Get rid of it all 2019

[Baseball mom]

Everyone is doing good!

The crystal bowl, I agree, use it for whatever makes you happy.  Do you like it as a fruit bowl? Or maybe near the front door for sunglasses?  Or if you don't like it give it to someone you know would love it and don't feel guilty. 

I started slowly boxing up stuff thinking I would have a yard sale.  I had piles of boxes here and there.  I wasnt feeling better, just more stress.  Then like KungFuPanda decided the few dollars I would make having a hard sale wasnt worth the time & effort. 

I loaded all the boxes in the truck and took to goodwill. Man did I feel better.  Yeah I had that moment of "I really needed that money"  but my sanity needed it gone.

 Since then I have taken school stuff & clothes to hs group functions and given stuff away.  Felt good knowing people were  using the stuff I had taking up space.

Haven't done much over Christmas but ready to get back to getting rid of stuff.

[StaceyinLA]

18 hours ago, DoraBora said:

When we were helping my mother clean out her house, we found perhaps sixty or seventy letters my grandfather had written to my grandmother when they were first married and he was working far from home.  Many of them were pages and pages long.  I didn't feel comfortable reading them either for the same reason you mention -- neither had my parents.

Though my siblings and I felt a little conflicted about it, we finally decided to shred them all.  (If the letters had been mine, I would prefer them to be destroyed.)

 

I think the only thing is, a lot was going on in our family at the time; four new babies were born in the first year he was gone. I was a young teen. I feel like a world of memories would be opened up. It’s just difficult, and I’m NOT sentimental.

[mommyoffive]

Double UGH.

I was sick and the kids and dh went down to my side of family Christmas and came home with so much stuff.   I just put it all in the basement to handle later. 

Then a mom who has given me loads of stuff brought me tons last night and is giving me more tonight.  I think most of it I am just going to donate and not feel bad about it.  Oh well.  The clothes for my oldest 2 were awesome.  

[Lecka]

When I am given stuff that way, I go through it and usually give away about half.  

It makes sense — I am going through *all* of a kid’s clothes from a certain size/season,  but I often have some clothes that size/season already.  Other times I have had two boys sharing a dresser and having two drawers each, when another person may have had more space.   

But I still really appreciate it!  

[Ravin]

DH made noises about getting the play kitchen over to his brother's house (DS has outgrown it and niece is 2 yo). Not holding my breath. I didn't get my planned project for last weekend done (cleaning out the downstairs bathroom closet)--Friday got away from me and then DS and I were gone from Saturday morning to Sunday evening.

DD slacked off on her assigned "fill a bag with trash from your bedroom floor" chore last weekend (she procrastinated on Saturday and had a migraine on Sunday), so I'll be doing that Friday morning if it still isn't done (DD knows she and I do not always agree on what is "trash" on her bedroom floor, so this is not a consequence she likes at all), along with purging another 18 items from her clothes (she gets an inspection on Friday mornings; for every item of clothing on her bedroom and bathroom floor, I confiscate 1 item of clothing. This will continue until she is down to a functional minimum). I stash the clothes in my closet; once/if she gets down to what we mutually agree is a minimum, I'm going to start getting rid of confiscated items for each item found on the floor. If/when she starts actually keeping things picked up, she will start getting things back.

 

[Hoggirl]

On 1/7/2019 at 9:18 AM, Ktgrok said:

Speaking of wedding gifts, I have a tiffany vase I never use, I should get that down and see if I actually like it as DH does get me flowers regularly. And Silver candlesticks that my Aunt gave me for our wedding 10 years ago that have never been out of the box. 

 

Lucky girl on the flowers!

[Hoggirl]

17 hours ago, Thatboyofmine said:

I’m at my mama’s right now organizing.  I’ve organized books (only got rid of 1– a duplicate) and photos today.  Omg.  The amount of pictures they have is nuts.  Some are blurry.  Some (or a million) are duplicates.  Some are multiple pictures of the same thing, like 10 pics of the dessert table at a shower.  🤦‍♀️    I trashed a good bit without my mom knowing.  I want to dump a bunch more but she’ll start noticing.  I’m going to encourage her to go through all her photos with me and she can decide to toss what she wants and I’ll organize the remaining ones. 

