What did you declutter today? 2012 Edition

[disneysteve]

The last version of this thread died out about 2 months ago. As we approach January 1 in just a couple of days, I decided it was time to revive this conversation.

My wife and daughter spent some time yesterday cleaning out and organizing the cedar cabinet in our bedroom where we store gift wrap, bows, bags, boxes, etc. They also worked on the upstairs hall closet where we store sheets and towels, meds and toiletries. My wife told me last night that it was time to get back on the decluttering campaign as she is starting to feel like a hoarder. It isn't nearly that bad in reality but I know what she means (I've seen those TV shows and our house does NOT look that that). Oh, she also cleaned out one junk drawer in the kitchen.

One of our problem areas that she really noticed yesterday is that we tend to hold on to things because we might need them someday. I've said the same thing before. We hate to throw away items that have value but the result is things piling up in every closet and drawer and open space. For example, she found a can of men's shaving cream in the closet with a price tag from a store that went out of business probably 10 years ago. I use an electric razor on a daily basis and only shave with a blade for special occasions maybe 3-4 times/year so one can of shaving cream will last me for years. I checked and I have another can (actually newer) in the medicine cabinet in our bathroom so I don't even use that old can when I do need the stuff. Out it went. She also tossed a can of women's shaving cream because she no longer uses it and our daughter is allergic to it. Out it went.

So we are rededicating ourselves to this mission in the new year. I hope others will join as before and we can support each other along the way.

[bjl584]

I'm going to start by cleaning out and washing my truck this weekend. It's a mess from hunting season. All muddy and full of junk.

[disneysteve]

I got a couple of small boxes that were lying on the floor next to my bed into the recycling bag this morning.

[bjl584]

Cleaned out my bathroom last night. Threw away several old bottles of hand cream, vitamins, and other items that were expired or handn't been used in years.

[disneysteve]

I spent some time on New Year's Day to clean out the gutters and reinstall gutter guards that I had removed for some reason that I no longer recall. Anyway, it counts as part of the decluttering process because the guards were stacked up in the garage and are now in their proper place on our gutters. I also installed new window well covers around the house and picked up the random pieces of the old ones that were scattered around the back yard.

I also, finally, drilled some drainage holes in one of our new trashcans. Not decluttering at all but the darn thing fills up with water every time it rains which is a pain. Now we can actually use the thing without that happening.

So far this morning, I've gone through a pile of stuff in the bedroom - recycled a few paper items, got some travel guides onto the shelf with the rest, sorted some magazines and thrown out a few things.

[marvholly]

I desperatly need to rejoin this thread but will not until spring. Winter finally hit here in metro Chicago and its too cold to even take the trash & recycle out let alone drag car loads of stuff to Salvation Army/charity shops for donations.

See you all bout mid-March.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by marvholly

I desperatly need to rejoin this thread but will not until spring. Winter finally hit here in metro Chicago and its too cold to even take the trash & recycle out let alone drag car loads of stuff to Salvation Army/charity shops for donations.

See you all bout mid-March.

How about just focusing on keeping clutter from accumulating for now? Make sure to read or toss all of the mail as it comes in. Don't let newspapers and magazines pile up. Put things away as soon as you are done with them. At least work on making sure that between now and spring the clutter doesn't get any worse than it is right now.

[riverwed070707]

Love this thread! DH and I have decided (ok mostly I, but he usually cooperates when something is really important to me) to pick one room/area a month to really tackle and super organize so everything has a place. We have a 600 sq ft house so every inch is of the essence. Last year we made some vast improvements but I want to get better about the day to day and putting things away as we go.

For January we started our project this weekend (hooray for New Year's motivation!). The greater task is the basement which will be broken up into two months. First up, the room under the stairs which effectively functions as a pantry/coat storage/misc. storage (and no, it's not that big). Yesterday, DH pulled everything out, took the seasonal storage stuff to the garage to store up top and began tiling the floor. Its the only room downstairs that has concrete floor and we had all the supplies already so no cost to finish up. He's finishing up today.

Yesterday I finished cleaning up the Christmas clutter by putting away the rest of the gifts, finding space for new items that previously didn't have a spot as well as putting away any decorations that were left out.

Cheers to a new year!

[GREENBACK]

I gave a huge box of unused household items to the kidney foundation. Got it out of my way and hopefully into the hands of someone who needs it.

[mrpaseo]

Being a 20 year Soldier we tend to move a lot... With each move, there are boxes... footlockers and piles of stuff that never get unpacked. These tent to build up in the garage. We also have a few junk drawers that need to be gone thru. I just recently started going thru this stuff and like you already mentioned, there is good stuff that we may use in the future that we just hold on to... not any more.

