May Declutter Club
- Thread starter SparkleNana
- Start date
May is a GREAT month... for DECLUTTERING!!!!! Inside AND outside!
AND.... the Second Go-Around of the Holiday Grand Plan begins in May!!!!! And.... this is the last time BEFORE all the Holiday things are added in during the Third Round of the HGP!!!!
When I came home from a couple of weeks away.... I had a brief period of looking around "with fresh eyes"!!!
Result: the Living Room and the Family Room/Dining Room.... looked pretty darn good! My "decluttering efforts" have been most successful in those rooms. (Oh.... OK.... the bathrooms are pretty good too!
But.... I WAS struck by HOW MUCH STUFF there is in the bedroom and in the guest room/office/Christmas rstorage room!!!
ALSO.... the grass was REALLY LONG in the front yard! TONS of rain while we were gone! Everything outside had grown lots and lots!\
So.... plenty to do! I am so glad to be back!!!! So glad that it almost feels like "a vacation" to be back!!!!! Isn't that funny? But.... there are so many things that I love about being here.... that I just can't do while we are away!!!!!
OK. Baby steps, anyone???
AND.... the Second Go-Around of the Holiday Grand Plan begins in May!!!!! And.... this is the last time BEFORE all the Holiday things are added in during the Third Round of the HGP!!!!
When I came home from a couple of weeks away.... I had a brief period of looking around "with fresh eyes"!!!
Result: the Living Room and the Family Room/Dining Room.... looked pretty darn good! My "decluttering efforts" have been most successful in those rooms. (Oh.... OK.... the bathrooms are pretty good too!
But.... I WAS struck by HOW MUCH STUFF there is in the bedroom and in the guest room/office/Christmas rstorage room!!!
ALSO.... the grass was REALLY LONG in the front yard! TONS of rain while we were gone! Everything outside had grown lots and lots!\
So.... plenty to do! I am so glad to be back!!!! So glad that it almost feels like "a vacation" to be back!!!!! Isn't that funny? But.... there are so many things that I love about being here.... that I just can't do while we are away!!!!!
OK. Baby steps, anyone???
I hear ya! The weather is nicer, and the windows are opened to let the wonderful fresh spring air in! Every year around this time I get the urge to just clean and declutter! I love it. I already donated one garbage bag of clothes and another garbage bag of toys. Today the weather is warm...20 degrees celcius! Time to go through the kids clothes and start putting away the winter stuff and get their summer stuff out! Huzzah! 
Kids clothes are the first thing I will be going through.
Kids clothes are the first thing I will be going through.My goal for May is to work on paperwork clutter in the office, and my work office too, and to deal with the papers in the living room (various patterns and recipes I want to store, and some I need to consider whether I really want them or get rid of them).
Baby steps are starting to make a difference!!
Baby steps are starting to make a difference!!
Good luck with everyone's May goals. I'm going to try to finish cleaning out from under the spare bed and to finish cleaning out the basement.
Woo Hoo! Thank you for jumping in.... Little Elf and Winged One!
I agree, Little Elf!! Having the windows open... breathing in the fresh spring air.... REALLY inspires us!!! And... clothing is a HUGE issue.... especially since kids grow so darn fast!!!! We NEED plenty of clean, appropriate clothing! BUT.... not TOO much! And CERTAINLY... we do not want things that we (or our kids) just do NOT want to wear!!!! Lots of thought go into this aspect of life!!!
Winged One.... YES! Paperwork.... of all kinds..... is a huge hurdle!
Today.... May 2nd..... is our first day home in two weeks. Tons of laundry and tons of paperwork to do. However.... everything will get done.... in Baby Steps. Dh and I are both very tired from our working trip!!!
HOWEVER.... I WAS able to get a great big, fat, trash bag stuffed with unnecessary things.... and Out The Door! THAT made me feel very good!!! If I can do this every day in May.... that will be 31 big fat trash bags Out The Door!!! (I have to make up one for yesterday.. when we were still on the road!)
I agree, Little Elf!! Having the windows open... breathing in the fresh spring air.... REALLY inspires us!!! And... clothing is a HUGE issue.... especially since kids grow so darn fast!!!! We NEED plenty of clean, appropriate clothing! BUT.... not TOO much! And CERTAINLY... we do not want things that we (or our kids) just do NOT want to wear!!!! Lots of thought go into this aspect of life!!!
Winged One.... YES! Paperwork.... of all kinds..... is a huge hurdle!
Today.... May 2nd..... is our first day home in two weeks. Tons of laundry and tons of paperwork to do. However.... everything will get done.... in Baby Steps. Dh and I are both very tired from our working trip!!!
HOWEVER.... I WAS able to get a great big, fat, trash bag stuffed with unnecessary things.... and Out The Door! THAT made me feel very good!!! If I can do this every day in May.... that will be 31 big fat trash bags Out The Door!!! (I have to make up one for yesterday.. when we were still on the road!)
