The DIS-Clutter Thread!

[mom2boys]

OMG! I am embarassed by how dirty the water is that is coming out of the washer containing the throw rugs from DS's room. I actually ran them through a second wash cycle complete with another round of soap. (Don't tell DH, he will have nightmares about the septic tanks overflowing - never has but he's worried over it for the 16 yrs we've lived in this house.)

 

[Briarmom]

OMG! I am embarassed by how dirty the water is that is coming out of the washer containing the throw rugs from DS's room. I actually ran them through a second wash cycle complete with another round of soap. (Don't tell DH, he will have nightmares about the septic tanks overflowing - never has but he's worried over it for the 16 yrs we've lived in this house.)

We don't have throw rugs, but I wish we owned a carpet cleaner. I feel like it is the one thing we don't have in this house. I think after all this decluttering, I will rent one or borrow one from a friend. I vacuumed the guest closet, and am going to put the art supplies back in, except that now I don't need as many bins for it and am thinking of downgrading to a rubbermaid. Decisions decisions! Working on the kitchen as well. This may take a few days since I want to go through every cupboard and drawer. Especially the junk drawers!

 

[FINFAN]

I confess I did not read past the OP's post...but man, do I need to de-clutter! I can't even attempt a garage sale as that gives me too much time to pause and think over an item, and then I will undoubtably find a reason to keep it! So, charity pick up it is! DD is having the after-Homecoming party 9/17...this is my goal for the basement. I will need VAST support, our basement is painted, but not finished or carpeted. I have 2 8x10 rugs in the "living" areas, but pretty dingy all the same. It was great for the Halloween Prty last year, but not for a bunch of gussied-up teens.
Plan #1...telling the kids to drop off a change of clothes at our place ahead of time.
Plan #2 dingy but EMPTY OF CLUTTER looks better than dingy and chaotic.
Plan #3...having a similar theme to the dance going on in the basement, once the dance theme is finally announced, will have a better grip on this.
Plan #4...DO NOT bring under ANY circumstances the clutter from thte basement upstairs other than to throw it out or donate.

I have 1 month to accomplish this, keep in mind I am dealing w/1300 sq feet jammed with cr*p dating back 12 years. I have 4 rooms worth of stuff that is my parents from 7 years ago when they made their permanent move to Fl from Il. (that is a whole 'nother thread entirely )I don't even want to think about the creepie-crawlies
That's my incentive to join the DIS-CLUTTER group.....
Am I in?
Oh yeah, since I am starting from the bottom up, the nightmare of our laundry room will be next, followed by the family room. living room, CLOSETS.(Insert PSYCHO music here) kids rooms, our room, amd last but certainly not least...the study/computer room. I will have to work up to that and have some serious decluttering skills before tackling that room!

Pam

 

[EthansMom]

Well, yesterday I worked a bit more on my Office Closet. I completely decluttered/dejunked/tossed out the contents of a bag that had been on the floor of the closet for the last year. From the contents of the bag, I can only deduce that it contained everything from the junk drawer of our last house! Ugh! (Not so bad since we did just move last year, but a pain to go through.)

Today, I emptied out all of the receipts that I had been storing in the top drawer of my office desk. I like to keep receipts until my bank statement comes, but instead of keeping the receipts organized, I had just been recording them in my register and then shoving them in the drawer. I can now open my drawer and use it!!!!

With two young children, I love the Flylady concept of "You can clean anything for 15 minutes." In just 3 days of a few minutes here and a few minutes there, my office looks much better!

 

[Meezers]

Just found this thread and wanted to say how proud I am of everyone!

I did a serious de-cluttering about 3 years ago...I divorced a pack rat Really....he had magazines that were 20 years old....I moved everything every time the military tranferred us.

I now live in a clutter free 800 square foot apartment. I have certain rules....

No knick knacks come in unless something leaves...this makes me think..."do I like this better than that?"

Go through the closets about every 8 months...if it doesn't fit..I haven't worn it...it is out of style...doesn't have a special memory attached to it....donated to charity

I am lucky that I have a mail room....I sort mail before I even bring it home...junk mail get pitched right there

I have a notebook computer instead of a desktop....

Anything I can compact in size I do...smaller TV...smaller computer....smaller table...even the cats are a small breed (Siamese)

Oh....I keep 4 oz Nalgene bottles in the shower with all the products....the large sizes are under the sink...when I empty one....only then to I replace it (I have 4 ounces of time).

I am only allowed one "junk drawer" and go through it often.

I have one cabinet in the kitchen that is for "change out" knick knacks. I don't keep everything displayed....I change them out...if I haven't displayed something in a year and it isn't special...it gets given to charity or a friend.

Sorry to have rambled but hope this might help some of you.

I will be here cheering you on

 

[Briarmom]

Welcome Pam!! In the past few days, I have been amazed at how much poo I have thrown out of my house! I am not doing the garage sale thing either, but will be saving some toys to either put in a garage sale at a later date or consign. That's it. Everything must go!!

