December 2021, Sort, Tidy, Declutter!

[Harriet]

Well? Is everything perfect? Well?

just kidding!

Are a few things nicer and more encouraging? How about that? And, perhaps, do you see a path toward even more progress? It can be just as encouraging to see one's way clear, as it is to have already had a success.

What is up next for you as you approach the final weeks of 2021? How do you plan to chart progress in 2022? Are you going to need a shovel?

[Nancy]

Boxes are going this month. / Did get rid of some.

[Harmony]

I'd be doing better if DH didn't drag stuff home on his ways around the neighborhood. He brought home a little rotatiller which needs fixing... a BBQ that is too big for the space but he did weld something and get some of that in operation... and now the old rusty bicycle that should be worth something until the web told him otherwise and there it sits in the garage. The golf clubs he dragged home...yes DGSs said they were good ones and youngest took that back with him after Thanksgiving.

On a good note, he wants to get rid of the eliptical and the inversion table nobody uses and has ordered parts for the eliptical to make it more desirable...so wish us luck on that...

I'd sure like to get our garage back to normal.

So ok, today (Saturday) good news, DH put a couple things on the neighborhood market place online and someone called about the bike and was going to come then another person called and came and they took it home with them. So 1 thing gone so far.

[blessedw2]

I want to cheer everyone on!!! you are awesome!!!

[blessedw2]

I have decided to let go of my guitar and guitar music -
I would rather have the piano tuned and continue there.
I also got rid of the extra ribbon I bought at Costco - one brand new

[Nancy]

Creativity room need attn. not doing much in it this month but I did get a basket of stuff off the table in there and half a trash bin off
of it yea for progress some is better than none! Even just a few min helped less than 15 total.

Donated the jars I painted Cmas trees on with glitter.
Sorted out old towels and put some in the basement for just in case that helped.
Donated a stack of books this week.
Another 2 stacks set to go soon.

[Twins' Mom]

I've been decluttering costume jewelry recently, just a little every day. A while back the little acrylic stand that I had for earrings fell over and spilled earrings. I know there's probably some still under the chest that we use for linens, but I couldn't move it because there was a wire stand on it which leaned again the wall, and necklaces and bracelets were attached. So I've been sorting earrings and necklaces - I may mail some to dd to see if she wants. The ones that are obviously dated will either go out in garbage or go to Goodwill. I need to wrap it up because I have it scattered and dcleaning lady will be here tomorrow.

Trying to decide what I want over this chest of drawers now. And we need to wire that corner and I'll put a lighted makeup mirror on top. It's hard to see when I don't have glasses on and need to lean over the bathroom counter to the mirror.

The jewelry is going into flat containers that go into the second flat drawer of this chest.

[Harmony]

Twins, I've been looking at mine too. Some of it is nice things, most from my DMom, and a few nice things DH bought me over the years. But a whole lot of costume stuff, earrings mostly...and all tarnished and beyond wearing. I'd just decided to put them in my little jewelry cleaner and anything not salvageable I guess I'll toss. Little of it is real metal. I was looking at stuff trying to see what I had to wear to the wedding. I have gold stuff nice but I wanted silver and any of that is not real and not good.

It's a hard category to sort through, I think.

[Harriet]

Books organization:
(One bookcase did not make the move well. It's not worth repairing and has no place to fit, anyway. Decluttered. )

Main bookcase has religion books on the first two shelves. I was surprised at how haphazard these beautiful books could look, with lights and darks altogether. So, I placed all dark-spined religion books on the first shelf and light-spined ones on the second. Voila! What a difference . It all looks as intentional and meaningful as it should. Enough space for a few decorative items on each shelf, too, so they're not overloaded (either literally or how they look), and different shapes draw the eye. On top, I'm using two napkin-holders to show off two favorite books, along with some framed photos. One holder is nearly clear, the other is a wire design that lets you see through.

The third shelf has general reading in philosophy, democracy, worldview, with spine-darks on one side and spine-lights on the other. In the middle there's space for the non-stiff-cover leather Bibles to lie safely in a horizontal stack.

Nutrition books, so far, are all barely fitting on the fourth shelf without space left. Gotta think about that, but at least it doesn't look bad since it's the bottom shelf. Dd41 mentioned that I should group those authors, like I did at the other house, and I'll definitely get around to that.

Eventually, I must bring all the hymnals over from the other house, and all the heavy-duty reference books like concordances, some of which belonged to my late dh and are really more beautiful than practical in the smart-phone age. I'll have to decide whether those will evict the nutrition books to another space.

Another taller-openings bookcase will probably hold all the sewing/quilting books. Many of them are over-tall so the spaces are good for them. Something has got to stay out of my office/sewing room I'm crowded! So maybe books are logical things to live in this LR bookcase. My hesitancy right now is that we haven't decided exactly where the furniture will fit in the LR. I hate to populate this bookcase and then need to move it again. Ugh. But I've got to get the boxes of books away from where they are now - in front of windows that have to be free for workmen to put up shades.

[Nancy]

Good for you gals getting to this stuff.
I am still plugging away in the office aka creativity room.
Did a few more rounds this evening.

Like Harriet the bookshelfs got some attn, I hear rain outside so will not walk to see the lights.
I have another stack of books to go re-reads are not my thing so letting go of ones I have read.
A lot of the ones I put in the book cupboard got adopted already so that makes me feel good.
Full journals need to go downstairs with the others.

Listening to podcasts is how I did this before so I am doing that again this week.
I need to dig out the N. S. E. W. walls so beginning that process. Maybe I can vacuum half of the room as I go.
At least there is not as much shredding to do this round!
I am amazed at how quickly this room got full again!