March Declutter Club

[SparkleNana]

March 9th of our year-long Declutter Club. Are you in?

Today.... I am grabbing a big trash bag and going quickly through each room... seeing what I can toss in! And then... I'll watch Dr. Oz and do some paper decluttering. There is ALSO... quite a bit of decluttering to do on the back porch! Branches and leaves and hanging baskets and containers that are full of dead leaves from last year. It has been too cold to work out there. It will rain tonight. Do you think that I can get some work out there this afternoon?

Right now.... that seems like a lot to do. I'll come back latr and let you know how it goes......

 

[MinnieCo]

I worked today on receipts for my business and home. I tossed a ton, got them seperated by months and as usual, wonder why I just don't keep up with this stuff as the time comes. I say I will, do for a bit and then don't. I DON'T GET IT!!! But they are all ready to enter into the computer!

 

[MinnieCo]

and sparklenana, I think the trash bag idea is great when you are feeling overwhelmed with stuff. There is always SOMETHING to toss out!

 

[SparkleNana]

Hi Minnieco! Thank you! Walking around, with a trash bag, works for me. Whatever works is VERY welcome. I got the trash bag out the door. It was not full! But.... it is gone!

Also... I worked on the back porch. I got a bag of sticks and leaves out to the curb. I planted the bulbs that had been sitting out there all winter.

And.... lots and lots of small jobs around the house.

 

[Christmaslvr]

well I finally got my Chinese Auction items to the Post Office! While it cost a bit to send all to my friend....it's that much stuff that isn't going to come with us to FL!! And I'm sure it would be stuff we'd be looking at saying "where does this go?" and it would end up in a box in the garage (AGAIN!)

I also found a couple of clothing items I could probably give to a Good Will or Salvation Army store. I have put on a few pounds but even when I get those off, I don't think I'll wear them...so they may be outta here soon too!

 

[ChristmasPir8]

I was packing up thw winter scarvs and got rid of some of the boys hats that were too small or they didn't like. Also had a game thing in my car b/c I couldnt sell it at the used game store. It broke on the way out of the car so into the trash it went. Little by little, right ladies? Keep up the good work

 

[SparkleNana]

Thursday, March 10th! Pickup for trash and recycling is tomorrow morning.... so I have an incentive to get as much as possible into those cans at the curb!

Piratemamaof3boys... goood for you for getting those things that are NOT used... Out The Door! And... I especially applaud getting things out of the car! For me... it is so hard to get trash OUT of the car... and stuff keeps appearing there whenever I turn my back!

Christmaslvr..... YAY! You got that Chinese Auction stuff OUT! Your upcoming move is a GREAT incentive to get rid of stuff.... BEFORE you have to carry it all the way across the country!!!!!!

 

[Ahorsesoul]

It really sounds like it's getting easier to declutter.

 

[MinnieCo]

I did a keep clean in the bathroom today, I think I'll go through the cabinet tonight as my declutter chore for the day.

 

[SparkleNana]

Friday, March 11th. The back porch is looking SO MUCH BETTER. Not done.... but what an improvement! Good timing.... wince there is supposed to be NO rain or snow this weekend. And it will be nice to step outside.

I am feeling extremely anxious today! Caused by the earthquakes/tsunami in Japan. The destruction is huge and I know that daily life there WILL be disrupted! THAT is obvious.

Of course, I am most thankful that ds, ddil and dgd9 are all safe and not harmed. HOWEVER..... they were supposed to leave Japan at the end of next week and fly to the east coast USA for a week. The Tokyo Airport is shut down... and Tokyo has NO trains or subways running. I don't think anybody knows how things will be working next week. So... I figure that their trip is very uncertain right now!

AND... if they DO fly to the USA...... will they want to stay here longer? Will public schools in Japan close for a while... because of all the damage to the country? Four million businesses/households have lost electric power. Much electric power is supplied by nuclear reactor plants. Four of those plants have been shut down safely. One of the nuclear plants has been severely damaged... and CANNOT be shut down. The surrounding area is being evacuated.... because a nuclear calamity is expected there.

What will this mean for electric power in the coming weeks in Japan?

There are so many uncertainties. It is very upsetting.

I WISH that I reacted to anxiety by wanting to frantically clean! I do not! So.... the best that I can do, right now, is Baby Steps. Some gentle routines. Anything that I can do mindlessly..... dishes, laundry, cleaning bathrooms.

Talk to you later.

 

[MinnieCo]

I understand your anxiety. That would be rough...and I can't imagine all the thoughts going through your mind. I wish we could all channel that energy sometimes, but life doesn't work like that always.

