February 2019 Declutter Club

Join our amazing community
Share what you know, learn something new!
register

Miss JoDee

MHH Member
Premiere Member
Apr 22, 2011
4,130
7,232
113
Gurnee, IL
I feel like giving up at times because I still have a lot to still do. I just keep saying "Slow and steady wins the race."
Don't get discouraged. I just spent 6 months decluttering every area of my home. Lots and Lots went out the door. My home feels so much lighter. I am now going room by room looking for clutter again. It is there because when I went through the first time I had a doubt, so I kept it. As hard as I worked the first time through I do not want to allow clutter back in!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Holiday_Mom

Miss JoDee

MHH Member
Premiere Member
Apr 22, 2011
4,130
7,232
113
Gurnee, IL
I tend to store food but never eat some of it before the use by date. That is going to have to change.
Katrina, thinking about your pantry I had 2 thoughts go through my head, the one you mentioned shop pantry before buying, two, put items on shelf by order of expiration. This could be done writing use by date on the top of can goods, putting dry goods in basket labeled use first. Maybe you could put a note in your planner to check exp. dates every 2 or three months. Not only will you not throw out food, but pantry will keep it's tidiness. Just a thought. If unrealistic please understand that I have not had a pantry for 22 years. LOL.
 

sweetpumkinpye

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Apr 23, 2008
16,880
20,636
113
59
Canberra, Australia
Mary, DO NOT GIVE UP!!! You are doing incredibly well and as tough as it seems at the moment it will get better. Think of all the hard work that you have done to get to this stage. Stop, take a break and get back into it, I know that you can do it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Holiday_Mom

sweetpumkinpye

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Apr 23, 2008
16,880
20,636
113
59
Canberra, Australia
Jody, I was thinking about my pantry last night and have come up with a few ideas to try.
One of them was rotating the food items as you suggested.
Another was I need to get back to meal planning but as DH cooks 90% of the time will need to give that a bit more thought as to how to make that work best.
I like the basket idea, I can put food items that need to be used first in that basket and DH can pull from that.
A lot to think about but am keen to come up with some solutions to save food, money and space.
 
Last edited:

luludou

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Dec 28, 2007
26,295
9,187
113
58
Québec - Canada
Went through my desk and got rid of a few books and papers. Then went through craft drawers and got 2 bags to give to dniece who wants to start scrapbooking. I love to craft but scrapbooking is just not for me, so I will be giving her the stuff. At least the crayons now fit in the scrap drawers instead of untop of it.

I've got 6 dictionnaries (different kinds) for when the kids where in school. I have a hard time getting rid of these, any ideas?
 

Holiday_Mom

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Sep 12, 2009
3,808
6,160
113
Thanks, Jody and Katrina, for the support. I spent 15 minutes going through a tote and other boxes nearby. I found coffee I ordered for Christmas! I couldn't find it at Christmas and thought I didn't buy it after all. It's so annoying because I thought I was organized for Christmas, but then I find this and just shake my head wondering what was I thinking. This decluttering project is a wake up call on so many fronts. I will press on...
 

Holiday_Mom

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Sep 12, 2009
3,808
6,160
113
I've got 6 dictionnaries (different kinds) for when the kids where in school. I have a hard time getting rid of these, any ideas?

Are you keeping them for sentimental reasons? Maybe stack them up on one another and display them on a shelf?
 

sweetpumkinpye

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Apr 23, 2008
16,880
20,636
113
59
Canberra, Australia
Mary, good job. I too am discovering a few things. I think that there is a better way than how I have been doing things and I just need to take steps to achieve that.
 

jampss

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Oct 24, 2007
4,920
5,395
113
61
FL
DD26 and I did Tidying Up of our computer/art room. I used to call it the Junk Room! It was the room we would throw stuff in and shut the door. But it got to be that we could move in there … let alone to art or crafts on the nice big table … because it was piled!

Well, not now! Took everything out and decided if it Sparked Joy! Even the carpet came out (27 years old … yuck). We sprayed painted the old ugly brown filing cabinet and dyed the concrete slab!
 
Last edited:

jampss

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Oct 24, 2007
4,920
5,395
113
61
FL
before.jpg after.jpg Before and After
 

sweetpumkinpye

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Apr 23, 2008
16,880
20,636
113
59
Canberra, Australia
Jampss, that is absolutely amazing. What a great looking room that you can now use for so many things. Well done.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jampss

luludou

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Dec 28, 2007
26,295
9,187
113
58
Québec - Canada
Great work jampss.

Put a sweater in the donation bag (it was always too big) and gave ddil 1 tunique.. brand new but everytime I tried it on it just didn't work.
Got rid of a few papers too.

No sentimental reason for dictionnaries, just think it is a shame to get rid of them. I think the right thng would be to find a good place to give them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jampss

Miss JoDee

MHH Member
Premiere Member
Apr 22, 2011
4,130
7,232
113
Gurnee, IL
No sentimental reason for dictionnaries, just think it is a shame to get rid of them. I think the right thng would be to find a good place to give them.
Does your library take donations? Ours has a room that you can purchase books for .25 to $1:00. Some are books they are culling from the shelves and others are donated.
 

sweetpumkinpye

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Apr 23, 2008
16,880
20,636
113
59
Canberra, Australia
Lucie, our city does a book fair that you can donate to. All the proceeds go to local charities. Is there something like that in your community?
 

jampss

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Oct 24, 2007
4,920
5,395
113
61
FL
Great work jampss.

No sentimental reason for dictionnaries, just think it is a shame to get rid of them. I think the right thng would be to find a good place to give them.
Thanks.

Our library has a book sale twice a year. I donate books there.
 

luludou

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Dec 28, 2007
26,295
9,187
113
58
Québec - Canada
I'll check that out, thanks! I'm thinking maybe some schools might take them too. Or even nearer maybe my niece and nephew might need them for school.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Miss JoDee

Holiday_Mom

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Sep 12, 2009
3,808
6,160
113
DD26 and I did Tidying Up of our computer/art room. I used to call it the Junk Room! It was the room we would throw stuff in and shut the door. But it got to be that we could move in there … let alone to art or crafts on the nice big table … because it was piled!

Well, not now! Took everything out and decided if it Sparked Joy! Even the carpet came out (27 years old … yuck). We sprayed painted the old ugly brown filing cabinet and dyed the concrete slab!

The room looks great! :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: jampss

Holiday_Mom

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Sep 12, 2009
3,808
6,160
113
I'll check that out, thanks! I'm thinking maybe some schools might take them too. Or even nearer maybe my niece and nephew might need them for school.

Would a used book store take the dictionaries? We have a used book store that is run by volunteers from the senior center. All proceeds go back to the senior center. Teachers and homeschoolers may be interested too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: luludou

Holiday_Mom

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Sep 12, 2009
3,808
6,160
113
I decluttered a corner of my bedroom. Most things went into the trash. Some got restored to their proper place.

I found more documents that needed to be shredded and I filled up a bag with the paper. I am going to add shredding to my weekly to do. That should help with the massive volumes of paper in the long run.

I'm taking a break now but will head into the basement to work in there.
 

sweetpumkinpye

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Apr 23, 2008
16,880
20,636
113
59
Canberra, Australia
Mary, you remind me that I have papers to shred too. Will finish corralling them all and will shred. Adding it to the weekly to do list is a great idea. Once shredded I add mine to the compost bin.