2014 Decluttering Thread

[creditcardfree]

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. Feel free to post daily with your decluttering progress!

[scottish girl]

Well not much decluttering been going on here. DH got rid of more recycling while there's still space. I threw out some of DH's holy socks, and put some of my little girl's (SG) socks that were in a good condition in a separate small carrier bag to donate soon. The place I often donate to sells baby and toddler clothes.

[scottish girl]

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

I like those ideas for above the fridge. Right now our tea towels sit on a pile on the worktop waiting to be used. The one currently being used gets hung on a cupboard handle. My cookbooks are taking up space in drawers. I can't remember the last time I looked at them.

[disneysteve]

Right now our tea towels sit on a pile on the worktop waiting to be used. The one currently being used gets hung on a cupboard handle. My cookbooks are taking up space in drawers. I can't remember the last time I looked at them.

Our kitchen towels are in a drawer next to the fridge with the overflow in the cabinet below that. The two currently in use hang on the fridge.

We have a cabinet full of cookbooks. There are a handful of recipes that we use regularly and that's about it. For everything else, we go online. I'm amazed that they still produce and sell so many cookbooks. We haven't bought one for probably 10 years and I don't see us ever buying one again even though we both do a lot of cooking.

[creditcardfree]

Our kitchen towels are in a drawer next to the fridge with the overflow in the cabinet below that. The two currently in use hang on the fridge.

We have a cabinet full of cookbooks. There are a handful of recipes that we use regularly and that's about it. For everything else, we go online. I'm amazed that they still produce and sell so many cookbooks. We haven't bought one for probably 10 years and I don't see us ever buying one again even though we both do a lot of cooking.

I own three cookbooks, and I could easily get rid of two. Those two have just a handful of recipes I use, so could easily be copied and stored on my computer. The pictures are what sell cookbooks in my opinion. And celebrities.

[creditcardfree]

I gathered another big pile of stuff for my Goodwill run tomorrow!

I found two more strands of partially working Christmas lights.
A jacket I love, but it too small.
Several shirts and a fleece I don't wear.
Sweatpants that are too large.
Various odd items from the kitchen. If I don't use them, why store them, right?
Hangers I don't like and don't use.
A water bottle without a lid that fits.
Our waterpik...hasn't been used in at least three years.
A microfiber cloth I never use because I don't like it (not sure why though).

Found some jars to recycle.
Bought new undergarments, so tossed similar number of old in the trash.
I had a very large bag of plastic grocery bags, I pulled out half of them for my sister who uses them for her dog.
I read the recent magazines that arrived and will give them to my mother.
I plan to go through the boxes I have in the basement (that I keep for eBay) and see which ones I can get rid of.

And if anyone needs more inspiration, I saw on Pinterest there are all sorts of decluttering challenges. One was to get rid of 100 in a weekend. Another was 40 bags of items in 40 days.

[disneysteve]

The pictures are what sell cookbooks in my opinion. And celebrities.

But that's all available online now. We often watch cooking shows and when one of the celebrity chefs we like makes something that we want to try, we go online and get the recipe for free.

To those who are on the decluttering journey, one thing to remember is that even when you aren't getting rid of clutter, if you are keeping new clutter from forming, that's an accomplishment too.

[creditcardfree]

To those who are on the decluttering journey, one thing to remember is that even when you aren't getting rid of clutter, if you are keeping new clutter from forming, that's an accomplishment too.

I saw someone refer to that part of the journey as clutter avoidance. I think this time of year when requesting gifts or giving them, it is a good idea to consider items that will not become clutter. In fact, last year I specifically requested anything that would be used up within a year. I got lotions, bars of soap (nice ones), coffee, teas, and candy. If I get asked again this year, I will say the same thing!

[HappySaver]

We just went through our books and pulled out 100-150 to donate! We never re-homed a bunch of them after our last move where we intentionally left an old bookshelf behind. We were going to buy a nicer replacement bookshelf for the family room, but now we've decided that we've spent enough money on other furniture and we just want to be done! We already have three other bookcases throughout the house (living room: just a few nice art, decor and travel books; office: school/work books; and project room: novels, other lit) at various stages of fullness, but they're nicely uncluttered looking and we want to keep them that way.

These are all books that we've decided aren't worth keeping, either because we won't re-read them or we'd rather do it on the Kindle. We also have a bunch of old dictionaries and a thesauras, because I can't think of the last time we didn't look something up electronically.