I cant wait to start on my own stuff next week.  Even dh is onboard. 

 

“Second set of prints free!” was the bane of my existence for awhile!

[ktgrok]

Just FILLED a trash bag with clothes from the kids' room to donate 🙂

[SKL]

Oh yes.  I just flew in on the red-eye after leaving for vacation on the 25th morning.  Christmas mess, traveling debris, work fuss and everything everywhere.  Oh and the bathroom in the aftermath of a flood under the sink.  Needless to say I am mentally in purge mode.  Physically it may take some time to work up to it, LOL.

Right now my goal is to put something away every time I walk through the house.  At some point I will start washing clothes also.  It will take a couple days to get the house back to where it was the day before Christmas, and hopefully I will just keep going and going.  I have been wanting to do a thorough clean of my bedroom (especially closet) for a long time.  I also need to purge my old work computer in preparation for switching to my new one.

[Hoggirl]

7 hours ago, Thatboyofmine said:

Yes, it’s mine, as well!   Just because it’s free doesn’t mean we have to get it.  

I talked to her about going through them and surprisingly, she agreed!   Once I got over the shock, I started thinking about *how* to organize them.    How do y’all do it?  Do you organize by holidays?  Decades?  Close family vs friends?   What’s worked for y’all? 

 

I had a LOT of photos from my parents.  They were all in two LARGE tubs. I went through and culled them before we downsized.  As an example of culling, I kept one photo of my mom graduating with her friends - I ditched ten others. I, too, had multiple photos that were similar.  I think it was the risk of not knowing if the one taken would be a “good”  shot. Now, you can just check your phone. Then, you had no idea until the film was developed, so people would take several from the same perspective to make sure they got a “good” one. So, there would be basically ten identical photos in front of the Eiffel Tower!  Anyway, after I culled them,  I put all their loose photos in photo boxes I purchased from Hobby Lobby. I basically arranged them chronologically with divider tabs.  So, I have “Mom,Grandma, and extended family,” on one tab. Same for Dad.  Then, “Mom and Dad early marriage” on the next tab. Then “‘My name’ - baby” on another tab.  “Toddler and early childhood” on another.  “Other family members” on another tab that holds pics of my parents’ siblings at various stages of life, generally arranged chronologically.  “High school,” “College,” etc. Boxes hold SO many more photos than albums. I do have some photos labeled  on the back with, “No, idea where this is - sorry!”  I don’t have a lot of those, but if they are good photos of people I know, but I don’t know the location, I opted to keep them.  I have three boxes that hold smaller (4X6 or smaller) photos.  I also have two larger boxes (probably 12x 12) that hold larger photos. One box holds photos prior to the birth of our ds, the other those after his birth.  So, that second box has team photos, larger portraits (5 x 7 or 8 x 10), etc. I do have albums as well.  Until ds was 7 and we started homeschooling I was very good about printing photos and putting them in albums.  After that, everything went to you-know-where in a handbasket!  Then, we all entered the digital age.  

But I have found boxes to be the best solution for older photos.  For one thing, the sizes are highly irregular.  I have some that have zig-zag edges, too. There is no consistency of 3 x 5 or or 4 x 6 as there was in my era.  Boxes are more conducive to holding irregular sizes.  

HTH! 

[Carrie12345]

On 1/7/2019 at 6:55 PM, Thatboyofmine said:

I’m at my mama’s right now organizing.  I’ve organized books (only got rid of 1– a duplicate) and photos today.  Omg.  The amount of pictures they have is nuts.  Some are blurry.  Some (or a million) are duplicates.  Some are multiple pictures of the same thing, like 10 pics of the dessert table at a shower.  🤦‍♀️    I trashed a good bit without my mom knowing.  I want to dump a bunch more but she’ll start noticing.  I’m going to encourage her to go through all her photos with me and she can decide to toss what she wants and I’ll organize the remaining ones. 

I cant wait to start on my own stuff next week.  Even dh is onboard. 

