The Declutter Thread: July 4 to July 18, 2016
 

Hello

With the weather so good, and so much of my life being spent outside, the inside of my house is at a standstill and threatening a reversal. Is yours? Do you need a space to commit to cleaning up/clearing out your car, your desk drawer, under your kitchen sink, or a whole house revamp? This is the space for you then. Post your goals for a two week household cleanse. Every step we take moves us forward.

bull by the horns day
 

Hello to whoever reads this.

Today I begin a summer-long quest to rid myself of box mountain v.3. Boxes. Bins. Bags. I have them all, some piled, some stashed, some seemingly free floating as I run in to them every day. Gone! :wizard: Be Gone with you!
Even if it's one small thing I am doing one small thing a day for the next two weeks. I'll post my progress here. By the end of Labour Day weekend in September I want this space transformed = sorted, put away, decluttered.
Priorities are kitchen, dining room, living room then bedroom, bathroom, closets. Within these spaces the priorities are the surfaces everyone can see, then the interior spaces (cupboards, drawers, shelves). From the big picture to the small and not the other way around. When I am stuck I will read The Magical Art of Tidying Up and Flylady. I start today and will check in tonight.

Grass
 

I'd like to weed all the grass out of the front bed, the one by the wall. I've been looking after the back garden and this front bed has got away from me. I'll have to get a move on because the grass is starting to flower. But it rains heavily almost every day. I'll have to nip out during the lulls.

Thanks, onebyone.

I did 15 minutes or so on the couch grass. (That's 'kooch', in case you don't know it.) It was on hands and knees with the tiny fork but I've cleared perhaps a square foot. I'll do some more tomorrow.

grass
 

Hello

Hi :wave: silverbirch!
I was wondering if your couch grass=our crab grass? I could look it up but I am avoiding the use of google as my instant go-to method for learning something. Instead I am trying to make myself think and figure out what I know about this topic before I head off and simply have a look at it.

Whatever the outcome of my quest, kudos to you for weeding. That's an ongoing battle. Doesn't it send roots laterally under the ground so if you pull it apart it sprouts up at the break in the root? Great design for a weed. A challenge for the gardener weeding it. Are you having warm weather silverbirch? Did you complete the cleanup of the garden room or was that a mud room?

For me, I have not followed through on a thing. I didn't make a master list and I have still been working long and hard in the guild. Today is a blessed day off from that and a day to complete tasks put off. Today I will make my detailed list so I can follow it everyday to complete and cross something off of it.

Quick reply before I go out there to do battle again for 15 mins.

It does send roots laterally and each stalk also has a swollen part above the root proper which breaks off very readily. It's hard work.

Warm weather? Not at all. I am in a fleece jumper and it's gloomy. We have occasional bursts of sunshine but nothing consistent. About 15C, I think.

And the garden room! Thank you for asking! I did clear it up a bit and it was transformed into a place for sowing seeds, taking cuttings and potting on. It's still that but it's also a greenhouse for about six enormous tomato plants I grew from a free packet of seed. Also two chili plants. I have to do something about the toms which are cordon type and I hadn't realised that. I have a plan but it will involve moving a lot more stuff. (Tiny house, you see.) Basil on the sitting room and bedroom window sills, lemongrass (having a go with that) in the sitting room + ginger.

Must go. Good luck with those bleepetty bleep boxes. Have you ever thought of not allowing any into the house? You could do a poster for your front door. !No pasaran! - that kind of thing.

I am so happy to see this thread, I have some time off from work and really want to get my house into shape! Here are my goals for the next two weeks:
1. Closet cleanse and reorganization
2. Go through one cabinet every two days and give away/donate or trash any unused items...anyone need an LCD projector? LOL.
Thanks for starting this and I plan on doing my first cabinet tonight, will post daily progress and happy to have this thread for accountability!

Almost an hour on grass. Also put in two rosemary cuttings from last year (trying to make a hedge where the front gate opens so it smells nice, have two plants already plus two new ones which came from layering in spring - so six in all). More tomorrow.

And I may mow the lawn if the rain holds off.

