2014 - destash thread The Year of the Great Purge

[pjlla]

That was very long but in short... how do you/will you store & destash your memories and photos? Anyone care to discuss?!

THis is something that I have a very hard time with, but it is really what lead me to be a scrapper.

Photos.... I save them all, labeled if possible, in albums or digitally. I have used standard page protectors interspersed with album pages to help hold larger photos and paper ephemera and it has worked well and enabled me to keep things in chronological order (very important for my OCD self). The hardest part for me in storing all of that stuff is keeping is somewhere where the climate is appropriate, which means NOT the attic or basement. I have VERY OLD family photos and papers in acid-free boxes in my closet (I sacrificed some shoe and scarf space), as well as the traditional photo albums I made before I really got into scrapping.

All of my scrap albums are in the bookcases that are part of my bedroom entertainment center... but honestly they are STUFFED and overflowing, so soon I will need to make more room somewhere.

Sometimes you have to ruthless. If the only page you want to keep from that journal is the one from your grandmother, you have permission to do just that! I recently tossed out a similar journal, keeping only the few pages that were actually written on. I tucked them into my DD's baby book (the journal was a parenting advise one from my shower).... so now they take up almost no extra space and someone else can enjoy the journal (I donated it).

Scanner are a GREAT thing! You could scan all of those old school papers and programs if you aren't sure yet that you can part them with. They can be reprinted if you ever want to share them or put them in an album, but they aren't taking up valuable real estate at home.

I finally cleaned my computer work station desk and storage bin unit. I should have taken a before/after pictures. I literally cried, I did not know where to start. I sat down and looked at one thing at a time and just started making piles. I started shredding and organizing. It took me over 4 hours. I now have everyone's Taxes done, saved and printed out, filed and put away. My CPU is Windows XP and will not be supported by Microsoft as of April. I barely use it anymore, except to do our Taxes. So, do I get an updated CPU, I use my IPad
For everything, but not taxes.

It must have been very SATISFYING when you were done!

*******************

Morning all! I have not been "on my game" lately with a lot of cleaning and purging, so I haven't had much to chat about.

We had a snow day yesterday, so you would think that I would have gotten a lot done, but NOOOO! I managed to consolidate three separate bottles of raspberry vinagarette dressing down to one and two bottles of bbq sauce down to one, so my dressing shelf in the fridge looks better! Baby steps, right??

I have been selling slowly but surely on the FB yard sale, so stuff is definitely out the door..... made a whole $10 this week! And all of that craft stuff that I cleaned out of the kitchen closet last week... I took it to school on Wednesday so it is officially GONE!

I have to hit the treadmill today before getting in the car around lunchtime to head to RI to pick up DD for the weekend, so I don't anticipate getting much purging done this morning, but I'll have LOTS of time to purge soon, as it will be school vacation week... and DS is traveling abroad and DD is away at school, so a WHOLE WEEK to myself! Never before in my LIFE can I remember a whole week to myself!

TTYL......................P

 

[StephMK]

That was very long but in short... how do you/will you store & destash your memories and photos? Anyone care to discuss?!

I will be very interested to hear what others say. Honestly though, your photo memorabilia isn't bad, at least compared to mine.

I can't even imagine the time it would take to scan and save. I know there are many pics that are very close to others, so I could probably consolidate a lot, but still, the time that would take too is just scary!!

Would appreciate others' thoughts!!!

I finally cleaned my computer work station desk and storage bin unit. I should have taken a before/after pictures. I literally cried, I did not know where to start. I sat down and looked at one thing at a time and just started making piles. I started shredding and organizing. It took me over 4 hours. I now have everyone's Taxes done, saved and printed out, filed and put away. My CPU is Windows XP and will not be supported by Microsoft as of April. I barely use it anymore, except to do our Taxes. So, do I get an updated CPU, I use my IPad
For everything, but not taxes.

Way to go! I need to go through our files and can't seem to bring myself to tackle that. Since it's in a cabinet, I don't feel as rushed to handle that. I know it would be so nice to get it done though. I'm not sure about your question but hopefully someone else can give an answer.

THis is something that I have a very hard time with, but it is really what lead me to be a scrapper.

