Have you de-cluttered/downsized successfully?

[vettechick99]

thanks for all the great advice and tips!! It's really getting me motivated. Now if I can only find the time...

 

[WeLuvDCL]

Thank OP for starting this thread.
I really need to de-clutter my house.
My main problem is paper clutter - not keeping up with the mail gets totally out of hand.
What are other disers' thoughts on keeping birthday/Christmas/holiday cards and your children's schoolwork papers. We have ample storage and I have kept so much stuff that I could have just thrown away.
I was getting ready to finish putting away the Easter decorations and ran across the Easter cards that my father had sent my DD & DS. I asked them if they wanted to keep them. My DS said it didn't matter and my DD said she really didn't need to but it was up to me.
That's when it hit me - why do we need to keep all these "things" we get.
I really need to weed though and maybe just keep the cards from immediate family.
Amy

I only keep cards from DH and DD. If there are nice personally messages in any other cards, I scan them and save them with that months digital photos. I don't throw out the cards, I donate them to St Jude. http://www.stjudesranch.org/shop/recycled-card-program/
(well, I donate half the card and recycle the other half) I found out about their recycle card program years ago from Dear Abby and they are still doing it.
I have a storage bin that I put all DDs school work in. It fits perfectly on the bookshelf and just the right size for 8.5x11 papers. Once it gets full I go through it and scan the artwork/drawings and anything else I'm proud of and then toss them. There are a few things I saved, like a drawing of our family. Right now, she's only in preschool so I know this will get harder once she starts writing papers, etc.

I'm also in the middle of decluttering. We already had a community yard sale last month and made over $1000, plus took clothes to Once Upon a Child and made another $100. I'm good at hiding the clutter so it doesn't stress me out until I go into our office or guest bedroom (the rooms that normally have the door closed! ) I'm about 75% done with the guest bedroom and then moving on to the office. My biggest problem is that I love to save $$. I know, doesn't sound like a problem but that is what is filled up the guest bedroom. I have enough clothes for DD until she is about 8 (she just turned 4). I pick them up 1/2 price at Goodwill or get brand new clothes for around $2 from Kohls, Kmart, etc. and I just can't resist. I finally have them all organized in space bags and stored in the guest bedroom closet. Along with 2 storage bins of shoes. I've promised myself I'm not buying anymore! We'll see how that goes.... I also buy toys after Christmas on clearance for my DD to give to her friends at birthday parties and have to store them somewhere. So, the guest bedroom will be clean but who ever stays with us will have to live out of their suitcases because the closet will be full. But, hey, at least they will be able to sleep on the bed in a nice clutter free room.
I know most of the stuff in the office is either being filed, scanned or pitched, it's just finding the time to do it. The scanner I bought has definitely paid for itself.

 

[QVCshopper]

I used to buy ahead a lot, but now I have three kids and it's nearly impossible at this point. I don't know what season it will be when they are a certain size (for example, I have a brand new, tags attached pair of Gymboree shorts that my DD7 never wore because she was an 8 during the winter and by summer they didn't fit). Sure, I got them for $3 or $4, but what's the point if she never wore them? And my DD7 seemed to grow so fast she entirely skipped some sizes. She's already over 4.5 feet... I never bought size 3T at all.

I personally find kid clothes very overwhelming, and I usually just pass on what no longer fits to the cousins. For now on, I'm going to try only what they need for the season. But, a lot of people gave my new baby girl tons of clothes, and I do have size 3-6 month up to size 4 neatly organized in the closet like you.

There are five of us and 3 cats in an 1800 sf house. I can't keep much that's not in use... Probably a good thing. But I might do your card thing; I like to recycle.

I only keep cards from DH and DD. If there are nice personally messages in any other cards, I scan them and save them with that months digital photos. I don't throw out the cards, I donate them to St Jude. http://www.stjudesranch.org/shop/recycled-card-program/
(well, I donate half the card and recycle the other half) I found out about their recycle card program years ago from Dear Abby and they are still doing it.
I have a storage bin that I put all DDs school work in. It fits perfectly on the bookshelf and just the right size for 8.5x11 papers. Once it gets full I go through it and scan the artwork/drawings and anything else I'm proud of and then toss them. There are a few things I saved, like a drawing of our family. Right now, she's only in preschool so I know this will get harder once she starts writing papers, etc.

