May 2021 Declutter Club
- Thread starter Lana
- Start date
Decluttered a cabinet in the dinning room. It was 4 drawers with 4 shelf cabinet on each side of the drawers. I store outside flags, tarts for my tart warmers, tape, scissors and batteries in the drawers. On the shelves I store my extra Christmas glassware and seasonal glass containers/bowls, wine glasses and our alcohol in this. It was a hot mess. I took everything out of it and got rid of some stuff we no longer use. Everything looks so organized in it now. LOL.
I am NOT making headway. we went to my parent's house and mom is just keeping more and more with her alzheimer's .. she doesn't want to get rid of anything... so we took stuff out when she didn't see and filled up our car. alot was just to throw out but ... we got 2 more small flat tvs's, some small cars for xavier, a ski-doo suit and a few more things... that we'll be keeping I guess 
we also got more dishes.... so tomorrow I'll figure out what I keep and what I will get rid of.
we also got more dishes.... so tomorrow I'll figure out what I keep and what I will get rid of.
I told everyone in the family to take anything my dad or stepmom offered Even if they tossed it. Just to get the stuff out of their house. Now Dh is dealing with trying to load up boxes that haven’t been unpacked in 15 years or longer, some are wrapped in newspaper from 1996 from several moves ago. Good luck, it’s worse then pulling teeth when dealing with the hoarding problem
Of course we are the ones who are ending up their clutter.
I am NOT making headway. we went to my parent's house and mom is just keeping more and more with her alzheimer's .. she doesn't want to get rid of anything... so we took stuff out when she didn't see and filled up our car. alot was just to throw out but ... we got 2 more small flat tvs's, some small cars for xavier, a ski-doo suit and a few more things... that we'll be keeping I guess
That's a hard road but I think that was what you had to do.
That also is a tough road you are on, but you had the right idea.
I feel like I had never heard of hoarding until the recent years ... and now, I know so many friends with parents who were, including me, and shows on TV, etc. My mother and I parted ways a long time ago, when she passed in 2007, my brother let me know that she was living in an apartment that you couldn't move around in! And she has three storage sheds in town that us three children had to go through, toss, donate. But really mostly toss! Junk junk junk! Thinking back on my childhood, parents, divorce, etc .... we saw the mental illness. My sister, the nurse, and I have discussed our mother was probably bi-polar. I had thought she was manic depressive after watching the Patti Duke story. Anyway, with my DS17 having severe OCD .... now we also see that our grandmother was probably OCD germs being at least one of her issues. So, hoarding and OCD are like in the same family of mental illness.
I've told the same to everyone... just get it out of there! I told them to pick up small random things here and there an put it in their pockets and get it out. Dad is giving away stuff to everyone and mom gets soooo angry! we have to do it behind her back
I am taking the clothes to Goodwill that I am not keeping (so in and out of house within 24 hours!), along with some hangers and pulled out a few tops in my closet. I like the shirts and wear them but they are OLD and seen to many times so they will go.
Had a kids life jacket and a set of plates (brand new summery ones) from mom's house. ddil will take them .. yay!
Over the weekend I gave a friend a grocery bag full of books and some shoes my DS barley wore and out grew for her DS.
If you think about it a bit decluttering really happens a little at a time. Books to a friend, our grown clothes to another, a box to the thrift store etc. We need to be just as mindful of what we bring into house. When I shop and see something small and not pricey (usually decor) I ask myself how much I love it and where would it live if it is seasonal. Most often I don't buy it.
I too look at things and ask do I really need it, and can I afford it? Not afford it in a monetary way but can I afford it to take up room and time to look after that item?
Over the years I have really minimised what comes into my home and like any 'habit' it is much easier now to avoid buying knick knacks etc.