DECLUTTERING IN 2008

[tree_hugger]

I know there are several challenges going on at the moment - Shiny Homes, Messies and also Motivated Moms threads - but I wondered if anyone would like to do a specific decluttering challenge?

Some people I know from another board are aiming to declutter 2008 things from their homes in 2008. Would anyone be interested in doing something like that on GCM?

Its up to you how you count the items. For example, I recently gave away three bags of clothes, with approx 10 items in each. I could count that as 3 or 30.

Let me know what you think.

:heart

[inesperada]

2008 sounds like a lot....but I might try.

[Teribear]

interesting...2008 items sounds huge but when you get to thinking about paper clutter that could actually go very fast. I'm not committing yet but I'm considering it.

[Iarwain]

THAT actually sounds pretty cool. I have a lot of decluttering to do that I've been chipping away at. A LOT lot.

[klpmommy]

i'm willing to try, but 2008 sounds like a *ton*, although I *need* to work on the garage this summer & I think I could easily get that there. :bag

[tree_hugger]

I know it seems like a lot, but it really is only 5 - 6 items a day. That could be a piece of paper, an odd sock who's partner went missing five years ago, a chipped mug or an odd tupperware lid.

It all adds up!

Of course, it doesn't have to be 2008 items - everyone can set their own goals.

:yes

[greenjellysnakes]

It does sound like a lot, but I need to do this! I have a huge bag of toys in the car waiting to go to a friend... might just grab it back out and count them before I take them over :giggle

[Benjaminswife]

I would like to do this but would count bags I take to the thrift store I think :)

[klpmommy]

are you going to make a sticky so we can update how much stuff we declutter? I have a drawer I am planning on going through if S ever finishes nursing & I make it to the grocery store. :nak That drawer alone should get me a lot. :)

[greenjellysnakes]

So, are we doing this? I have started keeping a little tally of items I've decluttered, so I'm just wondering if this is still going ahead or not :)

[ChristmasGirl]

i think this is a great idea. of course i usually start out strong at first with these things and then fizzle out, but one of my major goals this year is to declutter my home, so this would be a good encouragement. could we just have one post, where we edit and add on to our number? :think

so far i've decluttered 30 things today :)

[tree_hugger]

Okay, cool! There's a few of us interested, so I'll go ahead and make this a sticky.

Maybe we could all start by posting a bit about what our clutter problem areas are, and how many items we are aiming to release from our homes in 2008. Then we can update as we purge.

:jump

[tree_hugger]

My goal is to declutter 2008 items from my home in 2008. :cheer

I know this may sound like a cop-out, but my biggest clutter problem is my husband. (He himself is not clutter, but he has a lot of it. :giggle ) We have one bedroom in this house which is his dedicated office, and it is filled to the brim. He keeps things like every single box an item comes in, flat batteries, broken computer monitors, broken lamp shades, etc. A few days ago, DH started cleaning his office and rearranging some things. I went in there today to have a look and I was very impressed! Come to realise a few hours later, he has taken a whole heap of stuff out of that room and stashed it under our bed. :(

We also have a garage which is pretty full to the brim. There is a damp / flooding problem there, and I am pretty sure most things down there have mold damage. I need to go through some of the boxes when DH is out of the house, but as he is self employed and works from home, he is always here! So I'm not sure when I will be able to get to that.

Anyway, so far this year, I have decluttered:

6 x bags of clothes = 30 items (guessing approx five pieces in each bag)

And all this stuff, which is 5 items. Just kitchen stuff that I never used taking up space.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v409/KathleenRay/DSCF5596.jpg

And I have taken 10 large cardboard boxes to the garbage dump for recycling.

So that is a total of 45 items, out of 2008. :cool

[greenjellysnakes]

I'm making my goal 2008 items in 2008 as well :rockon

Okay, confession time. We have a 3 bedroom house. The main bedroom is where DH and I sleep, along with DS. DD sleeps in the second bedroom, and the third bedroom is "the storage room" (aka the junk room/the point of no return!) :O We need to figure out some storage solutions for some of the things in that room, so we can turn it into a bedroom. But we also really need to get rid of a lot of it too. There's not even much room to walk in there any more :blush So my main goal for this year (the next couple of months really) is to reclaim that bedroom, through some major decluttering.

Today, I started with paper clutter, another big problem area for me. Total out of my house today: 17 items. Only 1991 to go :P~

[Teribear]

I live in what FLYLady calls CHAOS...can't have anyone over syndrome...its that bad. Except for a very select few who love me and overlook it no one is allowed in my house. My goal is 2008 items out the door in 2008. Starting with my dining room/office which we plan to put down new flooring in the spring. If I get really brave I'll post before/after pictures...but don't hold your breath. LOL!

[klpmommy]

My name is Kimberly & I have a clutter problem.

My house (& hubby) sound a lot like Alternamum's. My garage is scary it has so much stuff in it, but I can't work on it until the weather warms up. However, I have plenty of stuff inside the house to work on. :yes I will start counting items today. :)


1-22 I decluttered 88 items out of my silverware drawer & the cabinet below it (mostly plastic ware- lids that don't match anything, etc). No pictures. +6 cups
1-23 cleaned out a kitchen cabinet that was filled with old phonebooks, and kid junk (empty sticker pages, etc) 74 items
1-24 5 items- tablecloth ruined by the cats, sweat pants that were more holes than pants, 3 broken toys

total:173 items

[Novella]

Ooooo- I need to do this!

I already decluttered the bedroom and I guarantee that I tossed or donated AT LEAST 1000 items just from that room alone! :bag

I'm in!

[tree_hugger]

I live in what FLYLady calls CHAOS...can't have anyone over syndrome...its that bad. Except for a very select few who love me and overlook it no one is allowed in my house. My goal is 2008 items out the door in 2008. Starting with my dining room/office which we plan to put down new flooring in the spring. If I get really brave I'll post before/after pictures...but don't hold your breath. LOL!


:hugheart Terri. You can do it! :cheer You don't have to post pics if you don't want to. I just thought it would be interesting for myself to have a record of everything that has gone out. I'm glad you're doing this with us.

[inesperada]

I live in what FLYLady calls CHAOS...can't have anyone over syndrome...its that bad. Except for a very select few who love me and overlook it no one is allowed in my house. My goal is 2008 items out the door in 2008.