ETA :welcome3: to LisaLaLa!

reporting
 

Hi

I started decluttering yesterday. As I was unloading my work into my art studio I got fed up with the cluttered pathway just to get into the studio space. So I spent about 40 minutes clearing the way. I broke down one huge box that I thought would be useful for storing my paintings, but it wasn't. It just took up a lot of space while continuing to make promises to me. I removed my paintings, went back to stacking them and got rid of the box. Then I got rid of a bag of bags. Then I moved a stack of books. Then I repositioned where my drawings were. I can now walk to my desk and could work there anytime. My printmaking table is still occupied though. That will be next. This is a big deal for me as I was depressed about not being able to just go to my studio to work when I felt the urge. The thought I had to declutter/move stuff would stop me. This obstacle is removed.

Today I will do all the dishes in the kitchen and put them away. I will clear off the top and all around and under the kitchen table. I need this space for food prep.


Lisalala Glad you found us. Decluttering/messy spaces/not a space you'd want to live,cook,be in, that kind of thing will derail me foodwise cause I feel so darn bad about it all the time. Like a failure. Success breeds success and confidence so I do find that making my spaces happy places directly affects my state of mind and my ability to stay on track foodwise and to generally want to treat myself better/eat better/ etc. WELCOME. Keep us up to date.

Silverbirch Nice job with the garden room. I am glad I asked! Way to go with the couch grass weeding. They are very sneaky! Happy to read you are rewarding yourself as you go along with your garden. The rosemary bushes for their scent is a nice touch. Bravo!

Hurray, onebyone, for ditching 'bag of bags'. They weigh us down. A friend helped his mother to move: she had plastic bags stretching back to the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977. And the same goes for huge boxes. I have ditched one which a bike came in by sandwiching it between grass cuttings in the compost bin.

How's it going, LisaLaLa?

No gardening here today as it was very misty/claggy most of the day and I was out for most of the afternoon. And have collapsed this evening, partly from a rather full day. I met my neighbours on the (country) road with a cat basket and took them to the vet rather than let them wait for the bus. Poppy was in and out in no time, and had her booster injection. Apparently the vet said she was a bit stressed - I thought my driving was OK!

Silver Burch Loved your comment about your driving and the stressed cat. Your grass sounds like USA Crab grass that definitely makes me crabby. I also did bunch of weeding today between rain storms. We usually have good sunny July, but something happened to the son this summer. Between flooding ( not us, thank goodness) and cable and internet refusing to let us get on TV or Goggle, my garden is really the most lush I've ever seen. Cucumbers have climbed the 4 foot fence and we have trouble getting near the cucumbers to harvest.

Love the image of Rosemary by the gate. It smells so very good. Cucumbers are also smothering mine, I'll need to go rescue it. Tomatoes still getting bigger for you and for us. We have mild sweet peppers,but no chili's.

Oneby One Our artist daughter has been trying to corral all her paintings and supplies, too. She thought she found a building that would make a marvelous study so she can go back to painting large canvases, but the neighbors around the building and the road to get to that wonderful space made her wisely turn down the good offer.

My grandmother used to carefully keep even a 3 inch piece of string on a large ball, she reused everything. I've also celebrated being able to put 'junk I have' into different uses but now days am beginning to donate or pitch more things to make room for DD's paintings and supplies. Thank goodiness the 3 of us get along so very well. She is a jewel.

My Office is a disaster. When our oldest DD comes to visit this month, she will put the fold up bed in here to enjoy some sleep. I MUST get this space cleared out NOW!!! That is my work for next week or so.

Sandy

Have cleaned out 4 cabinets so far and reorganized, with tons of stuff for donation. This week will be laundry room (a catch all for kid's toys, luggage, etc) and the guest room closets that hold who knows what. The purge process feels great and I really think it helps me stay on program with my Ideal protein diet. Have enlisted the help of a friend for tomorrow's work, she will keep me ruthless about getting rid of things i don't use and won't use (like up-cycling projects that are just gathering dust, let someone else take them!!).
I am determined!!
Good luck to all and I will return with tales of more de-cluttering (mostly so I can make room for my sewing stash, lol, but fabric is not clutter, as any quilter knows...)

And by the way, I love how the three of us cover such a wide geographical area- all hail the internet!

