April Declutter Club

[SparkleNana]

Does anyone have plans for April.... that they would like to share? Or would like to post here... as a goal for themselves for April Decluttering?

Me....... not so much. April is very much "up in the air" for me! (1) ds#1 and family have not yet announced their plans for early-April. The possibilities include (a) returning to Japan soon (please... no!); (b) extending their current visit to another cityl (c) coming here and staying in our house; (d) coming here & staying with dd or with friends; (e) something completely new. Ds#1 and ddil#1 are about the most careful, "plan way ahead" people I know! The fact that they are "winging it" now..... is another example of how the events in Japan have overwhelmed the best-laid plans!

Next.... dh and I have a "businessey trip"... which we HAD planned for early April. That is also completely "up in the air" now. It will happen.... but we don't know when!

Again.... Gingerbug, thank you for making this club.... a year-long Declutter Club! It is so comforting to know that this supportive Club will be here..... whenever we can get to it during 2011!

 

[MinnieCo]

I didn't have plans yet, but let me think of some!

The biggest project of all is our spare room. My DH has to get the rest of the Christmas boxes out and in storage. Then comes the camping stuff for the summer. We don't have a garage, so it gets toted back and forth each season from our inlaws storage area.

Secondly I'd like to purge the chester drawers in my dining room and get rid of several of the placemats and napkins that I have. I've not used the placemats in forever and a couple of the cloth napkins have stains I've not been able to get out. While I'm in the dining room, I'm also going to get rid of some of the bird houses I have and paint the ones I'm keeping all white.

I'll start with that and move on from there!

 

[ChristmasPir8]

I think my goal will be to get in my closet. There is a lot in there that needs work. My clothes, bags, craft stuff, Christmas gifts, a lot. Thanks for the reminder SN I mentioned it.

 

[Christmaslvr]

I haven't thought of my April goals yet, but my DD will be coming home from college May 4 and is bringing a friend with her (the friend is only staying a few days, but still)....so I should tidy up some more...this house is sooooo small, and even just a few things lying around look so messy!

 

[Kate 510]

My goal for April is to clear the dining room table of clutter. The table is rarely used except for holiday dinners and has become a catchall for books, mail, keys, purses ect.

 

[Christmaslvr]

My goal for April is to clear the dining room table of clutter. The table is rarely used except for holiday dinners and has become a catchall for books, mail, keys, purses ect.

That's our kitchen table! Cleaning it off is on my list every week, but it never gets done!

 

[halimer]

DH and I will be heading back to LI where most of our clutter is so perhaps April could take a good chunk out of it.

i'd like DH to commit to two days - one to do the basement - or at least most of it - and another day to get together all the stuff that needs to get posted on e-bay so that can get out of the house that way.

Cross your fingers for me.
Debbie

 

[SparkleNana]

We have now completed the first three months of 2011! There have been plenty of "real life" events! AND.... we have managed to squeeze in some decluttering, too! One of our mottos is: "Every little bit helps".

At this point..... it is unrealistic for me to try to look very far ahead. So.... today..... I will just take things "One day at a time". And today, April 1st.... a very cold, rainy, dark day it is! I believe that my "pitcher full of energy" is running quite low.

So.... I am going to concentrate on having some fun, energizing, very very low-cost adventures today! I want to have my "energy pitcher" full of sparkling, bubbly, delicious energy!!!!

 

[SparkleNana]

Well... that did not take very long.

I told dh that I was going out for an "energy break". He declared that he, too, was suffering from the icy, rainy, dreary weather.... and that he, too, needed an energy break!

We went to a wonderful "French-inspired" chain restaurant. La Madeline. We got tasty food and delicious coffee (with free refills). We read and shared TWO newspape4s. We soaked up the wonderful atmosphere! AND..... about an hour and a half later.... we were filled up with "good energy"!!!!

It took A LOT less time... and a lot less money..... than I thought it would!

We rushed home. Dh started working on businessey things, in his office, with the door closed!!!! And I... started laundry, dishes, "house blessing" stuff.... AND even some work in the garden and back porch pots!

A gardening item that I read this morning said... "Gardeners wait all year for April. They work every minute that they can in April! And time goes SO FAST for gardeners in April." I realized...... THAT IS SO TRUE!

So... I'm back and happily working!!!!!!! Filling up your "energy reservoir" is a very good thing!!!!!

 

[Gingerbug]

My April Goals:

Continue in basement with the focus being BOOKS and CLOTHING

And

Do some mini sessions in the garage.....it is a disaster!!!

