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Moving and Decluttering--how do we do it?

599 views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Carla_KY 
#1 ·
For the past five years, we've lived in a tiny, two-bedroom shack. It has been wall to wall clutter most of the time. When we've had to clean for company, we've pushed all of the clutter into the closets and master bedroom and it gradually would work its way back into the rest of the house after the company left.

We moved two weeks ago. It was incredibly short notice, but it was to a nice, spacious three bedroom house with a large living area, a dining room and a kitchen.

Because it was so short notice, we basically threw all of the clutter into boxes, along with the things we were using every day. The boxes are currently sitting in the vacant 3rd bedroom that we want to use as an office/study.

I feel completely liberated--no clutter. I've found the boxes that contained favorite toys, the clothes we wear most often, the dishes, and unpacked those. The "study" is still so packed with boxes that you'd need a crowbar to get in.

I want to use this study. We also need need need to find some of the things that are in there, such as the pots and pans
. But I don't know where to start. Every time I open a box, I see things that will only clutter up the house--ie papers, clothes I might fit back into if I lose weight, lampshades that we don't need in the new house, knicknacks and gifts from relatives. And I put the box back into the study and give up for the day.

We haven't been organized for 5 years. I don't even know where to start. Any suggestions?
 
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#2 ·
Baby steps. That's what you need to remember. Start out by getting yourself 3 big bins (or boxes, whatever) and label them KEEP, DONATE, TRASH. Now, grab ONE of your many boxes in the study and open it. Go through each piece and decide RIGHT THEN if it's a keeper, a donater or a trasher. If it's something you use often, obviously it's a keeper. If it's something you haven't used in over 6 months (aside from off season clothing) then donate it. If it is broken, doesn't work, etc, trash it.

Paperwork...you need to keep your important papers for 2 years. After that, shred them and recycle the paper. Keep the ones you do need in a nice file cabinet or file box in the garage or somewhere out of the way.

As far as knick-nacks and gifts from relatives. I don't keep things JUST because they were a gift (except for certain items that have SPECIAL meaning to me like antique quilts my grandmother and great aunts have made, sentimental items from my kids's baby days, etc). If it doesn't have SPECIAL meaning to you, toss it in the donate box.

Now, once you've gone through all these things and there are still several things you aren't sure about, put them in a box and date the box 2 or 3 months ahead of the current date. So, like if it were today, date the box October 31, 2008 or November 31, 2008. Put this box in the garage or somewhere out of the way. If you realize you need something out of the box before that date, go and get it and store it where it needs to be. If you haven't used things in that box by that date, donate the entire box. You obviously don't need those things b/c you haven't used them in 3 months!


Hope the ideas help, and if you need more ideas on organizing specific things, let me know...I'd be glad to help!
 
#6 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Crystal Pegasus View Post
In some places important paperwork- such as tax related stuff- are required to be kept for much longer. Here, much stuff must be kept for 7 years, except in certain circumstances.
I should have noted that you should check with your local tax office...but I was thinking it was 2 years...maybe I'm wrong on that. But either way...only keep what you NEED.
 
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