2011 Destashing Thread

[mommy2princesses0309]

I'm on a destashing roll the past few days So far I've gotten rid of 6 bags of toys and 4 bags of clothes that the girls have outgrown as well as 2 bags of stuffed animals and a bag of bedding we don't use anymore. I cut down from 8 spacebags to 3

Now if I could just get DH on the bandwagon and see how good it feels to declutter and get rid of stuff!!! His office is a disaster area and he won't get rid of anything - papers from 3 jobs ago, boxes that stuff came in, boxes and boxes of action figures (a few years ago he decided to start reliving his childhood and started "collecting" again) .... you name it, it's in there!! I want to take matters into my own hands but he'd freak out.

I'm going to make another toy sweep in the next few days - my daughter's have 3 bins full of stuffed animals and I'm also trying to clear out my oldest daughter's room because she wants it redecorated but I refuse to redecorate around the same old stuff!

 

[charming23]

Last night I took about an hour and went through all of the baskets on my shelves in my room. They always end up being the catch all in my room and everything now has a place and the baskets are labelled. I got a bag of trash out of it and even though it was a small project it felt good.

 

[angierae]

Last night I tackled my hall closet. A few years ago DD cleaned her room and she had a ton of toys and things she wasn't quite willing to part with yet, and she shoved them into the hall closet which is outside her bedroom door.

To the point that the door barely closed.

Last night I called her out in the hallway and we emptied out the closet. 90% of everything went into the trash - the only things she kept was a sleeping bag, her bowling ball and a light up sword from Disney On Ice (why she wanted to keep this, I have no idea - she's 16).

I went through the coats hanging up in there (most of our coats are kept on hooks by the back door) and found a few I'm going to pass along to a friend with younger DD's, and I was able to move a bunch of stuff that was hanging on a hook on the inside of the door (because the closet was too full to hang more things on the bar!) and now the only thing inside the door are various tote bags.

Now to figure out what to do with the dress she wore in my wedding four years ago.

On the curb today was 12 bags of garbage in addition to our usual household garbage. 12 bags of stuff that is no longer IN MY HOUSE. Yay!

 

[taximomfor4]

I did nothing BUT the shelves in the bathroom (one over-toilet shelf unit with 2 baskets on top).

Shocking how much was trash. Perfume from 1991 and 1997 (ewww), free perfume samples from who knows when, little bottles of lotion from hotels, the lid to a yankee candle (???), old potpourri (dumped it out of a glass bowl, which I will perhaps put one dd's dance medals in, or the smallest of her extensive sheep collection...might look cool!), the box that my contact lenses came in (only a few packs left in that big old box), old magazines that dh had stuffed under the baskets, one old handle from the bathroom cupboard and face cream so old it was yellowed.

I know there were other things mixed in, but geez! Didn't even get into the toiletries shelf in the linen closet yet!

 

[comicguy]

We got rid of two more small bags of uneeded/unwanted paperwork.

Also got rid of two more books.

I know not much but at least it is something!!!

Anybody else have an update?

 

[charming23]

I went through the linen closet yesterday and got rid of a bunch of expired meds and really old lotions, shampoos, conditioners, and body wash. I also finally got rid of my dad's stuff. He passed away a year and a half ago and it took me awhile to finally be able to get rid of his stuff like shaving cream, razors, etc...

 

[taximomfor4]

I went through the linen closet yesterday and got rid of a bunch of expired meds and really old lotions, shampoos, conditioners, and body wash. I also finally got rid of my dad's stuff. He passed away a year and a half ago and it took me awhile to finally be able to get rid of his stuff like shaving cream, razors, etc...

I have a few "junk" items of my dad's, some REALLY ugly ties...one of which he wore to my wedding. Other things I may have to let go of as well.

Thanks for this thread -- I forget about de-stashing, then see this thread again. Off to do the linen closet today. Then, going through the "To Sell" boxes to switch some to "Donate". Amvets is coming on 1/21.

 

[acename]

This past week I got several things done. I cleaned out the medicine cabinet, which was ridiculously full of expired stuff. I also finally did the freezer and pantry. I was really suprised that there wasn't much to toss out. What it really needed was rearranging. Since I did that I've used lots of stuff out of the freezer and pantry I didn't even remember I had. I've also gotten a few more toys out. I'm having so much trouble with this. Even if she hasn't played with it for six months, if my three year old thinks I'm getting rid of any toy it suddenly becomes her favorite thing and how dare I try to give it away. It's really tricky. If I can get things out without her seeing she wouldn't even remember the toys.

Anyway, slowly but surely making progress. My husband actually noticed so I can tell I'm getting somewhere.

