2015 destash - Purge Purge Purge, Purge is the word

[OceanAnnie]

Oh I love that show, it make me sick and motivates me at the same time.

That's how I feel about it too.

I love reading everyone's plans and challenges! But isn't it funny how we all have so many different areas of our lives to declutter? For some of us it's paperwork, for others it's our kids' rooms, for some it's a spare room, for some it's our digital lives (photos, music, movies), etc. Our challenges are as diverse as we are, yet we all hope to get the chaos under control. Good luck to everyone! I'll think of you all as I tackle one of the 4,328 projects on my perpetual to-do list. Haha
First up, those clothes in my closet I'm never gonna lose those last 10 pounds for...

It is!

I'm with you on the long list of projects. It might be time for me to let go of a few projects that have been non starters.

 

[dsneprincess]

WOW I did my look at the budget board for a couple of days and we are at 5 pages! The last time I look OP had just started the thread and no one else had posted.

I was not on last night because I went through my food storage containers and threw away miss matched lids and bottoms and a pitcher that I loved but it leaked. I also pulled out a few items to sell or donate. I need to figure out how to organize the containers and lids better. I should have thrown more out, but I figure if I have a few extra it will not matter if I give some out and they do not come back.

I hope to do more later. Right now we are taking DS to a mirror maze and 5 Wits. I bought the certificates on roupon and the mirror maze one is about to expire.

Did you like 5 Wits? I did the espionage one with my DS over the summer, it was really cool! We want to do the new one with the dragon. I took younger DS to Billy Beez a couple times, but haven't done the mirrors, worth it?

 

[dsneprincess]

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.

I hear you. I have given (no kidding) 4 30gallon garbage bags of stuffed animals in the past 2 years that (so far) no one has asked for 1 that went. Both Goodwill & the church boxes here will take stuffed animals. The rest are in 3 collapsible hampers in younger DS closet waiting.......then there are the ones in the bed that are "needed".

We returned from Christmas visiting tonight and I sat in living room for 30 minutes with Christmas gifts.....they NEED to get put away like yesterday, I think that will be first thing tomorrow. Still have a bunch of donation items sitting around waiting to go and a couple tvs. One tv is really big and heavy, so not sure what to do with that, could use in basement as an upgrade, but we didn't take there 4 years ago because it was so heavy that I wonder is it really worth it now? I am also not sure if I should just keep adding to my donation pile this week and actually donate after 1/1 for my first receipts for 2015....I do have a lot from 2014 and plenty of other stuff to do. I would also like to tackle paper this week.

I think my first step in the next couple days is to get a solid list of goals for the year. I kept a decluttering journal for a while and need to read to see if I feel that was helpful or not. I also need to declutter food and freezer, so I am going to convince family that it is austerity budget through February due to arrival of tax bill......

Yep, no need to think I will be overwhelmed before tomorrow........

 

[OhMari]

I've been tackling papers and receipts all day. I hate doing this every year, one would think I would keep up with it better but that only lasts a few months. Hopefully this year will be better.

DH is tackling DVDs. We bought rip it so we are burning all of our DVDs to the computer attached to the TV. And he's getting everyone's phones, laptops and iPods all linked up. This has taken longer than we thought but we are almost done.

. Can you copy VHS tapes. I am afraid they are all going to get brittle.

I love reading everyone's plans and challenges! But isn't it funny how we all have so many different areas of our lives to declutter? For some of us it's paperwork, for others it's our kids' rooms, for some it's a spare room, for some it's our digital lives (photos, music, movies), etc. Our challenges are as diverse as we are, yet we all hope to get the chaos under control. Good luck to everyone! I'll think of you all as I tackle one of the 4,328 projects on my perpetual to-do list. Haha
First up, those clothes in my closet I'm never gonna lose those last 10 pounds for...

. Drink water and eliminate bread, sugar too. I never ever thought I could loose weight but it is possible.

 

[scottmel]

I love reading everyone's plans and challenges! But isn't it funny how we all have so many different areas of our lives to declutter? For some of us it's paperwork, for others it's our kids' rooms, for some it's a spare room, for some it's our digital lives (photos, music, movies), etc. Our challenges are as diverse as we are, yet we all hope to get the chaos under control. Good luck to everyone! I'll think of you all as I tackle one of the 4,328 projects on my perpetual to-do list. Haha
First up, those clothes in my closet I'm never gonna lose those last 10 pounds for...