 

[Colleen in PA]

My goal is to clean out the garage and garden shed. DH promised to bring the chairs out for the patio set...now we just need some nice weather!

 

[Dakotasmamaw]

Michelle and Kate .. I am right with ya,,,, Dining Room has alot of junk I dont use anymore.. placemats.. napkins.. I need 2 or 3 table cloths.. 1 set of placemats and the napkins to match my table cloths.. 1 set that will match all 3.. which shouldnt be hard.. I always stay in the same group...

I would like to start in my kitchen .. decluttering and painting.. just not sure it will happen before our trip.. and I dont want to come home to it all torn apart.. so that one is a quandry for me.. April may just be to work on my Dining Room... its about 1/2 done.. but I can go ahead and declutter the kitchen.. then taking items out of the cabinets in May to paint them wont be such a hassle... Yep that will work.

 

[Christmaslvr]

I finally went through a shelf in our linen closet and corraled some things and straightened it up. I only tossed a couple of things, but it looks a little better. Hey it's something!

Oh, funny thing....yesterday we were heading out to run a few errands and get some flowers to plant. I asked DBF where we were going and we would be on the same road as a Good Will store. So I say, "oh good let's stop there and I'll drop off the bag of things I want to donate". He replies that we're not going that far and it's farther up. Ok, no problem, I didn't want to go out of the way, since we had other things to do. So we're driving and what to do pass? Yup, the Good Will store! Thanks Ken! lol

 

[SparkleNana]

April 3rd. This morning is cold and windy. So.... PERHAPS some decluttering will get done! It is too cold to work outside right now!

I keep reminding myself that... "NOT bringing more stuff into the house is ALSO part of decluttering!!!!"

Dakotasmamaw.... I would ALSO like to paint the kitchen in May! Picking out the right color for the kitchen is important! I could start with that!

 

[Dakotasmamaw]

SN.. picking out the color for my kitchen is very stressing... Its a really pretty .. I think... Gold right now.. Tuscan type color.. Im going to go more Beige.. since we will be putting it on the market next year.. I will need to take this color.. down the hall, 1/2 bath and foyer... so the way I love Color.. Im going a closer to brown beige than white beige.. I have a Brown Marble floor in there.. and beige tile wall splash.. Im getting ready to paint the cabinets black.. so everything will be tan and black with some red splashes.. its very hard.. it will be very safe.. but a more sellable safe.

DD.. came by yesterday to bring DGD8 her American Girl doll and she saw my pile for Goodwill.. she grabbed 1/2 the pile and took it home.. she warned me NOT to give anything to Goodwill till she scoped it out.. that adds a couple days to stuff getting out of here.. but better safe than sorry. hate to have her ask about something that I disposed of !!

 

[luludou]

1 comforter and 2 small bags out of the door and in the garbage. DH kept the plastic mat for the garage (it's out of my closet and in his garage)

 

[MinnieCo]

Good job guys....!!!

 

[jampss]

Decluttering

Well, this week end we cleaned .... the screen porch.

April 3 - 9
Screen Room/ Carport
[] Clear out Rubbermaid Unit
[X] Clear out Mike's tool area
[X] Sweep/ Vacuum
[] Clean up recycle & trash can area
[] Check wind chimes, replace if broken
[X] Wash down freezer
[] Defrost freezer
[X] Wipe chairs, table, treadmill, bench etc.


Well, we started anyway ... the screen porch and the carport.

My list is over at Cleaning Year Round.

DH decluttered his "tool" area where the spare tools for parts lie around like a graveyard. I went through the animal stuff (food, litter etc).

Now, it will be the BIG declutter of the Rubber Maid storage unit. Oh, is it a MESS!!!

:easterbunny:

 

[Ahorsesoul]

Good ideas for where to take your clutter:
http://www.lhj.com/volunteering/don...=dm17.516765&esrc=nwlu040411&email=1440490980

or (same one just tiny url)

http://tinyurl.com/3w3jkab

 

[Ahorsesoul]

I dropped off a bag of underwear (yes, they take it if not stained), lots of gloves, hats and scarves along with some odds and ends.

I only picked up 6 tiny pickle forks (looked really cute for the holiday table), some itty bitty dominoes (will use on scrapbook pages) and one pair of earrings to dismantle for beading. Found a full length mohair sweater that I think my friend will like. All for one dollar total. Love that place.