2015 destash - Purge Purge Purge, Purge is the word

[dtr_angel]

Last year I did most of the Peter Walsh challenge for January that someone posted. I don't have facebook but just looked him up to see if he had something this year and it looks like he does and it started on the 5th so I might play catch up. If anyone else wants to, it's 31 days to get organized.

Day 1 - Fold your laundry (check, I'm all caught up on laundry as of Friday!)

Day 2 - Master Bedroom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffnxu0RVxU4&feature=youtu.be

our room is decluttered and tidy right now!

Day 3 - Set up a donation bin (I can't post anymore links, it kicked me off since I don't have a login) but check for me - have a place in the laundry room for all the get rid of stuff

Day 4 - TACKLE YOUR PLACEMATS AND TABLE LINEN! Is that drawer or closet where you keep your tablecloths, placemats, napkins, and, other table linen so full that you can barely get it closed? Today’s the day to do something about it! First, pull everything out of that area, sort things into like items, then get rid of anything that you no longer need, use, or want – and especially anything too stained or ruined to be used again. Then, make sure things are folded neatly and place them back in the area. It’s important to only keep a reasonable number of these things so that they fit neatly and don’t get wrinkled again as you try to jam that drawer shut!
check - I don't have any of those things

Day 5 - INSPECT THE LOWER THIRD! Everyone has piles of clothes on their shelves or in their drawers – many that you just don’t wear. Today’s the day to tame them! First, look at your piles of folded items - T-shirts, sweaters, undies, jeans - chances are that the bottom third of the piles are items that you just don’t like that much and seldom wear. Inspect the lower thirds of clothing stacks – if you don’t love and wear the items then let them go! How many items did you let go – number please! check! clothes for all 3 of us are good to go for now!

If anyone of you follow him on facebook feel free to post it, if not I'll try to remember to check each day.

 

[dtr_angel]

Peter Walsh DAY 6 - DEMOLISH JUST ONE STACK ANYWHERE IN YOUR HOME! Look around your home and find that stack of items that you’ve been meaning to deal with sometime “later”. Today’s the day that “later” has arrived! That stack may be some paperwork in your office or some old clothes that you think you want to donate or maybe it’s a pile of items that belong in the garage or out in the shed. Whatever it may be, today’s the day that you should spend just 10 minutes going through it, get rid of any items you no longer need, and deal with the rest. And, if you can’t get through the entire pile in 10 minutes, that’s ok. Do what you can in that amount of time and come back to this when you have some extra time in your day this week.

I remembered The stack I'm dealing with it the receipts I need to put into YNAB.

How is everyone planning to destash this weekend?

 

[pjlla]

Welcome to the 2015 destash thread.
This is where we talk about our accomplishments, our dilemmas, and our goals for decluttering our home and our lives.

THANKS SO MUCH Buffy, for getting us rolling for 2015!


Hey all! I was GOING to go back to page one and read everyone's comments and do lots of witty replies.... but it was slow going and I realized that it was really just a procrastination tactic so that I didn't have to start cleaning my office! So while I'm sure you all had lots of valuable information to share and inspiring things to say, I will say, up front, I have not seen them! But I will try to keep up from now on!

I was involved in the 2014 destash thread and kept up pretty much right to the end. Made some progress in some areas, but not nearly enough.

Today.... I cleaned out the file drawer in the home office. Purged some, reorganized some. There wasn't a ton of clutter, but I was able to toss some receipts for old items/things we no longer have and re-organize what I did keep into easier-to-find categories. My office shelves area already pretty good (I think I reorganized them late last year) and I can't really touch DH's office shelves (although the clutter is making me nuts!). He did clean up his desk area a bit right before Christmas (at my insistence), so I will just be moving the computer and phone and giving everything a good dusting/wiping today. Then I will be packing up the majority of the contents of the bookshelf (stuff I've been trying to sell on FB that hasn't sold) for the GW and the office will be, for the most part, CLEAN!!

I will report back later today on my continued progress!.....................P

 

[redcubfan]

This morning I ditched three bottles of expired vitamins. I'm pretty good about checking other medications periodically and throwing out the expired ones, but I forget about supplements because they're in a different drawer. Yuck...old vitamins stink! haha

I also spent some time organizing music files on our family computer. Digital files can take a long time to purge and organize, but it's nice to mark that off the to-do list too!

 

[superme80]

DH got some of the garage cleaned. We were able to donate our baby car seat to my best friend. The car seat is in great condition and just needed a new home. I also got the office cleaned and organized. Just need to move the toys in there to turn it into a playroom!

