July Clutter Control, 2015

[Harmony]

Good job everyone! I love doing this with people!

I didn't have any kitchen equipment to toss, I use everything I have, even the little George Foreman grill for hamburgers! It's just right for us. We have the small one that grills 2 at a time.

But I looked through the drawers and found several lids for tupperware bowls that we no longer have and I put them in the recycle. I also had a big bag of empty water bottles to refill if we had the kids here...but in a couple years they weren't used...DD doesn't like to reuse those things anyway..so I was tired of looking at them so those are recycled too. A couple plastic lids I bought that are sized to make a plastic container out of a 2-liter bottle...never used in a couple year, in the donation bin.

This one was fairly easy, only took the 15 minutes. I have 5 pieces of equipment I'd get rid of if I was by myself... a dehydrator, a meat grinder, a meat slicer, a juicer machine, oh and a rotisserie. Would clean out a whole closet to have those gone. As long as I keep the husband, I guess I must keep all those.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Hmmmm, my stovetop oven has a rotisserie and I don't know where the parts are! (I didn't look in one cupboard yesterday so may it is there. Never used it!

Today is linen closet. This should be easy since we recently moved but this is the first time I've gone through things since our first winter here. In fact, I think linens are in three places (our bedroom linen closet plus my sea chest (where linens were in the old house because we didn't have a specific closet) and in the spare bedroom in bins.

I do know that I kept extra sheets for the two air mattresses and had occasion to use both over the year so they do get to be kept.

[lucylee]

Refrigerator --
* tossed a BUNCH of fast food salad dressing packages
* found out mustard, parmesean cheese, steak sauce, and ... something else, can't remember what ... are out of date -- but dh used some of that stuff not too long ago, so I did not toss it
* cleaned drips/etc

Pantry --
* nothing to do b/c dh is OCD

Kitchen Equipment?
* lots of stuff we never use, but dh would DIE if I were to just toss it for "no reason" -- and we do have plenty of space to store it, so I just dusted shelves where those things are -- mini crockpot, salad shooter, etc etc

Linen closet --
I'll get to that later...

[Harmony]

Today's challenge was easy. Linen closet. I have 2 closets (closets in 2 bathrooms) that I keep towels in and other stuff; and two skinny linen closets in the hallway. Towels are all used when grandkids are here. Between all the beds and all the air mattresses, sheets are all used. I have several that are very worn and too many twin sizes (we had those for hospital bed) but since we drag everything out to cover plants during a freeze, those are kept too. I found one little fabric bag about 4 x 10 with a snap on...have no idea what that was for so that is tossed.

Since there was virtually nothing to do, I looked in master bedroom closet where odds n ends are and finally tossed one mattress inflater which has been broken for years...DH has trouble tossing equipment he may be able to fix somehow...and I note it has already been opened up and looked at inside...so that is tossed.

Probably 5 minutes for this one. Course, if I took everything out and stacked like sizes together and organized a bit better that would have taken another hour. When y'all toss things, are you organizing things really well? This being Sat. I just didn't feel like it today!

[lucylee]

I'm not doing a deep clean, deep organizing effort on this -- mostly just a quick check of the area. My linen closet will be like yours, Harmony; there won't be much to do there.

In the kitchen equipment, I did find two power cord controls for I-don't-know-what. Probably broken electric skillets that have been tossed already. But for some reason dh is saving these controls. I cannot imagine why, but like I said, we have plenty of space, so I just put them back where they were. DH is OCD, but he has hoarder tendencies, too... * shaking my head *

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Linen closets are done.

One sheet with small holes will replace the sheet with large hole currently protecting bikes in the garage (there's lots of dust from the construction.)

One blanket is being tossed (I found 3 I didn't know I had.)

Everything is tidied.

Trying to decide what to do with one pair of jeans, almost worn through between legs. I usually keep one set of jeans on hand to turn into something useful. In the past, I've made a music stand carrier and a carrier bag for dh's travel chin-up bar. I tossed all the old jeans when I moved but wore these through since the move. I have the room to keep them around, just not with the sewing stuff.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

BTW: Lucylee great job catching up! Even with the OCD husband advantage, you still have done a great job!

[Harriet]

A nice success with linen "closet" (which is a long shelf in our master closet).

One sheet made a decision for me because as I tugged at it I felt/heard the elastic was going. Pretty much useless to have a fitted sheet without good elastic. Another set had a musty odor that had not been renewed with laundering, so I knew that fabric wasn't what I wanted for "keeper" sheets anyway.

I know that Harmony recently repaired some sheets and I admire that, but didn't find any that deserved that much time. Almost tossed - but redeemed - a pillowcase that is somewhat old but was homemade for dd with her name machine embroidered. Even though it doesn't go with anything, it's a nice memory for her.

[Harmony]

Gotta share this important item:

Tonight I was using something in a shoe box, which stays open with the lid underneath. I never take it apart, just use the items inside. Tonight for some reason I can't think of, I removed the box from the lid...and guess what I found: $210.00! Neither DH or I remember putting anything there. It was perfectly hidden there, despite the fact that I get that box out to use the stuff inside once a month or so.

Be careful tossing stuff. Make sure you look at it all carefully!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Harmony has found a way to make this decluttering profitable!

And reminds me that I need to bike downtown and cash in my South African Rand. But they aren't tucked away in a closet, they are on the kitchen counter and have been for almost 2 months! I keep forgetting to take them when I have a hair appointment downtown so I guess I/we'll make a special trip.

Today is medicine cabinets. We currently have a medicine cupboard and it should be quick since I checked meds before our trip in March. On the other hand, I have three medicine cabinets in the bathrooms and they need tidying and shelves wiped down. I've changed the Kid's Toys to bathroom cupboards on my list since I don't have toys in use here but the bathroom cupboards need attention.