Meezers-thanks for the support! We all need it.

I'm going to DIS for a few minutes before getting back to the tasks at hand.

PS
Does anyone know why I don't have one of those triangles with the ! in it that is at the bottom of your name??

<-----like right here or so??

 

[EthansMom]

PS
Does anyone know why I don't have one of those triangles with the ! in it that is at the bottom of your name??

<-----like right here or so??

You do when I look at the post, but I don't. So I think you can't report your own post as bad. Either that, or I'm the least offensive person on the DIS.

 

[Briarmom]

Thanks Ethansmom! Sometimes I am not too bright...maybe I tossed my brain out in the clutter!
I got through the pantry today and got the island cleaned off in the kitchen. I didn't get as much done as I'd wanted to, but that's ok. I will get stuff done tomorrow!!

 

[gobledygook]

My best first tip is to go www.organizedhome.net and start a household notebook. I cant tell you how much it has changed my life!
It has made a huge difference and made life SO much easier!!!

Binny, I have to agree with you about this website. I love it and visit it almost every day. I really get a lot of tips and encouragement from the declutter boards.

 

[powellrj]

I didn't report back after our weekend of cleaning and tossing the kids rooms. WOW they look great. They are so proud of the job we did that they have been inviting their friends to their rooms to play! I finally had to run 3 out to send them home when it go to be 9pm.

DD got home and was so happy to have a nice and neat room she hasn't mentioned the items that I threw away. I arranged all of her clothes and she has been having mini fashion shows with all the outfits she can now put together!

DS and I worked together and made his room like a mini studio apartment. He has a home entertainment area with tv, dvd, cd and video game area, he has a work area with his desk set up, he has his music area with his gutiars and amps set up (I am hearing him play much more than before) and his living area with his bed and dressers. We painted the hallway and stairwell.

The only thing we didn't get done was the bathroom baseboard and cleaning the carpet! We are going to wait until labor day weekend to get those things done. I can't believe how much we have thrown out and donated this summer!

It must have been a cleanout weekend in our town. People were lined up in front and behind us at goodwill to drop things off!!!

It sounds like everyone has really made a lot of progress!!! We should all be ready when christmas comes this year! I know I always hate the thought of where to put all the stuff, but this year I have room to hide the gifts and a place to put the tree!

Keep up the good work!!!

 

[mom2boys]

My oldest loves his organized room! He spent more time in there yesterday than he has all summer. We have hardwood floors - pledge makes them super slippery. He has been sock skating. Before bed he had the pull down desktop on the bookcase open & was drawing cartoons! He actually took a break from the video games.
I feel bad because I would like to have gotten his brother's room done before he comes home today. I was torn between doing my office & his room next. I think I'm make DS2's room my next priority. OH it's disasterous. He has too much furniture in there.

 

[EthansMom]

Well, today I would like to organize all of the writing utensils -- toss out the old pens and pencils -- load lead into the decent mechanical pencils, etc. Also, I would like to start decluttering the fire-proof lockbox -- can't fit everything I need to in it right now.

 

[Briarmom]

Well, today I would like to organize all of the writing utensils -- toss out the old pens and pencils -- load lead into the decent mechanical pencils, etc. Also, I would like to start decluttering the fire-proof lockbox -- can't fit everything I need to in it right now.

I am going to do the writing utinsils as well. I have a busy day (I hope DD takes a nap today) and am going over to a friends house to help her plan her first trip to Disneyland!


Keep it up! I can't wait to see the final result in my house, and I am sure everyone here feels the same about their homes!

 

[Briarmom]

Haven't got much done today, but !

 

[Briarmom]

Anyone got anything today? I fell off the wagon today...only excuse is that I got my braces done this morning and I am tired.

tomorrow is another day

 

[Briarmom]

Anyone?

 

[atlnewf]

Yea! I got the art supplies in my kitchen cleaned up. They were overflowing and stacked all around my kitchen area. I bought stacking drawers and organized them. The 'extra' boxes of crayons I dumped into the trash. I hated to waste good crayons, but I filled 2 drawers just with pens/crayons/etc as it was.

Ashley

 

[EthansMom]

I did get sort through most of my writing utensils and tossed out the yucky ones and fix a couple files (legal paperwork on legal size paper that had to be folded to fit in our letter-size lockbox) and put them in the lock box yesterday.

But today was errand day, so didn't accomplish any dis-cluttering. I did buy more hanging file folders while at Target, so I can work on my desk and lockbox files some more tomorrow, though. One small step, but at least it's in the right direction.

 

[Briarmom]

I got my junk drawers cleaned out as well. Threw away lots of pens that didn't work/we didn't need. Expired coupons. Lots of junk!


The toys are tomorrow!

 

[dismom9761]

Today I got a small thing accomplished.My table had become the catch-all for awhile.It is clear now.Tomorrow I go back to the bedroom.I couldn't work there because the baby was asleep in there.