Interesting point...I clicked on this thread out of curiousity as my house has ZERO NADDA clutter. NOTHING. I constantly purge, ebay, sell on craigs list etc. I like feeling like I live in a pottery barn catalog! THAT being said, I need to tackle the mystery of why I continually EAT! Stress eater.....THAT Is my project for this year!!!!!!!

 

[theworldneedscolor]

How is this already at six pages?

I think I'll be joining you all this year, as I have far too much "stuff" that is cluttering my life! I'm in college, so I don't have as much to deal with as some of you folks, but I've still got a lot of clutter both at school and at my parent's house. I also plan on helping out my parents with their stuff, as that is something they struggle with

 

[tikilyn]

I'm going to attempt the great purge again this year! I did pretty well the first 6 months of 2014 but then came summer and I slacked off. I look around my house and it seems like I'm starting all over again. One thing I learn last year was to stop buying stuff (well for me anyways) esp, if I didn't really need it.

We have to list our house in the next couple of month to sell. We want to build a new house and can't do it unless we sell this one first. I think that was our plan for last year and see where we are at. LOL

2015 will be a year of purging and that includes my waist line!

 

[maybebecca]

I'm in for 2015! I'm young enough to not have a bunch of clutter, so it's definitely going to be relatively easy. I've also already decluttered a decent amount in the past couple months, enough that a room that was formerly storage is now usable. My husband and I are on the same page about possessions, for the most part, so we are almost always willing to get rid of things that aren't serving a purpose.

Specific areas that need work are paper clutter and trading card clutter. My husband pays magic, and tends to have piles of cards strewn randomly on tables and counters, and that needs to end. We bought our house a little over a year ago, and haven't gotten rid of or organized any of the paperwork that came with it, so that needs to be done as well.

 

[disneyjes]

I'm in for 2015! I'm young enough to not have a bunch of clutter, so it's definitely going to be relatively easy. I've also already decluttered a decent amount in the past couple months, enough that a room that was formerly storage is now usable. My husband and I are on the same page about possessions, for the most part, so we are almost always willing to get rid of things that aren't serving a purpose.

Specific areas that need work are paper clutter and trading card clutter. My husband pays magic, and tends to have piles of cards strewn randomly on tables and counters, and that needs to end. We bought our house a little over a year ago, and haven't gotten rid of or organized any of the paperwork that came with it, so that needs to be done as well.

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.

 

[StephMK]

I'm in. I'm already a purger, but I'm about to do a major purge. I'm reading this and it is GOOD:

http://www.amazon.com/Life-Changing...8-1-fkmr0&keywords=extraordinary+decluttering

Thanks again for this recommendation! I read the sample and was hooked. I bought it last night and am working my way through it. I love the idea of changing the focus to what do I want to keep. The idea of doing big purges and not little bits at a time appeals to me too.

. Can you copy VHS tapes. I am afraid they are all going to get brittle.

. Drink water and eliminate bread, sugar too. I never ever thought I could loose weight but it is possible.

I need to do both of these things too! Does anyone have a recommendation for a VHS conversion device? I'm afraid to mail them anywhere.

Interesting point...I clicked on this thread out of curiousity as my house has ZERO NADDA clutter. NOTHING. I constantly purge, ebay, sell on craigs list etc. I like feeling like I live in a pottery barn catalog! THAT being said, I need to tackle the mystery of why I continually EAT! Stress eater.....THAT Is my project for this year!!!!!!!

This is where I would like to get. It takes too much time to keep straightening things up!

I went through my dresser again last night. Dumped 5 more shirts and another handful of socks. Went through the bins I keep on the steps and sorted them and took items back where they belong.

Office Max/Office Depot is having a sale on file folders & totes this week if anyone is interested. I bought some colorful file folders and hanging folders online to get ebates credit and will pick them up in store. The totes are B1G1 1/2 off but in store only. I'm heading there tomorrow for them so I can organize kid papers and my school papers.