Pictures have been a big one for me. I've put some boxes aside to go through later, but I tackled some albums that were in bad shape, back from when I was in high school.  How many pictures (mostly bad ones) do I need from the Disney parade?  Answer:none.  And people I don't remember. And blurry/double exposed/badly lit shots.  I kept maybe 10% of what I had.  I hope to do the same with the rest!

[Soror]

Where do you all take large amounts of trash? 

I'm thinking I need to call the dump or see if an in town friend will let me take some trash to their place for clean-up day, otherwise I don't know how we'll ever get the shed and utility room cleaned out.

[historically accurate]

Yesterday was super busy, but while I supervised shower time, I finished off the vanity. 5 bottles of nail polish thrown out. The polish didn't even move when I flipped the bottle upside down - all dried out. Some repair items put out in the garage with the home repair stuff. Some garbage thrown out. I found the little bead bracelets my kids wore when they were 3 and 2 years old when we went to Disney. The beads had the cell phone number on them. The kids are 13 and 11 now haha! 

Today is another busy day, but I'd like to focus on the craft cupboard. Declutter it and move the stuff out of the kitchen so I can use the cupboard better. 

[SamanthaCarter]

My house is de-cluttered! Basement, ground floor, upstairs, closets! My garage was done this fall, and garden shed is not bad. Now to work on maintenance routines. 🙄 and mount washmore. 

[SamanthaCarter]

1 hour ago, soror said:

Where do you all take large amounts of trash? 

I'm thinking I need to call the dump or see if an in town friend will let me take some trash to their place for clean-up day, otherwise I don't know how we'll ever get the shed and utility room cleaned out.

Do you have a remodeling company nearby? We had one close to our home that let us put extra trash bags in thier dumpster. They had to have it emptied weekly, and our stuff didn’t make a whole lot of impact on thier volume. 

[Ravin]

GF cleaned out under the "bar" counter area in our kitchen, and she and DH got a new 4X2 cubby from Ikea installed down there, then most of the things that had been cluttering up the counter were relocated to those cubbies. It looks much tidier! I just hope they didn't leave a bunch of stuff sitting on the recently-cleaned-up patio to clutter IT up again, lol.

[Soror]

1 hour ago, SamanthaCarter said:

Do you have a remodeling company nearby? We had one close to our home that let us put extra trash bags in thier dumpster. They had to have it emptied weekly, and our stuff didn’t make a whole lot of impact on thier volume. 

No, or I'm not aware of it, remodeling companies around here are small personal businesses I don't know any w/ office space, they rent on-site dumpsters for big jobs. My mom shares a dumpster w/ some neighbors and I take stuff to her place every now and again but it would be too much I think when we fully clean both of those.

[StaceyinLA]

17 hours ago, Thatboyofmine said:

Yes, it’s mine, as well!   Just because it’s free doesn’t mean we have to get it.  

I talked to her about going through them and surprisingly, she agreed!   Once I got over the shock, I started thinking about *how* to organize them.    How do y’all do it?  Do you organize by holidays?  Decades?  Close family vs friends?   What’s worked for y’all? 

 

I sorted my mother’s pictures into family groups (as in my siblings and their families), and then passed those to my siblings. As far as really old pics of people we didn’t know, we are just getting rid of those. Old pics of my parents I kept, extended family I am passing on to cousins that may want to have them.

What I’m going to do with mine, personally, that I got from my mom’s old albums, is scan them, make myself a nice Shutterfly book then just put my very favorites (maybe 100) in my safe. I figure they won’t last forever, but at least I can put them in a book and print them. 

I’m planning on doing a similar thing with all my scrapbooks I did of my kids. I’m gonna give them what I’ve done, but I’m photographing and/or scanning all the pages, and just putting it in Shutterfly books.

Going forward, I’m gonna make a Shutterfly book for each year and just put my favorite pics from that year - I want to get a grip on this photo stuff!

[StaceyinLA]

Actually headed to dd #2’s house today to clean out more in her room/closet. They have a very small house with WAY too much in it, and my oldest dd and I are trying to help her really pare down so she won’t always be stressed about mess.

[vonfirmath]

On 1/2/2019 at 1:42 PM, mommyoffive said:

 

Ahhh so nice.  