During my second tour in Iraq I was in a fire. My entire building burned to the ground and I lost everything (Well except for the clothes on my back and my weapons... I never go anywhere without my weapons). In this process I realized what I "Need"... and frankly... I don't need much. This makes it easier when cleaning, I simply ask myself... If the building burned down, would I replace this? If the answer is no and the item is still good, it goes to goodwill. If it's no good, it's gone. If it's usable (Just ask cleaning rags in the garage), I save a certain amount and get rid of the rest.

My biggest issue is paperwork I have devised a plan to cut off the continuous build up but there is so much to go through it's crazy. I purchased a $250 shredder... I broke it. Now I bring it to the office and use their industrial sized shredder which seems to work out just fine.

Great topic,
Ray

[josephbales]

Wow, glad to see a decluttering thread on here.

I've been doing a lot of decluttering lately using a similar technique to mrpaseo. I had several moving boxes worth of stuff that had been through several moves and never been unpacked. Finally sorted all that stuff and either sold it, threw it out, or gave it to Goodwill. Gave my TV and VCR and videos to my parents. Took a lot of books and DVDs to the used bookstore for cash. My boss's sister will be getting my couch. And I too threw out that old can of shaving gel that I never use.

I've still got some attachment issues to sort through, but I'm getting close to having all my junk gone. I'm gonna miss the cute girl who works weekends at the donation center.

[Shaabenanizer]

I think I'm finally going to admit I'll never going to use the TiVo I inherited from my sister. While we're at it, it's probably time to give up the VCR. Neither machines were touched for over a year. I wonder if ReStore or recycling centers take new-ish VCRs.

Files and paperworks... it's time to tackle those again, and maybe throw out that box of business cards from the nonprofit where I'm a board member at.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by Shaabenanizer

I wonder if ReStore or recycling centers take new-ish VCRs.

Goodwill takes them. We bought my mom one there last year when hers died. If you have the remote, tape it on so they stay together. And if you still have the manual, even better.

Around here, they sell them for $8.

[Shaabenanizer]

Thank you Steve! Going to Goodwill will just be the kick in the pants I need to plow through my storage closet and see what else I should unload. Ever since I splurged on Restoration Hardware fine bed linens, there really is no point of keeping my floral bedsheets from my college days.

[josephbales]

FYI, my local Goodwill will take almost anything. They are nice enough to throw away the stuff they won't accept. Some Goodwills are more picky. If I'm not sure about an item, I hide it at the bottom of the box of stuff.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by Shaabenanizer

Ever since I splurged on Restoration Hardware fine bed linens, there really is no point of keeping my floral bedsheets from my college days.

I need to do the same thing. Our hall closet is overflowing with bed linens, many of which we no longer use. I have to get everything in the basement washed and then pull it all out at one time and decide what to keep and what to give away.

[creditcardfree]

Bed linens and towels can often be donated to animal shelters. They aren't picky about style or condition!

[elessar78]

Well we had two 4-day weekends in a row, so we decluttered a lot.

Main thing was we packed away or donated a lot of toys/books for the baby that she had outgrown or we didn't like! Our garage is a big project this year, and we have a ton of boxes ready to be burned or thrown out.

[marvholly]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

How about just focusing on keeping clutter from accumulating for now? Make sure to read or toss all of the mail as it comes in. Don't let newspapers and magazines pile up. Put things away as soon as you are done with them. At least work on making sure that between now and spring the clutter doesn't get any worse than it is right now.

Been doing that since I joined the old declutter thread. I have signed up for a BUNCH of free magazines but now I immediatly read them then take to my Dad's senior citizens building library. Magazines leave the house twice/week. Newspapers are read within 2 days and put into recycle. Mail is read & delt with daily.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by marvholly

Been doing that since I joined the old declutter thread. I have signed up for a BUNCH of free magazines but now I immediatly read them then take to my Dad's senior citizens building library. Magazines leave the house twice/week. Newspapers are read within 2 days and put into recycle. Mail is read & delt with daily.

That's great. I know this is part of our problem. Even when we are decluttering old stuff, if we still allow new stuff to build up, it's hard to see any visible progress. I know there is progress none the less because the stuff that is going out tends to be stuff that has been around forever and the new stuff is easier to deal with once we devote the time to it.

I'm going to try and squeeze in a bit of decluttering at my office today in my desk drawers and on the shelves over my desk.