I came on to give some good news. I just totaled all my donations to Goodwill last year and with using the tax allowance charts on Goodwill, my total came was over $1,700.00. Now I will say, alot of this were items I had bought for Ebay sales and never sold, so there was some money lost, HOWEVER it's all gone and something will come out of it. It's better then it all sitting in a box at my office or stuffed in a closet.

I've been working on paperwork all day. Shredded a ton and tossed a ton. I think I'm done for today.

 

[MinnieCo]

My husband reminded me I forgot about the big screen tv we donated, so I'll be adding another hundred or so to that total. Not bad for decluttering. If you itemize, I highly suggest you write off your donations. It takes a bit of work, but you really do get more value then at a yard sale usually.

 

[Kate 510]

I have two trash bags full of clothes to drop off to Goodwill in the morning. I will also drop off a box of household items, mainly kitchen items that are no longer needed.

I hope to make room to store my crock pot in the lower kitchen cabinet, instead of the shelf in the Laundry room.

 

[SparkleNana]

March 13th... Sunday. It is sunny and in the 50's outside. The buds on the forsythia bushes are beginning to burst open. The outside is starting to look more and more cheerful!

All the Christmas things (AND all the medical equipment from my broken leg)... are safely up in the attic. And the colorful cushions... for the outside furniture are OUT of the attic. One by one.... I am bringing them out and setting them up! It will be SO NICE to spend more time outside!!!!!!!

Other than routines... my decluttering/cleaning work is being done outside. "Decluttering the ravages of winter". Making things comfortable for outside life!

A lot of my energy is still being spent watching television news about Japan.... and exchanging emails with extended family.

 

[MinnieCo]

Does poop scooping count as declutting...I got rid of a couple bags of that yesterday...LOL Couldn't resist...it was a crappy day with my daughter and "decluttering" poop in the back yard was the highlight!!! (taking a deep breath!!!)

 

[SparkleNana]

Oh! My! Gosh! MINNIECO! WHAT A DAY THAT MUST HAVE BEEN! Well, our Decluttering 2011 Journey takes us through MANY peaks and valleys! I hope that was the lowest valley you have to travel through this year!!!! YIKES!!!!!!

Kate 510... great job getting so many donations for Goodwill!

3/14/11. My decluttering today has been mostly outside.... getting the porch set up for spring. There are green and blue tubs set up along the railing..... which have plants all year. (Spring bulbs are popping up now.) The cushions for the outside furniture are out. It is sunny..... and feels heavenly to be outside. Kind of cold, though, so I keep coming inside to do routines.... and watch the news on Japan.

 

[luludou]

Think I've fallen off the wagon. But the designer is coming this afternoon AND if work gets started then I'll have to get rid of some things. I must say I don't have that much to declutter anymore. SN told me to get rid of things and I did.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

But the designer is coming this afternoon

I was wondering when the designer was coming. I would like to hear all the details. Funny, yesterday I combed message back a few days thinking I had missed the update about the designer.

Michelle, Poop scooping counts. Anything that is tossed out, even a tissue counts or a bent out of shape paper clip. This is one time size does not matter. lol

Poop scooping is one thing that is holding me back from getting another dog or cat. lol

 

[Winged One]

I haven't mde great progress, but we sorted a good 5 inches of paperwork from the basket in the kitchen on Thursday night last. Most went into the proper lever arch files, but there was a decent wad for recycling and/or shredding. As it was a cold night, we already had the fire lighting, so we actually burned most (all the shredding and a lot of the recycling) instead and provided extra heat for ourselves!! I like that kind of decluttering!

I have also tried to get rid of a few bottles in the bathroom. I have used up 2 bottles of shampoo and conditioner, and 2 seperate shower gels. And almost finished some bath bubbles. So that is 4 bottles gone to recycling and another one about to go (and as I am planning on doing a LOT of digging this week, that will mean a LOT of baths to soak aching muscles at night, and that will get rid of at least that and hopefully a second bottle of bath bubbles).

Strangely, I am finally making some inroads into a box of candles that we have - all sorts of different ones we;ve gotten over the years and not used. I will always keep an energency stash, but I had a load of others that were never used and we have been burning a few recently - between a couple of pillar type ones and some large tealight types (in the little foil casing, but much wider bases so did;'t fit my other regular tealight holders) in a new lantern for the garden.

I hope that, once I get he digging done this week, I will plant more seeds and get rid of more recycled coffee cups, as well as getting rid of more rubbish.

 

[ChristmasPir8]

I pulled out the easter stuff this weekend. I have a really cute cookie jar bunny I just sit w/ my easter decorations but one ear was broken off. I tried to glue it but no go so into the trash it went. I also put all the yard sale/donation stuff into the attic to get out of my bed room along w/ another pair of shoes and some metal water bottles. Need to find something today to do.