I was going to donate the books to our local library - does anyone know if you get a tax receipt when you do that?

[snafu]

ScottishG, would you be willing to list cookbooks you don't use on FB sale page or whatever e-site is popular in the UK? If you can eke out some time, I've just read an interesting article on creating a wardrobe. The question is do you wear 20% of your clothes, 80% of the time? The writer ask you to get out your favourite outfit from the skin out [undies, top, bottom or dress, stockings/socks & shoes]. The point is to analyze style, pattern or not, fit, colour, comfort, fabric, care even brand if that's a factor in your experience. 2nd is to develop your personal wardrobe appropriate to your daily activities.She calls it a 'uniform.'

You might be willing to review your closet/bureau/bins putting together outfits from those garment that you particularly like, fit, flatter, comfortable, colour, accessories, seasonally and activity appropriate? This is a project that can be done in segments, perhaps one bin at a time. If in process you find items [often bought because of sale price] that doesn't fit, doesn't flatter, don't like the colour, doesn't go with the item as you thought, too big, too small, damaged, missing buttons, hem out, stained, needs too much care, not appropriate, poor fabrication...what ever reason you don't/won't wear...fold and bag it to sell or donate as most reasonable.

Anything new that comes in must meet your criteria for fit, flatter, comfortable, colour and be your style. You'll spend less but wear every single item

[scottish girl]

ScottishG, would you be willing to list cookbooks you don't use on FB sale page or whatever e-site is popular in the UK? If you can eke out some time, I've just read an interesting article on creating a wardrobe. The question is do you wear 20% of your clothes, 80% of the time? The writer ask you to get out your favourite outfit from the skin out [undies, top, bottom or dress, stockings/socks & shoes]. The point is to analyze style, pattern or not, fit, colour, comfort, fabric, care even brand if that's a factor in your experience. 2nd is to develop your personal wardrobe appropriate to your daily activities.She calls it a 'uniform.'

You might be willing to review your closet/bureau/bins putting together outfits from those garment that you particularly like, fit, flatter, comfortable, colour, accessories, seasonally and activity appropriate? This is a project that can be done in segments, perhaps one bin at a time. If in process you find items [often bought because of sale price] that doesn't fit, doesn't flatter, don't like the colour, doesn't go with the item as you thought, too big, too small, damaged, missing buttons, hem out, stained, needs too much care, not appropriate, poor fabrication...what ever reason you don't/won't wear...fold and bag it to sell or donate as most reasonable.

Anything new that comes in must meet your criteria for fit, flatter, comfortable, colour and be your style. You'll spend less but wear every single item

Yes I think I'm going to try and make time to do both things. I'll be copying my favourite recipes before selling though.FB selling pages are popular here.

[Homebody]

Will there be a 2015 decluttering thread? With my youngest daughter and her family moving in, we have too much stuff in the house! We look like borderline hoarders, except there is no garbage and we can walk through the house!

[scottish girl]

Will there be a 2015 decluttering thread? With my youngest daughter and her family moving in, we have too much stuff in the house! We look like borderline hoarders, except there is no garbage and we can walk through the house!

I hope there is one.

Well I found two empty tins of Quality Streets and Roses in the back of the cupboard. I must have bought them last year. They're being thrown out with another, recently bought, tin of biscuits.

[disneysteve]

Will there be a 2015 decluttering thread?

Sure. I'll try to remember to start a new one in January. Unfortunately, decluttering is a never-ending process around here.

[scottish girl]

Sure. I'll try to remember to start a new one in January. Unfortunately, decluttering is a never-ending process around here.

I think it will be the same here too since I'm only a month or so into proper decluttering. I went and ordered clothes online for DH and the kids so I'm going to make sure I either donate/sell the same amount, ideally more.
I haven't done much about my paper clutter this past week or so, other than sorting mail as soon as it's in my hands. I'll need to start shredding back up again, but I've been distracted with Christmas. I've started to wrap presents using my old wrapping paper first, there's more than I thought I had. I'm wrapping the gifts for other people so they will all be leaving the flat when I get in touch with the appropriate friends/family.
We've currently got a plain white dinner set sitting on top of our cupboards in the kitchen. It was a wedding present (5 yrs ago) We're going to open that soon and donate our old set including cups. I spoke to a woman at work who also volunteers at a thrift shop and she's going to take them, plus anything else I have. (I didn't tell her what I'm donating but I've already donated this year and she said they take anything - within reason obviously)