Sorry, four of us now that I reviewed the posts...

Isn't the internet a marvelous discovery? Funny how we may be separated by miles, but not so much by interest.

Back to normal weekly house work before I begin in here.

Torrential rain but took two coils of climbing rope (rescued by me from a ditch a few years ago), a bag of household rubbish and an old wheelbarrow wheel (quite US - um, unserviceable) to the dump.

Grass weeding is out of the question.

Great work, LisaLala!

Love2garden - I'll come round for a cucumber, if I may, as we're having salad for tea tonight.

Onebyone - throw something away for me! Hope it's all going well. Farmers' market today?

yes I will
 

Hello everyone

It is farmers' market day again, silverbirch. I've taken on a second market so I have a Saturday and a Sunday market. It feels easier to do two markets vs. just one. Haven't figured out why. I think maybe the effort to settle into the one is easily carried over into two. I have plenty of stock so I am not frantically making things for now. Commission orders are beginning to pile up but my ceramic-making partner, Minda, who throws our pots, has to do her thing before I can do mine. She is away next week so I don't even have to think about it for a few days.

I did not clear away under or on top of the kitchen table so I will do that when I get home. I want to make a bunch of juices so I could definitely use the space for veggie prep. Since I didn't make the space earlier this week, I didn't get the juice made either. And I ate the poorer for it. That is how clutter/space/food are directed connected in my life.

I'll come back for personals when I am reporting on that kitchen table later tonight.

Keep going everyone! Enjoy your progress!!

Hello, all! Joining in here as I feel a sense of accomplishment with all the procrastinated gardening that I tackled today. Finally finished up the side garden (it runs the entire side of the house, but I can't guesstimate - 50-60 feet?) edging and weeding and mulching. Looks great now. Also have the back patio garden, which runs around the edge of the paver patio and loops into an oval garden, done 95% - just need 1-2 more bags of black mulch. I'll try to remember to bring clothes to change into after work and pick them up on my way home. As I'm slowly getting mentally prepared to go back after a wonderful 10 days off!

Goal by Friday is to finish that up and to do another Goodwill dropoff. Two piles are in the garage to be passed on to new owners. Some are gifts that just aren't "me" or needed.

Thinking about decluttering my kitchen window. I like it up close - two violets, a photo of my mom as a child (violets and pansies were "her" flowers), a mug of my Dad's and some paper gifts from sis and SIL (memory type cards), and tiny vases of single fresh flowers. I keep thinking a clean windowsill is needed but I truly do enjoy it up close. We'll see if the neat bug or my heart wins :)

You guys are making a lot of progress, and seem to be enjoying yourselves! I've been wanting to join these threads for a long time, but, well, couldn't muster anything good to contribute to the discussion. But.....this weekend...I had a garage sale!!! Fi-nuh-lee! So many things--unwanted, no longer needed, and even broken--walked away to happy new owners! It's so satisfying to know those things will have another chance at life before the landfill. It's a good start, and we're planning on 2,3,4 more sales this summer.

My goal is to remove clutter and organize every nook and cranny in the house. After the sale, I worked on the laundry area and kitchen. I know it's a luxury to have a laundry area, and I have been loathe to complain about the narrowness of the room. So after the sale, DS helped me turn the machines around 90o...only took 1 trip to the hardware store, and the room is now an immensely more practical workplace....so happy...the kitchen required little in the way of organization, but needed a good cleaning, especially after the sale. Next...main living area...tidy up and clean and make decisions on a the contents of a couple of cabinets which hold old electronics....hope I can keep this up during the work week.

I continue to do something to move forward each and every day. This morning I will sort through all the receipts from the last rental project and file them properly. There are many.

I had a great experience in Glenwood. I haven't spent much time there in the past year except when I helped my friend with her cancer treatment, then I was consumed with that. My hubby swears hes a great housekeeper but in fact, the place was seriously dirty. A friend needs work so I hired her for $15/hr. I worked for at least 3 hours before she arrived putting things in place. Then we cleaned top to bottom. I have open shelves in the kitchen so every item needed to be washed. We finished and I gave her a ride home. When I walked back in the entire space felt lighter and whiter. LOL Great feeling!