Tuesday, May 3rd. Yesterday.... I was able to get TWO big trash bags Out The Door!!!!
This week.... will be a massive effort to just get "caught up" on everything that happened while dh and I were away for two weeks. It will probably take longer than one week.... to get caught up!
HOWEVER.... I am opening up a big trash bag... as soon as I finish visiting with you all, here at our Magical Holiday Home! As I go through the day.... I'll throw in as much as I can!!!! Oh.... I'll start a box of "donations" this morning, too. If I can get at least ONE a day.... Out The Doorr.... that will be THIRTY-ONE bags/boxes this month! THAT would be A LOT!!!!
Yesterday.... 5/2/11..... I got TWO OutTheDoor.... but I had to catch up for not being here on May 1st.
This week.... will be a massive effort to just get "caught up" on everything that happened while dh and I were away for two weeks. It will probably take longer than one week.... to get caught up!
HOWEVER.... I am opening up a big trash bag... as soon as I finish visiting with you all, here at our Magical Holiday Home! As I go through the day.... I'll throw in as much as I can!!!! Oh.... I'll start a box of "donations" this morning, too. If I can get at least ONE a day.... Out The Doorr.... that will be THIRTY-ONE bags/boxes this month! THAT would be A LOT!!!!
Yesterday.... 5/2/11..... I got TWO OutTheDoor.... but I had to catch up for not being here on May 1st.
Well, I got two bags of kids clothes packed and ready to get out of the house but I am unable to do it today as my son is home from school sick today...but they are ready to go out so that is good. Also did alot of shredding of old papers/ bills, etc. and got a bag of that out for the recycle truck to pick up today.
Working with a big trash bag is somehow easier for me!!! I find it easier to "toss an item into the bag"... rather than to look at it and decide whether or not to keep it, where to put it if I do keep it, etc. etc. When I am "working with a bag"... I want to fill it up and get it out into the trash can! (Or... into the trunk of the car... if it is a bag or box of donations for the thrift store.)
I did get another bag OTD and into the trash can this afternoon. This is my goal for May.... thirty-one bags (and/or boxes) Out The Door!!!!
May is a really important month for working in the garden. (It is usually to hot in June.... too hot to plant anything.) So... the garden is my @1 priority for May.
HOWEVER.... I am going to do the HGP (Holiday Grand Plan)... Round #2... WHICH BEGINS THIS WEEK. Week 1.... for me.... is THE Porch! (Front and Back Porch!) That fits in with working in the garden.
I gratefully accept help from any and all "plans" that help make the home a more peaceful, more lovely place!!!
I did get another bag OTD and into the trash can this afternoon. This is my goal for May.... thirty-one bags (and/or boxes) Out The Door!!!!
May is a really important month for working in the garden. (It is usually to hot in June.... too hot to plant anything.) So... the garden is my @1 priority for May.
HOWEVER.... I am going to do the HGP (Holiday Grand Plan)... Round #2... WHICH BEGINS THIS WEEK. Week 1.... for me.... is THE Porch! (Front and Back Porch!) That fits in with working in the garden.
I gratefully accept help from any and all "plans" that help make the home a more peaceful, more lovely place!!!
I emptied out a wicker trunk. It had bass candlesticks, some photo frames and a Christmas cookie jar.
I set out the candlesticks, if I do not find a good place for them this month, they go to the thrift store. Two houses ago I had a bass candle stick collection on a fireplace mantel. Why am I still keeping them?
The cookie jar I will keep until after Christmas. If I do not decorate with it, bye bye.
The trunk I hauled up to my Scrap Studio to use as a coffee table for the sofa. If I do not like it I'll find it a good home. lol
I set out the candlesticks, if I do not find a good place for them this month, they go to the thrift store. Two houses ago I had a bass candle stick collection on a fireplace mantel. Why am I still keeping them?
The cookie jar I will keep until after Christmas. If I do not decorate with it, bye bye.
The trunk I hauled up to my Scrap Studio to use as a coffee table for the sofa. If I do not like it I'll find it a good home. lol
Ahorsesoul.... when you emptied out that wicker trunk.... you were dealing with the difficult things: things you Like, you Want... but you may not have room for!!! That is the tough part for me!
In fact... that is the part that I am going to deal with this morning.... I am taking things that I like, I want..... AND.... I do NOT have room for.... to the Thrift Shop!
Also.... aiming for another BIG trash bag into the trash today! Pickup is early Friday morning.... and there is plenty of room.... since we didn't get home until late Sunday evening!
In fact... that is the part that I am going to deal with this morning.... I am taking things that I like, I want..... AND.... I do NOT have room for.... to the Thrift Shop!