:yes2 My dining room and 3rd bedroom closet are my big goals.

I'm already at about 100.

[Holiday]

I can easily do this. But I'm waiting (like I have been for the last 2 years) for my FIL to move out of our basement. I can't even get to my stuff. But once he moves out it's ON! lol We are completely going to transform the house. We are starting to do the upstairs already.

[Kiera]

Ooh I really need to do this! My name is Kiera. I think our major problem areas are the laundry room which has a ton of baby clothes, old clothes, etc and our bedrooms. Dh's and my room is my fault, I have so many papers and such that I need to organize and get rid of. The girls have too many toys in their room. I'm hoping to clean the basement/laundry room and make it a play room as well. We may be moving this summer and with the new baby coming, this is something we really need to tackle!!

[tree_hugger]

So today I got rid of:

* an old pair of Benjamin's school shoes

* 2 pairs of broken sunglasses (why did I hang onto them for so long? :scratch )

* an old telephone that Joshua was using for a toy - he has two others

* a box my new kettle came in - normally DH would try to keep it, so I am counting it!

* a broken umbrella

* three bags of clothes with approx 7 items of baby clothes in each, so I'm counting that as 21 things

* one bulk jar of blackstrap molasses that is almost empty and has been sitting in my pantry for six months, waiting for my to use the last dregs, even through I have started on a new jar

So that is 28 things! And my new total is 73 items! Only 1935 to go! :cheer

How's everyone else doing? :heart

[AdrienneQW]

CHAOS is the story of my life too... I was telling Stephanie (my angel-slash-professional-organizer) that I realized the other day I actually don't take pictures of my kids sometimes because I'll see them doing something adorable, but I'll see piles of clutter behind them and know I'll never use the photo for anything out of embarrassment. :bag How sad is that?

I'm all about decluttering in 2008. I'll post some pictures this weekend... right now my front porch is filled with donations from a decluttering session last weekend! :rockon Definitely several hundred items. I won't be counting, but I'd be surprised if I didn't hit 2008 items by April. :giggle

I've taken Teribear's lead and started a thread of my decluttering photos in another thread. :woohoo

[mom2boys]

I'm in!! We live in the same house Teri does, apparently. :bag

I have two lawn bags full of baby clothes to take to my MIL and goodwill. That's gonna count as two...that will encourage me to do even more if I don't count each item, right?

cleaned out the file cabinet today-one trash bag to the curb!
that's only 3 so far...I gotta get crackin!

[inesperada]

Today 55 things left my house. Total - 155. :)

+67 = 222

[thomer]

Oooh I'm in! I'd like to get our possessions down to being able to fit everything in our car (sans furniture). Maybe only the driver will be able to fit, but I want everything in there somehow. I don't think it's possible, really, but I can try! :giggle


Today:
10 magazines
bunch of paperwork (counts as 3 things)
5 magnets from businesses that were cluttering my fridge
6 glass jars that were not being used.
1 brown sugar rock :giggle

= 25 things

[tree_hugger]

Adrienne, what a fantastic job! Your house looks lovely. :rockon

[tree_hugger]

I passed on a king sized sheet set to my friend yesterday. My new total is 74 items.

I think I am going to clean out JOshua's drawers.

:)

[TrinMama]

Oh, I so need this thread and the support! I was just coming to this side of the forum to post about my clutter. hehe.

I'm Gina, married to a clutter-bug (but I LOVE him :heart) who is deployed for 4-5 months so out goes some of his stuff. He left me a huge pile to toss/donate before he left, so that was four bags plus two pairs of shoes. I think in total, about 47 items.
I have two girls and one on the way...I'm sure you all relate to the clutter that comes with children.

I want to keep getting rid of kiddie clutter that we don't and won't use, kitchen clutter, basement clutter, and garage clutter. I already have three bins ready to sell/craigslist/freecycle/donate...just need the time (MOTIVATION) to do it. I have a huge pile of kids' clothes upstairs, three huge moving boxes to tear down and recycle, and two or three more moving boxes left to fold up the paper and tear down for recycling.

And paper clutter. All around my computer. 'whew, that's a lot. I'll start with my desk again, today.

So, my total so far is 47. By tonight, hopefully doubled!

[greenjellysnakes]

I need to be doing better with this! DH got rid of 4 truck plaster casts today (you know the kind you paint?). So my new total is 21.

[TrinMama]

So far today and yesterday I was able to clear out 33 things, making my total 80.

[mom2threegirls]

I need to get in on this thread too :yes. The inside of the house isn't bad as long as I keep up on the cleaning but there a lot of unnecessary things just piled up in closets because I like them and I think I "might" need them someday. I'm finally coming to the realization that we just moved into this house and we plan to stay for a long, long, long time- so if I'm not using it now then when AM I going to use it??? Also, Dh's office is BAD, as well as the garage. We are building a wall in the office so it needs to be VERY clean in there so we can easily move stuff in and out for the construction, and we can barely WALK in our 3 car garage :blush. We moved so quickly that I basically was packing ON moving day and we didn't get a chance to throw stuff out or anything...so it all came here. And even though it's a much bigger house the garage especially is really feeling it!

So anyways... ;) this week I got rid of some BIG items that were difficult to get rid of (meaning, Goodwill wouldn't take them ;)) so I've been holding on to them. I got rid of a microwave and OLD pressure cooker on Craigslist, as well as an old patio swing that was falling apart. I felt kinda bad, like I'm contributing to the clutter problem of the people who took the stuff :giggle, but it was up to them :shrug. Today I'm getting rid of 2 BIG speakers (they are about 5 feet tall each and 1.5 feet around :hunh) as well as stereo receiver that goes with them that DH has FINALLY decided to part with :woohoo. Also parted with a bag of maternity clothes and an old Boppy, sent a big box of old baby clothes that aren't special enough to keep to a friend, and got rid of a bunch of home decor type items that I'm not using in the new house. I got two 4-5 foot tall tupperware drawer things that were filled for the most part with junk out of the garage and into DD#1's closet so she can use them for her craft items (and some of my scrapbook stuff too :shifty). Threw out all the junk that WAS in them and found a few treasures from my teenagehood that are now safely stored away :heart. And get this- I now have my linen AND my laundry room closets back because they aren't overcome with all that clutter! And there's a LITTLE bit more room in the garage to walk around now too ;) :phew.