Sometimes you have to ruthless. If the only page you want to keep from that journal is the one from your grandmother, you have permission to do just that! I recently tossed out a similar journal, keeping only the few pages that were actually written on. I tucked them into my DD's baby book (the journal was a parenting advise one from my shower).... so now they take up almost no extra space and someone else can enjoy the journal (I donated it).

It must have been very SATISFYING when you were done!

*******************

Morning all! I have not been "on my game" lately with a lot of cleaning and purging, so I haven't had much to chat about.

We had a snow day yesterday, so you would think that I would have gotten a lot done, but NOOOO! I managed to consolidate three separate bottles of raspberry vinagarette dressing down to one and two bottles of bbq sauce down to one, so my dressing shelf in the fridge looks better! Baby steps, right??

I have been selling slowly but surely on the FB yard sale, so stuff is definitely out the door..... made a whole $10 this week! And all of that craft stuff that I cleaned out of the kitchen closet last week... I took it to school on Wednesday so it is officially GONE!

I have to hit the treadmill today before getting in the car around lunchtime to head to RI to pick up DD for the weekend, so I don't anticipate getting much purging done this morning, but I'll have LOTS of time to purge soon, as it will be school vacation week... and DS is traveling abroad and DD is away at school, so a WHOLE WEEK to myself! Never before in my LIFE can I remember a whole week to myself!

TTYL......................P

Anything helps, right?

I'm looking forward to our spring break too! Mine is the week before my kids have theirs so I'm hoping to make a list of projects to do while they're at school that week.

As far as pictures go, I am also overrun with memories! Six big Rubbermaid totes of pictures, books, and supplies. I have gone through and organized most pictures as of last year. I also went through the school "keeper" papers and managed to make smaller piles for each kid. My ongoing project now is to scrapbook them so I joined a monthly crop to help with that goal.

Organizers would tell you that if the money spent is the only reason you are hanging on to them, then toss them. They are adding physical and mental (thinking that they need to be handled in some way) space in your life. Speaking as someone who also has lots of those extra shots, I have trouble pitching them too!

I think I have mentioned him before but I love Don Aslett's book - Not for Packrats Only - as a good read because he goes into the emotional reasons why we hang on to stuff for longer than needed. You have motivated me to flip through it this weekend to get some new inspiration.

My projects have been few and far between because it's been busy and I've been sick. I did get rid of a few extra pics and scrapbooked a few pages the other weekend. Last night, I got motivated to look through my closet - AGAIN - and got rid of 6 pairs of pants and 2 more shirts I won't wear. Packing them up to take to Goodwill today or tomorrow.

 

[Eastern]

Again not dramatic, but you can see that there is OPEN EMPTY SPACE on the shelves now!

There....I've bared my soul by showing my messy closets on a public forum! Anyone else????????............P

I think it looks very dramatic! I would love my kids' closets to look like that. I look at this thread when I want some motivation; it is very hard to get started!

I have to do my own closet. I have things in there that I haven't worn for years, but I keep them 'just in case'. I am going up there now lol I have to get started.

 

[AmyAnne]

I will be very interested to hear what others say. Honestly though, your photo memorabilia isn't bad, at least compared to mine.

We have one full wall in our office / den of bookshelves that are all full of photo albums. Yup, one whole wall. Granted, our 4 kids are likely older than yours plus I also have my own 'childhood' albums, plus all our WDW and other vacation albums.

Yes I have many on line, FB etc, but for the earlier years (kids, mine and DH) they're all in photo albums.

I can't even imagine the time it would take to scan and save. I know there are many pics that are very close to others, so I could probably consolidate a lot, but still, the time that would take too is just scary!!

Would appreciate others' thoughts!!!

I have similar issues with photo clutter but I would never get rid of yearbooks or other one of-a-kind items (duplicates is another story - keep for the kids or toss?).

But my kids at various points in their lives have loved to look through my high school yearbooks - not just because of my photo but for the whole impression of what life was like back then . . . those 80s hairstyles, for example.

 

[Eastern]

Photo clutter: I took a lot of pics when my kids were smaller and I have about 15 albums. When they were around 12 I took less pictures, and then I started saving them all on digital.

