Not quite a horder - decluttering

Meece

DS wants a mancave and FDIL wants a bedroom to be a closet.  they aren't going to have room to house my future grandbabies!  I hope they don't decide to keep them in boxes in the garage.

I'm right behind you, Patoo.  Off to church then home to do something around here!!!

3jaysmom

happy to report, although one handed, i still got a big bag off to Good will yesterday.. i can do 15 min anyday.. it'lll take 2 years that way, but hey, im not doing anything else, either, these days.. good to see we're all chugging along.. my DH won't accept a man cave.. he uses the whole house..lol   3jays

ptdreamers

Did the closet under the stairs and started on the rec room. Hubby is complaining loudly. He says we don't have anywhere to put all this sale stuff. Duh! Stuffed all over isn't the answer. I'm going to keep on sorting and hopefully he will either assist or I'll designate one room to hold it all until a sale,a tornado, or someone comes to take it all away.

Teka

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suzwes

Hello - back after "life got in the way" again.  Done traveling for work, recovered from a lupus flare and a week off work helping to care for my step dad (after surgery for stage 3a esophageal ca) I'm back.  I can't believe all of you on this board and I have been in virtual cahoots!  I decided May was going to be my decluttering month too. 

When I got back to Michigan from Indiana last weekend, I decided to clean out all of my kitchen cupbards (14 plus a cupboard pantry) and my walk in pantry.  Wash all the shelves, rearrange and reline them.  What a job.  I'm lucky to have a huge kitchen but it sure collects crap I don't need.  I've done about 8 hours on them in the past few days (the weekend and after work) and it's a mess but it will be great when it's done. 

Hope everyone who feels under the weather feels better soon and those with injuries heal soon.  Now I'm off to my med onc for my four month check up and then home to continue purging!

P.S. - some of the spices I threw away had to be over 15 years old - I'm so ashamed

ptdreamers

suzwes, Don't be. I think I have some that are 25years old. Why do we do that to ourselves. We know better and I'm sure there is nothing of the essence left.

Gingerbrew

Yes, true but I was still really p'oed at my husband when we moved two years ago and he threw out my Cardamom. It was only a couple of years old and so expensive that I know a double dose would have been just fine! lol

Meece

I have some pretty darn old spice cans that still have the spices in them.  I use them for decor.  I really have trouble throwing any spices away, and yet I have some that I go through regularly.  I have used some old spices to sprinkle in planters where I want animals to stay out.  I don't know if it worked well, but I felt better putting them to some use.

Wren44

One of the spice companies said they had quit using cans 10 years ago. I think decor and keeping animals out of plantings is the proper use.

3jaysmom

hi gals, this week is a "drs" week. i think we have just one left.. each 4 or more hours to wait.. still, im grateful i have the ins to see them all!!!

  i still managed to get a load to Good will earlier this week. sat, its take the books to trade in time.. so, a little every day doesn't seem tooo scarey!!!3jays

Kaara

I buy the little jars of spices now whenever I can find them, so when they do go out of date, I don't feel so bad throwing them away.

Meece

Good to hear you are able to accomplish something, 3jays.  Just take it easy, please.

Teka

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Anonymous

You all are doing great.  I've been goofing off but with this new format I'm not on the boards as much so should use that time to do something around here.  At least the BCo changes are of some use 

pegnie

My DH and I need to get rid of stuff!!!  For example what would you do with childhood books - classics - "Treasure Island" and similar?  They were fine editions at the time, in the 1940's.  Not good for grandkids since they read other stuff and do all the online things, too.

I guess the library will take them, but is there another place?

Tks. 

Wren44

Pegnie, Try googling children's book charities and see if you get anything. I know we have a children's literacy project here which gives books to kids who may never have owned one before. I think there are others who send kids books to schools in Africa.

MinusTwo

Kaara - I agree about the spices.  If you all have a Penzy's in your area, the spices are top grade and most come in small glass jars - 0.2 oz & up depending on the density of the spice.

ptdreamers

pegnie, You could list them on e-bay or donate to whatever church has missionary outreach programs.

GramE

Books may be welcome at Women's Shelters.   They often arrive with very little or nothing and children in tow.   It is sad to see that libraries are not used that much with Kindle being so popular.  

Anonymous

A friend's church collects books for Vets.  Perhaps you can donate some to a VA hospital.

3jaysmom

i know the college my DH murray, works at, collects books, and they send them to Haiti.. so, try a local college, esp the community colleges have programs...

  im still doing a little bit every day... you guys keep me goin!!!another bag for goodwill, tommorrow.. soon to go thru stuffed animals my DH, and my kids have given me thru the years.. i have a small bookcase, and set them in front of the books, for "ambience" but the huge amount has to be culled down, now.. (should've been done when we moved right bf bc 3 years ago!!!(or maybe even before we moved.. what a concept!!!

hotandcold

pegnie, check on ebay to see if you could sell them there.  Also, is there a 2nd hand bookseller in your area.  We have a place here that takes your books and gives you store credit that you can use on other books or in their coffee shop.  They might be to old and actually nobody might want them.  It was a sad fact that my husband and I came to with some of our books.  We did donate some to our church and they give them to children in a elementary school that has lots of children who speak english as a second language.  Good luck.  I just decreased my books by half. Hard work mentally.  

Kaara

My DS is an intellectual and a book collector.  When he married we had to clear out his townhouse from years of bachelor neglect, but he wouldn't part with his books.  Fortunately he has a "man cave" at his new home where he can retreat.  The entire wall is lined with bookshelves for his books.  Now his little DD delights in coming in his room and pulling all the books off the shelves that she can reach!  He spends a lot of time reading to her and teaching her things.  I was amazed the other day when I visited and she knew all the alphabet letters out of sequence.  She's only two.

Today is a birthday party here for my DGGD who is one year old.  Hard to believe a year has gone by so fast!  She's a little angel with lots of curls and so sweet.  Her GF was like that when he was a baby, but her DM was a holy terror!  She's a good mom now though.   

Anonymous

Rearranged my LR so that called for decluttering all the stuff that collected on the sectional couch.  This week also moved around (kinda organized) more stuff in the den.  Need to call the painters to get an estimate and commit to my date for motivation.

Kaara

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms out there!  Enjoy your day!

Teka

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Meece

Teka

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Teka

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Meece

I was really going to spend the afternoon in the sewing room yesterday, then someone called whom we had been trying to contact since January.  DH had me talk to him and after the long call, I had to go recount the whole call to DH.  The I got the clippers out and started pruning rose bushes. So...nothing got done inside.  Tonight we are taking DH's mother to dinner so that knocks out tonight.  I feel like and excuse queen!