This morning I slept in till 11am :jawdrop and I just realized why :giggle- I was exhausted! I didn't even realize how much I got done this week :rockon :woohoo.

That's roughly 50 items (I wasn't counting the number of clothes items or stuff I threw away but I estimated a low number for that ;)). :woohoo

I really need to sit down with DH and decide with him what he really needs to keep and what he doesn't, but he's so limited on time I don't know when that will happen. At this pace I'll come to a stopping point on mine and the kids stuff- but his stuff is multiplying in the garage and his office and really needs to be taken care of.... :/.

[mamma2allen]

OK I think I am ready to commit to this! I am going to start with today instead of trying to go back and figure out what I have gotten rid of already. 25+ shirts, 20+ cables and wires, 35 books and 10 tapes are bagged and ready to go out of the house hopefully Monday unless the baby comes before then. I need to add more and will hopefully add more to the pile.
Total - 90 + items
1918 to go
Stephanie

[thomer]

I think I'm going to keep updating the same post for each 250 items so I don't have to keep putting new posts.

1/26/08
13 magazines
2 potholders
1 bag of MSG
30 candles
4 magnet sheets
1 trophy
1 bag of cloth scraps
3 bags of crinkly stuff you put in gift bags
20 items of clothing
6 books
20 odd items - mostly canning jars
2 kitchen appliances that belong to my mom and I'm finally giving them back (that counts, right?)
___________
New total = 128

1/28/08
9 nonworking pens
7 books
8 picture frames
14 other odd items
-----------------
new total = 166

[hink4687]

Oh I'm totally in! We have the office/garage problem too! I think b/w the two of them I could probably clear out 2008 things today if I wanted to! :/ Off to declutter for 10 mins or so...I'll be back with a tally!

I'm back...67 items...mostly magazines and mail. :phew

[tree_hugger]

Oh I'm totally in! We have the office/garage problem too! I think b/w the two of them I could probably clear out 2008 things today if I wanted to! :/ Off to declutter for 10 mins or so...I'll be back with a tally!

I'm back...67 items...mostly magazines and mail. :phew


That's great Nici! :yes

[klpmommy]

173+90= 263 .......................... 1745 items to go. :)

over the weekend I cleaned out another cabinet, cleaned up my dining room & threw out assorted pieces of trash - including socks with holes in them, a pair of very comfortable sweats that were more holes than pants :blush , some magazines. I am most glad that I finally took the bag of "red food dye" items someplace where I could give away the stuff to people who don't have kids who react to it. :)

1/28 + 8 - 3 notebooks of worksheets & 2 teacher books, plus 3 packages shipped out with diapers. Total is way more than 8- the worksheets alone probably total 2008, but I'll count them as 8. :)
2/1 + 21 - I cleaned up bits of trash from the kids' room
2/2 + 20 - assorted junk from my master closet

new total: 312

[TrinMama]

wow, you ladies are awesome!

I'm up to 90.

[ranade3]

I really need to declutter my house and am up for the challenge. But I think it will be easier for me to count garbage bags and not the items in them, I hope that's okay.

Yesterday I cleaned out 5 garbage bags of old toys from the girls' room and now you can actually see the girls' floor, they are very excited.

So I will have a goal of 200 bags for 2008 which would be 5/200 as of today.

I have my bedroom (where I toss everything whenever we have company coming over) to declutter and a spare room that is supposed to be an office for dh but you can hardly walk into it right now, just a narrow pathway. I have a ways to go. I also have my cellar partially decluttered and the garge of course.

[klpmommy]

but you can hardly walk into it right now, just a narrow pathway.

that sounds like my garage-- sans the narrow pathway :shifty

[inesperada]

222 + 30 = 252

[tree_hugger]

1 broken photo frame

3 x old scrapbooking magazines

10 random pieces of paper I don't know why I've been hanging on to

New total: 88

:smile

[KatieMae]

Better late than never, I'm in too! I'm going to go for 1000 items though. If I get there by mid-year I'll aim higher, but we live in a very tidy home and I feel there are just certain problem areas that always accumulate the wrong things or too many things to be reasonable. Here's what I know I've already done this year...

Linen closet/bathroom cabinets, tossing old toiletries or spa-type things I'm never going to use - easily 25pcs
Under kitchen sink - 10pcs
Starting total: 35pcs

So, I have to toss, give away or sell, right? b/c I have a continuous "yard sale" pile in my basement - and we really do have a yard sale every spring & fall, so the pile shrinks & grows throughout the year. That's one of the areas I would like to still have, but it needs to be confined & tidier than it is now. Yard sale is currently planned for early April so I hope to get moving on this challenge & have a HUGE sale :D


ETA:
With renewed vigor for decluttering, I went to my bedroom straightaway & cleaned out DH's underwear drawer - I tossed a total of 16 pcs. So, the funny part is, almost everything I threw out was marked with an "M", which means they were bought when his mother was still doing his laundry & had to keep her boys' things separate... and we've been married for six years :jawdrop :lol Those are some OOOOOLLLLDDDD t-shirts baby. If he freaks about it when he gets home I'll just go get him a new pack to soothe him (at least then all his shirts will be hole-free, unlike before!)

I also remembered that I threw away an alphabet puzzle yesterday, so that counts as 27pcs... that came under the heading of "I'm sick of picking up all these pieces!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" And it was a choking hazard to my littlest anyway.

So, new total: 78 :rockon

[Teribear]

I'm not sure about items on this but I'm going to be brave and share before/during/after on the project of the day. FINDING THE DINING TABLE! Ack! I didn't realize this was a sticky. I'll post the pictures in another thread. I threw out an entire recycling bin of paper trash, another garbage can full of paper/cardboard/other trash, I'm going to count it as 50 even though I know it was probably 10 times that amount of actual pieces of paper and junk.

[klpmommy]

Teri- I found my dining room table once this summer & then again this past weekend. I hated it being a room with a pretty table & a lot of junk. It has remained junk free for more than 24 hours. :shifty

[greenjellysnakes]

It has remained junk free for more than 24 hours. :shifty


:clap :tu

[Teribear]

24 hours in, I still have a junk free table. I'm making progress on the island and I've carted out 4 additional paper grocery sacks full of magazines and paper clutter. I'll call that another 100 items (even though I know it was way more than that) and say my total is 150 so far.

