JeniferDwn - Before you get rid of the CVS Rudolph set can you let me know? I have someone that might want to buy a piece or two from you. Is it the 12" set or the 6" set?
Cutting the Clutter for Christmas!
- Thread starter zchristy
- Start date
I am the only one in my family that really gets into Christmas.
I don't have the energy anymore to do the fancy house so I am getting rid of a bunch of my Christmas decor. None of my family wants it so I am going to donate it to charity.
A simple Christmas in my goal this year.
I don't have the energy anymore to do the fancy house so I am getting rid of a bunch of my Christmas decor. None of my family wants it so I am going to donate it to charity.
A simple Christmas in my goal this year.
Cmerth - Your goal is EXACTLY my goal: A simple Christmas this year!
Every time I think about doing something "Christmassy".... I ask myself..... "Is this simple?" It is AMAZING how many ideas come into my head that are complex, difficult, messy, and no fun!! Luckily.... asking "Is this simple?" makes it really easy to discard those bad ideas!
Every time I think about doing something "Christmassy".... I ask myself..... "Is this simple?" It is AMAZING how many ideas come into my head that are complex, difficult, messy, and no fun!! Luckily.... asking "Is this simple?" makes it really easy to discard those bad ideas!
I have a cabint where my pyrex is and its always a mess plus difficult to get what I need out. I have to take out a bunch to get to my crock pot and it makes me not want to use it. I emptied it yeasterday and reorganized. Now I can directly get out my crock pot and dishes. Much better in there. I only got rid of one thing but its one less thing I didn't need.
Good job, Shannon! One thing at a time...slow and steady! It will be so nice to be able to go into the cabinet and get exactly what you need.
Shannon, isn't it funny how long we put up with something before we fix it. I finally re-arranged my pots and pans cupboard this year, and can now get to things I use often much more easily.
Well done.
Well done.
Well, I managed to get home early last night, and DD wanted some quiet time with a cartoon before dinner, so I went into the attic and took down 5 bags of clothes she has outgrown. And I also managed to get the Christmas gifts, and general Gift closet bits, sorted from the plastic see-through tubs into 2 seperate cardboard boxes, which I will label accordingly. SO any visitors tomorrow (there will be a few, I don't know if any can or will help) CAN help me move things and won't see anything they shouldn't.
At this stage, I have 2 car loads ready to go in the guest bedroom. And I will easily grab a couple of more boxes tomorrow when DH isn't looking (he reckons I am too puny to get them out of the attic and it's "man's work" - he doesn't realise I've been shifting them up and down for YEARS!! when he's not looking LOL!!!). He is DEFINITELY not allowed to help, only supervise.
At this stage, I have 2 car loads ready to go in the guest bedroom. And I will easily grab a couple of more boxes tomorrow when DH isn't looking (he reckons I am too puny to get them out of the attic and it's "man's work" - he doesn't realise I've been shifting them up and down for YEARS!! when he's not looking LOL!!!). He is DEFINITELY not allowed to help, only supervise.
Winged One -- Do I remember this correctly -- you are converting the attic storage space into a guest bedroom? Well... having builders do the actual building --- but you have to get everything OUT of the attic -- so they can work?
What stage are you at now? I remember that you were going to rent a storage space -- to hold stuff during the construction. Did you do that?
It is SO DISRUPTIVE to have construction going on!!!!!!! But... there are rewards, down the road!
What stage are you at now? I remember that you were going to rent a storage space -- to hold stuff during the construction. Did you do that?
It is SO DISRUPTIVE to have construction going on!!!!!!! But... there are rewards, down the road!
Winged-good work in the attic. Every little bit helps. And keeping secrets is hard when others are moving your stuff around. Good idea about the cardboard boxes
SN, yes we WILL be getting the builders in to do the actual work, but DH wants to have his arm back out of plaster before they start. Which I can understand as we have lived around builders before and it IS doable, but we need to be in the whole of our health to do it.
But we decided to get the unit now anyway, and get started on the process as we have SOOO much clutter to get down and sort through in the first place. I am going to get rid of a lot of out-of-season clothes too, and the clothes that no longer fit anyone (mostly DD's but there are a few of ours too).
Our plan is that, while some stuff will have to come back into the house after the work, a lot of it shouldn't. So we will sell, donate, give to family - whatever we can - a lot of the boxes of things that we don't and won't use. Which is a lot easier to do when we are not falling over everything.
And yes, the attic will become an extra room - we are still debating whether it will be a study/office/craft room or an extra bedroom (and have the study etc in the current box-room).
But we decided to get the unit now anyway, and get started on the process as we have SOOO much clutter to get down and sort through in the first place. I am going to get rid of a lot of out-of-season clothes too, and the clothes that no longer fit anyone (mostly DD's but there are a few of ours too).
Our plan is that, while some stuff will have to come back into the house after the work, a lot of it shouldn't. So we will sell, donate, give to family - whatever we can - a lot of the boxes of things that we don't and won't use. Which is a lot easier to do when we are not falling over everything.
