Help me declutter! Pretty please?

[klmama]

How do you organize your school decluttering? For some reason, this particular job is overwhelming me and I'm paralyzed with indecison. I need some real guidance in this. Could you please pretend you have come over to help me with this, take stock of the situation, and give me a list of what I need to do? Simple is fine - I just need someone's help to get me started here.

 

I have books, papers, and misc. stuff in piles all along the floor by my 12' wall of bookshelves. I thought I'd get it all cleaned up before we started school, but then I realized we just had to start and hope I'd get it done later. Well, it's later. Now, what do I do? My bookcases are full, and I've already culled things I don't need or want. What's left is good literature, lots of history and science books for various ages, reference materials, and curricula for this year and several years to come.

 

I've thought of boxing up the stuff not in use right now, but I'm afraid I'll forget I have it and buy duplicates when the next one gets to that point. (It's happened before.) How do you remember what you've packed?

 

All of my file drawers are full, so any papers don't have room. How do I make choices with what's in the file drawers? What are your criteria?

 

Any other suggestions you may have for me would be great. Thanks for any advice you can give!

[Stacia]

I've been doing the same thing in my office (where all our school books & tons of my papers are stored) for awhile now.

 

Your first culling of stuff was good. Now, look at your stuff again. If you're like me, you still have a ton. It also helped me during this process to first pull out all the resources/materials I knew I would *realistically* use this year w/ our school work. I set those items in another room (temporarily). Then, when tackling the rest, I'm was looking at things that I wouldn't use for at least another year. That helped me to face letting go of stuff. I sorted everything out by type of book. Then, once I could see all books of a certain type (say, all our art-related books or music-related books or ancient history books, etc...), I got ruthless & reduced the amount even further.

 

Some things that helped me let go of books:

- Many of the things that I thought I would reuse w/ child #2 just aren't a great fit.

- I don't need many copies of books that are very similar. I selected my favorite one or two, then got rid of the rest.

- I can always borrow books from the library, if needed.

- With the amount reduced, I can actually find & use what I need/want to use (vs. forgetting what I have, too much trouble to find it, etc...).

 

As far as papers, here is a list from Clark Howard's website about what papers to keep & for how long.

 

A tip I read in a book about keeping credit card statements (which recommended keeping them for one year): get an accordion file folder w/ 12 slots. Label them for each month. Under each month, file your credit card statements from that month. When you get back around to that month, pull & shred your old statement when you put in the newest statement.

 

Someone on this board also recommended the book "File Don't Pile" by Pat Dorff. It has some helpful tips too.

 

For general decluttering, I like the book "It's All Too Much" by Peter Walsh.

 

Good luck!

[Nestof3]

You know what? I had to get ruthless. I took 6 bankers boxes of books to the homeschooling bookstore. She bought very little from me, so I went to the Book Exchange and he bought almost all of the rest. I came home and sorted through some more, and came up with 4 big piles. I had to get rid of a skinny bookshelf because it was interfering with our front door since we bought new blinds. I really had to just ask myself if this was a book my boys were going to really enjoy reading or if, when we studied it, the library would have an acceptable choice. I still have 11 bookshelves in our house, one cabinet and two tall filing cabinets. EEK!

 

I also went through my filing cabinet and recycled a whole bunch of stuff leftover from my oldest son. Extra math worksheets, grammar worksheets, stuff I tore out of magazines when I was buying stuff as if the educational industry would shut down during my homeschooling years. It was great because I was able to use an entire deep drawer to organize all of my scrapbooking/card-making stickers, rubons and diecuts into file folders according to theme. Craft stuff is another thing I have way too much of. I did sell almost all of my craft magazines and idea books this summer. I kept all of my Stampin Up catalogs and about 1-foot wide worth of scrapbooking idea magazines.

 

We are just drowing in stuff, and I cannot take it anymore. I have also gone through our closet this summer, got rid of some things, and made some rags out of stuff we cannot take to the thrift store.

 

I've also recycled tons of articles and various things I've printed out over the years from the internet. Whenever I need to know something, I can always do a search.

