2012 Destashing Thread

[BernardandMissBianca]

I just pulled out all of the Christmas stuff. I would like to purge about half. Anyone have any tips on this?? Seems like I always have a hard time with the Christmas stuff, I'm so sentimental about ornaments etc from years past.

Ornaments were hard for me too but the kids each have a tote of ornaments they get from us and the grands. But what I did was tossed anything that hadn't been used in years. That was actually easier than I thought it would be. I then divided up the ornaments from our first tree and put them in the kids totes.
Antique ornaments are going into a holiday display.

Tim Holtz makes these configuration boxes and I plan to put FIL and MIL's childhood ornaments in these. One for each kid

http://shirleyhalldesigns.blogspot.com/2011/12/i-have-3-of-tim-holtz-configurations.html

We also have a tree we only use at Disney so all of those ornaments are in a tote.

I actually started with the easier stuff. Messed up bags, boxes, tissue, wrapping paper. Etc. That helped get things moving.

 

[foreUT]

Wow what a job you have. Keep going you can do it!!

Thank you so much for the encouragement! I took six trash bags of clothes and household items to Salvation Army from my Mother's house yesterday. Felt wonderful to know I had cleaned out half a dozen closets throughout the house! I am feeling so much happier living in my own de-cluttered house; it has made cleaning out her house much easier.

 

[dreamin_disney]

[

Thank you so much for the encouragement! I took six trash bags of clothes and household items to Salvation Army from my Mother's house yesterday. Felt wonderful to know I had cleaned out half a dozen closets throughout the house! I am feeling so much happier living in my own de-cluttered house; it has made cleaning out her house much easier.

awesome job!!!!!! Does it feel great living with less clutter....I know I love it-lol!

I Cleaned out my bathroom cabinet and drawers. Got rid of a gorcery bag of trash and old products.

dd got rid of a grocery bag of trash from her room.

I was going to clean my bedroom and go through my basket of misc papers but dh went to bed so that will have to wait until tomorrow. Man and I was on a roll-lol!

 

[delmar411]

I cleaned out the spice cabinet and spice rack yesterday and threw away expire stuff as well as random stuff that had been put in there.

I need to go through the cup cabinet again as DH has cluttered it back up.

I sucked it up and drove into YDD's room and filled 1 giant tub and 2 regular tubs full of toys from just the floor. Plus I got lots of trash out of there and scrubbed everything up and vacuumed everywhere. All her bins need to be sorted 1 by 1 but this was the best I could do today. It's really depressing and energy sucking to be in her room because she literally has thousands of toys. I have to get rid/store some of this stuff. She's also a 'crafty' kid so there are glue sticks and scissors and beads and crayons and markers and paint and STUFF just everywhere you turn!

I'll take 1 bin a day until we leave for the holidays. I think that's reasonable and should get everything back into the proper home. And I'll just pull out toys as I go along. And downsize collections. DY think that's the best way to go about it?

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I cleaned out the spice cabinet and spice rack yesterday and threw away expire stuff as well as random stuff that had been put in there.

I need to go through the cup cabinet again as DH has cluttered it back up.

I sucked it up and drove into YDD's room and filled 1 giant tub and 2 regular tubs full of toys from just the floor. Plus I got lots of trash out of there and scrubbed everything up and vacuumed everywhere. All her bins need to be sorted 1 by 1 but this was the best I could do today. It's really depressing and energy sucking to be in her room because she literally has thousands of toys. I have to get rid/store some of this stuff. She's also a 'crafty' kid so there are glue sticks and scissors and beads and crayons and markers and paint and STUFF just everywhere you turn!

I'll take 1 bin a day until we leave for the holidays. I think that's reasonable and should get everything back into the proper home. And I'll just pull out toys as I go along. And downsize collections. DY think that's the best way to go about it?

I think that's a great way to do it so you don't get overwhelmed. If you find yourself with more time/energy you can do more, but if you don't then you will still have reached your goal.

