Who is destashing in 2010?

[dtr_angel]

I dropped the prices on some text books I had listed on half.com and sold 6 books today! (this time of year is awesome since spring semester is starting up) That will help make up for all the $$ I've dropped on text books for nursing school.

I haven't lost steam, just didn't have a lot to do here at home, and worked second shift. Tomorrow I'm spending hours at my parents house again working on decluttering the rest of my stuff that is in one of their spare rooms. I organized it all on Monday, so the hard part is already done.

 

[BurnsideMommy]

I've been doing a de-stash for months, but it comes & goes in spurts. I need to kick it into full gear!

I thought I had gone through the kids closets fairly well - until I put on a pair of pants way too short for DD today (although she's 3, wearing a 3, and they were a size 3 running true to size - guess growth spurt time!). Tomorrow we'll go through her closet and do a 'fashion show' (ie - try everything on to see what fits, and then decide what holes are left in her wardrobe). I need to do the same with the boys - but they hate doing that. Ugh.

I need to do a pantry inventory, sort and purge the junk foods. Trying to lose a few pounds, put DS on a ADHD diet - so we don't need crap food.

I have a Craigslist pile already - just need to list that. I also have TONS of old kids clothes to sell - but I need to wash them first - huge chore.

I haven't finished putting away the Christmas stuff cause I'm re-evaluating everything before packing it away.

I'm trying to go room by room, but then I get side-tracked. For instance, I'll have a lot of girl clothes for the consignment store so then I figure I'll do the boys closet to do one run. Then I figure I'll do my closet, and so on. I need to stay on task.

Another bonus is we're doing Dave Ramsey right now, so selling un-used stuff is paying down debt! Plus it's making th house easier to keep clean. Win all around!

 

[Shmily1]

I signed up on Flylady yesterday and cleaned my sink I had to keep DGS last night while DD worked so I didn't get too much done with destashing, but did get some regular cleaning and laundry done.

 

[talulabelle]

whats the shoe thing? I bookmarked the site but didn't really look at it.

Flylady has some rules to keep you on track. One is keeping your sink clean and shiny and free of dishes. That way, the dishes don't pile up. (since you are a newlywed and it is just you and your dh, you probably don't understand this, but as a mom of 4 kids, I totally do. Within 1 or 2 meals with 6 people eating, your entire kitchen can become a disaster zone if you can't get dishes right in the dishwasher because you can't rinse them because you left a pot in there or something. Then you get defeated and feel like you just can't keep up on the kitchen, because it gets messy too fast. (obviously I've been there)

The other big rule is to get up, shower do hair and make-up and dress completely including lace up shoes. Again, if you are working or still in school, this might be a no-brainer...but when you are a stayhome mom or retired or something.and you have nowhere specific you need to be, and the days run into each other with nothing special about any one of them...then it is easy to fall into a bad pattern of getting up and thinking you will start doing housework in your pj's and barefeet. Things go slower and it is easy to get depressed and just decide not to go out for the day or do anything for the day. Again, I totally understand this one because for about 14 years I always had a small one at home with me and I fell in to disaray around the house and myself.

 

[mrsklamc]

Flylady didn't work for me- I felt it was geared more to SAHM's ...But like anything, do what works for you!

 

[rockin_rep]

Flylady has some rules to keep you on track. One is keeping your sink clean and shiny and free of dishes. That way, the dishes don't pile up. (since you are a newlywed and it is just you and your dh, you probably don't understand this, but as a mom of 4 kids, I totally do. Within 1 or 2 meals with 6 people eating, your entire kitchen can become a disaster zone if you can't get dishes right in the dishwasher because you can't rinse them because you left a pot in there or something. Then you get defeated and feel like you just can't keep up on the kitchen, because it gets messy too fast. (obviously I've been there)

The other big rule is to get up, shower do hair and make-up and dress completely including lace up shoes. Again, if you are working or still in school, this might be a no-brainer...but when you are a stayhome mom or retired or something.and you have nowhere specific you need to be, and the days run into each other with nothing special about any one of them...then it is easy to fall into a bad pattern of getting up and thinking you will start doing housework in your pj's and barefeet. Things go slower and it is easy to get depressed and just decide not to go out for the day or do anything for the day. Again, I totally understand this one because for about 14 years I always had a small one at home with me and I fell in to disaray around the house and myself.