Also.... aiming for another BIG trash bag into the trash today! Pickup is early Friday morning.... and there is plenty of room.... since we didn't get home until late Sunday evening!
SparkleNana - 31 bags this mont...awesome goal!
Ahorsesoul - I completely understand...I have lots of decorations from my life before kids that just don't work with our current life...time to move them out the door!
You ladies are an inspiration!
Ahorsesoul - I completely understand...I have lots of decorations from my life before kids that just don't work with our current life...time to move them out the door!
You ladies are an inspiration!
Colleen.... it IS so great to encourage and inspire and help each other with decluttering! This 2011 Delutter Club really really helps me keep going!!!
I DID go to the Thrift Shop today... with my donations. I looked around for a while... and didn't "fall in love" with anything... so I was able to leave without buying anything!!! What a relief!! I think that I am also getting spoiled by the "Half-Price Days" they have every two weeks. Now... I automatically cut every price in half.... as I look at things.... and realize how much better it is to buy things on those days!
This afternoon will be a regular work day. And... that big empty trash bag is waiting to be filled!!!
Are you planning anything?
I DID go to the Thrift Shop today... with my donations. I looked around for a while... and didn't "fall in love" with anything... so I was able to leave without buying anything!!! What a relief!! I think that I am also getting spoiled by the "Half-Price Days" they have every two weeks. Now... I automatically cut every price in half.... as I look at things.... and realize how much better it is to buy things on those days!
This afternoon will be a regular work day. And... that big empty trash bag is waiting to be filled!!!
Are you planning anything?
I started at my friends house today and I have the biggest task to accomplish EVER! It definately gives me a taste of what to expect when doing professional organization and having to deal with a hoarder.
He did such a great job in the kitchen today. I think I tossed about 5 large bags of trash. Maybe kitchen size bags of trash. Then we put 5 large bags and 2 boxes aside for the garage sale he's going to have. I know...who would of thought 1 kitchen could have that much stuff, but it did. He's taken over his mom's house bascially and I promised her for Christmas I'd have her house decluttered by this summer. Her biggest wish is to have her kitchen done 1st so she can use all her new dishes, glasses and silverware she got for Christmas last year. She's in rehab right now after surgery and will be gone for another 3 weeks. I'm hoping I can knock a good portion of it out before she gets home and have a garage sale with him the last weekend before she comes home. Whatever is left afterwards, will immediately go to Goodwill.
He has some additional homework to do, but when I get that room done and cleaned, I'll be posting things to my blog as I go.
I need to go check out this weeks HGP and get my list started. I haven't done that yet.
He did such a great job in the kitchen today. I think I tossed about 5 large bags of trash. Maybe kitchen size bags of trash. Then we put 5 large bags and 2 boxes aside for the garage sale he's going to have. I know...who would of thought 1 kitchen could have that much stuff, but it did. He's taken over his mom's house bascially and I promised her for Christmas I'd have her house decluttered by this summer. Her biggest wish is to have her kitchen done 1st so she can use all her new dishes, glasses and silverware she got for Christmas last year. She's in rehab right now after surgery and will be gone for another 3 weeks. I'm hoping I can knock a good portion of it out before she gets home and have a garage sale with him the last weekend before she comes home. Whatever is left afterwards, will immediately go to Goodwill.
He has some additional homework to do, but when I get that room done and cleaned, I'll be posting things to my blog as I go.
I need to go check out this weeks HGP and get my list started. I haven't done that yet.
MinnieCo.... what is it like.... to work in someone elses' home? Is it easier than dealing with our own clutter? And.... what is it like to work with the son? AND.... does it inspire you to work on your own home? It is very interesting!
As I get more clutter OutTheDoor.... more open space is "emerging". That is nice.
As I get more clutter OutTheDoor.... more open space is "emerging". That is nice.
SN, that is quite a goal for May and sounds like you are doing quite well with it.
Everybody else is doing great work too!
MinnieCo, that is some decluttering for 1 room. The mom will be surprised. Does she know you are working on it now?
Everybody else is doing great work too!
MinnieCo, that is some decluttering for 1 room. The mom will be surprised. Does she know you are working on it now?
This forum is definitely what I need!
I want this year to be a real de-cluttering of the house and of 'me'!
I'm getting there- but our bedroom has been something of a dumping ground over the last few years- and the kids clutter seems to make its way in as well as our own.
I've been attacking ruthlessly and have managed to ditch 17 big bags of unneeded stuff.
I'm not sure if I'm really pleased by that or really horrified!!!
I want this year to be a real de-cluttering of the house and of 'me'!
I'm getting there- but our bedroom has been something of a dumping ground over the last few years- and the kids clutter seems to make its way in as well as our own.
I've been attacking ruthlessly and have managed to ditch 17 big bags of unneeded stuff.
I'm not sure if I'm really pleased by that or really horrified!!!