Clothes is one of our really bad points.  My mom bought the kids all their clothes and was crazy with it.  Like 30 pairs of pants for each size.  I still have everything.  Even a year ago I was going to have more kids, but now I hit the point where I don't think I want any more.  Or maybe I do, but I am just so burned out with no time to myself that I don't know that have any more left in me.  

So yeah I do need to do something about that so badly as takes up my basement.  Just stinks because it was all really nice brands, but selling it doesn't seem worthwhile.  All my friends have kids older than mine.  

 

If those are pants for boys, you might be surprised what sells.

I find I make more than I expect when I price and sell at one of those Mom Consignment sales (Just Between Friends, etc). AND there is no meeting people.

 

[Hannah]

What scanner can you recommend for photographs?  

[Carrie12345]

21 hours ago, soror said:

Where do you all take large amounts of trash? 

I'm thinking I need to call the dump or see if an in town friend will let me take some trash to their place for clean-up day, otherwise I don't know how we'll ever get the shed and utility room cleaned out.

For our big stuff clean out, we rented a dumpster.
Recently, we bought an extra garbage can. (Our neighborhood contract allows for up to 5 cans. We've always used just 2.)
Our clubhouse just added a dumpster for residents' overflow, which will probably also help us.
Dh has been known to take an extra bag to the township dumpster, which isn't exactly allowed, but it looks like he's just a firefighter dumping garbage from the firehouse. 😮
Our garbage contract does include up to 2 bulk items/mo, but they're a pain to coordinate with, and bulk isn't so much our problem after our big stuff clean out.

[ktgrok]

I have two of those big Ikea blue bags STUFFED with cloth diapers to take to my church mom's meeting today - someone expressed interest and i'm ready to give them away. I threw away some that were badly stained and in bad condition. I did keep just a few, ones that are not made anymore that all 4 kids used...but downsized from three rubbermaid bins to one small one. 

[historically accurate]

I put one little thing in the donation pile yesterday - a duplicate humidifier. Now that the kids are older, they don't all get sick at the same time, so we don't need multiples for different bedrooms. That's all I got to, but it is one more thing going out of my house, so it's a win. 

[StaceyinLA]

I have a question. I’m not generally a collector. I just don’t really have anything I love that much to own a bunch of it, and I don’t like to display Knick-knacks because I REALLY dislike dusting.

Anyway, I started collecting the “been there” mugs from Starbucks last summer on my and dd’s road trip to WA state. I wound up buying some online from states I’ve been, and especially, places my daughters have lived with their military husbands (and my grandbabies).

After reading more of my minimalist book, I’ve been seriously wondering if this is something I should keep. It’s definitely not something I NEED. I’m up to 15 or so mugs now, and I think to go ahead and purchase (over time of course) ones from all states I’ve been to would bring me up to about 24 or so - maybe a few more.

I feel badly because I JUST got two more for Christmas, so I’d feel badly parting with them, but I’m looking at a shelf in my kitchen that has only coffee mugs that will likely never be used - only stored.

How would you minimize something like this, or would you?

ETA - I do LOVE the mugs themselves. The shape and size is just perfect. I don’t have any regular coffee mugs because I don’t own a “set” of dishes per se. I have plates and bowls that I purchased individually because that’s all we use from a set, so I’m not saddled down with a bunch of unnecessary dishes I don’t ever use (other than the excess Starbucks mugs of course).

Edited January 10, 2019 by StaceyinLA

[historically accurate]

3 minutes ago, StaceyinLA said:

I have a question. I’m not generally a collector. I just don’t really have anything I love that much to own a bunch of it, and I don’t like to display Knick-knacks because I REALLY dislike dusting.

Anyway, I started collecting the “been there” mugs from Starbucks last summer on my and dd’s road trip to WA state. I wound up buying some online from states I’ve been, and especially, places my daughters have lived with their military husbands (and my grandbabies).

After reading more of my minimalist book, I’ve been seriously wondering if this is something I should keep. It’s definitely not something I NEED. I’m up to 15 or so mugs now, and I think to go ahead and purchase (over time of course) ones from all states I’ve been to would bring me up to about 24 or so - maybe a few more.

