October's Dynamic Declutter, 2014

[blessedw2]

today: continuing my goal of going through memory things and whittle down.

[BookSaver]

The first half of the month I did very well getting at least 1 cubic foot of clutter out of the house each day. That progress stalled when I went to sewing camp the 16th through 19th and didn't do as much after I got home. However, after being inspired by DMIL's decluttering as she prepares to move next weekend, I'm back at the work in my own house this week.

Today I let go of a medium size trash bag of craft supplies from DMIL. Partial skeins of yarn that are probably 20 years old if not older. Embroidery thread so old the color is faded. Partial knitting projects that had something spilled on them or are too dated to use even if they could be finished. The old papers and partial patterns went straight into the recycle bin.

I am keeping a small shopping bag full of bright color cotton yarns (Peachs & Cream brand on the labels) that I know she bought within the last 2 years because that's what she used for knitted dish cloths. I have found a crochet dish cloth pattern that I really like, plus I want to learn to knit the style she made that worked so well. I will use that yarn this winter.

However, I kept reminding myself that yarns and threads rot with age, no use keeping. Well, the acrylic sports yarns might last longer, but they were colors that I would never use. The cool knitting magazines from the 1960s with the wonderful fashion photos were too damaged -- pages bent/crumpled/torn/stained and too brittle to try to save. That's why I put on a coat and worked out in the garage, I didn't even want to bring the clutter into the house.

Tomorrow I will go back out to the car and make a 2nd pass through what's left in my trunk. I have not yet looked through the 3 large folders full of knitting and crochet patterns she collected. Chances are I will either recycle those or take the patterns to the freebie table at the library.

[BookSaver]

Yes, I am still up waaaaay too late, but I've been in the declutter zone.

Building on the success of letting go of so many of DMIL's craft supplies, I remembered that last year I had brought home 2 overflowing boxes of vintage (1960s-1980s) needlework, quilting, & household magazines from the library book sale. They were left at the end of the sale, no one wanted to buy them, and no other volunteer would carry them up the stairs and out to recycle.

I carried them up from the library's basement meeting room where we have our sales, but then saw that the library's recycle bin was full and I didn't want to carry them back down the stairs. I put them in my car to bring home to our recycle bin -- then couldn't bear to get rid of them without at least flipping through once. Then I got busy again and forgot that they were under a box of sewing books.

Tonight it was easy to go through the 2 boxes and rough sort the magazines. Of the 2 overflowing boxes, I'm keeping less than half a box to look at a 2nd time. The ones I'm getting rid of are twice as many as will fit in my inside recycle box. I don't think they'll all fit in the outside recycle box, either, but some will go to the curb tomorrow night and the rest will stay in the garage until collection day next week.

Of the things saved from the 1st rough sort, I have a thin folder with tear sheets of Christmas crafts and a couple hat patterns from the early 1960s that look fun. I'm keeping a needlework magazine from 1953 because it's in good shape and has nice photos. The rest of the magazine titles in the "don't dump yet" pile appear to have a greater percentage of possibilities for interesting projects, but I'm too tired to look at any more tonight.

I'll try to remember to measure the recycle pile before I take it all out to the garage.

[Nancy]

Had a couple of groc. Sacks full of donations dropped them off. took some books to the used book store too.

[BookSaver]

The magazines I decluttered filled the 12"x12"x12" crate 3 times. Then the normal weekly recycling was 1/2 of the crate.

That's too much to set out at once for the trash collection, so I put as much as I could carry in the bin and took it to the curb tonight. The rest will stay in the garage and go to the curb over the next 2 weeks.

That many magazines are really heavy!

[blessedw2]

Building on the success of letting go

- all I can say is AWESOME D BOOK!!!

I think it is hard to go through and make choices when our minds are not in the moment - the fact that you went back to it and slimmed it down again is really great!

I mentioned this before but I scan those type of things - Once I kept a beautiful pattern for a brides knitted cape with hood. (fine knitting not tight) and it was stunning.. I asked the local knitting shop if they wanted that one and they kept it because it was so unusual. I was happy someone else could use it.

You are doing great d Book

[blessedw2]

I got rid of one of my sampler kits (an old betsy adams copy from when she was 9 years old) as I still have another sampler that I stopped in the 80's

I realized other people are having a harder time of me letting go of my things. I mentioned I got rid of my grandmothers needles and the Awe's were deafening. I felt so guilty.

my organizer daughter keeps telling me the stuff is just material stuff.. not the person I put into them. I could easily keep everything that someone I loved touched but that stops me from living in the moment of my own family.

I had a great conversation with family regarding dejunking because of dd olders business. Everyone was saying how dejunking is something that hits you.. that's if you are a non hoarder or don't have keeping tendencies - they all have the ability to let go easily. Most watch hoarders and it gives them motivation even though they can easily let go of things. One d sil takes a bag every week to the donation place and has an amazing ability to toss. Anything special she honors is out and she only has a few things. All of my inlaws have warm clutter-free homes and it's such a joy to be there visiting.

[blessedw2]

went through 6 large plastic see through containers from crawl space: tossed 3 black bags and donated 3 kitchen bags of nice things (white trash bags) - its still really hard touching and making decisions - I am not rushing through the process - I am just letting it happen.

re: going through dkids papers I saved - I have gone through them a couple times - once each day and there are definite keeps. There was way too much that would burden the kids with my memories of their childhood.

Yeah I got rid of another 3 bags of garbage from boxes in crawl space!
In my crawl space: all I have left is: a piece of children's furniture, dh child's tool bench from when he was 5 that he can't give up, a puppet thing my d fil made when the kids were young.

Dh brought all the bags out that I had tossed this week: total 10 large black plastic bags besides what is in the city's garbage container.

Vacuumed shelfs in closet
dd youngers keepsakes are now in tight plastic sealed boxes.
pulled dd olders keepsakes for her to go through

[FelineFriend]

Big way to go, Booksaver AND Blessed !

I decluttered a bit on the bathroom counter, but need to do MORE!

I just remembered how, after I tried on a new pullover turtleneck sweater from Costco, I left it hanging across my dining room pub stool's back! I need to cut off tags, take off the sticker AND hang it in my closet!!!!

Also, we put away a LOT of groceries from 4 stores! I need to sort/purge snail mail when it comes in, too.

I will declutter my end table area, in the GR8 room, after I finish 1 potholder for a gift today, too.

I'll so a "hot spot patrol" today, picking up as I go, if things are out of place or don't belong there. Everything should be in their homes!

[blessedw2]

Aware, consistent and amazing D Friend!