 

[mom2t]

We started cleaning up toys in the hall closet. We sorted through 5 tubs reorganizing all playmobil. Emptied 1 large and 1small tub. Have 3 playmobil boxes resorted and 3 gallon ziploc bags filled to pack away. Hope to finish up playmobil toys next week-end and sort all Knex. I usually do this during November but we have been too busy and I have dreaded tackling this huge job. Feeling motivated but my son is not. The toy box and mis. is next and last will be the 7 containers of legos. The den toy closet will have to wait until after Christmas

 

[dreamin_disney]

Cleaned out the bedroom and got rid of another grocery bag of junk mail, recipets, old inhaler RX boxes, trash. I also shredded some old bills, creditcard offers and balance transfer checks.

I dont know if I will get anymore decluttering done. I'm getting ready for dd's bday party nextweek end. If I get any freetime I hope to work a lil in the garage

 

[foreUT]

I cleaned out the spice cabinet and spice rack yesterday and threw away expire stuff as well as random stuff that had been put in there.

I need to go through the cup cabinet again as DH has cluttered it back up.

I sucked it up and drove into YDD's room and filled 1 giant tub and 2 regular tubs full of toys from just the floor. Plus I got lots of trash out of there and scrubbed everything up and vacuumed everywhere. All her bins need to be sorted 1 by 1 but this was the best I could do today. It's really depressing and energy sucking to be in her room because she literally has thousands of toys. I have to get rid/store some of this stuff. She's also a 'crafty' kid so there are glue sticks and scissors and beads and crayons and markers and paint and STUFF just everywhere you turn!

I'll take 1 bin a day until we leave for the holidays. I think that's reasonable and should get everything back into the proper home. And I'll just pull out toys as I go along. And downsize collections. DY think that's the best way to go about it?

I think that's a great way to do it so you don't get overwhelmed. If you find yourself with more time/energy you can do more, but if you don't then you will still have reached your goal.

I agree with mrsbornkuntry: sounds like you have a good "method" going delmar with such a large amount of small items to sort. I am lucky at my Mom's, in that, much of it I know is not worth keeping and I can just toss (medicine cabinet contents, clothes, etc.), but when it comes to the items that need review, like her desk, it takes forever. I give myself time-outs after 30 minutes and intersperse the difficult with the easy. The important thing for me is to not get discouraged and too depressed over the sheer volume. I break everything into small chunks: a closet, a desk drawer, and then move up to reviewing what I have done in the whole room, when finished with the components. I think everyone has added great pointers, but, for me, building on small victories works best. Just know that whatever you do, no matter how small, it is a positive!

 

[delmar411]

Well I didn't get any bins sorted on Sunday but I got 5 done yesterday evening so that's a start! If I can get another 5 done tonight I'll be pleased. It went faster than I thought since I brought them into my room and dealt with them there.

DH is staying home tomorrow to help me so with any luck we'll get through the 2 rubbermaid bins and the 1 large bin plus he'll likely sort through all her books and deal with those. That would only leave me with a few other bins in her room.

 

[foreUT]

Well I didn't get any bins sorted on Sunday but I got 5 done yesterday evening so that's a start! If I can get another 5 done tonight I'll be pleased. It went faster than I thought since I brought them into my room and dealt with them there.

DH is staying home tomorrow to help me so with any luck we'll get through the 2 rubbermaid bins and the 1 large bin plus he'll likely sort through all her books and deal with those. That would only leave me with a few other bins in her room.

Smart idea! It is much easier to reduce chaos in a calmer environment. It sounds like you are making a lot of progress. Great!

 

[delmar411]

Another 5bins done last night. Nothing got done in there today though as I had a bunch of errands to run and only just got done.

 

[dreamin_disney]

Another 5bins done last night. Nothing got done in there today though as I had a bunch of errands to run and only just got done.

