Store, Don't Stash, September

Share your decluttering activities and ideas.
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Harriet
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Store, Don't Stash, September

Postby Harriet » Mon Sep 01, 2008 11:07 am

The difference between "stash" and "store" is usually just minutes. :idea:

"Stashed" is not a bad word! Even when it's a Stash 'n Dash, :shock: (meaning, shoved out of sight temporarily without rhyme or reason, usually ahead of a company visit), doing a "stash" rather than a "store" can have it's purpose. Sometimes we get a good idea of space when we clear before sorting. It's that stash we NEGLECT that becomes the problem, because we never really ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. Whether we leave the debris from a fast basket-run around house actually IN that basket until we wonder where it is :oops: or just keep jamming items into unplanned space until expiration dates get scary, we are cheating ourselves. (Wonder how I know? :roll: )

"Stored", however, is definitely a lovely, calming and meaningful word, isn't it, especially in the past tense! We saw, we accepted responsibility, we figured out where our stuff was! Very mature!

Have you got time for a few declutter appointments to start treating the stashes around your house with some nurturing in September, and turn them into storage?

So many of us have had great success in August - let's all look forward to holidays with a lot more confidence. Be sure to tell about your successes here. Also if you've made some BIGGER decisions that freed up space in your home, there's a wonderful place to tell about it in Sale and Donations - Getting Items Back Into Use, below.

sherinjoy
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Re: Store, Don't Stash, September

Postby sherinjoy » Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:25 pm

Hi - looking for Lavenderbliss or Hannibelle - where did you go?? I'm still decluttering something everyday. I've been working on paper stash, Harriet, old paper that got stashed in boxes when company was coming, and I never went back to clean out. I think Dee has been working on paper too. I have found a few treasures in the boxes, but very few. Mostly just old paper for recycling. I have filled our recycle can (full size garbage can), three weeks in a row now. Glad it's not going to landfill, at least.
I have been thinking of bigger projects this fall, but not settled on any one yet. Waiting on new window installation soon, before I start any other messes.

sherinjoy
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Re: Store, Don't Stash, September

Postby sherinjoy » Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:27 pm

Hi, I just wanted to report in that I am still decluttering, working on more current items. I have tried to enforce the "one in-one out" rule with my family, when they bring new things home. Not always successful, because they say it may be useful someday. Argghhh! On Sunday, DH and DS went out computer shopping and brought home a new Apple desktop and printer. This is replacing DS dead PC and printer. I waited a day and then mentioned that we needed to remove the old PC, etc. and that I would take it to the donation drop-off today. Lots of resistance - do not try and separate menfolk and technology (working or not), but finally got agreement that I could take the printer to donation today. So I did that - victory on a small scale! Ikeep chipping away at resistance, piece by piece.

sherinjoy
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Re: Store, Don't Stash, September

Postby sherinjoy » Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:29 pm

Hi, It's me again - big decluttering day here! My organizer came for a 3 hour session and we worked hard - got my exercise in today. Started in the garage, a back corner that needed to be cleaned out to be used for a storage area. Big find - my childhood scrapbooks my Mom made for me. There are 4 that go from 1 yr. (when I was adopted) to my marriage at 24 yr. I remember my Mom giving them to me after the wedding, but I forgot about them for years. I have thought of them often in the past year when I have been decluttering, thinking maybe they had been lost in my many moves. Lo and behold - found them today! And they are in fine condition, although we immediately moved them into a archival safe container because they are paper. Wow, what a treasure to find - they have everything in them - all my grade reports from kindergarten through college!! I'm going to take some time in the next few weeks and go through them page by page. An archological dig, sort of, of me.
Besides that, we set up a craft area in a corner of my living room, so I can have easy access to my supplies and be creative spontaneously, instead of having to set up everytime. Big win for me.
So... very successful day and filled the recycle can yet again. That's about 4 weeks in a row - moving it out. It's kinda become a challenge in itself, to fill the can every week.
Wishing any one working on a decluttering project success - small or big. It is definitely a motivator!

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Harriet
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Re: Store, Don't Stash, September

Postby Harriet » Fri Sep 12, 2008 11:22 am

sherinjoy, that is magnificent work - how great to have such good scrapbooks, too, and be able to see at a glance when you are organized.