[KatieMae]

I went thru our guest room closet, under the guest bed & in the kids' closet. I pulled out several things to sell on Craig's List so when those are gone I'll add them in, but here's what I got done today:

3 into Yard Sale stash
5 sold on CL, will be mailed tomorrow
14 outgrown pcs of clothing put into proper storage containers in the basement
33 items in the trash
Plus the old total: 78

NEW TOTAL:133 :cheer

[mom2threegirls]

Today I went through the linen closet and laundry room shelves and got rid of 28 items :rockon. The items were several larger picture frames and wall shelves/decor type things that I'm not going to use and some were smaller junk/garbage things but between everything both closet spaces are only about halfway filled now :rockon :woohoo. Oh- and I made another small dent in the garage. I'm trying to just do a bit every day so as not to burn myself out :yes. DH was pretty happy :smile. Oh and I listed a few things on craigslist but no one has asked about them so I'm thinking I may just take them to goodwill... :shrug.

New total: 78 items

[mummy2boys]

I know its late but can I join in???

[tree_hugger]

I know its late but can I join in???


Of course you can! :yes Everyone is welcome to jump in anytime. :heart

[Novella]

:rockon I am super impressed with the diligence for decluttering! You ladies are FABULOUS! :heart

I cleaned off our dining table and it has stayed that way for a week now!

I am slow to get going but I will get there!! I WILL! :yes

[JJsMom]

I think I might almost be there already. :shifty I have thrown out boxes and boxes of stuff, recycled boxes and boxes of old magazines and I have two giant garbage bag of clothes, 1 garbage bag of stuffed animals and then about five boxes going to my sister's for a rummage sale this summer. :phew Most of it is still in my basement right now, so I'll take a quick tally tomorrow and just start counting from here. I think 2008 items will be easy. :O I have so much stuff.
So, I'm in. :yes

[RealLifeMama]

I am going to join in... I do declutter a few things every day, but I am not good at counting.
I will try to count, though. My follow through with anything like this is awful, though.


You all are making such great progress!! Keep it up!

[tree_hugger]

5 x old bath towels to the garbage (I don't need anymore rags and they were truly gross!)

5 x unused bibs to the charity bin

1 x old shoes to the bin

1 x old but still good shoes to the charity bin

1 x face washer with mold on it - eeeeeeew! :sick - to the bin

1 x DVD to the charity bin

6 x empty DVD covers (I put the DVDs in a folder)

That makes 20 items! Bringing my new total to 108! :jump :cool

[greenjellysnakes]

1 x face washer with mold on it - eeeeeeew! :sick - to the bin


I decluttered one of these yesterday too! :sick I have been doing a bit these past couple of days, I need to tally it all up and update here. Be back soon!

[KatieMae]

Just sold a floor lamp we never use, so that makes my total 134 & I have $15 in my pocket :woohoo

If the kids can keep playing quietly for ten minutes (wait, had to stop midsentence - "Mama, potty, run! run!" :giggle) Okay, 10 minutes from NOW, then I can get another half dozen things posted on Craig's List to get sold & out of my house!

[inesperada]

252 + 44 (magazines and papers mostly still :/ ) = 296

[tree_hugger]

252 + 43 (magazines and papers mostly still :/ ) = 295


It all counts! :yes :heart

[Teribear]

150
+ 37 books (those I count every single one of...it is physically painful for me to part with a book)
+ another bag of paper to the recycling =

190

[thomer]

18 magazines
15 towels
5 old instruction manuals
18 odd things - including a bunch of old Christmas candy
__________
222 things

[tree_hugger]

2 x broken shopping bags

2 x huge bags of yucky rice crackers that have been sitting in the cupboard for six months

1 x bag full of political stickers and buttons for an election that happened several months ago :O

New total - 113

:heart

[KatieMae]

134+ 4 towels & 2 matching hotpads pulled out of my kitchen drawer & put into the yard sale pile =

New total: 140

[tree_hugger]

1 x bunch of Tupperware recipes someone gave to me

1 x pile of random papers for recycling

2 x magazines I've never read and never will

New total - 117

:cheer

[tree_hugger]

Okay, so its 9.00pm here, DH is at work and the boys are all in bed - I'm on a roll! :cheer

I've just cleaned out and and kind of reorganised my desk, which is a good thing, because its in a *public* area of the house.

1 x scrapbooking magazine

1 x prospectus from a college I considered attending

1 x crayola colouring in thing MIL bought for the boys six months ago :shifty

2 x CD covers

2 x broken calculators

1 x huge bag of papers and junk - probably 50 or so items in there, I'm going to count it as 5

New total 12 + 117 = 129

:heart

[JJsMom]

Okay, so I've been on a major decluttering mission. But I feel funny about posting my number bc I feel like people won't believe me. :paranoid But I do have pics to prove it! :giggle I've actually been underestimating as I go and I still have piles left to count and pack up to go.
What do you do with papers? Count each one? I have a huge stack downstairs that I'm throwing out, but I wasn't sure how to count them.
Here's my rough list:
68 clothes
27 craft stuff
76 magazines :O
24 stuffed animals
15 toys
43 jewelry and misc.
112 garbage
21 books
123 donate/rummage sale (misc things that don't fit under one of those others)
Total: 508 :jawdrop :woohoo

Wow, I can't believe what a huge weight has been lifted! I feel so happy. As soon as the boxes are out of the basement, my kids will actually be able to play down there! :jawdrop :rockon I have so much work to do down there still and I'm actually trying to do too much. I've been sick and I think I'm wearing myself out. :doh But I'm so motivated and excited! 2008-here I come!

[crunchymum]

i wish i would have weighed all the stuff i've decluttered the past few years... i can't imagine the weight!

[tree_hugger]

Wow, I can't believe what a huge weight has been lifted! I feel so happy. As soon as the boxes are out of the basement, my kids will actually be able to play down there! :jawdrop :rockon I have so much work to do down there still and I'm actually trying to do too much. I've been sick and I think I'm wearing myself out. :doh But I'm so motivated and excited! 2008-here I come!


Go Krissy! :cheer :rockon :heart

[tree_hugger]

Yesterday DH and I sent the boys over to mum's house and we changed their rooms around - for some reason we had the two big boys in the small room and the toddler in the big room. :scratch Anyway, we pulled out every single item, including furniture, and totally decluttered. It is awesome!

