What goes in --- must come out!

[Ellien C]

I thought I would start an accountability thread for myself and track new things coming in and compare against stuff leaving my house. I think we have hoarding problems. It also counts if I use up craft supplies.

Today:
Vicotry: 2 coats and a package of too big boxers going to a guy who hands these out to the homeless.
Loss: DH will NOT part with an old purple puffy coat that has been in the closet for 30+ years. It belonged to his brother who just died quite suddenly and in the fall and now DH wants to hang onto it. (and over Thanksgiving MASSIVE amounts of stuff came into the house after DH cleaned out BIL's storages lockerS).

We are expecting a new baby at the end of march and the room for the nursery is already full of stuff as is the basement.

Anyone else want to join in tracking debits and credits to your stuff stockpile?

[sunshineafterrain]

I love this idea, but I am really on the negative side of things so I have not brought anything in so far this month, except food...oops wait! we did just get new printer, and the old one is out waiting til the next thrift store drop off

I am avoiding stores- even (especially! lol) my favorite thrift shop except to drop off (dh got the printer)

Being broke helps too lol

I did bring 3 tall kitchen size trash bags plus one small box of toys, shoes and a few other odds and ends to the thrift store last weekend...I have way more that I want to purge too

[Gray's Mommy]

Originally Posted by sunshineafterrain

Being broke helps too lol

I haven't purchased much since the holidays...very refreshing.

[lucifugous]

I am tempted! Things are really switching up around here though, have been getting rid of so much and will likely be moving, meanwhile consolidating things I left behind in a former home.. it's too complicated. But I hope something like this is around in a few months when everything settles

[Ellien C]

Well - about 16 cases of empty beer bottles left the house - to go to needy brewers. DH didn't even fight me that much on it, although he acted all pissy about bringing them up from the basement.

A mini-co-sleeper has come in as well as a few bags from a baby shower. It's not overwhelming yet.

I have one closet emptied with some hanging shelves and bins in it where baby things are stored. I have a box of "giveaway" new born girl clothes and 2 bags of stuff to photograph and sell. I'll feel better if I actually get a move on with that stuff.

DD has agreed to give up 2 tiaras, a talking stuffed animal and a doll with a china face. At least that is something. Oh - and many underwears that she doesn't like and many shorts she doesn't like. She's hanging onto the too-short pants and a lot of shirts. But it seems more manageable.

[missmich]

Sounds like your doing well so far! Glad DD is helping. I hope you can get the babies room sorted soon. I wish I lived closer to you since I love to organize and get rid of clutter.

As for me a nice,but not safe for a new baby desk left my house the other day and a book shelf has been promised to someone else in exchange for a baby swing and maybe some other baby items if she can find them.

I still have a lot of stuff to go through and clear out and ad to the get rid of list.

[missmich]

Something else came into today! A super nice tv stand/shelf from Ikea,well Freecycle for free. I really needed it since my tv was on an old odd shaped coffee table that was to wide and took to much space. This new shelf is better and has cupboards to hide clutter! lol

[Ellien C]

I'm now down 22 cases of beer bottles, which I think is all of them. There might be 2 more cases, but if there is, I have a friend who wants them. I still have about a dozen wine bottles/pint-sized beer bottles which I "MIGHT" keep since we don't drink a lot of wine and I have made mead. I like the pint-sized beer bottles a lot. They seem the right size for the 2 of us.

There is a box of slightlty stained but still serviceable new born girl clothes in my car. The 2 bags of good clothes are still waiting to be photographed.

DH moved the fabric from the nursery-to-be to the spot where the beer was BUT - it not remotely organized and now I can't get into the boxes to put more things in them. sigh..... not sure if this is a help or not.

In: Car seat plus 2 bases. Baby due in a month so we can get the bases installed. Numerous presents from DD's birthday.

Oh yeah - and at least 24 cases of Girl Scout cookies......

Major bummer when the handyman was a no-show and not-gonna show on my one day off work.

[Ellien C]

Gave away one medium-sized box of newborn girl clothes to a guy at work who will deliver to a women's shelter. Yea. The clothes have been in my car for awhile.

GS cookies are slowly going out. Got said girl scout to donate 4-5 very old board books for GS "season's of giving" campaign book drive.

Still need to photograph and upload old newborn clothes.

[Ellien C]

Got rid of large 2' square office printer that came with some stupid volunteer job.