Dd10 and I got a small underbed storage box contents tossed. So little to save and store that it was no trouble at all.

The outdoor organization continues. Embarrassed to have to admit we bought a few tools for the projects surrounding fixing up the chicken house. I know it's good to buy tools, HOWEVER, dh and I are both certain we already own these but somehow in the consolidation to just one large storage barn they are misplaced. I told him if we find extras when we finally get totally sorted out, we will give them as Christmas presents to the three older children's households.
If you don't believe in miracles, you're not being realistic.

sherinjoy
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Re: Store, Don't Stash, September

Postby sherinjoy » Sat Sep 13, 2008 11:27 pm

Great day of removal - to the dump, to the dump, to the dump, dump, dump!!I had a list of items that needed to go to the dump after my work in the garage this week. Dh helped me load up the van, and off we went. And nothing went to landfill, all could be recycled or reused, which is good.
Been there, done that Harriet, with tools I know we have, but can't find and need to use, so buy new ones. Someday....all tools will be sorted and duplicates given away. Good job on the outdoor org.

sherinjoy
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Re: Store, Don't Stash, September

Postby sherinjoy » Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:21 am

Hi - I have successfully filled the recycle container again this week. I've gone through several boxes of old files and recycled or shredded them. It feels good to let go of old papers - some were from 1995!! Dreaming of the day that I only have current and important archival files in my possession. I just keep working at it, I'm on day 80 of decluttering every day.

sherinjoy
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Re: Store, Don't Stash, September

Postby sherinjoy » Fri Sep 19, 2008 1:16 pm

Hi - cleaned out a bathroom cupboard yesterday of old half-used products, expired bottles, etc. Recycled the plastic bottles, and trashed the rest. Felt good to clean out one cupboard, but many to go! Planning to do another today, after laundry and dailies. I've got three bathrooms, so no lack of opportunities for cleaning!

sherinjoy
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Re: Store, Don't Stash, September

Postby sherinjoy » Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:39 pm

Hi, It's me again - still working here. Thanks Booksaver for noticing (ha, ha). I miss Lavenderbliss and Hannibelle - come visit some day. I worked on picking out books for donation yesterday and today. I want to use one bookcase for craft supplies near my new work area, but need to empty it of books first. Our library has a used book store inside the library, and accepts donations year-round, and always gratefully accept mine. I will be by the library on errand day Wednesday, so incentive to get a pile ready to go.
Oh, and my DH noticed my bathroom cupboard clean-out. He got something out of it this morning, and was shocked by its sparseness and order, and called out a compliment. I was happy to get a compliment and equally shocked he noticed!

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Harriet
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Re: Store, Don't Stash, September

Postby Harriet » Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:17 am

Well, sherinjoy, I was surprised to come in to read your post and not find the post I just made! Hmmm ... ... then I realized I posted it in Focus instead because Focus is on closets this week. It definitely goes both places. Basically, I was reporting that we have cleaned the nooks and crannies of what is now dd10's small walk-in closet. And with her brother's further evacuation of stuff (LOL) she continues to get more space there and is able to use it better. I found a way to store my grandson's "guest pallet" (a crib mattress) there without taking up any of dd's walking space - so much smarter than trying to push it under her bed, so she can use that space more efficiently with underbed storage. Much better "store, don't stash" use.

Was gifted with fabric from a lady in our church who honestly seemed to believe the long-time-stapled-shut 4-sq-ft box contained quilt making fabrics of value. She said she had been saving it to make quilts herself until she decided to declutter and give to me. Dd10 and I got it home, opened and pretty much just took the whole contents right back outside. What was natural was wool and badly moth-eaten and dh said get it outside quick. But most was nylon and other aged man-made fibers and many wouldn't even unfold. What a moral to all of us to keep tabs, monitoring what we are storing and being honest with ourselves. The lady's house is small and when I think how she and her dh were giving up storage space to that huge box all these years... ... what a waste, including part of tax dollars, mortgage money, so much more when you think about it.

That's a nice compliment from your dh, sherinjoy. You should plan something fun to do for yourself on your hundredth day.
If you don't believe in miracles, you're not being realistic.


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