2012 Destashing Thread

[StephMK]

Originally Posted by delmar411

Minnie-Mickey,

I've been uploading photos to shutterfly and making books that way. I am starting with '06 just because it was handy right when I decided to make the book. LOL But my parents are scanning in all the old photos and cleaning them up using photoshop. I can't seem to understand photoshop so I've left the scanning up to my step-dad. But if you just wanted to do it without messing with the picture I know there are handheld scanners that would probably make quick work of it.

With shutterfly I just let it make my books and then went into self edit mode to move frames around and use the story board feature to place all the photos I wanted on the same page.

Here's the one I made for the 2nd half of '06, just to give you an idea how they come out. It took a lot of hours to make just the one esp because I didn't want to end up with a million pages in the book. LOL

Thanks! I had not considered doing that but think I will now after seeing your book - so cute!! I have a ton of misc photos that don't really go with any particular event and it'd be cute to make one of each kid. Then maybe one of family shots, oh, the possibilities are endless!

Originally Posted by BernardandMissBianca

Photos are my downfall. A few things, first go through the photos quickly.
Step 1 - get rid of any photos of people you don't know or don't have means to identify.
Step 2 - Purge all blurry photos
Step 3 - Purge duplicates
Step 4 -Make piles to mail to family and friends of their kids/family/etc.
Step 5 - Sort into some sort of categories. I have most photos sorted chronologically but I also have sections for each kid. Most of these are either pictures that I don't know the date of or are extras of school pics, photo sessions, etc.
Negatives go into a binder with negative sleeves.
If you have or are doing digital backups or make sure you have multiple back ups. Websites crash or go out of business, iClouds can be compromised, discs can get scratched, hard drives can fail. I have a binder of CD's at mom's house, I have a binder of CD's here, I have an external hard drive and all of my pics on my laptop.
I accidentally deleted my iPhoto once losing 30,000+ pics. It took 3 days but DH was able to recover 95% of my pics. I have done multiple back ups of everything now.

As for albums:
I have a school album for each kid. Each 2 page layout has a fall and spring picture, class picture, report card and either a hand writing sample, a favorite project or a drawing.
They each have a sports album, in chronological order.
Disney albums are by trip but each trip typically takes up 2 albums so I am switching to Digital for those going forward.
The rest I do an album a year all chronological. I started following Becky Higgins Project 365 but now she is doing Project life. I use Creative Memories picfolio albums because I can slide the pics in, journal a little and it's done.
These I plan to do digitally in the future as well because the albums take up a lot of room.

Yes, I learned my lesson on back ups when my computer died and the back up external hard drive broke in the same week! Luckily, I was able to buy a hard drive enclosure and rescue both drives.

Love those guidelines! And that shadowbox is a great idea. I have some ideas of things I want to make w/the kids' things.


Thanks to everyone for the motivation & ideas! I now have shadowboxes and a photo scanner on my wish list. We have a scanner but it's pretty slow for the amount of photos I'd need to scan.

Based on reading here, I got inspired to tackle some of my boxes. I was able to sort things into one box of portrait package pics, one box plus of albums - finished & empty, and sorted a big stack of photos into kids and specific events. I still have more boxes but I'm starting to see how things are becoming more manageable. Next I'm going to take the portraits, make a book for each kid and toss all the leftovers.

I tossed a bag of photos and trash and feel much better about organizing the rest now. I also sorted through a file box of papers and collected a big bag of extra papers from a file box to shred. Last night, I went through more papers and now have our important stuff in one box. It feels good to finally start this because I've been avoiding this project for too long!

[elcodfish]

Just wanted to throw something up here that just came to mind. I had a stash of things I got cheap that would make good gifts. Most of them were kid things that I forgot about an just bought new anyways... I just got rid of 90% of it because it hit me that I if I haven't gone to it in 2 years I am not going to, and maybe someone can pick it up cheap at good will as a christmas gift who couldn't normally afford something...Just because it is "good" doesn't mean it is good for you!

[dreamin_disney]

well sold 2 pairs of pants on CL. Hopefully this weekend brings more buyers.

This pastweekend i was so ready to pack up everything and drop it off at goodwill. I could use some extra cash so I just need to be patient-lol!

[TI double-GUH ER]

Woohoo!
I just emptied a milk crate full of papers that hadn't seen the light of day in 5 years! I only needed to save about 5 pieces of paper in it!
I also emptied out a small box of more papers. (all tossed!)
Last weekend I organized my makeup drawer - ditched a few more items I never seemed to use, and donated 2 dresses, a skirt and 3 pairs of shoes to goodwill!

My goal this week is to actually finally send out the boxes that are camped out in DD's room (they just need to be brought to the post office...) and to go through my long sleeve t shirts. If there are more than fit in one drawer comfortably, I must have too many!!

[BernardandMissBianca]

Purged my craft room today. One bag of trash, one bag of recycling, one bag for mom and one bag for school out the door!