I feel badly because I JUST got two more for Christmas, so I’d feel badly parting with them, but I’m looking at a shelf in my kitchen that has only coffee mugs that will likely never be used - only stored.

How would you minimize something like this, or would you?

ETA - I do LOVE the mugs themselves. The shape and size is just perfect. I don’t have any regular coffee mugs because I don’t own a “set” of dishes per se. I have plates and bowls that I purchased individually because that’s all we use from a set, so I’m not saddled down with a bunch of unnecessary dishes I don’t ever use (other than the excess mugs of course).

I think this is where Kondo's "Spark Joy" idea comes in. It sounds like you aren't drowning in stuff, and the mugs spark joy, so I say keep. Everyone gets to decide what collection/hobby/decorating items they get to keep as long as it fits in the container it's in. They bring you happiness and they fit in your container/on your shelf, so easy, keep them. 

[StaceyinLA]

1 minute ago, beckyjo said:

I think this is where Kondo's "Spark Joy" idea comes in. It sounds like you aren't drowning in stuff, and the mugs spark joy, so I say keep. Everyone gets to decide what collection/hobby/decorating items they get to keep as long as it fits in the container it's in. They bring you happiness and they fit in your container/on your shelf, so easy, keep them. 

 

I tend to feel that way because I am definitely not one to keep things I’m not using regularly, but, by the same token, wondering at what point to stop. Certainly if I just keep collecting them, I’ll have a LOT more, but my OCD tendencies are either to keep collecting til I have every state I’ve ever been to, OR just pick a certain limitation, like only states my kids or grandkids lived (because I spent lots of time in those places), or something along those lines.

I mean does anyone really NEED 30 coffee mugs?

[gardenmom5]

a friend once said "we spend the first five years of our married collecting stuff - and the rest of our lives trying to get rid of it.

 

well - I'm getting in on the action.  I started with the bookcase in the family room, and moved on to the toy closet (barely started).  I have three boxes so far, mostly curriculum/homeschool supplies.  2ds walked in, and said "where did it all come from?"  (and I have school and art supplies in the laundry room . . . I haven't even started on those.)

One I'm giving to a friend with super tight finances so she can do some after-schooling with her kids.  

then two boxes of curriculum/games/supplies for the homeschool store.  

I have a 5gal bucket of k'nex I'm going to list for sale on craigslist.  I was going to previously - but some kid said "no, keep it".  (I don't think it's been played with since before that.)

I about laughed when 1ds said "you can sell the lego."  (currently no plans for that.)  he thinks the sets don't have enough resolution.   . . . can you tell he's a computer geek turned engineer?

 

[Ravin]

We are keeping DS's lego collection. Over half of it was DH's and his brother's Lego collection, so if at some point DS doesn't want it any more, we may pass it on to DH's niece, who is still too young for it (except the duplos, which we keep for our occasional babysitting).

[Scarlett]

I have really enjoyed reading through this thread today.  I am totally inspired by you all.

I am a natural organizer...I only got bogged down by stuff in the years since my divorce because a lot of stuff I need to go through is emotionally painful.  That is how I was with ds's  baby clothes and toys....it would make me sick as I was getting rid of stuff but then I realized after it was done I felt better.  So I am sure it would be the same if I just dig in and start purging.

[Murphy101]

3 hours ago, Ravin said:

We are keeping DS's lego collection. Over half of it was DH's and his brother's Lego collection, so if at some point DS doesn't want it any more, we may pass it on to DH's niece, who is still too young for it (except the duplos, which we keep for our occasional babysitting).

I’m keeping the legos and k’nex and a wooden castle with knights and assorted other castle Imagination pieces. And I’m not keeping the train table that’s not the dust after 6 kids, but I’m keeping all the train items. 2 yr old will play with them and then visiting babies I hope. All else is being tossed or donated true second a kid isn’t using it anymore. 

[Murphy101]

I’m also unloading books. Let’s get real. If the first 8 kids or me either didn’t read it or hated reading it - then at this point I don’t need it. If by some chance the younger ones do or I change my mind - that’s what the library is for. 

Given that everyone in my house is big on reading, that’s still a ton of books to keep. 

