Not quite a horder - decluttering

wonder why in the world I have 3 meat tenderizers and 4 meat thermometers? I've started keeping a box going continually for charity pickup

Good morning friends- wishing you a good holiday week. Thanksgiving week is a good week to share with those who have less. Whether you go into your pantry to put a bag together for local holiday food drives, take a bag to a shelter, or the like, it is always appreciated.

One of our local news stations and the post office partner every year for a food drive. I went into my pantry last week and found lots of things to share, from can of tuna, to soup mixes, to packaged soups, pastas and more. Threw a few protein bars in there too which help to fill a stomach when a meal is not available.

I am working on some final fall and winter clean out and putting together another round to take to consignment next monday. Went through my holiday wear today and pulled out a number of things I don't wear and are perfect to recycle back into the community. I used to go to a lot more holiday events and one only needs so many velvet or sequiny things for such events. I often wear black velvet and have learned to accessorize with holiday scarves or pretty jewelry to change it up each year.

But here is a fun part of decluttering, fabulous new cowboy boots! I was down in the area of one of my consignment stores Sat afternoon and there is a new owner moving to transition in and she has all this great western wear. I got a wonderful purse with some credit the last time I was there and this time, I scored on a pair of wonderful slightly worn Ariat cowboy boots. And I had more than enough credit to take them home. This is what I love about consignment, you bring things you no longer wear and come away with something fun you will use!

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Jazzy - cute boots!!

Forgot to mention I was finally able to get the Tidy book Glennie mentioned a few pages back. I was on the waiting list at the library and I picked it up on Saturday. I just started it today and am looking forward to reading it. When I was dusting the blinds in my room over the weekend I was looking around at stuff and wondering what I will be able to part with. I have some stuffed animals - a few my godmother gave me many years ago and then a few others I have acquired at various times as an adult. I look at them and on one hand think, "how can I part with Cocoa??" (a build a bear bought many years ago) or what about the one my daughter gave me before I had surgery and the one my husband won in a claw machine just before my surgery? But then I also look at them and think..."I'm 49 and I still have a pile of stuff animals on display in my room???" and that makes me think I should just get rid of them! Guess I will see what the book says about that!

Decluttering friends: Marie Kondo has a new book coming out Dec 29 2015!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25614984-spark-joy?ac=1&from_search=1

oooo I didn't know Kondo had another book coming out.....very excited, thanks for the heads up!

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I dropped off a bag of stuff at the thrift store. It had been in my car for about a month. So I get double credit, no? Once for decluttering the house, once for the car.

You ladies have inspired me. Today, I'm tackling the myriad of paper stuff that is allover the horizontal spaces in my living/dining room -- on the large footstool, the dining room table, the end tables. Ugh. It will be nice to have all that cleared off and organized!

We tried dropping off things at the local consignment store a few weeks ago, but they had too many similar things and refused most of it. They suggested we come back in a few weeks, but to me that was just keeping the clutter, so straight to the Salvation Army it went.

Yay Dee. Way more fun when it's a good deed for someone else.

Hi ladies, hope everyone's holiday season is going well!

I have been finishing up some work on my closets this month. I have just completed going through my shoes, some of which needed to be passed along for donation, others which are newer and don't work for my feet anymore. I took a big bag of shoes plus some clothing items to my favorite women's shelter yesterday and hope the ladies there will enjoy some new things for their feet. I also have a few more pair to take to consignment. I went through some of my work out clothing too and have yet another bag started. My closets are looking much better for the first time in a long time!

I also found a great solution to not having a Xmas tree anymore, but to be able to display ornaments. I think I shared I gave away my little artificial Xmas tree, as I have not put it up in years and find I am just not into it anymore. I am usually not home for Xmas, and don't expect to be this year either. But I love hanging my ornaments, some nice memories there from years gone by. So I found this little 2 foot metal tree for my ornaments and it allows me to display a of fun items, if not all of them. A bit of Xmas cheer without all the work of a tree.

Will post a pic soon!

Another way to hang ornaments when you are without a tree is to make banners to hang over your doors, and hang the ornaments on them. My aunt did that when she downsized to an apartment, and used Xmas table runners as banners. It actually spreads Christmas throughout the apartment!

Those are all such great ideas ladies!

I'm planning to have a grab bag with at leas some of those leftover gifts that never got assigned--have a closet full.

Sure glad I'm not the only one with a gift drawer. My Mother had an entire gift closet. She bought wedding & baby gifts when when were on sale & was always prepared.