August 2022, Decluttering by Design, memory edition

[Harriet]

Enjoyed remembering Pam Young lately and the two ❤️ ❤️ Sidetracked Sisters' recommendations for decluttering. The box system was freeing to us all, I think, because we could make clear separations between things, both in our boxes and our brains. Definitely keeping this, definitely donating that. I remember actually taping large pieces of paper onto the sides of boxes that were ugly, or full of distracting advertisement. I wanted to write a BIG label clearly to see from across a cluttered room, and know that that box was part of the solution, not just more of the clutter problem!

I'm also grateful for all our chat over the years about starting at one spot in a room and "traveling" around it to declutter, each time we came to that card in the Cardfile. We sidetracked homemakers can mind well, as Peggy Jones reassured us, if we have a reminder.

CEO said it this way: "Pick a spot, any spot. It can be the front door, the back door, the worst room in the house (not recommended) or any other startpoint that makes sense to you." and, "Need motivation? Just backtrack and admire yesterday's progress."

When you backtrack through your memories of how you successfully decluttered at various times, does it give you motivation?

Do tell! It may motivate others who could enjoy some current success.

[Harmony]

What I remember from reading P & P the first time is the concept of doing it 15 minutes at a time. Each day 15 minutes. I think I read that from them, didn't I? I never thought 15 minutes at a time would work. I've always been a "dig in and do a project all the way from start to finish and then stop" kind of person. But I've come to appreciate the one space at a time or the 15 minutes at a time approach. Sooner or later it becomes evident that progress is making itself evident. I'm grateful for all the things I learned from them, especially how to keep my house decluttered.

[Nancy]

Today I used a/c repair man coming as some mojo to clean and focused on the kitchen counters they got decluttered yea!
Then the dining room it was great to see that accomplished.
Removed two piles from the rolling desk in the dining room.
The creativity room is even scary-ier than the last time I did zone work in there but that is for another week.
Dining room zone work continues!

[Harriet]

In dd42's declutter in that (my old) house she discovered one beloved lost lamb of an item - no, person! This was my beyond-favorite childhood doll. It meant the world to me when she called and said she found him in a small box that other boxes had inadvertently been covering ever since she moved in. HRH was delighted, too, and kept saying, "I told you so". (He says nothing can possibly be lost for good in our family because we hesitate too much about throwing away!) This was a doll meant to replicate a newborn baby's size and shape, and my dmother's best friend had two suits of clothing tailor-made for him by the wife of the mayor of the closest town at that time. (I had taken one look at the baby doll and declared that he was a boy, ruining anyone's plan to give him dresses that could have been found cheap at the 5 and dime.)

So now I also have all clothes for him as well - for this past YEAR we've had only one lonely blue linen suit to remember him by!

After going to her house to retrieve, I stayed on and decluttered with her, finding decisions I could make as well as those she could. Together, we got a lot done. A pretty good donation stack.

A sobering find was my late dh's photographs from the first years of our marriage, both his own and those from many family directions. These were when my two oldest children were little as well. My goodness, there are SO MANY. Some are heart-string pulls. How in the world will I ever be able to handle all this? I already have photo-responsibility I haven't gotten to yet. And since the world's started taking photos with phones, I've really gotten slack in gathering correctly.

By the way, he always stored photographs in his Army ammo can (do ya'll know what that is? about 12 x 5 x 8 inches, metal, clamping tightly shut. Maybe everybody knows this - not sure). I remember he said if our house ever caught on fire, he knew his photos would be fine in their metal box.

[Harmony]

My Veteran DH described the ammo box to me. Nothing unusual for him. Says they're made of steel. Happy you found the doll. What will you do with it?

And I'm here to report big HUGE progress. At least a dozen years ago he remodeled someone's outside jalousie doors, which nobody in their right mind uses any more. We ended up with a big full length panel of gold textured glass, screening, and an aluminum-framed white vinyl grid to maybe keep intruders out. This stuff has been sitting beside our hot water tank all these years. He tried to donate to used building supply place, they didn't want it; stopped at our door company, she didn't want it either. But it's useful for something someday...

Just for fun I mentioned it to him...and reminded him how ancient that system is and how nobody wanted it.... as he was going outside to work later I offered to hold it on the garbage can while he smacked with hammer... so we did! stood it up in the can and wham now it's in big shards of glass. The grid is snapped into smaller pieces also in there, the aluminum frame taken apart and in the recycle box for aluminum, the screen also thrown away. Yahoo!!!

Big plastic crackle lens material also snapped into smaller chunks and thrown out. I'm shocked and amazed and grateful. And I only needed one band-aide.

[Harriet]

Ouch! Fire taken in the line of duty! (smile for Harmony)

Harmony, I was so delighted with the return of the doll that day that I told long stories about him to anyone who would listen. (ds, dd42, one of the grandboys, HRH, and even dd 24 on the phone!) I guess the answer is that someday I will leave him to someone. He is not exactly a display doll, but he is an antique a couple times over. He used to have an annual Christmas role as baby Jesus in our old church (now gone) nativity, when my older children were young, so they have the more vivid memories.

I've been doing more declutter, furniture moving, cleaning, rearranging of books, etc., to get ready for delivery of chair tomorrow. Still not satisfied, but it will get there. I don't have a lot of open closet space but today I made sure that I shifted things so that the open areas are easily accessed. Have another box-full of donations.

[blessedw2]

hello d harriet, d harmony and d Nancy!!!

I too have been celebrated our dear Pam and Peggy! What a gift they have given us! I don't know where I would have been without them. I learned I was ok even though I had too much stuff. (a super plus - I found all of you)
I am truly grateful to them and ceo!

the only thing I ever regretted getting rid of was the tapes and pages from Pam and Peggy - they used to have their monthly cassettes and before that the Back on track newsletter. They were such a joy for me. I donated a huge box to a woman.
I can't feel bad about it as these things blessed other people. I had so much stuff in my house at the time and at that season of life - I didn't need them.

Rah Rah rah d Harmony!!!! how wonderful!!!! So freeing!!! good for you!!!

hi d harriet how wonderful that your dd came across a beloved treasure!!!

It's so hard to go through the photos that pull on our heart strings! Do you think these pictures could be a project for you and your dd's once a month? A special time with your kiddos. tea and desserts of course. Its easier to handle with each other.

hi d Nancy yay on your decluttering!!!

[blessedw2]

Dh and I have stayed on track with or donations. Nothing big but constant.
I do look forward to starting a new phase of donations and finish up activities come this January.

My goal: having my clutter threshold to a point where my home is easy to use. My clutter threshold gets lower and lower and I love it.
the 3 season room is minimal and easy to care for!

[Harmony]

I've been watching videos of Minimal Mom. I love them. I have a plan in my head now. I'll never have a house that looks like hers, and I know I'd be a lot further down that road if I was by myself. I don't think DH would like it, and she did good because her DH got on board too. Last night I went through a drawer and got rid of 2 shirts. Not much. It's a start.

[Nancy]

I went through some clothes and some holey ones got tosses, others I am still wondering if I can donate maybe next mo. after labor day closer
to halloween could be for costumes because of the print.