DH is ACTUALLY moving the desk out to make room for the changing table. Hey - I'm only 38 weeks pregnant with no crib, no dresser and no place to change the baby or PUT diapers.

[Ellien C]

One box of old army manuals in the trash. Except I kept 2 of them that look like they might be useful. I have such trouble with this. Anyone know what I should do with old Army uniforms?

One small box of 1990s shiny workout clothes to go to Goodwill. Will they want them? One shopping bag of out-of-season maternity clothes to in the car to go back to the person who gave them to me.

One bag of electronic garbage to go to the recycling center - old phones, broken x-mas tree lights. A handful of extra baby stuff - car seat cover, wedge for crib, new born car seat insert, baby's first months video and baby name book to go to pregnant mom's care center. I'll send the maternity clothes there if the friend doesn't want them.

oh - and the changing table is in place and stocked with diapers.

[Ellien C]

Well, this seems to be my private chronicle of decluttering but:

DH actually threw out several ziploc bags of old underwear that he was saving in the top of the closet. They were too small and I guess he admits they'll never fit again. He also gave me about 20 T-shirts to dispose of. 12 went to Goodwill and the rest can be rags. This leaves - probably 50 but it's a good start. He's getting rid of his bandanna collection - maybe 50 of those and he gave me 12 white workshirts to bring to Goodwill. THIS IS amazing. I noticed that he took care of these "closet items" after I had organized the closet pretty well. I guess I inspired him.

I've moved the ironing board out of the baby's room and into the said closet. And I bought a BUNCH of organizers - cubes things, toy chest, book rack at 60% off BUT it was totally money I shouldn't have spent. It went on the credit card. I HAD plain boxes and bins, but these were "pretty" or at least boy colored. I'm thinking of buying more.

I brought the workout clothes to goodwill and sent the electronic recyclables on their way.

I found out that Uncle Sams would buy my old Army Uniforms and give me a store credit for them. Hooray. We'll see what they want.

Several costumes and accessories went to the "borrowing box" for our Medieval re-enactment group. DH even consented to let some things go. Several other outfits went to some adolescent girls. I can't believe I wore them when I was 20. They have like a 20 inch waist and NO BUST. My own daughter is a different body-type and I'm sure she'll never wear them.

I gave up the battle and called an exterminator for my ant infestation. They came yesterday and that should help my spirits a lot.

I ALSO called 2 professional organizers. This is a big step for me. One was reasonable and she worked in 3-hour blocks of time. The other was HUGELY expensive BUT she's has certifications in working with hoarders and she sounded really good. She admitted that she was NOT naturally organized but had come to it through hard work and she wanted to help people like herself. She sounded pretty good for me but I'm really concerned about the money. On the other hand, I've seriously contemplated leaving DH and moving out of the house due to it's condition and well --- his depression/hoarding/problems, so maybe it's what I need.

Also got very inspired at church last Sunday to tackle the ONE thing in my life that would bring me more happiness. God will provide the angels and the plan if I just commit and take the first steps.

[Ellien C]

Oh yeah - I also bought a very expensive lamp (Ott Light) at Joanne's for 50% off. I've had my eye on it for over a year. But again, it went on the credit card. And I bought chalkboard and magnetic paint for the 2 doors in the kitchen. I think it will help a lot. If I can find time to paint.

[lexmas]

I love it. I will be happy to join you! Sounds like you're doing great! We're mostly prepping to declutter haha. This weekend I have:

Gone through the toys upstairs and downstairs, and packed the ones to donate in boxes. Went through the books too. I should probably be more ruthless about the toys, but I'm watching to see what they play with of the stuff that's left in the next few weeks. We set a date to take everything to donation: May 29th (my birthday haha, that's my gift!) so 3 weeks to observe!

Taken pictures of the toys to list on Craigslist.

Contacted a friend to give her back her baby stuff that we've outgrown...and scored a playdate next weekend!

Pulled up a few fisher price toys from the basement and put them on the toy shelves (farm and dollhouse)...going to see if they get played with in the next few weeks and if not, they're getting donated too. My kids don't really play with toys, so I doubt they will, but I could be surprised.

Went through a box of stuff from our old apartment in the basement and got rid of at least half of it, and packed the rest in a smaller box and put it back down there. I don't know what to do with wedding pictures...we don't look at them, and I don't suppose anyone else will until my kids are grown and planning their own weddings. And even then, I'm not sure how interested they'll be!