The key is to not take so many pictures, really. I go to events where people are taking pics from start to finish. How can you enjoy yourself? Then you have to sort and store hundreds of photos?

From now on, make it a point to take a few pictures on special occasions, or when you want to remember a certain age. The pictures will be much more meaningful when there are fewer of them. And you will get to actually enjoy your life instead of worrying about documenting all of it. In the end, it doesn't really matter how many pictures you took.

 

[sarahk0204]

Took another load to the thrift shop on Friday. This cleared out a space so that I can shift some junk to a back room before the birthday parties. My main concern is keeping stuff off of the floor in the basement, as we are sure to flood, even the areas that have only flooded 2-3 times in the 15 years we've lived in the house. Too much snow, a deep frost line, and nowhere for the water to go as we thaw.

At least with the last round last summer? fall? I moved stuff off the floor.

 

[pjlla]

How's every one doing? The chitter-chatter seems to have really slowed down. I hope that means that everyone is too busy cleaning and purging to come and visit!

I admit to a big slow-down in my enthusiasm and time, but I am still working at the clean out, slowly but surely. Got a pile of books out of DS's room this week and I FINALLY cleaned up the top of my scrapbooking table yesterday! I have a half of a paper bag of stuff to give away and I hope to fill it before it goes.

I am on school vacation next week, as I mentioned, and will be home with no job and no kids (other than my one WW meeting I lead on Tuesdays). I plan to kind of divide up the week into section.... one day to scrap, one day to clean, one day to purge, one day for "ME" stuff (museums, etc), and one day to spend with DD (heading down there tomorrow for an overnight). That pretty much brings me to Wednesday or Thursday. DS comes home from his trip abroad in the wee hours of the morning on Friday and then we head straight into a robotics competition weekend (Fri/Sat). And then Sunday will be a day to relax, recoup, recover, and get ready for the next school week.

I will be around to chat as I have time and as I get stuff accomplished. Believe it or not, I do rather enjoy cleaning and organizing, so I may give up some of my scrapping time or "me" time to do some extra organizing. Hoping to make some real progress next week. TTYL.................P

 

[kinntj]

I'm slowly purging this year whenever my classes allow for it. I have spring break the first week of March, so I'll be more active then. I'll have the time to drop stuff off to charity and get it out of the house.

I plan on purging tons of stuff. We need a simple life. Too much stuff!

 

[delmar411]

I'm still working on purging my vinyls. It is slow going since I'm selling them a few at a time. I need to do a paper purge.

 

[4 Ears]

Just tossed more craft items. One I like the idea of but prob will never make it, so out it went.

Have a piece of material I have been holding onto now for several years. I like the print but beginning to think it is the "old me" and I really don't know what to do with it. Ugh, hard to donate material.

Also pulled out a Disney sweater I like and it worked well in Maine but not so much here in Florida LOL

What have you tossed today?

 

[planningjollyholiday]

Cleaned out my linen closet and took a bunch of old sheets and towels to the spca. Then I went to the dump and got rid of an expired carseat that has been sitting in the garage for over a year. Then finally went through our video collection and took 2 huge bags of vhs tapes to the local thrift store. Feels pretty good, I am now motivated to tackle my office.

 

[DisMomme]

School vacation this week and I had no plans to clean or work. I just finished one graduate class and start another next week. I just wanted a week off but boredom got the best of me. I cleaned out 2 closets and went through all my clothes. I now have 2 large bags of stuff to go to good will. I also have a bag of items to go to my classroom, better there then in my house.

Anyway, I started my spring cleaning and purge and it feels great! I feel like I accomplished a lot. Still a long way to go but encouraging none the less.

Next vacation: laundry room (hide it all and close the door room) and basement.

 

[runsandjumps]

I have had some really successful organization moments.

I went through my clothes and got rid of some ski jackets, shoes, and lots of clothes. Mine and the kids. I got my daughter a new bed and donated her old one.

I love donating things I no longer use. I like to think of the people finding my goodies and knowing they are getting something for less.

Ana

 

[familyfirsttimer]

I enjoy seeing all of the progress you guys make on here, it gives me inspiration.

