June 2011 Declutter Club

[AnnieClaus]

Pumpinpie- Best of luck! When I moved here, my 2nd bedroom/office had about 5 boxes that I never unpacked. Finally, I said, "Do you want the stuff or not? If it's stuff you truly want and love, why don't you want it out?" To be honest, just looking at them made me feel annoyed with myself.

So.....they FINALLY got unpacked.
You can do it! We'll be here to cheer you on the whole way!!!!

Annie

 

[SparkleNana]

Yep.... AnnieClaus is right! We are here to cheer you on, Pumpkinpye!!!!!! We are here to cheer each other on........... because.... THIS STUFF IS HARD!!!!!

Today.... I feel like I'm wading through deep MUD! Waist-high MUD!!!!! It is really, really slow work this afternoon!!!!!

All I can think of is...... DON'T BRING IN MORE STUFF!

 

[MinnieCo]

I was going to scrapbook today, but got the itch to clean out my craft closet. I tossed a bunch of stuff and filled another small box for donation. I have to do this at least 1x a year so I can find stuff!

 

[SparkleNana]

"Once a year?" Minnieco???????

How long did it take you to get to that point?

I am NOW going through rooms..... at least once a month!!!!!

 

[MinnieCo]

Okay, let me clarify...this cabinet has nothing to do with my scrapbooking empire...LOL It's the place I keep my miscellaneious stuff and honestly I haven't been crafting much. I did some stuff last year for CIJ and then again for Valentines Day, but that's about it. It just turns into a modge podge of stuff my daughter and I shove in there. So usually, one day does me well.

 

[SparkleNana]

Friday, June 17th.

I'm taking everything out of my closet. I can't remember the last time I did that!!!!

Today is a srange day. The air is heavy and humid. There is a funeral this morning.... and reception at the family home this evening.

Meanwhile..... there is a 90-year old couple living next door to us. They would never let the youngest daughter move out of the house..... it was her purpose in life.... to take care of them. Both parents have had cancer.... on and off.... for twenty years. A few months ago... the moher got in-home hospice care. Last week... the father went into the local hospital with pneumonia.... Now, the daughter says he is being sent home from the hospital and put on hospice care also. The daughter says the father is expected to die within the weekend.

Meanwhile.... the MHH 2011 Decluttering Club continues on!!! Everything feels heavy today. It feels good to get things into trash bags and out the door!!!

 

[SparkleNana]

Saturday, June 18th!

How does your weekend look...... as far as having time for declutering? Of course.... it all depends on what "real life" is handing you this weekend!

For me.... tomorrow, dd is doing a Fathers' Day dinner for her dh, her fil and her dad! I'll bring whatever she likes (of course).... but she is doing the organizing! This gives me an opportunity to work on my closet!!!!! (What a jumbled mess!) And to finish up in The Room Of The Week for our Summer Holiday Grand Plan. (For me... the dining room.)

 

[AnnieClaus]

I'm working with you today, SparkleNana! No big projects- just the general decluttering that if you don't keep your finger on, can get out of hand.

So, laundry, going through mail (man it can stack up fast!)

Right now I'm washing my blanket, snuggi and jacket from- get this- Relay for Life that was SIX WEEKS AGO!

I have noticed that one of my issues is I don't completley finish an event before I'm onto the next thing. By this I mean getting all the laundry done, putting and throwing everything away. There's always a couple of little pieces that need to be done.
So, this blanket, snuggi, and jacket have been clogging up my laundry basket for the last 6 weeks.

An annoying habit that I only recently realize I do.
I told myself, "Every activity or event has a beginning, middle, and end."

Annie

 

[SparkleNana]

AnnieClaus................... YES! (Sigh!) You are SO RIGHT!!!!! AND..... what an incredible improvement you have made.......... to get TO that poinT!

YES! Jobs DO have..... a beginning........ a middle........ and an end! I virtually NEVER do "the end" point! And, of course, that is the MOST satisfying thing to do!!!!!

So.... good for you, for pointing that out!

I will.... SLOWLY..... try to do the.... "finishing touches".... of the jobs I do!!!!!

TODAY..... I am STILL emptying out my closet!!!!!

I have found ALL SORTS of boxes of things..... in the bottom of my closet! Oh noooooooooo!!!!!!