And yes, the attic will become an extra room - we are still debating whether it will be a study/office/craft room or an extra bedroom (and have the study etc in the current box-room).
This weekend I decided to get rid of the mis-match furniture in the guest room. I had two dressers - one white and one i painted burgundy to look like cherry wood. I moved the white one into the closet as it is in perfect condition. The other dresser is going out to the dumpster. My dad bought that dresser when i moved into my first apartment (18 years ago). I kept it so long because i couldn't stand to let it go. He passed away when I was 28. It has seen better days and I needed to let it go.
Next thing to go will be my computer hutch and broken file cabinet.
Shannon and Katrina I recently reorganized my pots and pans. Since I live in an apartment I have very little cabinet space. I have to store some of my pots in the oven. When I get some extra money I am adding a cabinet with countertop that will hold my pots as well as my blenders.
Next thing to go will be my computer hutch and broken file cabinet.
Shannon and Katrina I recently reorganized my pots and pans. Since I live in an apartment I have very little cabinet space. I have to store some of my pots in the oven. When I get some extra money I am adding a cabinet with countertop that will hold my pots as well as my blenders.
Sometimes I think we live with things for way to long because we don't have a clue how to fix things are not working. We just get used to it. My pots and pan cupboard was OK until a few weeks ago when my mum came a and helped me cook a meal. She had all sorts of troubles getting to my pots. The she said why don't you do it this way? I did how she suggested and it IS easier. Maybe sometimes what we need is a fresh pair of eyes to look at our clutter problems and see if they can come up with a solution.
Aggy - Hugs to you as I'm sure letting that dresser go was not an easy choice.
I think that this is what it's all about - hard choices. Do we choose to live with things that no longer add real value to our lives because they cost us a lot or they are sentimental, etc? It's so hard to get past those kinds of things.
I think that this is what it's all about - hard choices. Do we choose to live with things that no longer add real value to our lives because they cost us a lot or they are sentimental, etc? It's so hard to get past those kinds of things.
Aggy - wow, that was a tough decision! And... I know that your dad got that dresser to HELP you live a happier life! And, I believe that your dad wants you to continue having a happy, wonderful life! It's not about the dresser. It's about the fact that he loved you... and he loves you.... and wants you to have a beautiful, wonderful life... a life that "works"!!!! So... that was a brave and good step that you took!!!!!
Sweetpumpkinpye -- I agree with you 100% A "fresh pair of eyes" -- from someone who wants good things for you!
Kim Loves Snow - yep! Hard choices! Sigh.
Let's celebrate every little tiny step that we take! Together.... we will have a great time.... getting ready for Christmas 2010!!!!!!!
Sweetpumpkinpye -- I agree with you 100% A "fresh pair of eyes" -- from someone who wants good things for you!
Kim Loves Snow - yep! Hard choices! Sigh.
Let's celebrate every little tiny step that we take! Together.... we will have a great time.... getting ready for Christmas 2010!!!!!!!
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Just sorted through my closet to see what I needed for the coming summer. NOTHING. I have enough clothes and because of recent weight loss can fit into some clothes that I have had for a while. I did throw out some things that I have not worn this winter, and some things that were getting a bit ratty. I will write in my note book that I DO NOT NEED NEW SUMMER CLOTHES. We will see what happens when I run into a bargain though. LOL.
Will need new sweats for next winter so I will keep an eye out for those in the next few weeks.
Decluttering certainly leads onto organization. Because I decluttered my closet earlier in the year, it was a simple 1/2 hour job to see what I had, and what I need.
Will need new sweats for next winter so I will keep an eye out for those in the next few weeks.
Decluttering certainly leads onto organization. Because I decluttered my closet earlier in the year, it was a simple 1/2 hour job to see what I had, and what I need.
I managed to move 2 car loads to the storage unit on Saturday, and I also got rid of a box of paperwork!! I finally accepted that I will never use the lab notebooks from my college course again (the science one) and threw those into the recycling. (I may go back tonight and fish out the zoology one, as that one has interesting information for "regular" life as much as science). And the notes from my high school english poetry and drama courses, that I haven't looked at in YEARS. I kept ym essays, as I do read those occasionally and they will be intereseting for DD in a few years. But I actually got rid of a whole archive box of stuff!!!
I hope to get another 2 or 3 carloads brought down during the week, as I have 3 days off from Wednesday. So I am working on the plan of the kitchen stuff, the gift closet stuff, and the rest of my paperwork, being moved by the weekend. And hopefully also I will have done a bunch of sewing to add to the Christmas gifts box already moved, and pulled my 3 (LARGE) boxes of fabrics apart to decide on a small amount to keep at home in one box and actually work with, and store the rest for a small while at least.
I hope to get another 2 or 3 carloads brought down during the week, as I have 3 days off from Wednesday. So I am working on the plan of the kitchen stuff, the gift closet stuff, and the rest of my paperwork, being moved by the weekend. And hopefully also I will have done a bunch of sewing to add to the Christmas gifts box already moved, and pulled my 3 (LARGE) boxes of fabrics apart to decide on a small amount to keep at home in one box and actually work with, and store the rest for a small while at least.