[prairiewindmomma]

5 hours ago, StaceyinLA said:

I have a question. I’m not generally a collector. I just don’t really have anything I love that much to own a bunch of it, and I don’t like to display Knick-knacks because I REALLY dislike dusting.

Anyway, I started collecting the “been there” mugs from Starbucks last summer on my and dd’s road trip to WA state. I wound up buying some online from states I’ve been, and especially, places my daughters have lived with their military husbands (and my grandbabies).

After reading more of my minimalist book, I’ve been seriously wondering if this is something I should keep. It’s definitely not something I NEED. I’m up to 15 or so mugs now, and I think to go ahead and purchase (over time of course) ones from all states I’ve been to would bring me up to about 24 or so - maybe a few more.

I feel badly because I JUST got two more for Christmas, so I’d feel badly parting with them, but I’m looking at a shelf in my kitchen that has only coffee mugs that will likely never be used - only stored.

How would you minimize something like this, or would you?

ETA - I do LOVE the mugs themselves. The shape and size is just perfect. I don’t have any regular coffee mugs because I don’t own a “set” of dishes per se. I have plates and bowls that I purchased individually because that’s all we use from a set, so I’m not saddled down with a bunch of unnecessary dishes I don’t ever use (other than the excess Starbucks mugs of course).

If they bring you joy, display them (like on a mug rack in your kitchen). Otherwise, keep only the ones that will be used. I'd stop buying them either way, though.

https://www.potterybarn.com/products/vintage-blacksmith-wall-mug-rack-small/?pkey=e|mug%2Brack|97|best|0|1|48||1&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH

Pottery Barn carries a larger mug rack too--but this one holds 15.

[BooksandBoys]

1 hour ago, Murphy101 said:

I’m also unloading books. Let’s get real. If the first 8 kids or me either didn’t read it or hated reading it - then at this point I don’t need it. If by some chance the younger ones do or I change my mind - that’s what the library is for. 

Given that everyone in my house is big on reading, that’s still a ton of books to keep. 

I’m unloading books too (yikes!), but I’m struggling because in the last few years, I’ve noticed a significant drop in the library’s retention of the old books, even the really well known ones. I’m trying to be brave. I have way more books than we can reasonably read in the next 10 years of schooling. 😂

[Murphy101]

1 hour ago, BooksandBoys said:

I’m unloading books too (yikes!), but I’m struggling because in the last few years, I’ve noticed a significant drop in the library’s retention of the old books, even the really well known ones. I’m trying to be brave. I have way more books than we can reasonably read in the next 10 years of schooling. 😂

Classics, first or preferred editions, and favorites - keep.

But I’m not super worried that the library won’t have oh say for example 1984 or Alice in Wonderland or Dr Seuss.

Science and history though I am quick to weed. Science changes so fast and actually so does history. One good factual and appealing book is better than a dozen mediocre.

[Jaz]

I was inspired by the "What do you keep in your nightstand thread?" and just spent 5 minutes cleaning out my nightstand. I had KonMaried it over the summer. Things have been staying so neat and tidy.

[StaceyinLA]

18 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

If they bring you joy, display them (like on a mug rack in your kitchen). Otherwise, keep only the ones that will be used. I'd stop buying them either way, though.

https://www.potterybarn.com/products/vintage-blacksmith-wall-mug-rack-small/?pkey=e|mug%2Brack|97|best|0|1|48||1&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH

Pottery Barn carries a larger mug rack too--but this one holds 15.

 

That is super cute! I need to consider whether I’d like to display them and/or if I really have a place to do it, but I love that and it would go perfectly in my kitchen.

[historically accurate]

I finally got to the craft cupboard in the kitchen that I've been trying to for a week. My youngest and I checked about 6000 markers & pens and tossed the duds. I put aside some crafty stuff that my kids have outgrown (I have someone with a 2 year old coming today for a stack of paper - she may want it), and pared all the stuff down. It's been sorted into some plastic shoe boxes I had and moved to the cupboards in the foyer. The lunch boxes are moved from the floor of the pantry to the cupboard. Once I wash the waffle iron, I think it's going in that cupboard too. 