I don't think anything has come in this weekend other than food, although DH ordered a new camera online. He found the old (the one that came with the camera) strap for the camera in the basement and put it on the camera, because he wants to list it on e-bay. But he hasn't taken pictures yet.

Alright, that's not bad for one weekend, right?

[hillymum]

The last four weeks have been very good for me.
Over the past year everything that needs to leave this house has been put into my hobby room making it very uninviting. We had a yard sale three weekends ago after I added more to the room and sold almost half of the items.
I met a lady who was buying items for a community support agence for families in the Appellation Mountains so I asked her to return at the end of the day for everything we had left that she thought would be good. I added 5 bags of too small clothes to the pile and then filled her car!
Dh finally went through his shirts and filled another large trash bag which is in the back of the car waiting to go to the thrift store.
Two large trash bags of soda cans were dropped off to help Crusade for Children.
The huge collection (3 years worth) of plastic bags went to the recycle box at Walmart.
I still have to go through the cupboards in the family room and sort out papers etc that get stuffed in there. I also have to go through the box of outdoor toys in the garage but then the guarage will be done totally.

I'm very pleased with myself for have got all this done as I have not had any "get up and go" energy for such a long time. I've felt like all the weight of this extra stuff has weighed me down and now it's gone and I feel lighter and more energetic!

[justmeandmybrood]

You all are inspirational!

We are in a 3-bdrm rental home for 11 more months, and since baby #3 will be here in Sept/Oct and will be staying in our room in this house, we *need* clear space, so I am IN!!

In - baby gear (free hand-me-down clothes (3 boxes), booster seat (rather than large high chair), contoured changing pad (rather than a changing table), swaddling blanket and some infant toys from a consignment sale

Out - 7-yr old DS threw out 2 WalMart bags full of stuff, is giving away 1 bag of things, and has set aside another bag for baby #3 (#3 is also a boy, so some Matchbox, books, etc.); my 2-pc swimsuit from honeymoon (yeah, like after 3 kiddos I will ever WANT to wear that again ), 2 boxes of hand-me-downs to avoid too many duplicates

Let's keep it going, everyone!

[Ellien C]

I can't believe I got a $75 store credit for old army uniforms! I spent $20 on wool socks and I have the rest as a credit. I'm thinking of a thermarest pad, camp cook set for 4 or putting it toward a tent. And that was only 2 of the 4 boxes plus about 4 hanging uniforms. I still have 2 boxes of stuff for Goodwill that Uncle Sam's didn't want.

In: Various baby gifts, but I've been good about not buying for the baby. DD got 2 pairs of jeans and 3-4 pairs of shorts at Old Navy. She really needed shorts that she would wear and some jeans. This is the first she's asked for jeans. I paid cash for that so that was good. My lamp and organizers went on the CC so that was bad. I bought myself a brown skirt at Target in lieu of finding brown stretch/yoga pants. I'm still in maternity clothes at 8 weeks PP and frankly, it's depressing. But I put several cute skirts and dresses I thought I could nurse in back on the shelf.

In: Sold my ring sling, which I never liked and put it toward a nursing bra. Borrowed a bouncy seat and bathtub so I didn't need to spend money. FINALLY off-loaded the borrowed maternity clothes that were in my car to a third friend who is pregnant.

Wrote down and set goals to keep front entry way clear.

Decluttered my triple dresser, which had literally heaps of stuff on it for over a year. I just could not make traction. It helps that a lot was pregnancy related and that's all thrown out - various papers, tips, safe-medications etc.

In: Large basket from MOthers day - not sure what to do with it. And some small items which I like: earrings, necklace, 2 pens, fancy notebook.

[lexmas]

In: 5 schleich animals for our toy farm

Out: 15 "little people" animals.

Not a major victory, but a minor one!

[Masel]

Yay Ellien. That's great.

I got a new laptop but that means I could get rid of the old monitor that was serving as the screen for my old laptop. I took it to a e-recycle place. I'll get space on my actual desktop back.

[Ellien C]

I've not made progess on this in awhile and a bunch of transitional clothes for me came in AND tons of baby things.

But today - about 6 suits/jackets are going to the nice thrift store (net loss given what came in), plus a bag of sweaters, plus a bag of green plastic hangers that no one wants.

I inventoried about 20 years worth unfinished sewing projects and I'm actually making progress on them. I set a goal of completing 1/week and I've been blogging about it. To that goal, I'm going to add one "declutter" goal - doesn't matter how big or how small. SOMETHING has to go. There, that seesm manageable.