I'm also in the middle of decluttering. We already had a community yard sale last month and made over $1000, plus took clothes to Once Upon a Child and made another $100. I'm good at hiding the clutter so it doesn't stress me out until I go into our office or guest bedroom (the rooms that normally have the door closed! ) I'm about 75% done with the guest bedroom and then moving on to the office. My biggest problem is that I love to save $$. I know, doesn't sound like a problem but that is what is filled up the guest bedroom. I have enough clothes for DD until she is about 8 (she just turned 4). I pick them up 1/2 price at Goodwill or get brand new clothes for around $2 from Kohls, Kmart, etc. and I just can't resist. I finally have them all organized in space bags and stored in the guest bedroom closet. Along with 2 storage bins of shoes. I've promised myself I'm not buying anymore! We'll see how that goes.... I also buy toys after Christmas on clearance for my DD to give to her friends at birthday parties and have to store them somewhere. So, the guest bedroom will be clean but who ever stays with us will have to live out of their suitcases because the closet will be full. But, hey, at least they will be able to sleep on the bed in a nice clutter free room.
I know most of the stuff in the office is either being filed, scanned or pitched, it's just finding the time to do it. The scanner I bought has definitely paid for itself.

 

[dyna]

Well I did move from a 3,000 sq ft house to one with about 1,000 square ft last year. We got ride of much much junk an stuff we just did not need. My new home came furnished so we did not bring but a few pieces with us.

I do still need to do more decluttering tho. I know it's an old excuse to blame junk an clutter on someone else. That is where most of mine comes from tho. And the fact that when he brings something into the house nothing goes out.

DH is my problem an I have to admit that when we was moving he did get rid of an give away lots of his stuff. Yet he moved a lot of stuff he has not touched since it was brought into this house 18 months ago yet for now most of it is in areas I do not have to totally clean regularly so maybe I should not complain to much.

I have determined his desk is always going to be cluttered an messy to my opinion he does not pile it up 2 or 3 ft tall now tho. So I try to overlook it. Just dust the top surace an forget the rest. It helps that we are the only 2 living in this house an it really does not get dusty an dirty near as fast as when I had a dozen ppl making many trips in an out a day.

Oh an I do have an extra dining table an 6 chairs that I no longer need or want. I bought a smaller set with 4 smaller chairs an smaller table than I had to make more room in our dining area. DH took legs off table stuck them an table top under the guest bed an set the chairs alongs empty wall space. I'd planned to sell the set I had but NOOOOOOOOOOO we might need it some day LOL

 

[jacksmomma]

OP you've already gotten a bunch of great ideas but thought I'd share the Blog post I just read last night I thought it had some great ideas including ways to just start!!

http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/04/4-weeks-to-a-more-organized-home-assignment-1.html

Slightly OT, but I heard the author of this blog speak at a conference last weekend. She was a very sweet lady.

 

[talulabelle]

Well I did move from a 3,000 sq ft house to one with about 1,000 square ft last year. We got ride of much much junk an stuff we just did not need. My new home came furnished so we did not bring but a few pieces with us.

I do still need to do more decluttering tho. I know it's an old excuse to blame junk an clutter on someone else. That is where most of mine comes from tho. And the fact that when he brings something into the house nothing goes out.

DH is my problem an I have to admit that when we was moving he did get rid of an give away lots of his stuff. Yet he moved a lot of stuff he has not touched since it was brought into this house 18 months ago yet for now most of it is in areas I do not have to totally clean regularly so maybe I should not complain to much.

I have determined his desk is always going to be cluttered an messy to my opinion he does not pile it up 2 or 3 ft tall now tho. So I try to overlook it. Just dust the top surace an forget the rest. It helps that we are the only 2 living in this house an it really does not get dusty an dirty near as fast as when I had a dozen ppl making many trips in an out a day.

Oh an I do have an extra dining table an 6 chairs that I no longer need or want. I bought a smaller set with 4 smaller chairs an smaller table than I had to make more room in our dining area. DH took legs off table stuck them an table top under the guest bed an set the chairs alongs empty wall space. I'd planned to sell the set I had but NOOOOOOOOOOO we might need it some day LOL

Sell the table!!!! Put the money in a drawer and tell DH that money is for if you ever need to buy a table like that again. You will feel SOOOOOO much better. I used to have the "I might need that someday" mentality. I am so glad I got rid of it. My quality of living is so much better.

 

[ilovemk76]

We have found the trick to keeping a clean house is organization. Everything in the house has to have a place to live. It can be on a table, in a drawer, on a shelf or in a closet but it must have a place to live. When we get something new, it has to find a place to live or another item has to go out to make a place for it to live.

It is so easy to clean, vacuum, dust, etc. when everything is where it belongs and not on the floor, on a table, on the couch or any other place it does not belong.

We even separate our clothes into wash load when we take them off. This makes it easy to see when a load needs to be washed. All we have to do is put that basket full of dirty clothes in the washer and turn it on.