Weekend uncluttering

[fred_mouse]

How has the uncluttering gone this weekend?

I have barely been home, so while I haven't been uncluttering, at least I haven't been making things (much) worse. Yesterday I helped a friend sort through clothing and shoes -- a couple of items had to be thrown out, and several others went in to a bag for a clothes swap. I came home with a hoodie for Youngest, a pair of runners for me, and some chocolate. Useful having friends who are similar sizes!

But as the other thing I did yesterday was buy better skates, I have been reminded (as I am every year) that there are dance and skate items stashed that need to be rehomed. I'd really like to get those dealt with this year

Comments

[kalloway]

I still have a bag of pants outgoing, but I had to temporarily delay working in the closet as it was getting overwhelming. I'm working in the bathroom and kitchen now, going through makeup/toiletries in the bathroom, and just trying to locate my kitchen counters.

I need to see (I have a non-residing co-owner) if I can get rid of my dishwasher. I never use it and I could really use that space for a little more dry-goods storage.

I'm running really heavily, even at my current slow pace, into circumstances where 'if I did this first, it'd be easier to--' and I realize there's a circular chain of clutter and I'm afraid I'm going to get overwhelmed again.

[tanaqui]

Oh, overwhelm and trying to find the best place to start are both tough! Hugs if you want them.

If you haven't already come across it, you might want to take a look at Dana K. White's blog, A Slob Comes Clean. I think her methods are very good for "overwhelm/OMG where do I start?" situations, for not making things worse before they get better, and for staying focused on making some kind of improvement, even when faced with your "if I did this first, it'd be easier to--" situation.

She has a good starting page with some key posts at https://www.aslobcomesclean.com/my-methods/ (I especially recommend
My Two Decluttering Questions, How to Start Cleaning Up, When You Don’t Know Where to Start, and How to Declutter Without Making a Bigger Mess.)

[kalloway]

Thank you very much! That blog looks really helpful and I'll definitely spend some time looking through it.

[tanaqui]

Hey, I just listened to the latest podcast from A Slob Comes Clean and she explicitly addresses your 'if I did this first, it'd be easier to--' question!

You can find the podcast at https://www.aslobcomesclean.com/2018/01/155-simplest-solution-podcast/

[kalloway]

I've got it playing now, thank you!

[alexseanchai]

ooo thanks

[alexseanchai]

omfg hear you on overwhelm ♥

[tanaqui]

All the things that definitely shouldn't have been in the spare room are now out of the spare room! *\0/* (There may still be some individual items to go from the boxes that are still in there, but going through those again -- I did a first pass through them about two years ago -- is a future project.) And I've even dealt with some of the things I removed!

Also, a little progress on the "media clutter" (reading books and watching TV shows and films), while a slowly accumulated bag of rubbish has gone out of the house.

[peaceful_sands]

Another book, another 2 DVDs and some nightwear. It's not much but at least it's something. At the moment, I'm also working on maintenance - it's making progress slower (I too may need to read the recommended blogs above), but it also means that I'm maintaining what's already been done in a clean and presentable fashion.

On the downside (clutterwise), I also brought home a couple of new tops and books. I need to work out what's going out in their place now.

[tanaqui]

Figuring out maintenance is also an important step and takes time: both to figure out what works for you (and not some idealised "organised" person) and to make it a habit, so it takes less time/conscious effort to do it. So well done on maintaining what's already been done -- that's a huge step!

(And I recommend the blog I linked as a useful read all round -- she has some good thoughts on maintenance as well as decluttering, and is very funny, while offering a lot of really smart advice.)

[alexseanchai]

24 books have gone in the Departure box, of which I cataloged and photographed 8 to be 3 auction lots for the UUCD spring auction.

[alexseanchai]

I could probably double the number of departing volumes if I added the Nora Roberts collection. They're exceedingly cisallohet and I'm not convinced she's ever written a character of color in her life, but—especially with the fantasy trilogies—she's an Influence on my writing and she writes nommy braincandy.

Am I ever going to read these again or not?

???

(Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar, similar question!)

[fred_mouse]

Is it worth putting the Roberts (and the Lackey?) books in a bag as if they are ready to go, putting them somewhere, and then putting a reminder in your calendar of choice that if you haven't looked at them in [time period] you get rid of them? If, in that time period, you decide that they are important to keep, you need to find shelf space for them.

Another question -- do you have something that needs the shelf space that you would rather keep? Or can you find something else that takes up that much shelf space that you would rather get rid of than those specific books?

[alexseanchai]

Generally speaking, yes. If I intend to put them in the UUCD spring auction, there isn't really time for that?

Maaaaaybe? I haven't gone through all the boxes or all the shelves yet.

:)

[fred_mouse]

Ah, I hadn't allowed for time crunch. :{

Maybe what comes out of the other boxes will help with that decision?

[yukonsally]

One box and one giant kid thing out. A lead on another kid thing to give away. Spouse relisted a thing for sale. Cleaned out the last of some foodstuffs with snow day baking!