I grew up in a home with clutter and created my own as an adult. I didn't have much choice as a child but the choice is mine now. As with my weight, I believe I'll always have to make it a priority but I choose decluttered/clean.

PS My friend was visiting and loves thrift stores so we did an afternoon tour. We did 6 stores and I bought one item for $10. I really thought it through before I did. There was a pair of MBT sandals almost new which fit me perfectly. I know all about them because I bought a pair at full price and love them. My pair was $250.00 plus tax. Now I have a second pair which will stay at the Glenwood house. Credit for really thinking it through. My best success since my declutter is in NOT BRINGING NEW STUFF IN!

Wow. So much good work being done here! Thanks everyone for posting.

Today I am clearing the kitchen table and the counters. I am making my juice finally and especially because I have all the ingredients for more than one kind. My markets are over for the week and my week is mostly spent at home with the exception of today when once more I am out all day. I will clear the space this evening.

Q. DID YOU CLEAR THE
a) kitchen table top? no
b)kitchen chair off? yes
c)underneath the kitchen table? no
d) the floor by the sink? no
e)the dishes in the sink? no
f) the rest of the dishes wherever they may be? no
g) the counter beside the stove? no
h)the stovetop? yes
i)did you make you juice? yes
j)did you package and freeze some for later? yes
k) how do you feel about what you did today? satisfied I made my juice without another round of veggies spoiling

So motivating to hear what everyone is doing. I sent a truckload (Ok, it was a minivan, but truckload sounds more impressive) of stuff to various donation site, including a 65 inch buffet that I kept thinking I would refinish (for 3 years, got it at a thrift store) and dishes, pans, fabric (hardest for me to part with) and other assorted household items. Debbie R I totally agree with not bringing new stuff in- my closet is next and I will sort, purge and then toss any extra hangers, with the new rule that nothing come in unless something goes out.
Onebyone I love your list of questions, like a ToDo list but more compelling somehow.
Silverbirch, is that a picture of one of your ancestors as your avatar? I just love it, she looks so regal! (if it is a famous painting I should recognize, please forgive my ignorance!).
Good luck to all and thanks for keeping me moving forward, today I am getting some boxes and shiping books to various friends, will begin on my home office this week and the goal is to decrease all books, papers, etc., but 50%.
Also have my weigh-in tomorrow so hoping all this moving and sorting has burned some calories!
Lisa

No, as far as I know she's not one of my forebears. :) It's Portrait of a Lady, painted around 1475 by either Antonio or Piero del Pollaiuolo, and owned by the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
I'm glad you like her; so do I. I love her posture.

bits
 

Hello to my fellow declutterers

I have done some work but the list I asked myself a few days ago remains unfinished. I have been making my juices so I have maintained the stovetop, half of the kitchen table and cleaning and putting the juicer and its parts away right after use. I just now cleaned the frying pan and spatula for the morning's breakfast. I have two containers of juice in the freezer and two in the fridge. Happy to report that all the *recent* veggies I bought have been used up. The rest have gone into the compost to go out with the green bins tomorrow. For once I have good timing.

I am in a serious time crunch and it will be Friday before I tackle things again. I hope to make that an all day affair.

Thanks for posting everyone. Let's keep the good work going!

Ended up working most of today so did not get to declutter projects, but went to weekly weigh-in and lost 2.8 pounds so I am doing the little happy dance like the ghosts in my signature. Silverbirch, I should have recognized that from the Uffizi, which is one of my favorite galleries in the world. I aspire to her posture, lol!
Tomorrow will be home office day and packing up boxes to ship, so excited to have organized spaces starting to outnumber the disorganized ones in my home.
Organized and clutter free in your home is so good for your mental health!

Yes, InDeedy!

Lexxiss...I know I've told you this before, but I have such fond memories of Glenwood Springs. I would dearly love to get over there this summer and enjoy all the hot springs. Would do me a world of good. Oh, if I could only manufacture more time!

Well, things have been going rather slowly during this work week. The main living area is still an unfinished job, in spite of it being a rather easy area to unclutter and clean. (oh, how I dread the office area!) I'm determined to finish it tomorrow. Cleaning floors, baseboards, windows and moving any clutter and unwanteds to the dining room table, which is where all those things are accumulating now.

