2018 Decluttering Thread

[creditcardfree]

Today, I took three pairs of old eyeglasses (and cases) off in the Lion's Club collection bin in the optical center at Walmart. I donated the items I decluttered this month at Goodwill. And I dropped off two used CFL bulbs at Lowe's for recycling.

[Gailete]

My husband keeps every receipt he can get his hands on. My problem is that he leaves them on the kitchen island or just throws them on his dresser. I can't even look at his dresser or I will just dump everything in the garbage. I have started asking stores if we need to keep the receipt for a return or warranty claim. A lot of places now keep the info in their system so the receipt is not needed. If I could just get that through his head...

I wish hubby would dump his receipts SOMEWHERE, ANYWHERE, at least in the same place, so I can grab the ones I need! With two self-employment businesses, we need receipts for so many things and I just 'love' it when he hands me a receipt for something that was over hundred dollars, and since he can't read the fine print, he doesn't realize that I could have really used it a few years back at tax time. He just gave me a packing slip yesterday from something dated 11-30-17. At least it clues me in to be sure I got the receipt /invoice somewhere. At least the late invoices don't happen as often as they used to, but the last thing I have time to do is redo tax forms for the IRS, the state and local taxes because he just found another receipt for $20 or even $100. The last thing you want to do is catch the tax people’s attention by redoing taxes asking for money back.

Our local taxes used to be under the purview of a battleax old lady who seemed to have the job because she had a brother on the city board. She thought she knew everything about accounting and taxes and seemed to think that she could demand paperwork from us that even the IRS can't ask for! Like several years’ worth of paperwork, check registers, etc. so she could go on a treasure hunt! She apparently got a % of what she collected! When she left, the new guy spent some time, reimbursing people for taxes they had erroneously paid for years, although he could only go 3 years back! My in-laws were very happy to get three years’ worth of tax refunds, partly from something I had mentioned to them and they called and asked the new guy about it and I was right! The sad thing they had been paying for it for something like 11 years that wasn’t refunded!

[disneysteve]

I went through the computer room a while ago and basically saved one type of each cable or connector. That was probably a year or two ago and I still haven't needed any of them. I think it's time to go through it all again and get rid of everything.

So I just did this. I didn't get rid of everything, and I'm probably still hanging on to things I don't really need, but I did unload quite a bit. Here are two photos. The first shows the "before" pile and the second shows the pile that I'm discarding. Of the things I kept, I know what all of them are for and we still have and use the devices they belong to. I also kept a spare HDMI cable. That one is just in case but we do use HDMI cables on a regular basis on at least 2 of our devices so having a back up isn't an awful idea.

BEFORE

DISCARDED

[creditcardfree]

So I just did this. I didn't get rid of everything, and I'm probably still hanging on to things I don't really need, but I did unload quite a bit. Here are two photos. The first shows the "before" pile and the second shows the pile that I'm discarding. Of the things I kept, I know what all of them are for and we still have and use the devices they belong to. I also kept a spare HDMI cable. That one is just in case but we do use HDMI cables on a regular basis on at least 2 of our devices so having a back up isn't an awful idea.

Great job, Steve. That is the way to do it. I now make a point to cull cords and accessories when we get new device to keep it from building up.

And even though you did a great job, I'll just ask one question...of the cords that you kept for devices you have and use, do you really need them if they are just stored away? Usually we use the required cords all the time for devices. Extras come with devices for various reasons, but may not be needed for your set up. Just something to think about if you haven't already.

[disneysteve]

And even though you did a great job, I'll just ask one question...of the cords that you kept for devices you have and use, do you really need them if they are just stored away?

Likely not, but they are potentially important. For example, there is a cable for our digital camera. I do need it to plug the camera into the computer. I just rarely do that because I usually just pop out the memory card and put that into the computer. I just feel like I should keep that cord. One of these days, if I give that camera to someone, I'd want to be able to give them the cord too.

[creditcardfree]

Likely not, but they are potentially important. For example, there is a cable for our digital camera. I do need it to plug the camera into the computer. I just rarely do that because I usually just pop out the memory card and put that into the computer. I just feel like I should keep that cord. One of these days, if I give that camera to someone, I'd want to be able to give them the cord too.

Eh, I'd let them find their own cord...they are everywhere, but that's me!

[disneysteve]

Eh, I'd let them find their own cord...they are everywhere, but that's me!

Yeah, you're probably right. I'm sure I don't need the cords. I'll probably go through again and ditch the rest.

[disneysteve]

I just spent a short time in the basement. I threw out a few little things and got a few things into the recycling bin.

I also took the opportunity to do several ebay searches for some collectible items that I have down there and found that a number of them are worth listing, mostly selling in the $20-30 range. I think it would be worth my time if I can get that much for them and it would get some stuff out of the house.

I have a table down there where I always did my ebay work but it was full of assorted stuff so I cleaned it up a bit so that I had a spot to take photos and get stuff ready to sell. I'm busy this weekend but maybe next week I'll list a few items.

The funny thing with many collectibles is that they are in demand when they first come out and for a couple of years after that, then nobody wants them for 10-20 years. Then at some point, they become valuable again. That's where we are with a lot of our old stock from when we used to do collectible shows and ebay sales in the 80s and 90s. It's time to start identifying the items that are back in demand and start listing them for sale.

[Like2Plan]

I went through my closet and removed clothes that I haven't worn in a while.
My goal was to fill 1 bag. I filled 1 bag with clothes and 1 bag with shoes. I took them to the collection box which is about a mile from my house.

[Bluebird]

Over the weekend, I prodded DH to go through a box of cords/cables that we haven't looked in for 10 years. Kept what we needed and placed the rest in the donation bag. Gave a bag of boys clothes to the neighbor and one item to a coworker. The donation bag is half full with some misc stuff I gathered over the last week. Slowly but surely!

[creditcardfree]

I'm still working on decluttering paper. I did get my husband to consolidate more military records. The amount of duplicates in the Army is ridiculous! Over 300 pages in the last week between the two of use working on paper.

[JoeP]

I found these bins at Home Depot a few weeks ago:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-17-Gal-Storage-Tote-in-Black-HDX17GONLINE-6/205808350

So far, I bought 12 of these, and put them all to use, consolidating a large number of smaller boxes and also decluttering a small bonus room upstairs. We've also thrown away a lot of old boxes and odds and ends.

[disneysteve]

I'm off today and there's a snow storm so we're stuck in the house.

So far:
- I packed a small box of stuff for Goodwill.
- I did one bag of shredding: last year's pay stubs, Visa bills, and bank statements.
- I started 2 ebay auctions for old Game Boy Color and Advance game cartridges. There's been a small box of them sitting near my computer desk for ages. Hopefully I'll get rid of them and make a few bucks.

Off to have some lunch. Hopefully more to report later.

[disneysteve]

- I started 2 ebay auctions for old Game Boy Color and Advance game cartridges.

One of the two auctions already has a bid so at least those will sell. I'll get them boxed up and ready to go this weekend. Hopefully there will be other bidders and the other auction will attract some attention too.

[msomnipotent]

Well, I cleaned off the desk in the computer room and now I can't find anything. I'm one of those people that can stick my hand in a pile of clutter and pull out exactly what I need without looking. I also tried to grab a blanket from a cabinet in the family room late last night and couldn't understand why it wasn't there. I guess I shouldn't be moving things around when I can't remember anything.

I cleaned out the kitchen drawers and found 27 keys. I'm pretty sure I don't need most of them and the rest are for the motorcycles and bike locks. I think. There may be one or two to our actual doors, so I have to double check before tossing. I also believe that the Boxtops of Education thingies are reproducing on their own.