Keep up the great work! I cleaned out the fridge and got rid of expired food. I had 2 brand new sour cream containers Those were hidden in the back. Got rid of all the darn ketchup, hot sauce and bbq packages my dd and dh save from the fast food. Cleaned the top of my fridge, Got rid boxes of small appliances that items came in.

 

[delmar411]

Keep up the great work! I cleaned out the fridge and got rid of expired food. I had 2 brand new sour cream containers Those were hidden in the back. Got rid of all the darn ketchup, hot sauce and bbq packages my dd and dh save from the fast food. Cleaned the top of my fridge, Got rid boxes of small appliances that items came in.

Sounds like you got a lot done! I need to go through our appliance cabinet so thanks for the reminder.

If we can get our bed cleared off soon(laundry) then I should be able to get to the last 6 small bins in ydd's room.

 

[judomom2]

I cleaned out the office/scrapbook/stockpile room and i had 2 big bags of trash and 1 bag to go to goodwill. It is amazing how quickly it can get out of control. I have destashed the kitchen, cleaned out the kitchen island, pantry and coffee table in the living room. I am amazed at how much unneeded stuff we have

 

[foreUT]

I cleaned out the office/scrapbook/stockpile room and i had 2 big bags of trash and 1 bag to go to goodwill. It is amazing how quickly it can get out of control. I have destashed the kitchen, cleaned out the kitchen island, pantry and coffee table in the living room. I am amazed at how much unneeded stuff we have

IA. It is depressing for me, but I feel so good leaving it at Goodwill, hoping someone else can use it. Congratulations on a LOT of destashing!

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Brought a bag of clothes, 2 sets of dishes and a box of random stuff to Goodwill today. Oh and a bin of Christmas ornaments too.

 

[delmar411]

I had to take a break from DD's room to work on other things. But I got a stroller and a large bag of stuff over to good will today so yay me! LOL

Plus I destashed our textbooks from this semester. Turned those into Amazon GCs.

I also cleared out the cup cabinet and got rid of some cups and sorted out what DH is taking with him on his internship. Plus I pulled out food stuff that he's taking plus what we're taking on our trip with us. So the kitchen looks good right now. I still need to get the appliance cabinet sorted out but since 90% of those little things are going it should taken too long.

Tonight my goal is to get to those last bins in DD's room while I'm watching my shows. Of course that means I need to clear the bed off yet again.

 

[mom2t]

We started cleaning up toys in the hall closet. We sorted through 5 tubs reorganizing all playmobil. Emptied 1 large and 1small tub. Have 3 playmobil boxes resorted and 3 gallon ziploc bags filled to pack away. Hope to finish up playmobil toys next week-end and sort all Knex. I usually do this during November but we have been too busy and I have dreaded tackling this huge job. Feeling motivated but my son is not. The toy box and mis. is next and last will be the 7 containers of legos. The den toy closet will have to wait until after Christmas

Did Knex, more playmobil, toy, and my son's desk. 3 hrs. of cleaning. I miscounted. We have 13 tubs of legos. Hitting those tomorrow. Then toy closet cleaned except my stuff and I will hit that 1 night this week. Then move to my son's room on Friday night.

 

[TI double-GUH ER]

Great job, everyone!

DH took the day off on Friday, and surprised me by spending most of that day in our office, cleaning and decluttering. He tossed a bunch of papers we didn't need, organized the goodwill piles, and filed a bunch of papers and receipts we needed to keep. We can now actually walk in the room, without having to navigate around piles!!!

 

[mom2t]

Did Knex, more playmobil, toy, and my son's desk. 3 hrs. of cleaning. I miscounted. We have 13 tubs of legos. Hitting those tomorrow. Then toy closet cleaned except my stuff and I will hit that 1 night this week. Then move to my son's room on Friday night.

Almost done with legos -just taking a little break and putting dinner on to simmer. Feel inspired to keep trucking on.