2014 Decluttering Thread

[disneysteve]

Friday I spent about 3 hours in the garage. Got about 1/2 of the job done. Consolidated a lot of boxes. Got rid of several boxes.

Re-organized a closet so we moved the Christmas decorations and Christmas tree inside into closet. Also moved our luggage into the barn.

Went through a big pile of books DW needs to confirm we can try to sell at Half Priced Books. Also have a stack of things to give away.

Thanks for the inspiration DisneySteve!

I missed this post. You're welcome! Glad to be of assistance.

[dawnwes]

We are renovating our kitchen. In order to do that, we had to empty out all the cupboards and drawers. Right now, our entire kitchen is in boxes all over the dining room and living room. It is a mess and I don't think we can move back in until next week.

HOWEVER, I am taking this opportunity to purge. I have vowed to only put back 50% of the items into the kitchen again. We are selling in the Spring, so we need to look better organized and look like there is a lot of storage.

So, this weekend, that is my agenda.......take 1/2 the contents of the kitchen to the trash, goodwill, or list for sale.

Dawn

[creditcardfree]

We are renovating our kitchen. In order to do that, we had to empty out all the cupboards and drawers. Right now, our entire kitchen is in boxes all over the dining room and living room. It is a mess and I don't think we can move back in until next week.

HOWEVER, I am taking this opportunity to purge. I have vowed to only put back 50% of the items into the kitchen again. We are selling in the Spring, so we need to look better organized and look like there is a lot of storage.

So, this weekend, that is my agenda.......take 1/2 the contents of the kitchen to the trash, goodwill, or list for sale.

Dawn

Good plan, Dawn. One rule of thumb is if you haven't used in a year, you no longer need it. It doesn't apply to everything though, as I didn't use a waffle maker for over two years, but pulled it out when our niece came to visit.

[disneysteve]

One thing I want to try is the tip to hang clothes with the hangar pointing out but when things go back in after being worn, turn the hangar inward. Then after a year, anything still pointing out hasn't been worn and can probably be discarded. I know I have shirts that I never wear.

[creditcardfree]

One thing I want to try is the tip to hang clothes with the hangar pointing out but when things go back in after being worn, turn the hangar inward. Then after a year, anything still pointing out hasn't been worn and can probably be discarded. I know I have shirts that I never wear.

I could try that too. And advise my husband. But really, we don't have a lot of clothes and I know exactly which ones I need to let go of. I think I hesitate here because then I will have even fewer clothes. One thing I have done is to take them off the hanger if I know I haven't worn quite some time and put in a pile in my closet. Once they sit in a pile for a few months, I realize that I really don't wear them and then I can give away. I can think of at least four items I could do this with today...so I will.

[snafu]

dawnwes, surviving a kitchen remodel deserves a gold star. It helps to set a criteria for what to keep and what to release. We used protocols like: anything broken, non functioning, missing piecing no longer available, not working, aggravating to use were trashed, if we bought a new one when we couldn't find the original, one or the other had to go! Anything not used in the past two years was either sold, re-gifted, donated or trashed.

8, place settings [dinner plates, snack/dessert plates, soup/cereal bowls] + 2 Melamine setting per child, 12 setting for a larger family, 8-12 holiday or Bone China setting for major events [stored in buffet/china cabinet or secondary storage], cutlery sets for 12 + 2 each for tots. 2 each sets of glasses of sizes regularly used per person. Whatever you use for guests in secondary storage. It's practical to have a sleeve of plastic picnic glassware on hand.

Keep your favourite pots and pans, no need to maintain 'set,' just what you use and like. This is a terrific time to sell un needed/not used electronic appliance/gadgets on local FB sell pg., CraigsList or list and donate for a tax credit. Since you explained you want your kitchen look more organized, you might find the 'Martha Stewart' set up helpful. I tried to find the You Tube link. I offer the part I used. 1st anything heavy must go in a lower [below waist] cupboard, anything on counter must 'earn' space, used daily.