Your progress is inspiring! In all areas..healthy juices...posture...driving things away...

HI ALL :wave:

I did not fall off the face of the earth :D

More likely, it would be boxes and crud falling on me and I’d be buried alive :rofl:

Seriously though – I have gone through and gotten rid of some boxes in the garage. I am so excited, because I found a place that will take old cassettes and bibles. Even “PIECES” of bibles!! I just can’t bring myself to throw away a bible or even pieces… I’m so glad they can and will use these items. I have hundreds of cassettes.

I’ve been sick since Tuesday – so, I have stages of sorting stuff in my Living Room, just waiting for me to get better. My dishes are piled high, and every flat surface in the house has STUFF on it… that just made me think … there was an acronym for stuff. I don’t remember it, but here is one I found … Something That Undermines Family Fun.

My “HAVE TO” plan for today is:
1) Find the paperwork about supplemental insurance plans
2) READ the paperwork
3) Make a decision
4) Eat ON PLAN!!
5) One other thing, but I can’t remember it – and it’s important!!

ENJOY the day everyone!

I hope all is well: I did some lengthy personals … but, I just wanted to reach out and touch you and acknowledge that you ALL are doing a SUPER JOB!! :hug:

Onebyone – I just read the Marie Kondo . I also watched some videos on youtube for her KonMari method. Very interesting and inspiring. AWESOME :cp::cp::cp: that you can now go to your studio to work when you feel the urge!! :bravo: So glad to hear that the commission orders are piling up … I offer you :sales$$: for this weekend’s farmer’s market! In my humble opinion … THIS is GREAT accomplishment!! “quote” i)did you make your juice? Yes j)did you package and freeze some for later? Yes k) how do you feel about what you did today? satisfied I made my juice without another round of veggies spoiling “unquote” I hope you are very pleased and proud with yourself!

Hi Silverbirch – I didn’t know that rosemary could be bushes. It sounds lovely! And KUDOS on all the progress you’ve been having with the weeding and planting. It all sounds exceptionally beautiful! HAHAHA re your driving and the cat!! Crack me up about the (just had to be) rescued climbing rope. It reminds me of a big Persian rug that came out of a “nice” house. My friend and I saw $$ signs. So we struggled and pushed to get it in my van… only to find out it smelled mildewy and now we were stuck with finding away to unload it. :rofl:

Lisalala – Hey Girl!! I’ll take the LCD projector – just kidding… It sounds like you have a good handle on what you want to get completed while you are off from work! :goodluck: OH! You’re doing IP! Awesome … Are you finding it gives you more energy?? (2.8 down - fabulous) Lisa – I just read your post from MONDAY – you are KILLIN’ it! WTG … :woohoo:

Boxes and boxes and more boxes … it’s so funny! Years ago, I was working with a real organized cleany … and he tossed everything!! He would ask “do you need this," if not ... it's tossed! So … I went home and thought I’d take a look at my garage – I picked up one box … it was empty. I picked up another box … it was empty. I thought – “WHAT THE HECK!” turns out I was a box collector and had absolutely NO IDEA!! It was hilarious :lol3: You know!!?? I just MIGHT need that box someday … ARGH!!

Love2garden (Sandy) – oh you ladies are making me so jealous for some cukes and ESPECIALLY TOmaTOS!! Great work … btw … can we grow rosemary into hedges/bushes over here? I’ve never heard or seen this. Your DD(s) sound like wonderful young ladies. I get so excited when I hear of talented people like 1by1 and your DD. I always want to see their creations :) I hope you have a great visit with DD#1.