Thats helpful to know, thanks. Would love some other tips of hers too. I think i read something about finding 27 things to toss in each room, is that her tip? I joined long ago but somehow couldn't get into it. Maybe the same reason as mrsklamc listed below?

Flylady didn't work for me- I felt it was geared more to SAHM's ...But like anything, do what works for you!

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

emptied out our unfinished and got rid of 2 old computers, a monitor and some huge stereo speakers. Lots of space opened up. Gave away 2 huge boxes of kids clothes and sorted some for a garage sale. (I have a terrible emotional attachment to baby clothes and have about 8 rubbermaids full left.. but I did empty 3.)

We hung shelves in DS room to hold all his pricess keepsakes. Great to have it all off the dresser.

I also have a very large box of 80's CDs. Does anyone know of a place to sell them? I would like them all gone at once, not listing them one by one.

Thanks!

There's a website, I think it's called secondspin.com , you still have to put in the upc code for each cd, but they will tell you how much they will give you for each cd and they pay for shipping media mail. If I remember right they also give you an option to receive payment by check or paypal.

ETA: I just went to the website, that's the right one. On the top of the screen there are options to choose from and one says "sell to us". I have used them and they are legit. (but I'm in no way affiliated).

 

[talulabelle]

Flylady didn't work for me- I felt it was geared more to SAHM's ...But like anything, do what works for you!

I get alot out of her lessons and ideas, but I have never been able to apply the daily routine of cleaning missions to my house. It nevers seems to be what my house needs the most that day. . I like to go back to her site and read it or read the emails from time to time to get inspiration and get back on track. I try to keep the sink shiny before I go to be to make sure the dishes don't pile up, I remember to keep rebooting the laundry, it helps me to declutter and I use her system for that (throw away, put away and give away pile - work clockwise around the room- that has saved my sanity many times - to have a clear plan on how to get through a room that is overwhelming) I try to live by the dress to the shoes principle. I even have a little bit of a control journal, but nothing like what she says to have. Mine has things in it that I might not remember from year to year...like the fall clean up page...I have listed a clear plan for how to get the house ready for winter so that I don't forget anything -and I have the names and numbers of the businesses I use for leaves, gutter cleaning etc. The reason I need to have it written down is because there is a system..if I wash the windows first, then have the gutters cleaned or the leaves blown out of the gardens, it will mess up my windows that I just did....so to remember the order of how to get things done and done fast (there is such a short window in the Mid-Atlantic between when leaves finally fall and when it is just too stinkin cold to work outside) . I also have pages written on what I served for certain parties, and the order of what I did to get ready...I have a page with my Christmas card labels in a file pocket...I print several years worth at one time..since there were so many years where my computer crashed and I lost everything...so even though I have it backed up, I just have them preprinted waiting for the cards...the few people that change on the list or move, I just write them in on a blank label and throw out their old one. Then when I actually do Christmas cards ,I go to the computer with the written correct labels and update them then for the next year of printing.

So, although she has helped me ALOT, I don't follow the daily plan for cleaning.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I'd like to join you all. I started with my DD's bedroom yesterday, out of neccessity. She lost a school library book and that's a huge deal to her because she's in a book club at school and works in the school library so she HAS to return her books on time so she can take out more. Her room wasn't as bad as I thought, I boxed up some outgrown pajamas and pants to send to my best friend that has four girls.

Today will be a real mission, though. I need to work on the boys' bedrooms. There are two, the little boys (5 & 8) and the big boys (10 & 12). The little boys will be first. I did some of it before Christmas because BIL sent the kids an air hockey table and they had the most room for it so I listed a bunch of stuff for free on craigslist and got rid of it right away. But the 5yo had a growth spurt so I need to see if I can go through some of his clothes without him here (he's strong willed and it's easier to work without him) and still need to find homes for their Christmas gifts.

I have no car today, DH took my van to work since his truck is having problems so I HAVE to stay home and do this. I am determined I am going to do nothing else until I finish those boys' rooms. And that's where I'm heading right now. Wish me luck!

 

[StephMK]

I have no car today, DH took my van to work since his truck is having problems so I HAVE to stay home and do this. I am determined I am going to do nothing else until I finish those boys' rooms. And that's where I'm heading right now. Wish me luck!

Good luck!! Just think how great those rooms will look when you're done!