Bake Ctr: Combine all baking supplies in a bin [cookie press/cutters, dry/decorating ingredients, powdered sugars, marshmallows, chipits etc. on a top shelf it’s easier to mix a batch. Baking pans/implements slide in corners
Beverage Ctr: as close to the sink as practical for coffee maker, mugs, coffee, tea, powdered juice, sugar
Casseroles: In harder to reach top sections store occasionally used casseroles, lg. bowls & items kept from small children.
Clean-up Ctr: Under sink caddy/six pack holder for cleaning supplies; shelf for DW, liquid soaps, towels, scrubbies etc. Vases if you use them regularly. If practical, use the inside of cupboard doors to hang an over-the-sink cutting board and colander. Efficient for trash holder attached to inside of cupboard door; child proof clip
Drawers: Top drawer stores cutlery, utensils and often used tools. 2nd holds linens/towels; bottom drawer the least used items + screw drivers, re-purpose small pharmacy canisters for smallware, cup hooks, screws, staples etc.
Food Storage: Explore the possibility of shelves of graduated depth (deepest on the bottom) for cereal boxes and other large containers. Combine dry goods, boxes of pancake mix, potato mix, etc. side-by-side, on a shelf. A narrow wire unit attached to the inside of the door keeps spices within reach. Designate shelf space for oils, canisters for flour, sugar, rice, pasta[s], beans etc. Designate a specific shelf for canned goods keeping fruit and veggies separated. Rectangular containers act as ‘drawers’ to corral snack foods and packets [soups, dips, gravies, small condiments]. Root vegetables stay fresh longer in cool, dark places in inexpensive, stacked bamboo steamers. Heavy items like soda & pet food make use of floor space.
Fridge Ctr. A basket atop the fridge makes reaching for kitchen towels easy if drawers are limited. 3 , most used cookbooks Potholders hang conveniently on a magnetic hook attached near the stove top. Designate a spot for lunch fixings, shower caps cover fruit, cutting board, magnetic knife strip to make prep fruit & veggies easy.
Kitchen Office: Fridge based using magnet backed household calendar, shopping list, pencil jar, 3 most used cookbooks atop fridge. Keep clipped recipes on a magnetic clip but discard if not used in 2 pay cycles.
Mix Ctr. Between the sink and stove with access to an electric outlet for mixer, bowls & sugar. Lightweight small appliances above counter, heavyweights below.
Serve Ctr. Bowls & tableware are handy near the DW/sink .
Spices: A magnetic spice rack on the side of the fridge is handy for spices used nearly daily. Keep other spices, dry mixes as close as possible to your food prep area.
Storage containers & micro safe utensils on a shelf below the microwave attaching a lid holder and roll wrap holder inside the door if feasible.
Stove Ctr. Try keeping often used pots/ pans in the stove drawer, lids in a stand behind them. Deep, corner cabinet [lazy susan] functions as a small appliance garage [crock pot, food processor, grill, mixer, rice cooker], within easy reach or designated area in pantry or cabinet. Keep most often used ladles, whisks, stirrers, tongs, turners next to the stove in a tall tin

this is likely more than needed but possibly something will be useful

[dawnwes]

Thank you Snafu. It is helpful.

As for the basket on top of the fridge, I had to laugh. I am under 5' tall and couldn't reach them if I wanted to, BUT, we have cabinets up there, so no room for a basket.

Thankfully I have just inherited a HUGE amount of moving boxes. These will be very helpful as I pack up to either take to Goodwill or for storage.

The people who gave me the boxes moved from an 8,000 sq. ft. house and "downsized" to a 5,000 sq. ft. house. Poor folks!

[disneysteve]

Listed 2 items on ebay a couple of days ago that have been sitting on my desk waiting to be listed. As of this morning, both have bids so they will be out of here.

[creditcardfree]

I like when decluttering turns into eBay sales. We have found a few more items to toss into our Goodwill box, which is getting full! I really want to make my last run to Goodwill before December and avoid that last minute run I tend to do between Christmas and New Years.

[creditcardfree]

Yesterday, I bought a new fleece shirt (free after $20 in Kohl's cash), so I pulled two that I was no longer wearing from the closet. I also noticed I had a pile of socks I wasn't wearing since I had bought new ones. This was one of those times where I just declutter what is right in front of me. Other times, I dig deeper and get rid of much more stuff. It all counts!

[disneysteve]

Listed 2 items on ebay a couple of days ago that have been sitting on my desk waiting to be listed. As of this morning, both have bids so they will be out of here.

Both items sold. After fees, my profit is $18.96 - and some space on my desk.

I like when decluttering turns into eBay sales.

Me too!

[creditcardfree]

Both items sold. After fees, my profit is $18.96 - and some space on my desk.

That's great Steve!

I'm thinking of pulling some of our Christmas cookie cutters out of our collection. I have someone to give them to. I don't think I would miss them, as we have not done cut out cookies in a few years.

I also set a deadline to take things I've decluttered in recent weeks to Goodwill. The Monday before Thanksgiving is the date! I marked it on my online calendar, so it will remind me by email.

[disneysteve]

I have another ebay item ending today that had no bids all week but I just checked and it got a bid, so that's another item out of the house and another $10 in my pocket.

[scottish girl]

Can I join please?

I just found out about this thread. I've been trying to declutter our flat since last month. I've been trying to do something everyday, today it was shredding paperwork which we have a lot of. Over the next few days I'm going to sort out the storage tubs which are in our hallway and have a good look through my wardrobe.

[disneysteve]

I just found out about this thread. I've been trying to declutter our flat since last month. I've been trying to do something everyday, today it was shredding paperwork which we have a lot of. Over the next few days I'm going to sort out the storage tubs which are in our hallway and have a good look through my wardrobe.

Welcome to the thread!

I haven't been doing much of anything recently. I've been really busy for some reason and out multiple nights. Plus we were away one weekend visiting our daughter.

I did list something on ebay the other day but it was something I just got so that doesn't count toward decluttering.