It doesn't really look like much, because I am usually pretty good at staying on top of kid-clutter.

2 x pencil cases
5 x old colouring books
1 x bob the builder sound type book - you know where you press the buttons and it makes noises?
1 x knex storage case
1 x broken lamp shade
2 x bags of rubbish
2 x christmas gift bags
20 x random pieces of paper and folders (I'll count this as 5 items)
1 x pink beaded necklace

New total 129 + 20 = 149

[crunchymum]

:woohoo

i wish i was better at keeping on top of kid clutter... it's so overwhelming to me!

[klpmommy]

Krissy, a couple of years ago I got 10+ garbage bags of clothes from mostly me (some of dh's) for the Salvation Army. :jawdrop I know how many b/c they wouldn't schedule a pick up unless it was 10 bags. I had no problem filling them. :O

[TrinMama]

Previous total=80
Over last week I decluttered 30 hangers
12 random things to the trash (aside from our normal 3 bags of trash)
15 magazines
5 dvds
and 4 of the girls' artwork finally mailed out to family.

New total=142

[tree_hugger]

3 x bags of rubbish from my desk :O

1 x broken alarm clock (I know this one is obvious, but DH would try to keep it if I didn't get it out of here FAST! :/ )

New total 149 + 4 = 153

[TrinMama]

1 x broken alarm clock (I know this one is obvious, but DH would try to keep it if I didn't get it out of here FAST! :/ )



:giggle sounds like a broken frame my DH has been holding on to for years...through two moves, no less! I think I'm going to surprise him by replacing it with a nice new one.

[inesperada]

252 + 44 (magazines and papers mostly still :/ ) = 296


+ 45 clothing items = 341

[klpmommy]

312 + 30 + 5 =347

The thirty I did on Sunday- mostly unmatched and holy socks, plus a few other items of junk from my closet. The five were from today's excursion into my drawers. I have a bunch of clothes to donate, too, but I haven't counted them yet.

+32 from my "cookbook/recipe" cabinet. :hunh

total: 379

[JJsMom]

Here's my rough list:
68 clothes
27 craft stuff
76 magazines :O
24 stuffed animals
15 toys
43 jewelry and misc.
112 garbage
21 books
123 donate/rummage sale (misc things that don't fit under one of those others)
Total: 508 :jawdrop :woohoo


I did some more!
89-more clothes :O (I think I'm through most of it now though! :phew )
1 carseat cover
1 diaper holder
4 pairs shoes
6 playdoh things
12 toys
23 expired food things from a cupboard
Total: 646!
:woohoo

[tree_hugger]

Wow! You are mamas are powering through the clutter! I need to catch up! :giggle

[jtidwell]

Oh dear. How should I count the bag of cardboard confetti I threw out from my crafts-bin decluttering yesterday? There may have been over 1000 pieces in there! :rockon

...nah, that's too easy. :giggle

(What was I doing with a bag of 1000+ cardboard bits, you might ask? A church project. Making mosaics of sacred iconography. So there.)

[tree_hugger]

Oh dear. How should I count the bag of cardboard confetti I threw out from my crafts-bin decluttering yesterday? There may have been over 1000 pieces in there! :rockon

...nah, that's too easy. :giggle

(What was I doing with a bag of 1000+ cardboard bits, you might ask? A church project. Making mosaics of sacred iconography. So there.)



:giggle

I have been scoring myself quite tough. I count a bag of assorted rubbush as 1 item, where others might count it as 50 items. Its entirely up to you. :heart

[inesperada]

252 + 44 (magazines and papers mostly still :/ ) = 296


+ 45 clothing items = 341


+ 5 miscellaneous baby items = 346

[apmommy]

I'm in. I hope it isn't too late.

[tree_hugger]

I'm in. I hope it isn't too late.


Of course not! Welcome! :heart

[greenjellysnakes]

Wow, I really need to get moving!

1 pair of "holey" knee high pantihose
1 facewasher
2 bibs
1 blender
11 magazines
30 toys
15 clothes
2 hats
1 baby powder
1 baby moisturiser
3 plastic leis
1 fridge magnet
1 empty tub of lip gloss :kiss
lots of paper clutter, but I'll count it as 1

New Total = 88

[apmommy]

I'm going to count one item from last weekend if that is okay---(i got rid of a ton of baby clothes), if that is okay?

36 baby outfits
1 playpen
1 bag of trash from the den :blush
3 window covers
3 shirts
2 baby blankets
3 books
3 socks with no matches for years :O

Total = 52

[ArmsOfLove]

I want to play, but i have no idea how to count what we're decluttering. I should post a picture of the garage we are cleaning out :shifty I took one, but I'm horribly embarrassed by it so I want to wait until I have the *after* picture :shifty

and I keep getting rid of stuff in the house too! :doh

I have no idea where the STUFF comes from :jawdrop But I will start trying to count today :)

[Teribear]

Don't feel bad Crystal. Have you SEEN my photo thread? And that's INSIDE my house...not in the garage. :blush

Its ok though because its going out the door as a can manage it. I still have a dining table and an island and its been almost a week. So go me! And Go you! WE can do this!

[klpmommy]

Crystal- your garage sounds like mine. I am waiting for warm weather to start in there.

[ArmsOfLove]

thanks guys :O Terri, I haven't seen your photo thread. I'm off to look and may go ahead and post my before so I can be more motivated to get to the after :)

[apmommy]

2 more baby blankets with holes, 1 photosmart printer, 1 book, 2 more socks with no pairs.

total = 58

[ArmsOfLove]

:nails Okay, started the picture thread :hide

[klpmommy]

379 + 15 = 394

Today I threw out 9 more holey socks & 6 pieces of assorted trash from S's room.

[ArmsOfLove]

just to clarify . . . is each piece of paper thrown out counted? Because if so then my desk put me on the road :shifty

[joyful mama]

ok, i'm in. I could totally declutter 2008 items if I include papers and everything...

I've got about 60 items in a huge box to donate, and just thre out 10 pieces of paper around the keyboard and cut up about 50 pieces of paper for scrap paper... thats 120 items so far :tu. I'll also count 3 garbage bags full of trash/clutter from the kids and my room and dining room... thats a lot, but I have no idea how much. So, estimate so far 123

7 more trash/papers ... 130

[thomer]

Can we count deleted emails? I think I'm done then :shifty :giggle

[greenjellysnakes]

Can we count deleted emails? I think I'm done then :shifty :giggle


:lol I was thinking the same thing!

