They take *everything* outside and lay it on tarps. Then they separate it into 3 categories. Sell, Toss, Save. I think it would be so much easier to do it that way. If it's outside, you have to finish, right?! I'm waiting for a sunny weekend, and then I'm doing it.

I think it's a great idea but i wonder how realistic it is for one person. They have people that help empty the rooms and then again bring it back in. I think if you did one room you might be able to do it. I've been thinking lots lately about the sentimental items. My grandmother did rug hooking and when she died i got everything. That was 18 years ago and i haven't even tried anything in about 15 i'd say. I have 2 boxes maybe 3 of things sitting out there that i really doubt i'll ever use. I hate to get rid of it b/c it's a part of her but there are rugs that she made in the family that would mean more to me i think. I don't know. Good luck

TeresaLock,
if I understand you right, you got her supplies?
Buy a shadow box frame and make a display in it including one of her hooks, a photo of her [working on a rug or presenting a rug to someone id possible] and several strands of yarn bundled together. If there's canvas, you could use a piece for the background matte.

Then you can sell the rest or donate them to an old folks home or handicapped workshop.
:o)

Very cool idea!! I had just emailed my mom asking her thoughts and if she wanted anything from it. She's always telling me don't keep things just for the sentimental. I'm going to see if she has a picture that i could put in there.
thanks

I'd just do one room at a time, for sure! We really don't have that much clutter, but our house is small, so it feels like we have a lot, yk? I just need to be able to see it all at once.

The shadow box is a great idea. I went to someone's house and they had shadow boxes for each of their kids, from when they were born. Each had a little picture of them at birth, a hat, their footprints, etc.

no, never tried doing it their way, but boy do i need to! i think my biggest areas right now are my craft/sewing/soaping conglomerate messes and the 3 bazillion bottles of cleaning solution i'm trying to use up!

That is a great idea!! BUT I would need a husband... and he is MIA for another 5 weeks. So that is sort of out for me.... the declutter challenges are keeping me pretty motivated when I get off the dam computer long enough!

Off to clean!

Love Val

I did that with my garage about 6 years ago. It was a mess. Now it's much better!

I do the same thing, but on a smaller scale with closets. I'm pretty much done delcuttering large rooms and have moved to cupboards. When I clean the girl's rooms I do:

Keep
Put somewhere else
Trash
Donate

And I use large trash bags.

:D

You know, historically, that's what "spring cleaning" meant.

The servants of well-off households moved EVERYTHING outside in the spring for "sunning." Just like hanging stained diapers in the sun can make the spots fade and help kill bacteria, the thought was that airing and sunning the furniture (especially mattresses) would be a great way to clean them.

Then the servants washed EVERY wall and the floors. Because they used fireplaces and wood stoves, soot covered everything, so they cleaned the soot out of the house. Then they polished all the furniture outside, then moved it back in.

Can you IMAGINE?

It actually sounds great, though, like the OP suggested.

Then again, you could just move for the fifth time in 5 years, like me! :p That's my best way to declutter.