Nationalparker - :bravo: on not holding on to things because they were gifts and you felt obligated! Awesome job listening to that little voice and acting on it “just aren’t me or needed!” WTG!! OH your window of memories sounds delightful. Warms my heart hearing about it! I see you have a new July 2016 restart … YOU CAN DO IT!! :dust:

SeeMyFeet – Awesome job and great that DH helped with the W&D so you have so much space to move around in the Laundry Room... maybe big enough for a dance floor?? GREAT PROGRESS! I hope you had some good sales at the Garage Sale… often times it seems like one puts so much effort in the sale and then are disappointed with the results. I hope that was/is not the case for you :)

Lexxiss - :cp::cp::cp: for the “GREAT FEELING” when you got home! Lighter and Whiter – I can’t wait to experience that. I thought this morning – if I had all my junk organized and/or gone … I could easily just sit and read a book today. I do it anyways, but there is so much unease because of the “heavier and darker” feeling of clutter EVERYWHERE! And :yay: for thinking through before buying! FaNTAsTIC JoB!!

Well ... That's about all for now! Glad to see such a lively group.
ENJOY your weekend!
:hug: and :dance:
-Gail

Hello to all and hope you are all doing well on this Saturday in July. I spent the morning decluttering the entire home office and guest room with the help of a friend. Two shopping carts of "stuff" went out to either recycle, donate or trash. Also have now split crafts and sewing into two areas and will sort through and organize those next weekend. Cannot believe the new space I now have, which will be where I put my sewing and craft items once they are sorted and organized. Found some family photos I had forgotten about as well as two pieces of artwork that I had moved to my condo 8 years ago and neglected to hang, lol, so glad they are back and they will go up on a wall somewhere tomorrow.
The end of my reorganization is in sight, no stopping me now and the plan is to have everything in its place by mid-September if not earlier.

Beloved Warrior - if you want the LCD projector it is yours for the cost of shipping, it is an InFocus, very bright and lightweight, and I have an extra bulb too. I do not have the time to Ebay or Craigslist, so just let me know.

"end of reorganization in sight"...so jealous!

I love the idea of a rosemary hedge!

I cannot believe the work week has come and gone, and all I got done was the living area...too many late night days at work. And I'm slow this weekend because I'm trying out a fast. Lighter and emptier! in house and intestines!

The rain of the past few weeks has stopped, thank goodness, so I'm making some more progress in the front garden. The couch grass is tangled up with the irises so I'll do the best I can now and then do the rest when I lift and divide them in the autumn.

Very hot weather today and particularly tomorrow. The front is cool, even chilly, in the morning so I'll see if I can put in some time then.

Keep on with the good work!

My hot and sunny weekend was spent thoroughly cleaning and tidying our bathroom and closet. The closet is now free of dust bunnies, clothing is organized, and we have shelving space to spare. I got rid of fewer items of clothing than I thought I would, imagining the items would look much nicer on me when I am thinner. I hope to finish up the bedroom this week, which has accumulated a few paper piles that need my immediate attention.

I had also planned an austere 3 day fast this weekend, and managed to complete 2.5 days, and feeling much better for it. A small amount of progress. I hope to continue on as tougher projects await.

Success!
 

I am so thrilled to have cleared and reorganized an entire area of space that was a real catchall, now I have an organized drawer for napkins and placemats, a drawer for cards, envelopes, stamps, etc.; a section for Christmas cards and little stocking stuffers, and a section for Christmas bows and bags.
And two drawers that will eventually hold family photos and photo albums. :carrot::queen::twirly:

Yay for Decluttering successes!

I continue to keep up with my do something every day process. When I was in Glenwood Springs I went through several kitchen cupboards and got rid of a few things. I started a box which will go to the thrift store there. Back here I have been doing some picking up in the morning and have kept up with my daily laundry and dishes. Yard isn't getting much attention here while I spend my time in Glenwood picking raspberries but I have kept the lawn mowed and I go out every few days and spray my emerging weeds with a organic weed killer. It would never do the trick with giant but it nips them in the bud when I spray the tiny ones. That's a real success for me!

Wow we did some really great things these last two weeks.

Yays all 'round! :hat:

For me I got sidetracked with my art business class wrapping up. But this morning I could feel the desire to toss many things returning. I need to make quite a few changes and this issue is draining my precious energy stores because it gets me down and depressed and feeling defeated. I remember how on top of the world I felt conquering some of the clutter over the past few years. I need some more of that now.

I hope you will join me for the next decluttering focus group beginning tomorrow. I'll close this thread then I'm case someone else wants one last check in on this round.

Bye for now.