 

[jojosam]

Our household will be undergoing some major changes this year, as the husband has decided that he no longer wants to be one.... So.....I have told the kids that we need to start tackling small corners. Today I went through the cabinet where we keep all the games... decided on one that we want to get rid of, so it went in the box in the hall. I also realized that I NEVER use a couple pieces of Pampered Chef that I was convinced to buy at a party a few years ago, so I will try to peddle those on a FB yard sale site. Even if it is only 3 things today, it is 3 fewer things for me to worry about. On to the next corner...
(P.S. The ultimate goal is to get back on my feet and move to FL, so the less I have to move, the easier it will be!)

 

[pjlla]

Office is DONE! It looks clean and lovely! I purged quite a bit... even more than anticipated. I found a large ziptop bag of assorted chargers and cords. Normally I would stress about dumping them, but I KNOW FOR A FACT, that those were put in that bag (by myself) over a year ago.... and if we haven't needed them in over a year, OUT THEY GO!

Also filled a large bin for donation. I do admit to stashing a small box of things in the basement (not their permanent home), but it is stuff I'm trying to sell on FB and I'm not ready to just donate them yet.

Every flat surface has been dusted and/or wet wiped.

Going to finish putting away the last few Christmas ornaments and then I give myself permission to just CHILL!.................P

 

[bcwife76]

This weeks progress:

Rest of the Christmas decorations taken down and put away, along with the outside lights.

Went through the kids' closets and dressers as well as our master closet; made a donate pile, a hand me down pile and a sell pile. Took a big garbage bag full of stuff off to the local charity shop.

Kids managed to keep playroom clean each time after they played, it's a small miracle!

Next up: kitchen junk drawer (this is cleaned out probably 3 times a year!), our bedside tables and the book case in our bedroom.

 

[Ephany]

This week I've listed 24 items/lots on a local Facebook resale page. I've sold 4 items and have 5 pending. That'll put about $120 in the kitty. Not too shabby for items I was pretty much ready to donate anyway. I totally guessed wrong on what would be the 'hot' item. I thought it would be DD's old imaginext stuff, but it's been a bag full of plastic play food.

I also convinced DH to finally (after sitting in the garage for 18 months) trim down a queen size mattress topper to fit DD's twin. He's having a much harder time of paring down the collection of stuff than DD or I am. He even tried to convince me that it was only worth selling stuff on craigslist or Facebook if we got what we paid. Uh, no. I want it gone. DD is 12, we don't need her toddler toys anymore.

So grand total for the week is 3 boxes of toys gone, 2 plastic totes cleaned out and 1 cooing monkey toy found a new home.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Welcome back Pamela!!!
I hope you had a merry Christmas and a happy new year!!!

My job for today was my pantry. It looks so much better now! I also pulled a bunch of baking things that I'm going to do tomorrow.

I have also done the dishes every night or morning since JAN 1. The kids are slowly coming around to helping with that. Baby steps.

Also trying to keep up on laundry.

Tomorrow I will bake and tackle stacks.

 

[dpswift]

Welcome back Pamela!!!
I hope you had a merry Christmas and a happy new year!!!

My job for today was my pantry. It looks so much better now! I also pulled a bunch of baking things that I'm going to do tomorrow.

I have also done the dishes every night or morning since JAN 1. The kids are slowly coming around to helping with that. Baby steps.

Also trying to keep up on laundry.

Tomorrow I will bake and tackle stacks.

Good for you. People with smaller families do not realize how much of a chore dishes and laundry can be. Those to daily tasks canbe a part time job on their own.

As far as my pantry I have stopped by cereal. When I cleaned out the pantry in Sept. there was a good amount of expired cereal. So as far as my family is concerned it is cheeper and more organized not to buy it. If the older kids want it they buy it themselves, and are kind enough to share with DS. I will buy 1 box if they ask for it but no longer stock up.


I am off work today and have a couple mornings off this week so hopefully I can get some more done.

 

[dtr_angel]

Good for you. People with smaller families do not realize how much of a chore dishes and laundry can be. Those to daily tasks canbe a part time job on their own.

As far as my pantry I have stopped by cereal. When I cleaned out the pantry in Sept. there was a good amount of expired cereal. So as far as my family is concerned it is cheeper and more organized not to buy it. If the older kids want it they buy it themselves, and are kind enough to share with DS. I will buy 1 box if they ask for it but no longer stock up.