OKay. Baby steps!!!!!

 

[AnnieClaus]

SparkleNana- I think too, there's always so much going on- usually 2 or 3 events/activities taking place at the same time. That I look over at something and go-"Oh, that is all done now. I need to get that stuff put away."

And time goes so fast. Relay was 6 weeks ago already? Really? Feels like it was about 2 weeks ago.

Annie

 

[SparkleNana]

Saturday afternoon, 6/19. I guess I will take a deep breath...... and begin work on the huge pile of stuff that was in my closet. I think I am going to begin sorting out tops and slacks. I must TRY to do 15-minutes at a time.... and then..... STOP! And do some of the regular, day-to-day, real-life stuff. And then rest.

there was a metal contraption.... a unit with 5 mesh shelves...... in the closet! I took it out. I don't think that conraption is helpful to me.... even though I DID buy the unit myself! I couldn't see what was in each shelf.

 

[Merry]

I have been struggling with decluttering my master closet also. I was able to declutter the shelves and have that organized from a previous decluttering task last year. I still need to go through my clothes and toss everything that I'm not wearing...difficult project and I don't know why!!! I think I'm going to try 3 boxes this time... always wear, sometimes wear and never wear...maybe that will at least get me one bag to toss! just hate having to live with the mess while I'm doing this.. I doubt if I will complete this in one afternoon. I also struggle like AnnieClaus with completely finishing a task from beginning to end. I just never have enough uninterrupted time to finish things.

 

[MinnieCo]

I suggest breaking it down. Maybe in time increments or one shelf, one unit or one particular area at a time. You don't have to pull it all apart and then feel overwhelmed.

 

[KimD]

I am going to work more in the garage today. H is here to help so he can take apart some old furniture that will go down to camp to be burned. Hopeing to find Kenny's dress shoes in there, too so that I don't have to go buy him new ones.

 

[thechristmasnut]

No decuttering for me today.... but Im going to tackle the dreeded basement tomorrow. Not looking forward to what so ever but keep telling myself I'll feel better when its done!

 

[AnnieClaus]

Merry- Maybe this statistic will help you get rid of some things:

We wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time.

In saying that, I, too have a closet jam packed with clothes.

Annie

 

[SparkleNana]

Sunday afternoon. More work on my closet. I am hanging up..... things I CURRRENTLY like to wear. Merry...... I think it will take me A MONTH to finish my closet!!!!

AnnieClaus.... that statistic IS helpful!!! I think we feel guilty if we let clothes "go"!!!

Thechistmasnut....... oh yes..... we DO feel better when we have done some decluttering!

KimD..... working in he garage takes courage and spirit! Good for you!

MinnieCo.... yes! "breaking it down"..... makes it possible!

AnnieClaus..... I am STILL thinking about your words..... about "finishing a job" and putting things away!

 

[Merry]

Thank you AnnieClaus for the statics. It sure does make me feel better and it does fit my closet!! Maybe when I'm finish I will only have 20% of my closet full of clothes and 80% empty. Wouldn't that be fantastic!! sigh, I girl can dream... I'll keep an image of an empty closet with just a few pieces of clothing hanging there lol!! Minnie, thank you for your advice about just breaking it up into small tasks. Part of my problem about doing this closet is living with the mess I will make decluttering it and finding all that time to do it.

 

[SparkleNana]

June 20th today! My big project continues on..... woking on my closet!

I THINK thetr are programs from "Hoarders" on today. I forget whether it is A & E.... or Bravo. TLC (The Learning Channel) carries some too. And, of course, episodes are available on your computer!

 

[StressLess]

Don't forget the medicine and make-up! I was having a conversation with a friend and she was asking about if there are expiration dates for make-up. I told her that I thought I saw something about that on the Today Show. I looked it up at the link below and found it amazing. I really have a lot to throw out. Like someone mentioned earlier, you really hate to throw stuff out that you paid good money for, but if it's just sitting there; it needs to go.

http://thestir.cafemom.com/beauty_style/121316/when_should_you_throw_your

Also, my husband has been coming down with a summer cold. He was looking for something to take, and I started going through medicine. I found stuff that was years old! So, I listed things that I needed to replace and quickly threw out the old stuff. I'm sure I'll be glad that I did this when it's 20 degrees outside or 2 AM when someone is sick.