DH helped me carry all the holiday totes & tree out to the garage last night. He also carried down the piles from the upstairs hall. I just need to get get the donation stuff to the garage from the basement & those areas will be set. I still haven't gotten to the closet under the steps in the basement but should be able to tackle that today. We're having a snow day so no plans to go out anyway.

 

[acename]

Today I'm going to clean out under our bed. That's where most of our wrapping paper and Christmas things go and they won't fit now! So hopefully I'll find some things to toss or give away there.

 

[MickeyCrazedMom]

.

I recycle everything that I can - magazines to doctor's offices, old & unwanted books to a local bookstore (they always have free boxes out front & have a huge used/resale section. You get credit to use to purchase other used books. I have more credit than I will ever be able to use! ), blankets to the homeless shelter, etc.

Hi! I live just north of Monroe and was wondering what bookstore you take your books too. I would love to find somewhere to take my 5 boxes of books! Thanks

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I am taking a lunch break, but I have finished the little boys' room. (except vaccuuming, I will do the whole upstairs when I'm done today). I took out 3 Walmart bags of trash, a big box that they had torn apart , a huge pile of plastic store hangers, and a small stack of outgrown pajamas. I didn't have any toys for Goodwill, mostly because I gave so much away before Christmas. I will admit that 1 1/2 of those trash bags was happy meal toys. I could've given them away, but I think at some point you just have to get it out of your house.

I'm going to try to post pictures.

Before:

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

And After:

Now I'm done with lunch so I'm going to move on to the big boys' room. That hopefully won't be as big of a job because they don't have as many toys. Thanks for the motivation .

 

[mrsklamc]

Got the hall closet done last night, tonight is the living room!

Almost hoping for a snow day tomorrow to keep the ball rolling.

The thread seems to have slowed down a little but I'm hoping it will pick back up over the weekend!

 

[StephMK]

Now that I have some available rubbermaid bins, I was able to clear off the laundry room shelf. I put the household tape measure, etc. in a small bin so that stuff is not scattered all over the shelf anymore. Also took the misc. stuff off the dryer & put it in the direction it needs to go ie- hairbands in pile to go upstairs, etc.

I tackled the basement closet & it wasn't too bad. I'd decluttered last summer so it really still looked pretty good. Donated a few more puzzles that the kids have outgrown & put the doll stuff into a different bin that is see-through. I may actually have extra totes when I'm done! I think I will use one to store all the gift bags/bows, etc. Right now they are in the guest room dresser.

Also cleared off some of the kitchen stuff off the counters so it looks a little better. In my organizing, I found the other Gameboy charger so now I can list both complete systems on ebay. One box is ready & packed for Goodwill. There is a bag of stuff for my nephew and another pile for the school nurse. I have 2 baskets full of stuff to sort & pack up but that shouldn't take long.

My next goal is the garage, it's partially heated so I can work in there. If I can get it cleared out, I can send DS out there to scooter or play, he is literally bouncing off my furniture and needs to burn some energy!! These inside days are getting to all of us!

 

[delmar411]

ok, I got 2 giant dollhouses and a giant bag of people & furniture out of the garage today and sold. Yay! I've had those things up for sale on CL since before T-giving.

also got 4 large boxes, 1 folding toybox, 1 ride on and 1 playset thingy out of the garage and freecycled (and picked up!)

discovered 3 more bags of stuff that I needed to sort through out there and got a prelim sort done on them. Most of it will hit the trash I think but there are a few things in there that need to find their correct home. (even though we haven't missed them in 2+yrs. LOL)

I also piled up my bed with the stuff in our room on the floor. That way I have to deal with it before sleeping tonight.

 

[dizkids]

I am in!

I think i always read this thread title so fast...somehow i was thinking it was about stashing money away..something i cant do : )

But i think i can manage minimum of one bag of stuff a day to get rid of. I just started in the kitchen and bag number #1 is filled.

 

[acename]

So I cleaned under the bed. I got about half a bag of trash out of there and found an empty one of those plastic under the bed storage bags. That will be good for putting things under the baby's bed. Now all of the Christmas stuff that needs to go under the bed will fit. Before the end of the night I'm going to clean out my fridge. I'm doing the New Year's pantry challenge so I need to see what I have in there that I can actually use.

 

[kinntj]

I'm going through my DD5's clothes and then will work on her socks/tights that all over her room floor. Time to go downstairs and make dinner. Both of DD's clothes have gotten out of hand. Time to go in there and put her clothes in outfits on hangers.