[tree_hugger]

Can we count deleted emails? I think I'm done then :shifty :giggle


:lol I was thinking the same thing!


I'd be done in a week! :giggle

[inesperada]

+ 5 miscellaneous baby items = 346


+ 28 clothing/miscellaneous = 374

+ 44 clothing items = 418

+ 1 monitor = 419

[JJsMom]

Total: 646!
:woohoo


I did a bit more:
21 bathroom things (old soaps, bottles of stuff I don't use)
13 stuffed animals
Total: 680 :)

I have so much more to do but I've got a million other things to do too. I am going to post pics of before, during and after of my basement (maybe :shifty ) but it feels like it's going to be a long time until I'm done. But as soon as I get the boxes out of there, it will help a lot!
Here's a little problem though, my dh and ds are going down to Oklahoma in a couple weeks to pick up all the things from my Great Grandma's house (she's moved), so I will have a ton more to go through then. So, I need to get a huge area ready for that. My goal is to have the basement mostly decluttered by the time they get back. It's such a huge job. Then, I'll have to go through all those things and decide what to keep and what to give my family.

[tree_hugger]

Ten items of clothes from my wardrobe.

New total - 159!

[klpmommy]

394+133 = 527

I cleaned out two bathroom cabinets- I threw away over 100 bathtoys, lotions, soaps, etc
then I hit a couple of drawers in my room & got rid of a bunch of lollipops that have red#40, *more* holey socks, a couple of torn things & some unmentionables that will never in my wildest dreams fit again

527 + 4 = 531

I just went through a *ton* of pictures that the kids have colored & made 4 stacks to go out of my house- one for each grandparent & one for the trash.

[inesperada]

just to clarify . . . is each piece of paper thrown out counted? Because if so then my desk put me on the road :shifty


I think Kath said you could count it however you want. I sometimes count each piece, and sometimes count each pile or set as one.

[tree_hugger]

just to clarify . . . is each piece of paper thrown out counted? Because if so then my desk put me on the road :shifty


I think Kath said you could count it however you want. I sometimes count each piece, and sometimes count each pile or set as one.


Yup, count it however you want to. I usually count a bag of rubbish as one, but if I count all the little bits of paper etc in the bag it could easily be 20 or even 50. Its up to you. :yes

[KatieMae]

I'm being left in the dust by you awesome ladies! :jawdrop You're all doing so well! :cheer I need to clean out my basement or a filing cabinet or something else big to catch up!

[JJsMom]

680+
6 pairs of baby shoes
27-garbage
2 purses
20 kitchen type things
33 mini soaps and shampoos (from our honeymoon, over 8 years ago :blush )
15 lipglosses and nailpolishes
13 combs, makeup things
Total+ 796
:)

[ArmsOfLove]

well we must have hauled about 500 things to the curb this afternoon :jawdrop Probably more, but I wasn't counting. It was bags and boxes and piles of JUNK

[hink4687]

Just wanted to add that I'm up to 230.

[tree_hugger]

30 random pieces of clothing from the boys' wardrobe

1 photo album

1 DVD case

New total = 191

[klpmommy]

531 + 10 = 541

The other night on a whim I decided to open up my jewelry box & I had more than 10 pieces of junk in there. So I counted it as ten. But I threw away junk fridge magnets that for some reason I put in there? :scratch

[KatieMae]

Awesome job Crystal!! :woohoo Was all of that stuff from your garage?

[ArmsOfLove]

we must have taken 100 more things from the backyard :shifty

[klpmommy]

:rockon Crystal!!!

[tree_hugger]

I cleaned out and reorganised my desk today. I didn't count the exact numbers, but I tossed/put-in-the-giveaway-pile a ton of scrapbooking papers, unused folders, photo albums, magazines, stationery bits and pieces - at least 500 things. I'm going to count it as 50.

New total - 241

:kiss

[Benjaminswife]

Last week I took in 3 bags of stuff to the thrift store. This weekend I put about 10 things out in bulk trash and then I have 7 bags for the thrift store. There are about 5 more big items we need to take to bulk trash too :)

In going through stuff I found some clothes DS#1 never got to wear that will get DS#2 through the end of summer I bet. I don't have to buy him a thing. He needed pjs but I found 5 pairs from DS#1. This is great!!!

[Teribear]

Getting ready to attack DD's disaster area of a room this week. We bought her a new computer desk (on clearance for $60) and a chair she's been begging for (also on clearance for $30) with some money Grandma gave her for Valentines Day and her room has to be cleared for us to re-do it. So I'm taking a break from the kitchen/dining room for a week and doing that for her. Wish me luck and send a rescue party if you don't hear from me. LOL!

Yes, I'll post before/after pictures in my photo thread.

[apmommy]

We did a ton of work this weekend. We took down our patio made of wood and more patio bricks. 2 full truck loads already dumped!!!!

I also got rid of BIG LARGE stuff around the house. 1 baby blanket; 3 dog toys, 1 stuffed animal, 1 water paint book, 1 bag of broken toys, 2 bags of trash from my car :blush, 1 cracked dog bowl, 3 plastic pool toys, 3 paints, 1 t.v. tray, 1 horse, 10 file folders full of papers, 2 pt brsh, 1 carpet cleaner machine, 1 old mop, 1 sit n spin, 2 carseats, 3 electric blankets, 1 safety rail for bed, 4 big books.

So I'm not sure how to count the 2 truck loads of wood/brick. But we are making progress and it feels soooo good.

NEW TOTAL: 101

[klpmommy]

sooooooooooooooooooo.....if i am decluttering & find chocolate & eat it.........does that count as an item decluttered? :shifty

[KatieMae]

:haha Kimberly.

[joyful mama]

up to 260 now :tu . Donated tons of boxes of things today...

