Week 2 of my latest uncluttering attempt

[peaceful_sands]

While I didn't really intend to make another post so soon, I've had a significant step forward in getting rid of things so I thought I'd keep count and then start again.

This time round I've got rid of 4 pairs of socks, 43 books, 1 bottle of handwash, 1 VHS recorder that worked but was no longer used, 6 magazines, 1 pen that no longer worked properly and 2 old diaries.

Coming in this week
1 wire frame for display purposes
1 box of necklaces to take apart for beads
1 book
1 magazine

So last week the totals were 34 out and 2 in with a balance of 32 out.

This week, the new totals combining with those give me 92 out and 6 in with a balance of 86 out overall. Not a bad start to the year, but still so far to go.

I've already made a start and put more things in bags and boxes ready to go when I see the people or go to the places they need to go and I have started another two boxes to go to a charity shop next time they're full, so hopefully I can keep going even if the numbers gradually get smaller.

Comments

[fred_mouse]

Impressive! Particularly given the number of books - I find those the hardest to let go of.

[peaceful_sands]

The books so far have been 'easy' to get rid of, it will get harder as I go along. Right now, I'm judging them as I read them as to whether they're keepers or not and then trying to pass them on as quickly as possibly so that I don't get the chance to change my mind! I need to read a whole bunch more though to stand a chance of getting rid of some.

[fred_mouse]

I don't think I read fast enough to have that work! I've managed to read half a dozen books recently, which is far more than my usual.

[peaceful_sands]

That's great to read that many - I hope they were good ones that you enjoyed. I averaged 14 a month last year (some months are far lower than that but over the year it works out) I'm trying to make a concerted effort though at the moment. I'm borrowing audio books from the library that match books on the shelf in an attempt to get through them quicker so that I can 'read' while doing something else as well.

[tanaqui]

Woo-hoo! Sounds like you're continuing to make good progress and have some effective systems set up to make sure the decluttered items make it out of the door eventually. (Which tends to be the part I find hardest - actually taking things where they need to go....)

[peaceful_sands]

I'm trying to get a routine going of passing what I can on to other people as quickly as possible and keeping a couple of smallish boxes that I can pack for charity shops and then as soon as possible I put them in the car to take. The local supermarket sometimes has boxes that hold six bottles of wine and allow customers to take and use them, I figure they're not a bad size - easy for me to lift and carry, they don't hang around for too many months before they're full enough to be given away. So far it's working - fingers crossed I can keep it going.

[beachlass]

Congrats! That sounds like good progress.