Deep Declutter Challenge this week [Archive] - AmityMama.com

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mamabear
11-29-2005, 10:16 PM
I'm having a bit of a hard time focusing on decluttering at the moment. We've all been sick again and on top of that I am applying to graduate school programs and working on a novel (6 or so chapters of which have to go with my application to school). So I'm a wee bit busy at the moment...and all this just snuck up on me as I realized how far into winter we are already! Add to that all the holiday stuff...

So I'm wondering if everyone wants to just kind of do their own thing until after the holidays? I do have some ideas of what you might want to do and I will share what I will try to work on when I get stuck writing or have a few free minutes.

I still haven't gotten my sewing stuff fully set up, and I need to do that in order to sew up some gifts for the holidays. So I was planning on trying really hard to get that area fully decluttered and organized and unpacked this week. Part of the problem is I need to find a table that works for my machines, and I no longer have a cutting table, but the kitchen table works for cutting at least.

I also have my basement stuff - tools, deep storage - to go through, but I don't think I'll get to that until January.

I want to get rid of more of mine and dh's clothes. The kids are well decluttered.

I have a lot to post for sale here or to distribute in some way.

I suggest at a minimum going through the kids' toys and decluttering them one more time before the holidays bring new things. I am planning on doing this also, but I really deeply cut into their toys before the move, so I think this is probably going to be minimal if anything. I still haven't finished unpacking their books or art supplies and do plan on doing so this week.

I have three big boxes of "randomness" sitting in the middle of my kitchen that I have to sort into plastic shoeboxes and/or throw away.

My house is looking pretty well unpacked and organized. I took some pics of the kitchen, and some before pics of the office (any other befores would just be a pile of boxes) and will post them when I get a chance.

Anyway, that's what I'm up to, I'd love to hear what everyone else is working on. I hope to get back and post challenges in January. I'm not sure what our plans are for June and on, but I really want to go back through each room *again* and get rid of still more. Once it's all unpacked and organized it's a lot easier to do yet another layer. And hopefully this run of holiday sewing and crafting will eat up a lot of boxes of supplies/fabric that are taking up precious space in the office and hallway.

Robin
11-29-2005, 10:49 PM
Well I am going through the tough stuff right now. As we unpacked I went through the boys books and toys and I need to finish listing that stuff. Now I am going through the 5 boxes of stuff from when dh and I were children/engaged and just married. So far I have cleaned it down to one combined box of our stuff that will eventually go into scrapbooks that is not quite full. This was from 2 very full boxes. I tossed 2 garbage bags full of stuff. I also donated one garbage bag of clothes this week to a children's home. I have 2 more bags of misc stuff to donate tomorrow.

After Christmas, my goal is to work on my craft stuff and really declutter it and downsize. Hopefully it won't be too bad since I plan on doing several gifts this year.

stephanielynn
11-29-2005, 11:06 PM
sounds good. looking forward to doing more in january. i have been giving all of my decluttered stuff away this week...freecycle, a bunch of stuff to my friends, goodwill. so, it's almost all gone...i sure did get a lot out during the kitchen challenge!

we haven't gotten the Christmas decorations out yet, so i'll need to go through all of that when we do. besides that, i'm hoping to be able to buy some clothes for christmas and get rid of some of what i have in my closet that isn't pleasing me at all. i think i'll also work on the hall closet and try to pass along some games we have...and possibly a couple of jackets.

my biggest goal is to keep the heart of simplifying during a season where i most want to think about all the stuff i want or what everyone else has that i need too.

juliebelle
12-28-2005, 11:25 PM
i think we should all declutter the holiday decorations we have....go ahead and simplify so we aren't storing what we don't love

LatteLover
12-28-2005, 11:28 PM
Julie, I unpacked this year and decided there was a lot I don't love. Lots of things others have given me which are nice, but just not really me. I hope I resist the temptation to just repack them.

juliebelle
12-28-2005, 11:53 PM
Julie, I unpacked this year and decided there was a lot I don't love. Lots of things others have given me which are nice, but just not really me. I hope I resist the temptation to just repack them.
why don't you choose 5 things to let go of....or maybe more (not sure if you have a ton of stuff or not) that always seems easy to me...to come up with a number

stephanielynn
12-29-2005, 12:12 AM
i think we should all declutter the holiday decorations we have....go ahead and simplify so we aren't storing what we don't love

i needed this nudge! i just freecycled some Christmas stuff i don't want, but it was the easy stuff. i have a couple of things that are just out because i have them, not because i love them...santa salt and pepper shakers taking up space; never been actually used....a basket of pine cones/greenery that is getting worn out looking from being stored. i'm going to do my best to pass along a couple of things before i pack my containers this year.

looking forward to more decluttering soon! i actually cleaned out another layer of clothes from my closet tonight.

frogsnladybugs
12-30-2005, 12:36 PM
I'm going to make it my mission to seriously declutter in the new year. I had already decided to declutter our holiday stuff and I've put a few things in a bag in the hall closet I use to hold decluttered items till I am able to donate them. We live an hour away from any drop-off/pick-up places, so I'll donate when I get a van-full...
My "declutter" issue right now is my bedroom - it's the catch all for mess, I'm going to fix that this weekend.

LisaC
12-30-2005, 10:32 PM
I decluttered all my holiday stuff last night. Feels really good!

stephanielynn
12-31-2005, 12:12 AM
got rid of 7 Christmas things i didn't love! i did it...yippee!