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probably need to pare down my post too...
So I suppose this is an introduction, since I haven't actually posted here at all yet, so hello. I'm trying to declutter as much as possible in preparation for a cross-country move in June. Organization is my big downfall-- I have decluttered quite a bit over the past couple years, but there always ends up the dregs that I'm not sure how to organize in a useful manner (I have ADD, and so it's a bit of a struggle sometimes between wanting things to look nice/clean/clear and knowing that if I put it out of sight, I won't remember I own it or where it is and this causes problems). One of my goals for this year is figuring out how to organize these things so I can keep my bathroom, computer desk, endtable, and dining table from getting overwhelmed.
The second issue I'm having is books. I love books, and I love having a physical library of them, but good lord they are a pain to move. And as I expect to be moving at least a couple more times before I settle into a place for a good length, I'd kind of like to travel as light as possible (plus the housing where I am planning to move is more expensive for less square footage than I have been used to where I am at, so I will need to make things space-effective anyhow). I've actually already been through my library several times and eliminated a lot, but I still have approximately three bookcases (small ones-- 3 shelves each) worth of books-- artbooks and language reference with fiction and a few odds and ends. The fiction is mostly what I am struggling to part with, since it's pretty much impossible to replace the reference and artbooks with digital copies, but the goal is to clear out at least one case to pare down to really essential things, so probably more fiction must go.
Third goal is that I actually need to go through and sort and toss most of what is being stored at my parents' place, because they may be moving in the relatively near future as well, and aren't happy with me leaving so much at their place. And if I leave them to deal with it, I'll end up with most of what is important being tossed, which is very not okay, so I will have to get that sorted before I leave.
I don't really do well with the one-in-one-out method, because it's hard for me to really keep track (and make sure I actually do get the "out" thing out of my house and don't just set it aside) at this point since it ends up stressing me out more than it helps. Hoping as I get things cleared more, it'll be easier to do a literal 1-to-1 thing, but for now my mentality is mostly "Get rid of as much as possible and buy as little as possible" until I get to a manageable state, and I'm not going to worry too much about a solid tally.
IN
Well not quite yet, but in a few days will have the rest of my desktop computer (building one) so I can put that together and finally get rid of all the boxes. (1 motherboard, 3 2GB ram sticks, 1 HDD, 1 optical drive-- I already have the rest that's been sitting in my house forever)
Otherwise I have been pretty good this month about only purchasing consumables? And a couple ebooks, but that's not taking up space anywhere.
OUT
Approximately a dozen DVD boxsets and video games I didn't want to keep.
A medium-sized bag of clothes (probably had about twenty pieces of mostly tops).
Two boxes of books (I don't even know how much was in there, honestly. Various textbooks as well as just books I was not using at all.)
The small (like... 19"? and not LCD, the old kind) TV with remote (taped on top to make sure it didn't get lost while the store sorted it).
A box of cat toys and electronics gear (wires, cables, switcher, router) I wasn't using.
And a question for you all: What do you do to get rid of hangers? Apparently the thrift stores won't take them, but I have two of those pant-rack hangers that I find I never use, and I'm not sure what to do with them. Would rather not put them in the trash, but I don't think I can put them in the recycle bin either?
The second issue I'm having is books. I love books, and I love having a physical library of them, but good lord they are a pain to move. And as I expect to be moving at least a couple more times before I settle into a place for a good length, I'd kind of like to travel as light as possible (plus the housing where I am planning to move is more expensive for less square footage than I have been used to where I am at, so I will need to make things space-effective anyhow). I've actually already been through my library several times and eliminated a lot, but I still have approximately three bookcases (small ones-- 3 shelves each) worth of books-- artbooks and language reference with fiction and a few odds and ends. The fiction is mostly what I am struggling to part with, since it's pretty much impossible to replace the reference and artbooks with digital copies, but the goal is to clear out at least one case to pare down to really essential things, so probably more fiction must go.
Third goal is that I actually need to go through and sort and toss most of what is being stored at my parents' place, because they may be moving in the relatively near future as well, and aren't happy with me leaving so much at their place. And if I leave them to deal with it, I'll end up with most of what is important being tossed, which is very not okay, so I will have to get that sorted before I leave.
I don't really do well with the one-in-one-out method, because it's hard for me to really keep track (and make sure I actually do get the "out" thing out of my house and don't just set it aside) at this point since it ends up stressing me out more than it helps. Hoping as I get things cleared more, it'll be easier to do a literal 1-to-1 thing, but for now my mentality is mostly "Get rid of as much as possible and buy as little as possible" until I get to a manageable state, and I'm not going to worry too much about a solid tally.
IN
Well not quite yet, but in a few days will have the rest of my desktop computer (building one) so I can put that together and finally get rid of all the boxes. (1 motherboard, 3 2GB ram sticks, 1 HDD, 1 optical drive-- I already have the rest that's been sitting in my house forever)
Otherwise I have been pretty good this month about only purchasing consumables? And a couple ebooks, but that's not taking up space anywhere.
OUT
Approximately a dozen DVD boxsets and video games I didn't want to keep.
A medium-sized bag of clothes (probably had about twenty pieces of mostly tops).
Two boxes of books (I don't even know how much was in there, honestly. Various textbooks as well as just books I was not using at all.)
The small (like... 19"? and not LCD, the old kind) TV with remote (taped on top to make sure it didn't get lost while the store sorted it).
A box of cat toys and electronics gear (wires, cables, switcher, router) I wasn't using.
And a question for you all: What do you do to get rid of hangers? Apparently the thrift stores won't take them, but I have two of those pant-rack hangers that I find I never use, and I'm not sure what to do with them. Would rather not put them in the trash, but I don't think I can put them in the recycle bin either?
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See if you have a charitable organization in your area that takes general household good as well as clothes. I usually have a running basket of stuff for those groups, and when they call every couple of months, can tell them "Yes, we'll have at least one bag of stuff for you to pick up."
(In our area, it's usually Vietnam Veterans of American or National Children's Center.)
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Good luck getting rid of things, especially books, I think lots of us here struggle with that!
A couple of things I've found helpful is to let myself sort into OUT, KEEP and DON'T KNOW YET, because on a second sort through, later or the next day or week, I can attack the DON'T KNOW pile with a bit more clarity. Or ruthlessness. Also - If I'm working on a major Getting Rid of Things project, I give myself permission to throw out things that could still be useful. Otherwise I get hung up on finding everything a new home, and don't accomplish much.
Anyway, good luck!!!