Not quite a horder - decluttering

Awesome Teka! Counter space is great.

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Great job Teka!

I'm currently at my parents' home cleaning the clutter in prep for their move closer to where I live (they currently live 250 miles away, will be 35 miles hopefully in a month or so). Does that count? If nothing else, it's getting me very motivated to tackle my stuff and my mind set is more like, do you (I) really need this (or that)?

I agree with Teka, 2nd time--anything that helps clarify the mission is a big step!  And since your parents' stuff was on the list of your own burdens, it's a direct hit on your tasks too.  Hope it goes smoothly and quickly.

Thanks ladies! Thought I had about 2 hours while they were out at a dentist appt but something got mixed up and had only about an hour. Dad was supposed to call to warn me to wrap it up as it really upsets mom me getting rid of even a rubber band but was so upset that he made the trip for nothing, he forgot to call me. Good thing I played the "grab and go" game; grabbed stuff from the closets, tossed in the guest room where I'm sleeping, then separate without Mom around. Getting all the winter stuff out helped a bunch (who needs winter clothing in 100 degree weather?). Makes the closet much more manageable and found lots of "lost" items. Taking a break for a bit. I pack the books in the great room when mom makes her frequent leaves to the bathroom. At least Dad is good with things going so I feel I'm making progress. It bothers me that Mom is using old photos as book marks and they're all over the house.

Minus Two, glad someone else understands. Not only is cancer not for sissies, the same can be said for aging.

Thanks, Sciencegal! Easier this trip than the last couple. Before, mom would freak out when she saw me in their bedroom especially near her closet. Got yelled at a lot about going near her stuff. So, I learned the grab and run technique: every time they ran errands (and I had my dad take her out a lot) or she was in the bathroom (good for a 5-10 sneak attack), I'd grad as much as I could, then went thru when they went to sleep. Wasn't happy one time when my dad called me a mess because the guest room was loaded with stuff at night and sorted, bagged by morning. This time, I can be in the closet going thru mom's stuff and she doesn't seem to care. Have gotten rid of more stuff than boxed by quite a bit. Dad has already made 2 trips for donations (I think Boys & Girls Club), the car is packed again tonight. So many empty shelves and mom's closet has been emptied by 75% (a small amount is the winter clothes I boxed away). Sad to think that this trip may very well be my last one to this house (I never lived here, they moved after retirement and just before I got married).

I feel ready to tackle my house now, it's not nearly as cluttered as this and is somewhat organized compared to this.

Thanks for all the support!

Thanks, Sciencegal! Ice cream, yum. Your were reading my minding: about 45 minutes looking for goodies (and ice cream too). Dad's diabetic so only pretzel sticks for me. Am supposed to have surgery Friday (need to see a cardiologist Monday because EKG might have a problem) so I need something to keep me occupied and not thinking about it. I can break the easiest room into smaller chunks, it I don't get it all done before Thursday (I deserve the holiday break), any work would be great.

I will be diving up to my Dad's house again in a few weeks, so he can sell it and move in with us.  I sympathize.  We've been working on his house for two years now whenever we are up there (it's a ten hour drive, and we are usually up for some family event, only get a couple of days at his house, and he wants to socialize, not work when we're there) but he never got rid of any of my mother's things, and she's been gone for 14 years now.  When we moved the big desk down here, I went through it, and found his birth certificate and army discharge papers in huge pile of papers between long expired coupons that my mother had clipped, so I know to go through every single piece of paper.

Ice cream (with portion control and no sugary mix ins) may be fine for your Dad if he is aware of including it into his eating plan for the day.  The fat in it slows the absorbtion of sugar which keeps the blood glucose level from spiking.  Because the sugar is released slowly, it makes a good evening snack for diabetics at risk of overnight low sugar levels.  Those pretzel sticks may actually be more of an issue since they are a simple carbohydrate which is converted into sugar quickly after being eaten. 

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I hear you on the paper. I have to go before DH, because I can't read his handwriting (neither can he some of the time). He keeps saying everything is in this 4 drawer file cabinet in his study - along with a lot of pointless stuff. So every page will need to be deciphered.

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Oh oh... I'm an "older person" and I have one of those little pieces of paper somewhere with the guys I dated.  However since this started in a more innocent time in the 50's, my marking was "k" - for kiss.  That would have been shocking enough if my Mother had found it.  Wonder where my list is?  I guess my best hope is since I have only a son, he'll be throwing out things w/o looking.

Hi Bunkie!  I did so much before my big party a few weeks ago that I've been resting on my success since then.  I'm very pleased with that progress, and once again it only happened because I set up a crisis with the party bearing down on me.  Hey, whatever works.  I want to pick a couple of other big goals for the summer and then declare temporary victory.  Top priorities are the basement with the kids' toys, which involves the kids helping (I can hear the wailing now!), and the garage.  Stretch goal:  utility room in the basement.  It would be better if I can get my husband on task with me for the garage and utility room, which means the planets have to align just so.

Wren that is a great reason to wait!



We will have 108 degrees here today, I am staying inside for sure. One more pile of clothing to attack.



Hats off to those who are cleaning up their parents stuff. A year after my mom died of cancer I still could not bear to help my dad clean out her clothes closet. I just couldn't.

He had two very sweet neighbor ladies do it and take the bags to their local church charity. He ended up spending more and more time with one of them, also a cancer widow, and now they live together! So I could not feel guilt about that. I am so happy he isnt alone any longer.



Those of you cleaning for the parents move or after they pass are doing an amazing thing. kudos!!!