Weekend uncluttering

[fred_mouse]

How does the uncluttering go? For many of us, as we head further into December, I suspect it is quite the challenge to find the time to declutter, and if you are heading toward a gift giving occasion, it may feel like you are never going to get control of the Stuff. If, like me, you are looking at a sudden influx of new things than need homes, give yourself credit, and remember how much you have managed to deal with over the course of the year.

Having said that, our decluttering has been modest this weekend. Youngest tidied the kitchen plastics drawer, and found two items to rehome; friends took home a DVD duplicate; Middlest is in the middle of moving much stuff to replace a too small bookshelf with one we brought home from IKEA (and assembled!) today, and found a couple of items. Middlest has promised to start working on the project that has caused them to stash cardboard under their bed (and elsewhere in the house) for the last year, so I have hopes that we will start to see a decrease in general cardboard clutter. And I did a bit of work on the piles on the kitchen table, and managed to sort some of the paperwork, making progress there!

Comments

[kalloway]

On Friday, I dropped off two bags of toys for a toy drive at the general store (and brought home only food)-- a few things (like some craft kits) were things I had around and didn't even know I had. Also a few stuffed animals that still had tags that had only ever sat on my dresser. So it was some things out and not just the stuff I'd bought to donate.

Also dropped off a box of books to the library for their book sale. Brought home two lovely photo books of China, and two cookbooks, one of which is definitely simple enough for me to try some things out of. (I... never really learned to cook so this is progress!)

I still have a couple boxes of outgoing, but I'm getting there. I've also done a lot of cleaning in the living room and kitchen, though it isn't terribly obvious. ^^;;

[peaceful_sands]

Excellent work! Definite progress, even if in some places you can't spot it - you know you've done, just keep reminding yourself that it is improving!

[kalloway]

Thank you, and you're right~ I am definitely getting there.

[fred_mouse]

Well done on getting things out of the house!

[kalloway]

Thank you!

[adair]

You are absolutely right; holidays are getting in the way, and w are still 15 days from the first. But there are celebratory events that must be attended, and food made for, cards to be written (and mailed) bits of shopping, and the Jacque Lawsen Alpine Village advent calendar to open each morning, and the sweet smashing game to play - all this takes time that could be spent dealing with Stuff. When I finish this I will shred about 75 letters frrom B2P, brought home because the orders were mailed 3 months ago and no problems have arisen. That's something. I also bought several expanded file pockets to use in the filing cabinet. I have folders with various programs from the 70s and on, kept to remember things I saw, and a number of letters from back in the day when people wrote rather than going on line. This are in standard files, and are falling out and getting crushed when the drawer is opened. Soon I will transfer them to expanded file pockets, and maybe sort them a little. Those are my plans for the day - a rare one just now where I get to stay home.

[peaceful_sands]

Well done!

[fred_mouse]

I hope that your rare day at home was a pleasant one. And well done on getting shredding done -- paperwork always look like such small progress for effort expended.

[yukonsally]

Doing well here!

Returned 2 things to the store.
Sent 3 things to friends, currently offering a thing on fb.
Spouse donated 8-10 boxes of (unopened!0 Christmas lights--no prodding from me, I found out about it after the fact and am pleased for the donation!
Reorganized the handmedown situation and added a few things. These are all out of season things so no use in shipping them now.
Combined the last of 3 lotions and washed those containers to recycle or repurpose.
Donated a small bag of things to another secondhand store (where I was able to find a gift for my mother in law and several books in a series I collect!)
Organized the gift wrapping situation. It's still a mess, but I know what I have and I think it'll be better after Christmas.

And the day is young!

[peaceful_sands]

You're on a definite roll there! Well done!

[yukonsally]

Three more shirts into handmedowns and recycled some old coloring pages. Whew!

[fred_mouse]

Good job!

[fred_mouse]

Many good achievements -- well done.

[peaceful_sands]

Slow and small progress, hindered by the decorating - this has meant more time 1. decorating (obviously), 2. more time cleaning dust/shrapnel from decorating than making progress on decluttering.

But having said that I've got a couple more books and DVDs into the boxes/bags to go - actually had someone go through the main DVD bag and take the ones they want/are interested in. Also took part in a gift card exchange and slipped in with each of the cards a little homemade decoration that had been left over from last year's making of decorations as gifts. So a little added extra for the people expecting just cards - hopefully they'll like the thought, if not the actual decoration.

Bought a new shower curtain yesterday and disposed of the old one today - so that was a straight swop, but apart from that I've largely avoided bringing anything into the house that isn't a gift for someone else - also when my sister asked me what I'd like for Christmas, I gave her a couple of DVDs for me that I had pre-ordered that had just arrived and I hadn't opened yet. When I'd ordered them, I hadn't realised they'd be out so near to Christmas, so it makes life simpler for her and cuts down on things coming into the house for me. Plus it gives me a little more time to get through the ones I've already got waiting.

[fred_mouse]

Steady progress is still progress. Good to hear that some of the DVDs have gone to a new home! And I hope that your decoration recipients appreciate them.