January Clutter Control

[sherinjoy]

Harriet - Oh yes, I can believe you can work in a room forever, and still not see the light of day! My DH's parents (who died recently) home was so full of stuff it took us months and numerous dumptsters to clean out to sell. After working on one closet for days, I said it was like Mary Poppins bag, things just kept coming out of there that couldn't have possibly fit in it. I salute you for taking on the task of emptying out their guest rooms while they are still there - that takes courage. And big way to go to your DD for helping. My DS was right there with us cleaning out his grandparent's house, and kept reminding us he will not do that for us when we're old. He told us - DO IT NOW!

[Hannibelle]

{{{SHERINJOY!!}}} So lovely to be with you, basking in your inspiration and success, once again!

Indeed, that is quite a powerful lesson and motivator for me!! I DO NOT want to leave my issues, problems and struggles for my dearest sons to ultimately end up dealing with some day. That is not the legacy I'm visualizing wanting to leave behind.

So! My aim is to seriously establish an ongoing and consistent effort to change that! The added benefit, of course, being that I/we will get to reap the benefits of that long before departure times start beginning, right??!

[blessedw2]

my donation Wednesday is back! I was so happy and lighter when I dropped off my bag of things.

hi hanni!
hi sherinjoy sorry to hear about your dparents, I have to admit I had very born organized grandparents. minimal was a joy to them and when they died the memories were the best part. not much to go through.
Actually your story makes me want to get rid of the load of paintings pictures on my shelves. they have sat their for years and I don't want my family to deal with the emotions of them. Many painted by my grandfather in his 90's and not like his earlier work. the emotions want to keep them but no one really wants me to get rid of them, but I am holding them for years.
my craft/project room of scout things to try are going too. thank you sherinjoy for telling your story as it gives room for thought.
Great job on the recycling


harriet I have been going through the bedroom and I even am getting rid of antiques my dmom had bought that just sit there. yes I could sell them on ebay but I want freedom instead of stuff. thank you so so so so much for the optomism and the cheering!!!
So happy that cleaning the dining room went great!!!

oops dogs have to go out.. Great job to everyone

[Harriet]

Well said, Hanners.

sherinjoy, thanks for the understanding. My parents' house would be that bad a situation, but I've insisted on area declutters through the years, and obviously that's continuing, so there's been a timeline "divide and conquer" and we haven't had to face everything at once. A few years ago I put my foot down that the wall-to-wall carpeting had to be replaced. So we managed a pretty big declutter then, with ds23 bringing a covered trailer to free up space so we could sort. The spare and guest bedrooms were not part of that because they aren't carpeted.

blessed, for my dad it will be trophies, similar to the paintings you mention - some are very beautiful, others are unattractive BUT commemorate really meaningful things. It will be tough, but for now the decisions, we hope, are a ways off.

The closet sherinjoy mentions sounds like her in-laws were using closets with an eye to keeping clutter out of rooms. It's different here. In my parent's guest bedroom, dd10 and I look over at the sliding-door closet, which is standing open. We see a loose arrangement of hanging clothing with probably an inch average between hangers - quite nice. The closet floor and shelves are used somewhat but the back wall is visible at several spots - looks fine. This is the result of an even earlier declutter. However, boxes of the magazines. trophies and books my parents have saved (stash-and-dashed to avoid the carpet installer!) keep us from walking up TO the closet yet, LOL! And that is after we have recently dealt with boxes that were stacked on top of those boxes.

That is what it looks like when you have to stop after incomplete past declutters.

Right now, the foyer, hallway to the bedrooms, and living room are clear and lovely space. I couldn't ask for more there. The dining room SEEMS good - looks pretty from the angle of visitors. It needs more help because the one wall hidden from view of the living room has boxes stacked in it. (At least it's neat, but the dining table is also my best surface for sorting their papers, so another problem.) Each of the 6 other rooms do have usual clutter problems, but the ones in use are okay. Only spare and guest bedrooms are really bad, and I'm fine with leaving the true "spare" as storage if it's organized.

I have a plan of attack using the surface of the dining table to sort and discard any dining room boxes we can. At the same time we'll bring in forces from the rear (decluttering those 2 bedrooms) to reclaim space. If we can get some clean storage space, even the "we've gotta save it" boxes from the dining room will have a place to go. Then the only thing left in the Dining Room will be proper furniture for DINING (what a concept) and maybe a sparse, neat-neat household office in the secluded corner until I get their paperwork under control. Clutter will have been pushed back by ONE more room.

[blessedw2]

harriet great job on that clean front hall... I can see how spiffy it is from here.
also I love your declutter before hitting the focus room!

tomorrow: taking dd13's stuff out of my closet and putting it in the upstairs hall closet as she doesn't want it in the basement and not ready to let go of it. We spoke about the barbies etc. and she doesn't ever touch them because she is too old but can't part with them yet. More dejunking happened in my donation run through the house. Yeah.

[Harriet]

About Barbies, blessed, here it's me who stopped dd10 from tossing hers recently. I feared she was over-reacting to a brief period of being bored with them and would regret it. She's got an investment there and they are one thing we have stored efficiently. (2 Rubbermaid colored stackable boxes)

Finished up Bedroom Declutter Week at my parents with another 1-hour push, but far from finishing the room. Another Lawn and Leaf bag plus one Tall Kitchen Garbage Bag out to the trash. Another gift-bag of mostly further gift wrap stuff home with me. I'd estimate today freed up 8 square feet. The surface of the bed is freed and as we clean there next week I'll redo the linens.

Continued Bedroom Declutter Week at our house in our Master Bedroom with a magazine purge, plus decluttering the 3 side/decorative tables and trunk area. I may still be able to do a little on this room tomorrow afternoon.

[Harriet]

For those decluttering ahead of focus cleaning, Bathroom Declutter Week starts tomorrow, Monday the 12th. I'll be in the front bathroom (guest/dd10's) if anyone's looking for me. I have been disappointed in the condition of the undersink storage. It's custom and large for the space. I don't ever use it well because it is so difficult to get under there - not enough space with doors open to feel you can work. I may get dd10 to help me just pull everything out - even out of the room - and start from there.

[blessedw2]

thank you harriet!

[blessedw2]

I need a little push on something. My dmom has given me many antiques (more from when she was moving) and I have picked up a couple things along dh and my 27 years of marriage. They are things I really don't want but have a hard time letting go... mostly because they are peices of history rather then sentimental value. I need to be talked into letting go.

[Harriet]

blessed, this is a concern to me, too. I'm afraid I don't feel I can give you a very hard kick in the rear over this... ... sorry. For me, it's just not been a rush job, but takes time. I will say, try to organize the items by priority. Get a good handle on which ones are most MEANINGFUL to you and dh, and then try to line the rest up in order of their value in your hearts. Maybe that will show you there are some items coming out on the low end of value TO YOU (even if they are pretty or expensive otherwise), and you can start letting go of those.

Also talk to your mom about the pieces of history concept - see if there are items you didn't realize meant a lot to her, or that she would warn you not to let get away for some practical reason. She may know things you don't. (Is there a cousin who would be grateful if your mom offered them a family item?)

If you decide on some selling, and any item is small/lightweight enough, I'd consider ebay to get some attention for its sale but not make you have to entertain buyers in your home. Yes, you'd have to package and you'd have to find out how much it weighs in advance to calculate shipping, but at least you could do it without pressure.