I have a DD's Kindle on ebay (she won it from the library and already had one) that's closing today, and I found a dollhouse electricity kit that I should get listed. I don't think I'll ever get around to electrifying - it kind of terrifies me. My dad and I did one when I was a teen and even with his help, it was really touchy. I've noticed some picture books I could probably take to the Little Free Library in front of the local school too. Maybe the kids and I could go through those bookcases today.

[Carrie12345]

On 1/10/2019 at 9:10 AM, StaceyinLA said:

 

I tend to feel that way because I am definitely not one to keep things I’m not using regularly, but, by the same token, wondering at what point to stop. Certainly if I just keep collecting them, I’ll have a LOT more, but my OCD tendencies are either to keep collecting til I have every state I’ve ever been to, OR just pick a certain limitation, like only states my kids or grandkids lived (because I spent lots of time in those places), or something along those lines.

I mean does anyone really NEED 30 coffee mugs?

Nope! But if one has the space and enjoys them, who cares?!

I love mugs. I love finding "perfect" mugs, whether it be for their heft, their shape, their super cute message, blah, blah.  And I use them. But I have very limited cabinet space (or wall space, for that mattter) so I have to reign it in. Plus, I need to keep some boring mugs because I have a spouse who can't be trusted with my "good" ones. 😛. If I ever get my dream kitchen, it will have an impressive mug collection!

[Carrie12345]

I'm hoping to go through spices today. I know that I have a decent amount to toss, but I'm also cheap, so I can't do it while one of my dds is home. She's the expiration  date enforcer, convinced that anything past a best by date will kill her.  I try to keep her from knowing that I just add some extra dried basil when it gets a bit old, lol.

[Ravin]

I cleaned out the downstairs bathroom closet! I got rid of old, expired meds and supplements, reorganized everything except linens in clear plastic bins (one for first aid, one for me, one for DD, one for DS, one for GF, one for travel items, and one for adult OTC meds, with a cardboard box for "overstock" items). I reorganized DD's prescriptions while I was at it. The linens were still in o.k. state of organization. I got rid of the rattiest of the ratty old bath towels we use for makeshift floor mats, spills, etc., so now they all fit in one stack on the shelf.

I threw a bunch of trash and recycling away after.

Today I am taking 2 kitchen trash bags of clothes etc. to Goodwill.

[StaceyinLA]

1 hour ago, Carrie12345 said:

Nope! But if one has the space and enjoys them, who cares?!

I love mugs. I love finding "perfect" mugs, whether it be for their heft, their shape, their super cute message, blah, blah.  And I use them. But I have very limited cabinet space (or wall space, for that mattter) so I have to reign it in. Plus, I need to keep some boring mugs because I have a spouse who can't be trusted with my "good" ones. 😛. If I ever get my dream kitchen, it will have an impressive mug collection!

 

Luckily my husband isn’t a coffee drinker. 😜

[StaceyinLA]

Well the weather today is pretty yucky, so I’m gonna try to finish up the couple of areas I haven’t touched yet - an upstairs closet that has a lot of craft stuff and wrapping papers, and my playroom I have here for all the grandkids.

 

[mommyoffive]

I sorted through all the stuff that a mom just gave me.  Kept the some of the clothes, some books, and a few other things .  But took a carload to donation yesterday.  That felt great.   I am not feeling guilty about it.  That is my biggest problem is that I feel guilty for getting rid of things that people give us, that still have value, or there is nothing wrong with them.  

Now I need to handle the carload of Christmas presents sitting in the basement they got from extended family.  Boooo.   

[Tress]

On 1/10/2019 at 8:56 PM, BooksandBoys said:

I’m unloading books too (yikes!), but I’m struggling because in the last few years, I’ve noticed a significant drop in the library’s retention of the old books, even the really well known ones. I’m trying to be brave. I have way more books than we can reasonably read in the next 10 years of schooling. 😂

 

I can declutter/KonMari anything.....except books. I have always had the rule, for my books, that I only buy books that I use or will definitely re-read. But I now also have a lot of books that I might not re-read, but one of my children might want to read when they are a bit older. And my library is getting rid of soooo many good books, Dutch books and the few English books they had. They still might have Stephen King, but when I last checked, they didn't have 1984 anymore.