 

[KayW]

Put away the Christmas decorations and ornaments. Once DH comes home we will attack the tree and put that away. Threw out a bunch of ornaments and knick knacks that never went out.

Next step-the upstairs. A scary place filled with toys, stuffed animals, and all sorts of crap. We call DD Ariel since she loves to keep things.

 

[tikilyn]

I just got finished taking two huge garbage bags full of clothes to goodwill! I kept all my receipts in the glove box of my car this year and I counted 6 receipts ! But I still have tons of crap. How did I let my house get this out of hand?

 

[disneyjes]

Bummed! I was all set to put away the Christmas decorations today and then hubs called and said he's doing OT. I can't get the bins out by myself the way he has them all stacked in there so looks like they are up for one more day.

So, instead after swim practice for my son we are tackling his room hardcore and I'm tackling some of my paper stacks.

 

[StephMK]

We have a showing on our house today and Tuesday. So hopefully we finally get an offer on the house.

How did the showing go? Good luck with tomorrow's viewing. Hope you have an offer soon!

I went through the last cabinet and finally found the recipe book I bought for DD 2 years ago! Good timing because I can fill it out & give it to her for her birthday in a few weeks. She is also getting a cookware set as requested. She is enjoying cooking in her apt. I thought I had looked in this cabinet but it had gotten stuck under some old craft projects in there.

The space is cleared out now and there is some empty space for my school stuff. All the board games are in one cabinet so I have a whole side just for school books & notebooks now.

Off to tackle the linen closet now!

 

[msmama]

I did pretty well last year but petered out towards the end.

I have a local FB garage sale page and I sold tons of stuff on there at the beginning of last year. Now, unfortunately, I don't want to get rid of things, I want to sell them and that just takes more time. I really have to work on toys this year. What I really have to do is convince my son to let some things go.

Toys will be the biggest purge this year I think. Other than that, I just want to get rid of at least what I bring in. There is definitely still more purging to do, but...baby steps.

 

[KimP5]

I NEED to join. I shall attempt to start with the mounds of clothes that nobody wears, fits, even knows they have...

 

[MAJPLO]

I love how once you get started it becomes sort of fun and you keep going. Yesterday I set up a large pop up hamper for stuffed animals. Today I cleaned out the cabinet under the sink in the kids' bathroom and came up with a whole box of bath toys to donate. Then I got a little done in my bathroom and did two bookshelves in the kids' room. I will list some of the books on a fb swap site and probably donate the rest or set them aside for the school bazaar sale in April. Donate truck comes Wednesday. I have two boxes ready now and am hoping to have two more ready by the time they come.

 

[dpswift]

Did you like 5 Wits? I did the espionage one with my DS over the summer, it was really cool! We want to do the new one with the dragon. I took younger DS to Billy Beez a couple times, but haven't done the mirrors, worth it?

The Groupon was blocked out for the school break so we did not do that one. It does not expire for awhile so we will try again after he is back to school. They want to do the Dragon one. They have done the Egyption one. My kids are past Billy Beez but it looks cool. Someone from church wanted DD 19 to apply there but she does not drive.

I am not sure if the mirrors are worth it. My boys went through very quickly. They did seem to enjoy it. I bought them a pass on Groupon so it was half price. If another deal came up we might do it again, but I doubt we would go again if it was full price. It was quiet so they were allowed to go through 3 times.

 

[SleepyatDVC]

Count me in!!!

We've been decluttering BIG time. But not for ourselves. My mom is selling her house and we've been clearing out her basement full of 35+ years of stuff. A lot are "temporarily" in our basement. We also moved a bunch of OUR stuff that was cluttering her house into ours and haven't gone through it yet. Good thing we have a a large unused basement which has now been changed into a storage area and is now completely fill!!

We are visiting my MIL out of state and helping her clean out FIL's office. He passed almost a year ago. We been decluttering like mad, shredding bags and bags of paperwork. We helped sort the loose paperwork that she needs to keep (for a while) into categories.

All this decluttering other people's stuff is inspiring us to start decluttering our own house/stuff. We still have to finish helping my parents but we are setting a goal of 5/31/15 to get up to date on our own paperwork.

 

[disneyjes]

DH got out of OT early and so we got all the Christmas stuff put away! So tomorrow DS and I begin going through everything.