[thomer]

Alright :)

19 books
11 cloth napkins
5 board games
9 other things
________
266 things :rockon

[mamma2allen]

90 previous

3 + washcloths
10 + expired food
30 + random junk
30 + things to the trash from the trunk
Total 163

This does not count the many papers that the hospital gave me to bring home that I left there. :giggle

Stephanie

[TrinMama]

My last total was 142
I've since donated 80 items, assorted clothes and household, trashed 27, recycled 3 mags, and gotten rid of 2 other random things.
New total: 254

[Teribear]

Just posted the first of the pictures from DD's room. I got 110 items of outgrown clothing :jawdrop off her BED and floor alone! That brings my total to an even 300. Its going to take me the entire week in her room...at least. I can't blame her, she comes by it honest. :blush She did help and she's excited about her room redo so hopefully she'll be motivated to keep it up with my help once we get it under control.

[thomer]

Cleaned the pantry and got rid of 28 things - including some jars that still had the Goodwill sticker on them from when I bought them.... :shifty

I also made a meal list of things we already have so I won't have to do much grocery shopping this week :rockon

New total - 294

[inesperada]

+ 1 monitor = 419


+ 23 dishes + 2 bags junk paper = 444

[KatieMae]

A measley +2 more items & I'm up to 142. I'm really not trying though ;) I've barely been home lately & I'm mostly just trying to keep up with laundry, dishes & bathrooms when we are here. Life does slow down at some point right?! :crazy

[klpmommy]

I'm mostly just trying to keep up with laundry, dishes & bathrooms when we are here. Life does slow down at some point right?! :crazy


I certainly hope it slows down sometime!!!!

[KatieMae]

I think I need to do some mental decluttering before I can really get going on my house (specifically, the basement/garage) I just have too many projects pulling me at the same time. I feel like I'm doing well at saying NO to new things, but I still have previous commitments to fulfill & right now they seem to be draining all my mental and physical strength. I just want some things to be DONE so I can forget about them!!!

[greenjellysnakes]

I think I need to do some mental decluttering before I can really get going on my house (specifically, the basement/garage) I just have too many projects pulling me at the same time. I feel like I'm doing well at saying NO to new things, but I still have previous commitments to fulfill & right now they seem to be draining all my mental and physical strength. I just want some things to be DONE so I can forget about them!!!


I totally understand, I could have written this myself :hug2

[tree_hugger]

1 x toaster we don't use anymore - we use the toaster oven instead

1 x sandwich maker we never use

1 x broken electric frypan

New total 241 + 3 = 244

[Heather Micaela]

I might get bogged down by counting it all - but I am game :rockon

[greenjellysnakes]

New Total = 88


+

2 broken glass jars
4 bath crayons
1 box of candy canes
2 chopping boards
20 foam floor mat puzzle pieces
1 broken jug lid
lots of paper clutter, I'll count it as 1

New Total = 119

[joyful mama]

up to 260 now :tu . Donated tons of boxes of things today...
40 for today... sorted papers and I started to tidy the linen closet...

300 total :)

[WI Mama05]

This is my first post :nails. JJsmom told me I should post here. Today I just cleaned almost 60 pieces of clothing from my closet :jawdrop I figured if I paid an average of $10 for each, that's almost $600 thrown out. WOW!

My total so far this year for decluttering is 259 (this is including the SHC challenges from january).

I'm really feeling the need to purge this year. I'm hoping I can meet the challange!

[Teribear]

SO VERY PROUD of DD! She culled fully HALF the stuffed animals in her room (something I never thought I'd willingly see her do) to go with the goodwill donation tomorrow. We went through them together and I respected her choices (even when it was something I personally would have kept) and it was awesome. She really wants a more "tween" room and the new furniture pieces can't go in until all the clutter comes out. She's doing so great. Even making her bed every day since we cleared it off...without being told or asked...80% of the time I don't even bother making my own bed.

Anyway. Her THREE garbage bags full of stuffed animals and dolls and software was around 45 more items so that brings us to 350 with the few things of mine we put out today too. :) Have I mentioned my DD rocks?! :rockon

[crunchymum]

:rockon

[thomer]

Cleaned out my desk at work, and also found some dead markers at home.

13 items

New total - 307

[joyful mama]

SO VERY PROUD of DD! She culled fully HALF the stuffed animals in her room (something I never thought I'd willingly see her do) to go with the goodwill donation tomorrow. We went through them together and I respected her choices (even when it was something I personally would have kept) and it was awesome. She really wants a more "tween" room and the new furniture pieces can't go in until all the clutter comes out. She's doing so great. Even making her bed every day since we cleared it off...without being told or asked...80% of the time I don't even bother making my own bed.

Anyway. Her THREE garbage bags full of stuffed animals and dolls and software was around 45 more items so that brings us to 350 with the few things of mine we put out today too. :) Have I mentioned my DD rocks?! :rockon
:rockon thats awesome :heart

[joyful mama]

up to 260 now :tu . Donated tons of boxes of things today...
40 for today... sorted papers and I started to tidy the linen closet...

300 total :)
111 today ... papers, garbage from car, old cheap toys, crayons/markers that aren't washable, old coloring books, etc..I cleaned out my car and tidied and decluttered 4 of our rooms. I still have LOTS to do but it feels good to have it looking better.

411 so far

[klpmommy]

541 + 80 = 621

I got 77 items either out of my house or ready to go out tomorrow.

A book & DVD donation to the library of over 20 items
About 50 items to the crisis pregnancy center
the rest are packages ready to go out or trash

[Heather Micaela]

This is my first tally - but I admit it also counts a few declutters (averaged) from a day or two before I read this thread. Still most was done yesterday :phew

Clothing items: 59
Toys: 2
Kitchen ware: 32
Art/Crafts stuff: 10
Backyard: 20
Trash*: 49
Other ( including hangers, knick knacks, laundry bag): 12
TOTAL ITEMS: 184 :rockon

*For trash I did not count the everyday stuf, but things like mismatched socks, trading cards we dont collect, the shoeboxes that have been hanging around, pencil erasers that are used and truly not needed, half colored-on "artwork" from church, etc.

Doing some more today :)

[KatieMae]

SPECIAL TOPIC QUESTION: BASEBALL CARDS
Does anyone else have a DH that has a binder (or four) of baseball cards? I'm stumped about this one - how do you know if any of the cards are truly collectible? DH is reluctant to toss them - not that he has even opened them as long as I've known him - b/c his grandmother tossed his dad's cards when he went to college & it turns out he had some REALLY desirable ones. But those were from the 50's & 60's - DH's are from the 80's & 90's and I can't believe any of them are worth more than 50cents since they were SO mass produced by that time. But how can we know for sure? Anyone know of an online resource for finding out?

