SHEs Organized

I have a lot of contemplating to do.
I know I have further decluttering to do.

I really have to see:
Is it me in my current life and abilities
Is it my tendency: oh a new project, a new craft, or do i do things i love or do the things I have always wanted to try - dabble.
Is it dream stuff - or is the stuff what I really want and need
Is it no longer fitting into my life.

some with activities that I dream of doing.
dreams of going places - wait - do I have the money - accepting that it won't happen (not in a bad way - I can no longer go and ship and be a crew lol) knowing dh can't go places any more. (even if he wants to)
my own physical strength and abilities are no longer at 20 - 40 years old
(fascinating)

and the big one - for activities - how can I make an activity work for me now at my current age and ability.
lots to think about.

Upstairs in our bonus room, I'm doing the thing this month where I get rid of things every day, the number of which corresponds to the day of the month! So 1 August one thing came out, yesterday, two, and so on. I think we leave again on Aug 30 but I'll see how far I can get with this.

Blessed, sometimes we just have to let go of some of the hopes and dreams we had when we were younger. Everybody's life changes as they age and their circumstances change. I know it's been that way for me. I am so stiff and sore a lot that I can't do things I want. I think it's better to accept what is than to regret what isn't.

So I've finally conquered that big walk in closet. I've been working on that thing for years. I get it tidied up and in no time at all it's a mess again. I throw things out, donate things, and still it gets bad. This time I took probably 1/3 of the stuff out and did it again. Stuff I've been looking at over and over I've finally put in the donation bin. I was able to get it all clean under and around the shelves and the baseboards etc. and get everything back in and it finally looks wonderful.

In my donation bin: an old suitcase I'm never going to use. A red "car" vhs tape rewinder. A stack of nice coat hangers. A bag of fabric pieces all labeled with what's in the bag.

In the garbage bin, bunches of old wire hangers. A big pile of big plastic bags (I might need then someday, yeah right!) and I can't even remember what else I threw out.

I got all my fabrics sorted and when I went to the store today got plastic containers just the right size for things and ones that will fit on my shelves. One now holds all the bigger pieces of fabric folded in same size stacks. One holds batting. One holds all the soft material, flannels, fleece, etc. And about 10 clear shoe box size plastic boxes hold all the little smaller pieces by color. All are labeled. Looks wonderful and now I don't have to drag out big bins every time I want something.

Top shelf in this closet has all my Christmas stuff. Also our big vacuum lives here, my rug shampooer and my jewelry cabinet. Some dresses that I "might" be able to wear someday. I look at those things thoughtfully....

Blessed, sometimes we just have to let go of some of the hopes and dreams we had when we were younger. Everybody's life changes as they age and their circumstances change. I know it's been that way for me. I am so stiff and sore a lot that I can't do things I want. I think it's better to accept what is than to regret what isn't.

thank you d harmony - wonderful advice... thank you.

I can imagine the fabrics look beautiful!
yay on your work d harmony

yay on your work d twins as well!

wholesome art of decluttering!

love this quote

That's an excellent counting game, Twins'. Like building a little more declutter strength each day!

What a neatly organized closet, Harmony!

blessed, I used to hear (haughty) people say, "we all somehow find the time to do what we WANT to do". (meaning that if someone hadn't done one of their "shoulds" or "oughts" it was their own selfish fault.) I totally disagree with that. We place ahead of our own desires the needs around us, the feelings of responsibility to finish things we started (even if we've grown past them), and I think we often do things that others are so sure make us happy, just because we see that it makes THEM happy. Life is WAY too complicated to pretend everyone is just catering to their own wants. But we can untangle if we keep at it. Like LadyM's dgd's hair, it may take a long time, but the tangles will come out and we can see a smile.

Continuing with my "great box countdown" card, today I handled "Box on chair"
Turns out it was a classic mostly-papertaming stash, about as big as a breadbox. There were photos and old unimportant mail, a small gift dd must not have liked much, a few perfectly good stamps, a previous lesson folder and 2 bulletins I needed - glad to have those. It's nice to give myself a ❀ sticker on my card. It's like saying, "you were good today".

Do ya'll want to hear that already as I scrutinize the house I could probably make out another card of 20 box/pile/stashes? Or shall I make sure not to tell you?

Harriet, yours was such a nice post it was great to read it twice! I especially liked the one with the little flower sticker! Ducking and running.....

So yesterday I dropped the bin of stuff at donation center. We have a drive-thru donation spot and someone comes out and sorts into their bins. I had a hodgepodge of stuff, lots and it was getting heavy so I'm glad to have that gone. Had sorted out office closet, walk in bedroom closet, a few kitchen items. Amazing the stuff we accumulate.

Interesting watching the guy in front of me bringing out his stuff from his trunk, an equally eclectic group of stuff, and I could easily see that he'd been cleaning out! Good for him!

Got a tax receipt this time. We could possibly itemize this year with all the dental receipts etc. but I'm not holding my breath on that one. Anyway, new computer system to go in and list items with receipt number...interesting but impossible to use, not nearly enough categories. I ended up putting it all under miscellaneous as the 1 item and other hh items and a total. Handwrote all the items on the printed page. Will satisfy the tax man. Tax refund is NOT the reason I declutter. Peace and order is.

I dropped off some donations.

Worked on the laundry room today. I had only 1 thing to throw away, it was a big plastic re-inflatable ball which had gotten brittle and would never hold adequate air. All the other balls in a plastic bag out to the top shelf in garage. Meant I was able to declutter a shelf in the hall closet also. Looks better in there now.

I've decluttered so much recently that I have several empty bins. I put 2 bins up on a top garage shelf...someday might need them. So that cleaned out another room where they were sitting.

Couple days ago I did a big deep kitchen drawer where I keep all the baking utensils that I only get out very occasionally. Found several plastic things to put in recycle (I'm never going to make frozen popsicles, etc.) and a couple things to the donation bin.

I find as our lifestyle changes I have more to get rid of. I no longer have grandkids coming as toddlers etc. Recently I used up a bottle of baby wash. It was still good after all these years, (10+) and made a perfectly good shower soap for me.

Today I sat in the family room and looked around, looked around in the kitchen, and noticed the difference all this is making. Finally!