I am looking to get rid of some stuff and I have tried a little ebay and craigslist but is has been really hit or miss and I have not had a lot of success. I know I have read on the DIS boards about places that you can take all your stuff and they buy it all...I know you would get much less than selling yourself but it might be worth it to get some $$ for just a little time....

Anyone know of that kind of place in the Philly area????

TIA

 

[Ephany]

Today was cold, wet and rainy so I had hoped to get more accomplished. It was the first time I've actually LOOKED at DD's room in awhile and it was bad. We went through all of her books and she found a large boxful to donate to the school because they're 'too babyish'. On one hand I'm relieved she agreed to let so many go, but on the other, she had to keep them 8 months ago when we last went though them all. She's growing up too fast.

I then worked on our bedroom for a bit and cleared/emptied a few boxes from the move. You'd think I'd be done as we moved last July but they're all the 'do we really need this' boxes and I keep putting it off. It was looking much better, but then I went back into DD's closet and pulled out all of the toys she hasn't touched since the move. That's when the tears started. She didn't even remember some of them, but it was still a battle. We whittled down about half of the stuffed animal collection and pulled out all of her old Imaginext sets. Of course all of those ended up in my bedroom because I wanted to get them ready to list on Facebook or Craigslist.

Oddly enough DH is the one who really wants to keep them, even more so than DD. His argument is that we're not 100% sure we're doing having kids, and most of them are in great shape. Plus, they're sets that aren't really available anymore. He even volunteered to haul them up into our attic space to store them. It'd be nice to sell them for the $, but I see his point.

Overall from today's efforts, I have one large trash bag full of DD's outgrown clothes for a friend's child and two large bags for donation. There's also the box of books for school. I'm not sure if I'll go ahead and sell the Imaginext stuff or not; I guess if he's motivated enough to haul all those totes up there this week, that'll answer the question for me.

 

[Cheryl726]

How can you find a local yardseller on Facebook? I have listed on Craigslist, is Fb set up the same way where you meet the person somewhere to sell?

 

[ILoveDisney&Cruising]

Ahhh. Great minds. I just joined 2 FB yard sale pages today.

Type in the search: your city and words like online yard sale, or buy, sell, trade or something like that.

Also on the right sidebar other similar sites will pop up that your local FB friends have joined. You could even ask them on your status what some of their favorites are.

Seems like a super easy way to sell. Good luck!

 

[disprincessatheart]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the thread but loving the stories! We moved to a new house in August and have been very slow in getting really settled as we didn't sell our old house and really clean it out completely until mid January! Between that and having a 4 yr old and a job where I travel, it's been slow going! Our house isn't cluttered as we moved to a much larger house, but I want to make sure it stays that way! In November I did a yard sale with friends and it was a failure! Only made about $45. One of my friends told me to start selling on a local fb buy sell trade group. I put that $45 away for our spring disney trip and started selling stuff that we aren't using in the new house or that my son has outgrown. I am up to $310 as of this weekend! In the last few weeks since the old house closed and my work hours lightened up I've been organizing the spare room and bonus room and opening the last of the boxes. I still have a bunch in the office. Most have just pictures to be hung or knicknacks to be displayed, but dh and I are having a hard time finding nice shelves we agree on! Our bedrooms are in good shape, and the bonus room is good, so once I finish with the office and spare room I really just need to go back thru the kitchen. We more than doubled our kitchen space and I know there are things in my cabinets now that will never get used so I should purge them now instead of later! I still have lots of my sons old toys to purge too but I find its best if I do one or two at a time - he's got an entire playroom overflowing!

My success for this weekend - sold an 8x10 rug for $75, sold a pair of curtains for $15, sold a very gently used pooper scooper for $5 and have a pending sale of a Thomas the train rug for $10. I also unpacked 3 boxes and had someone come pick up the empty boxes and packing material!

 

[ferrytale]

Ugh. Feeling defeated by the clutter! I really need to get to doing more, but haven't had much time. I should just do one little thing a day, but still find that difficult to do after work with the boys running around.
Sorry...just venting.

 

[4 Ears]

Used that material to make a blanket for a fundraising event. Very pleased with myself