[StephMK]

Originally Posted by elcodfish

Just wanted to throw something up here that just came to mind. I had a stash of things I got cheap that would make good gifts. Most of them were kid things that I forgot about an just bought new anyways... I just got rid of 90% of it because it hit me that I if I haven't gone to it in 2 years I am not going to, and maybe someone can pick it up cheap at good will as a christmas gift who couldn't normally afford something...Just because it is "good" doesn't mean it is good for you!

Good point! I do have some things that I've bought and for whatever reason, never gave them. I will have to go through my hiding spots and clean those out too. I don't think there is much but no need to keep it for no reason.

I finally delivered my load of garage sale leftovers that had been stacked in my trunk and garage. THere are a few more things I hope to collect for another trip soon. As I was loading stuff, DH volunteered to go through his closet! He handed me about 10 shirts that he didn't want.

The garage looks much better but I still want to organize it a little better and go through a few more corners before it gets too cold.

I need to go through the kids stuff again. DS has a stack of jeans he can't fit into and some t-shirts I can probably donate. DD doesn't wear half the stuff in her dresser. She gets a ton of hand me downs from a cousin so I need to just move stuff out when she isn't looking.

I'm still making progress on the basement and trying to hard to make decisions about stuff as I come across it.

Is everyone starting to get ready for the holiday season? It will be nice to have projects done before the major decorating, entertaining, busy season starts up.

[BernardandMissBianca]

We're going to Disney for Christmas which what prompted me to go through the Christmas ornaments a few weeks ago.
Today my plan is to get out there and see if the little tree we normally take to Disney will fit in the RV comfortably.
If it doesn't I will start hunting a for a replacement and probably get rid of this tree.

[BernardandMissBianca]

Scratch the above post. Cancelled the Disney trip because part of our group had to cancel.
DH is going to take 3 weeks off, 1 soon and 2 at Christmas and we are going to have a Destash party.

Last night I filed 2 years worth of papers, bills, etc so now the office space part of the craft room is looking good.

[StephMK]

Originally Posted by BernardandMissBianca

Scratch the above post. Cancelled the Disney trip because part of our group had to cancel.
DH is going to take 3 weeks off, 1 soon and 2 at Christmas and we are going to have a Destash party.

Last night I filed 2 years worth of papers, bills, etc so now the office space part of the craft room is looking good.

Aw, sorry you had to cancel. Hope you'll get a chance to go again another time. Good work on the office space!

I tackled the basement again this weekend. I should have gone for the garage because it's still warm but wanted to be able to sit more. I got rid of or put away several piles of stuff that were carried down from other parts of the house and were stashed in corners of the basement.

I collected a laundry basket full of recycle paper and a big tote full of trash. I also went through an old file box and organized some of the closet space. Now I have a pile of items that belong upstairs. It's neverending!

[dreamin_disney]

just filled up a large black trash bag of trash and junk. Plus a grocery bag of recyled stuff mini boxes etc.

Slowly but surely i will get my spar room cleaned out-lol! I posted about
22 pairs of pants and 12 tops. I also have 3 boxes of misc clothes that I posted. I'm hoping to sell some of the stuff, especially the pants. The misc boxes I might end up taking to goodwill by the end of the month. Craigs List hasn't had much action. I hope it starts picking up but with holidays I dont think it will.

DD's bday is in 2 months and my plan was to clean out the garage but I dont think thats going to happen

[ohiopugmom]

yay! glad I found the declutter thread. I battle this constantly. I recently have decided to really push through things. Just because I have room for something doesn't mean I need to keep it.

So far this week I am working on the kitchen. Went through the pantry and pitched expired food . Also went through my spice cabinet. I have no idea how long they should be kept, but I am guessing 11 years is not the answer.

Today I am picking one drawer of my desk and a box of hats and mittens to go through. I am hoping having bite sized goals will keep me going.

[DawnM]

I sold a table and chairs set that was taking up too much room in the house.

[dreamin_disney]

Last couple of days I got threw away
-1 trash bag of clothes
-1 ripped jacket
2 bags of trash

feels good

dh even put 10-12 long sleeve shirts/sweaters in the Craigs List pile

I told dd if she goes through her stuff and she sells it she will have some spending $$$

I hope to go through a few more things this week. I was thinking of inviting friends over for dinner on Sat. but now I'm wanting to just declutter the entire day. Sun we have a party to go to so busy weekend and i'm finally in the mood to declutter-lol!

[my3princes]

We try to destash yearly. I donate clothing to charities, put no longer used toys and furniture on the lawn with a free sign, recycle, trash whatever to keep the clutter down. I figure if it hasn't been worn in a seasons time then it's time to let it go. We have industrial shelving in our basement and whatever we need to keep must fit into totes labeled on the shelves. There is offseason wardrobes for each person plus holiday decorations. A few toys that we want to keep for grandchildren, otherwise we let it go. It always feels good to let things go, decluttering our home helps declutter my mind.

[dreamin_disney]

I havent got much decluttering done but i did manage to organize some stuff.
Only thing I did today was threw out one grocery bag of trash from my craftroom