I am off work today and have a couple mornings off this week so hopefully I can get some more done.

We are a family of 3 and laundry and dishes are a bear! I did finally last year find a way to tackle the laundry and keep up with it but if I slip it's miserable. We even have a dishwasher but we have to dishes a few times a day and put things away or they are everywhere. I can't imagine having to do anymore dishes and laundry than we already do. More kids more messes, lol.

 

[dtr_angel]

Peter Walsh

DAY 7 - CONQUER PLASTIC FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS! Today your task is to tackle all those disposable plastic storage containers that you have in cupboards and drawers in your kitchen. Get them all out onto the kitchen counter. Discard any that don't have matching lids, that the dishwasher has mangled or that are stained. My rule: no more than 15 plastic storage containers! Here's the deal: with takeout containers, margarine containers and coleslaw containers there's a constant inflow of these puppies into your home - the trick is to keep them under control. So ... take a deep breath, drag them out and take ten minutes to get it done!! Let’s hear how you do.



We got rid of all plastic last summer and replaced with glass food storage. As a result we have less containers and they store better. I did buy a pack of plastic containers to send home leftovers for Thanksgiving so there are maybe 2 of them. I'm going to go through that cabinet anyway as it's easy for the lids and containers to get out of order.

 

[MAJPLO]

We are a family of 3 and laundry and dishes are a bear! I did finally last year find a way to tackle the laundry and keep up with it but if I slip it's miserable. We even have a dishwasher but we have to dishes a few times a day and put things away or they are everywhere. I can't imagine having to do anymore dishes and laundry than we already do. More kids more messes, lol.

What's your system for laundry?

 

[Tarheel Tink]

I made a major dent in my garage that DH had been storing our broken mower, air compresser, pressure washer and generator in although we have a large shop out back! I now can park my car in it again!
All Christmas decorations are down but I will be organizing a group of it and purging about 75% of that last lot. If I don't adore it and remember where or who it came from, out it will go. DH brought home large plastic storage bins for our seasonal decorations that we have shelving in garage for so things will be more easily accessed and located.
Time for an adult beverage and watch Duke play NC State basketball!

Keep up the great work everyone! You are all an inspiration to me.

 

[lauradis]

I can't watch that show. Gives me anxiety. All I need to do for my own hoarders reality show is go visit my mom. Then I come home ready to throw out just about everything!

Oh you too, yea Hoarders show is my therapy.

 

[lauradis]

Joining in! Toys are a problem for us too. We have two girls, ages 5.5 and 19 months. We saved a lot of toys from our first, but we also keep getting more, so now we have way too many toys! The biggest culprit is stuffed animals, I swear those things just multiply. I currently have two trash bags full of them to get rid of, but don't know where to take them. I hate to just toss them in the trash since most of them still look brand new.

Are they rabbits.

Some fire departments will take them too.

 

[lauradis]

I am SO bad with paper clutter. I have a filing system but it just isn't large enough anymore. So I am thinking I need to go through that and make sure everything that is actually in there is needed.

http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Money/Personal-Finance/Managing-Household-Records.shtml

http://lifehacker.com/5977082/what-documents-should-i-shred-and-what-should-i-keep

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2010/03/conquer-the-paper-piles/index.htm

Sign up for all bills and papers to be digital. I did this last year and it has helped a lot.

 

[lauradis]

Okay, both of my kids had friends over today - which is a miracle - because I never let them invite guests because it is so messy. But, I have the living room clean and worked on the kitchen all day. A step in the right direction - right?!!!!

Way to go!!!!!

Happy dance for you

 

[lauradis]

I am joining your group! I am so overwhelmed with everything I am not even sure where to start!

We are moving my parents out of state to be closer to my brother so not only do I need to declutter my house, I have everything they aren't taking with them to find a home for.

I have my oldest DSs things from the army and middle DSs things from college, plus youngest DD is in college now and still has lots of lots of things still here, plus she wants to bring home things she isn't using, but wants to save for her townhouse next year. This is all in an older 1200 sq foot house!!!!

1. Pack up all older kids things with their houses and give them a date of when you are taking it to good will if not picked up.

2. tell the one in college no

3. remove all items that have great sentimental value from parents house to yours.

4. one room at a time at parents house, start with the room closest to door you can carry all boxes out. Get a ton of boxes large trash can, label boxes Donate, Keep. After you finish for the day load donate boxes in the car and take them away to donation place.

5. deal with your house same way.

omg I would go crazy in 1200 sq ft house with all that stuff.

Good luck you can do it.