 

[Arielt]

I finally went through my dd's closet yesterday. We worked on it for several hours (yes, that is a long time but it is a huge walk in) and feel much better now that is done! Thank goodness that there was not much trash but plenty to donate and sell. Thank you for this thread...it was the real-kick-in-the-butt I needed!

Happy de-stashing to all!

 

[ski_mom]

I actually have something to report after this weekend ! I finally went through clothes drawers and closets so that the new clothes from Christmas will now fit in the drawers as they should.

I have 3 - 30 gallon trash bags full to donate. DH's stuff and my stuff will go to the hope chest which is a resale shop run by volunteers from the hospital. The proceeds go to the hospital foundation - they are now trying to expand our ER. The kids' clothes I have to save until summer when our church as a "free yard sale". We started this last summer and had the "sale" around the time that school started. Everything there was free and people were just to take as needed. It was a great project so I want to keep the kids' clothes for that drive, but they really don't need stuff like DH and I wear since it is aimed at helping the kids get what they need.

Anyway, it feels great to actually be able to put away clothes after I get them washed !

I still have lots more to do, but it was a good start!

 

[firsttimer03]

Well, I have started in on 2 tubs of pictures that need to be in albums and frames.
My DH has put a ban on me to buy any more frames!!! I have several (found them on sale and couldn't pass up), and have put pictures in them and displayed them all.
WHEW!!!
Since we have been in our new home for 3 years now I haven't displayed any of them so they are all out now and am enjoying looking at all of them.
Next will be my laundry room!!!
Good luck all!

 

[CarolinaMike]

We to have started the 2011 Destash - The attics and garage first on list! Yard sale, Craig's List and Goodwill will benefit. We have also set several boxes aside for friends and family. It is great to get rid of crap!

 

[Sunshineanddaisys]

This weekend I managed to fill 5 large bags full of stuff to donate from my bedroom. Mainly clothes and misc household stuff. Next up to tackle, the bookshelf in my bedroom (which has more junk than books in it) and the bathroom.

 

[Shanan]

I went thru some of my clothes this past week. I have another sack of clothes to be donated. DH & I donated our entertainment center to our church youth group 2 weeks ago. Still have alot to go thru but instead of seeing what else I have to do.....I try to look at what I have done otherwise I get overwhelmed with what all else I need to do.

 

[emilymad]

I have been working on my office/craft room. It is a never ending project! I did throw out a huge bag of trash plus a lot of craft supplies to be donated. I feel like I could get definitley get rid of more of the craft stuff but is hard!

Has anyone used the Amazon trade in program for video games and DVDs? We have a lot of DVDs to get rid of and it seems like Amazon will give us about $0.50 each.

 

[kinntj]

You guys are all way ahead of me, but I'm here to start. I've been sick since right before New Years and it took this long to get over my cough.

Now it's back to business!!! Yesterday, I cleaned our Master bathroom from top to bottom and today I'm going through the closet in there and the 2 linen closets in the hallway. They are such a mess.

Hope to check back in with how much I got rid of.

Keep up the great work on ridding yourself of junk.

 

[Mandie_Jo]

I plan on starting on the girls' closets this weekend! With 3 DD's we have soooo many extra bags of clothes it's not funny. I always save them thinking that the next one would use them and then they end up being the wrong season or not in as good as shape as I had thought they were when I bagged them up. So I plan on UNbagging everything (like 10 garbage bags!!!) and pulling the stuff out that is nice enough to be taken to the abused women and children shelter and tossing the rest!

 

[comicguy]

Over the last week I have gotten rid of about 175 comicbooks!!! plus 3 novels, and one of our Sat. Receivers!!!!

Plus some misc paperwork that is no longer needed!!! (About a grocery bag full)

 

[Macgyver91]

I have started cleaning stuff out and it is crazy all of the stuff we hang onto that hasn't been used in years! I have started on the kitchen and so far have 2 huge rubbermaid totes full! It makes me crazy how much stuff is just sitting and cluttering up the house. I got the kids motivated by telling them anything they found and sold would go towards their Disney money. They got their rooms cleaned out QUICKLY... Anything DH can part with will go towards his Disney golf. Disney is such a good motivator in this house! Hopefully we can keep it going and celebrate in Disney with the money we made from our junk.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I've been working on boys' clothes today. I have a huge pile of outgrown shirts to go through now and see what can be sold. Later I also need to have them try on shorts, but my 6yo was losing patience with me so I had to give him a break to go play.

I've been trying to get rid of our swingset out of our backyard, an old wooden one. I keep listing it on craigslist for free and get a bunch of responses, but then no one shows up. I think if no one shows this weekend I'm going to have dh dismantle it and burn it.