I am getting rid of all books my youngest has grown out of, so that is something.

[ktgrok]

For mugs, I rotate them. I have a display hanging stand thing and the fun ones go on there. But I also have christmas ones, which get put away until christmas, and when those come out the others go away. If space is an issue you could rotate like that. 

[mom2scouts]

Today I talked to dh about some of my goals from the past few years. One of the goals I have not made much progress with is my desire to declutter the whole house. I told him he could pick any room or space in the house and I would start there. I promised to consult him on shared items or things that belong to him. He is not bothered by clutter and hates to get rid of stuff. He'll keep something for years and years and then the one time he has a use for it, he makes a big deal about it. Meanwhile, I've tripped over it, cleaned it, and moved it around all those years. Anyway, he wanted to start in the kitchen and agreed to help me. We went through over half the cabinets and drawers and have a box of things to donate!

[BooksandBoys]

8 hours ago, Tress said:

 

I can declutter/KonMari anything.....except books. I have always had the rule, for my books, that I only buy books that I use or will definitely re-read. But I now also have a lot of books that I might not re-read, but one of my children might want to read when they are a bit older. And my library is getting rid of soooo many good books, Dutch books and the few English books they had. They still might have Stephen King, but when I last checked, they didn't have 1984 anymore.

I am getting rid of all books my youngest has grown out of, so that is something.

This is the problem, yes. So, I’m devluttering books, but very carefully. I’d rather still have too many than not be able to find what I want/need. The collections seem to be shifting more and more to very current works, and when books are lost or retired due to damage, they aren’t replaced. 

I worked on my closet (one of the post-move dumping grounds) this week and made some progress. Relocated some things and threw away/donated three bags of randomness that I haven’t touched since we moved in. 🙂

[Hoggirl]

I have two issues that hold me back.

1) On books - when we married, dh and I signed up to get the “100 greatest books every written,” (or something like that) from Eaton Press. We paid about $43 per book per month at the time for 8.3333333333 years to obtain them..  I would love to get rid of them (ds has said he does NOT want them when we die), but dh won’t let them go. However, they are nicely arranged on shelves and aren’t truly taking up any space that could be used for anything else. 

2) We have an off-site storage unit (5 x 5 in size only) of which, 1/3 is “carp” that belongs to ds.  Even if we could figure out how to get that to him in a cost-effective manner (he’s on the opposite coast!), I still don’t think we could be storage-unit free.  We are in a 935 sq ft condo now. Not much storage at all in the unit.  We do have on-site storage, but it’s not climate-controlled and holds “beach stuff” and financial documents. I truly am glad we down-sized, but it might have been TOO drastic of a change.  I wish we had about 1,200-1,300 sq ft.  I think that would make all the difference between off-site storage and not. 

So, I sort of feel defeated before we ever start.  I just don’t think I can get out of off-site storage, and I just don’t have that much left too purge.  I’m not very motivated because I don’t see that I can gain that much. 😞

Edited January 13, 2019 by Hoggirl

[historically accurate]

Little bits and pieces done yesterday.

1. OTC drugs are stored on a rack in our closet. Anything that looked old and didn't have an expiration date went. Anything expired went. Freed up enough room to get the extra shaving cream and liquid soap off the floor!
2. I found 3 boxes of dollhouse furniture buried behind a clothes bin in our closet. Kids went through them and moved some into their dollhouses. I put the building supplies into my bin designated for that purpose. Was able to pare from 3 boxes to 2. 
3. I pulled some picture books from the bookshelves. Kids put a couple back but pulled some chapter books. Came up with about 15 books to put in the Little Free Library in front of our local elementary school.
4. Put DD's pj's into the donation pile after they were washed - she's outgrown them. Found her 1 pair in the hand me down bin and let my mom loose online - she has new pairs coming (there may be many, many coming!)
5. Went through the 3 drawers in my nightstand (didn't get to the top yet though). Put some books in the library bin to take for donation. Threw away some garbage and found the cord/crimpy things to restring American Girl dolls that I will see if I can sell on ebay. 

Today is kitchen clean-up, pre-cooking day and catch up laundry day, so I don't know if I will get to decluttering.