with friends.
*** culling photos from our computer - bad ones, duplicates, my work, etc. MEDIUM-a lot of decision making & takes multiple actions to delete, but I’ve removed 12K so far!!!!
*** going through printed photos of ours & my parents, completing earlier efforts to sort by year. EASY with many awesome “finds” & I’ve done quite a lot over the years. This time, I will finish.
I have found priceless treasures, which has actually made this job Very Fun (much to my surprise) as I called them my “I Don’t Wanna’s!”
Is anyone else Decluttering?
🌸Maddie2 -
@MadisonMolly2017 - I have been decluttering -but not in the scale you have been doing. Wow!
Books & Papers
Did another pass through the print books and also cleared more shelves in the living room bookcases of local travel guides, maps, etc that will be too out of date by the time any planning resumes. Made it through all the user manuals and warranty files for all the large and small appliances and discarded a lot of papers. In addition, I have consolidated these files to one spot.
Our huge gardens & Yards
Working in the garden has been taking a lot of time recently: planting many more perennials and shrubs, moving things around to better spots, and watering in all the new and moved daily. We are now getting the garden winter ready and the volume if fallen leaves is always overwhelming. I hired someone to help me as my husband’s mobility is limited right now as he injured his knee and is in physio.
Yarn de-stashing
My yarn stash is now categorized and stored in clear snap cases by weight, documented with yardage/grams/photos on Ravelry, and some are even listed now as “open to sale or trade” as I will never live long enough to use it all. I am a knitter and have gone through my “works in progress” and prioritized getting some finished as holiday gifts. This took some time - but as choir is shut down (our COVID numbers here are astronomical), I now have one night a week free. I am still practicing at home and learning the works, but we can’t attend rehearsals now.
Home office is next and I am ready to continue on that after Thanksgiving (Canadian — this weekend).
Julie
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