The Declutter Club

[missjane]

I will be in on this. Just in the last few months, I have given myself permission to either donate or throw things away. It is crazy some of the things I keep..a lid that I have not seen the bowl to in months or socks I cannot find the mate to. And I must say, it feels good.

I like the idea of offering back to people things they gave me or asking if their feelings would be hurt if I give it to charity.

Last summer I started in my closet. I am sort of separating my clothes and putting things I wear on another rack from things I am not ever wearing. This summer I will get rid of anything I have not worn in a year.

My biggest deal is cleaning out toys and children's books. I have already decided to offer books to doctor's offices and books and toys to Ronald McDonald houses or womens' shelter. Some women's shelters also take clothes because so many just have to grab their kids and run in the middle of the night or at a moment's notice so they have the clothes on their backs and nothing else.

 

[AnnieClaus]

Dakotasmamaw- For your good work clothes- there are also places that assist women who are trying to get back on their feet- or on their feet in the first place- who will give them good, nice work clothes for interviews and/or to set them up with a basic wardrobe when starting a new job.

Love that you are offering to them at work first. I'm sure the gals you work with will love that!

Annie

 

[Ahorsesoul]

If you are going to be buying those plastic totes for storage I read that they should NOT be those with the double hinged lids. The ones that open in the center and both sides fold back. They seem great since the lids are attached. The reason is that should water start dripping down on top of them they will fill with water. I've been slowly replacing mine since I had gotten a ton of those double hinged ones.

 

[Minta]

..all I know is that almost every room in my house needs some decluttering...AND it is always an ongoing process....seems as soon as I get an area decluttered...it starts to accumulate stuff again....

Are you sure you are not talking about MY house? Decluttering in our house is a NEVER ending process....

 

[Ahorsesoul]

I spent two hours helping dd at her group home declutter her closet. We took out half of her clothes to donate to the thrift store. Then I grouped the remaining shirts by color so it will make it easier for her to grab something to match her pants.

Can't wait for the thrift store to open it's doors after the Holidays.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

I had thought that I had not done to badly with the decluttering, but as I look around there are more places in the house that can be tweaked.

Will keep this in mind as I start my room a month cleaning program. Need to look at things with fresh eyes.

 

[Frog Princess]

Brilliant idea- count me in!

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

have been putting all of the Christmas presents away. If I did not need to declutter before, I do now. Need to throw out all of the old sox and undies, and go through cupboards. Can't wait for January to start so I can get into it.

 

[cmerth]

I am on board!!! I already decluttered my living room/family room decor. Off to a strong start!!!

 

[ChristmasRose]

Count me in! We've lived in this rather large house going on 15 years! Before that, we moved with the Navy every 2 or 3 years. I'm appalled at how much clutter (read "Junk") we've acquired since we retired from the Navy. I have boxes in the attic that haven't been unpacked since we moved here! Every room fits together like a jigsaw puzzle with all the clutter. I just HAVE to get rid of this stuff! My son and I are both packrats. My husband isn't, but he's beginning to accumulate more than he needs for his hobbies (sound familiar?). If I can make this the year of decluttering (decrapifying), it will be a year well-spent! Okay, not EVERY room is that bad, but most of them are. Let the decrapification begin!

 

[SparkleNana]

Hurray For Your Post, ChristmasRose!!! When one of us has a REALLY BIG DECLUTTERING JOB... and decides to attack it.... there is a huge amount of energy generated!!! And..... it sweeps us all along!!! Like a hurricane!!!

WE LOVE THAT!!

AND cmerth.... when somebody as thoughtful and spiritual and philosophical as you.... when THAT person declutters..... it shames the rest of us into beginning!!!

THAT is what is so fabulous about our MHH Family!!! All the incredible energy and creativity... and all the positive desires.... they all help EACH of us!!!!

When I first began decluttering...... years ago..... I would FILL our car with black garbage bags full of trash. And I would drive to the dump. And I would HURL the bags into the dump area!!!!! WHY? Because.... when I got home..... everything looked exactly the same! EXACTLY THE SAME!!!!

But I KNEW that things were different.... beacause I had just driven a car full of trash to the dump! And thrown it away!!! So.... althought nothing LOOKED different.... I KNEW it WAS different!

So... these "tricks" help us! They help us to continue on this journey.....


So.... I SAY.... Bring On The Tricks!!!!!!!

Whtever helps us delutter.... is GOOD!

The people who post here... they HELP us! And they are good!

When YOU post here.... you help the rest of us!!! You ceate energy... and community.... and mutual respect!!!!

Let 2011 BEGIN!!!!!!

 

[Doodlebug]

Count me in! I am so ready.

 

[halimer]

I am still putting my room together. A lot of my stuff has been stored in the upstairs hallway and closet. Today, as I was starting to put things back, I put together another whole (13 gallon kitchen) bag's worth of garbage!

Debbie

 

[Woman]

Count me in-my basement will be first-was clean but starting in October with Halloween it started looking a mess-then with Thanksgiving and Christmas it is now really a mess-

WOMAN




:clothes:

 

[luludou]

The basement is also my 1st place to declutter and there is lots of work to do there!!

 

[cmerth]

I didn't mean to shame anyone.... I just had a free day and decided to get a few things done. Sorry.

 

[SparkleNana]

OH MY GOSH, CMERTH! I DID NOT MEAN TO UPSET YOU!!!! I SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT YOU "INSPIRE" THE REST OF US..... I SHOULD NEVER HAVE SAID THAT YOU "SHAMED" THE REST OF US INTO DECLUTTERING! MY BAD!!!!!

You know.... this is not the first tiime that I have spoken hastily and hurt someone here at our MHH! I mean.... I USUALLY speak hastily.... and sometimes that causes pain to one of our MHH Family Members.... when I never, never, never intended it that way! YIKES! I was trying to give you a compliment..... and to point out what a good inspiration you are!!!!!!!

I once read that 90% of our inter-prsonal communication is "nonverbal".... when we are face-to-face with someone.... we have all kinds of ways of communicating "warmth"..... tone of voice; facial expressions, how close we sit to the person; what we do with our hands; etc. etc. Here on these threads... we rely on "cold, hard words alone"... and someimes they don't work at communicating our messages.

And.... i NEED lots of different kinds of inspiration to get me decluttering!!! One way is to invite people into my home... right before they arrive... I sort of see what the place will look like through their eyes.... resulting in a big flurry of activity! Sometimes something I read here inspires me.... and I lovve to get those inspirations!

AND... you DID inspire me, cmerth! And I am happy for that! And sad that I came across like a jerk!!!

This is probably why my motto is .... "Love and Forgiveness". Because I need the forgiveness part a lot!

 

[cmerth]

No worries!! Hugs to you.

 

[MrsSoup]

I went ahead and started on my Main Focus: Bedroom decluttering mission. I just went into the bedroom and started. I got quite a bit done and cleared out all the trash, put away clothes, decided what needs to go downstairs, and swept.

I still need to:

*Move things downstairs
*Sort and trash magazines
*Declutter bookshelf
*Declutter nightstands
*Declutter top of dresser
*Hang pictures where I want them
*Vaccum Shadow's bed

 

[Gingerbug]

GREAT JOB....Mrs Soup......unfortunately I am still trying to clear Christmas STUFF.....wrapping paper, boxes. left over food items....etc etc....!!

I'll get to the basement....I hope!!