 

So, I say, just get ruthless. Take your purging to the next level.

[Deb in NZ]

I feel that I am being taken over by our STUFF. I'm s-l-o-w-l-y beginning to sort through the books, but it's the boxes & laundry baskets full of papers, etc that really get me depressed. These have taken over 2 big closets, line the hall, & are now beginning to take over the living room (which is also the schoolroom.) I am eager to see what advise others have for conquering the giant clutter bug.

 

Blessings,

[Colleen]

I organize my school stuff by never having an excess. I can't stand having things in my home that either aren't being used or won't be used in the (relatively) near future. When you say you have all that stuff in piles along the wall ~ what "stuff" is it? As an anti-pack rat I'd like to help you but all I can really say is, "Stop collecting." Unless you like collecting, that is. I'm just not a collector ~ even of books. I don't want to live in a home with books lining the walls. If I had a separate room for a library, okay, maybe. But in the living areas? No thank you. Now, that isn't to say there are no books in our home. Of course there are! But I don't collect them. And I don't keep school books ~ even literature ~ out that we aren't using right now.

 

Books and resources that aren't being used in the current school year are housed in big Rubbermaid containers and labeled accordingly. Since I don't have extra things around, it's not difficult for me to keep track, in my head, of what's being stored. And if I were worried about buying duplicates, I'd just look at the container labels to refresh my memory. Or you could simply keep a list, either on your computer or in a notebook, of what you own. But don't be afraid to get rid of what isn't vital. Less stuff = more freedom.

[frogpond1]

row in front of another, but I have gotten very picky about what books I buy to keep, and what books I just get at the library.

 

I have tossed a lot of things out and not regretted it. Once in a move I gave away several laundry baskets of wonderful curriculum to friends and I didn't need them later either. So, the best advice is to pile like things together and really ask yourself- will you really ever use it again.

 

It is alright to rebuy things later too... the chances are there will be a newer copyright and a better version so saving things isn't always the smartest thing.

 

You can do it, you'll feel much better. Divide your mess into several large piles and just do one pile a day. Delay school if need be. Do a pile before lunch and a pile before dinner.... :) I'm still cleaning and tossing myself and it is almost like losing physical weight- it feels wonderful!

[klmama]

You all give such great advice! I'm going to take it!

 

It also helped me during this process to first pull out all the resources/materials I knew I would *realistically* use this year w/ our school work. I set those items in another room (temporarily). Then, when tackling the rest, I'm was looking at things that I wouldn't use for at least another year. That helped me to face letting go of stuff. I sorted everything out by type of book. Then, once I could see all books of a certain type (say, all our art-related books or music-related books or ancient history books, etc...), I got ruthless & reduced the amount even further.

 

I think this needs to be step one. Thank, Stacia, for the idea!

 

 

I also went through my filing cabinet and recycled a whole bunch of stuff leftover from my oldest son. Extra math worksheets, grammar worksheets, stuff I tore out of magazines when I was buying stuff as if the educational industry would shut down during my homeschooling years.

 

I've also recycled tons of articles and various things I've printed out over the years from the internet. Whenever I need to know something, I can always do a search.

 

This is great, nestof3! I have all this stuff and more!

 

 

Books and resources that aren't being used in the current school year are housed in big Rubbermaid containers and labeled accordingly. Since I don't have extra things around, it's not difficult for me to keep track, in my head, of what's being stored. And if I were worried about buying duplicates, I'd just look at the container labels to refresh my memory. Or you could simply keep a list, either on your computer or in a notebook, of what you own.

 

Good advice. I'm kind of an out-of-sight, out-of-mind person, but maybe if I post a list of the containers near my computer, that would be enough to remind me!

 

Divide your mess into several large piles and just do one pile a day.

 

Thanks, frogpond1! My perfectionistic tendencies are what get me into this mess in the first place! I don't have to do it all at once, do I? No, I don't. I appreciate the reminder!

 

Okay, ladies, I feel better. I have a plan now. Thank you for being my brain! ;) I'll let you know how it turns out!