[klpmommy]

we have the same problem, but not baseball cards, other trading/collecting cards.

[Heather Micaela]

I would be really reluctant to throw out baseball cards TBH. My dad is a collector, I will try to remember to ask him how one knows the value (beyond sentiment, that is).

[WI Mama05]

My total so far this year for decluttering is 259


Plus 96 today (88 things from my computer area :jawdrop - CDs, floppys, cases, boxes, manuals, etc.- and 8 things off the top of my fridge!)

New total = 355 :rockon

[KatieMae]

I would be really reluctant to throw out baseball cards TBH. My dad is a collector, I will try to remember to ask him how one knows the value (beyond sentiment, that is).


Thank you, Heather, that would be such a big help! :yes

[luvinmykidz]

well you know if you start from Jan 1 - Dec 31st it only = 5 items a day. I KNOW that is workable. Especially with all the paper clutter in our house!! I am in :rockon

[inesperada]

+ 1 monitor = 419


+ 23 dishes + 2 bags junk paper = 444


+ at least 100 = 544

[Heather Micaela]

I would be really reluctant to throw out baseball cards TBH. My dad is a collector, I will try to remember to ask him how one knows the value (beyond sentiment, that is).


Thank you, Heather, that would be such a big help! :yes

PM me if I dont get back to you an a few day - I am prone to forget otherwise :)

[TrinMama]

My last total was 142
I've since donated 80 items, assorted clothes and household, trashed 27, recycled 3 mags, and gotten rid of 2 other random things.
New total: 254

12 things to trash and 4 out of the freezer

new total: 270

[amstermarie]

beeen doing this for a few weeks now.. i have gotten rid of all my baby boy clothes.. sniff sniff.. i am going threw my older boys clothes and getting rid of what we will never use.. they have so much there grandma works at macys and also allot of handy downs. i decluttered my hall closet yesterday. finally gona drop off a HUGE stash of plastic bags. i t hink i need a routine wear they go straight to car or something b/c i always forget them and 6 months latter i have tooo many.. sigh though they do come in handy when you run out of trash bags.. lol i have a box of stuff animals loaded and a box of toys a porta crib and 2 lights that have done nothing but collect dust..
to be done... continue going threw older boys clothes, then m ine than DH.. then my big closet.. ill think if more when i am that far.. its been slow..........

[KatieMae]

That's quite a list Amy - great job!!! :rockon

And about the plastic grocery bags... after I put away my groceries, I put all the bags inside one bag, tie it shut & put it with my diaper bag. The next time I leave the house, I pick up my diaper bag & the bag-of-bags and toss it in the passenger seat in my car so I'll remember to drop them off the next time I go to the store (there's a recycling bin outside our Publix.) Usually I shop on Fridays/Saturdays and then on Sunday morning we stop at the store for a newspaper & DH will put them in the recycling bin for me.

[klpmommy]

I don't get plastic bags most of the time anymore- I get a few for kitty litter, but I bought cloth bags for most of my shopping. I :heart my cloth bags. I saw recently that they have some at Target, too.

[KatieMae]

I don't get plastic bags most of the time anymore- I get a few for kitty litter, but I bought cloth bags for most of my shopping. I :heart my cloth bags. I saw recently that they have some at Target, too.


Yeah, suddenly every store around here has logo-branded cloth bags for sale. I have several that I've made, but I, umm, don't always remember to take them. Guess those should sit in my car too, right? :lol

[klpmommy]

As soon as I unload my cloth bags I put them with my purse so that the next time I go to my car I will remember them. My biggest problem right now is remembering to bring them from the car to the store (and if it wasn't so cold I would just go back to the car, but rebundling 3 kids is not much fun.) I console myself when I forget that the plastic bags will be used for kitty litter.

[WI Mama05]

My total so far this year for decluttering is 259


Plus 96 today (88 things from my computer area :jawdrop - CDs, floppys, cases, boxes, manuals, etc.- and 8 things off the top of my fridge!)

New total = 355 :rockon


Well, so far for today :shifty I've met one goal - the upstairs bathroom. I decluttered 100 items from in there :jawdrop and another 21 from my DDs' room when we picked that up. :phew. I'm still planning to get to our medicine's above the fridge this afternoon, but so far:

New total = 466

Edited b/c I did get to the medicines today (which are above the fridge) and the small cabinet next to the fridge and rid myself of 75 more items ; 72 tossed, 3 donated!

New total = 541

[WI Mama05]

I don't get plastic bags most of the time anymore- I get a few for kitty litter, but I bought cloth bags for most of my shopping. I :heart my cloth bags. I saw recently that they have some at Target, too.


Yeah, suddenly every store around here has logo-branded cloth bags for sale. I have several that I've made, but I, umm, don't always remember to take them. Guess those should sit in my car too, right? :lol


:yes Me too. I invested in half a dozen of the regular, flat-bottomed, store logoed :giggle bags this past month because I'm SICK of the millions of bags overrunning our home! Yes, I'm REALLY bad at bringing them back and it's on my to-do list. FWIW, I also have a cooler bag b/c of how long it takes to get home, so I've started throwing my cloth bags into that and hanging it by the door. The next time I go out to the car, regardless of if I'm going to the store, I put it back in. :rockon I love them SO much more than the cheapy plastic bags! They don't rip and spill cans all over my garage floor! Woo Hoo!

(I even use them in stores OTHER than the logo listed :giggle!)

[crunchymum]

i haven't been keeping track, but you ladies are inspiring and are helping me be ruthless in the clutter dept. ! :rockon

[KatieMae]

(I even use them in stores OTHER than the logo listed :giggle!)


:jawdrop How dare you?! :lol

[WI Mama05]

(I even use them in stores OTHER than the logo listed :giggle!)


:jawdrop How dare you?! :lol


You're so funny! :lol

:giggle pretty easily actually! I actually thought once "what if someone says something if I'm in WM with a grocery store labeled bag?" (oh the horrors! :P~) and then realized that I didn't care. If they were worried about it, they could come to my home and collect all the bags they make me take home! :lol

[thomer]

3 books, and also returned 4 borrowed items to my parents

Total 314

[WI Mama05]

I took all the garbages bags out yesterday from the things I purged this week and FILLED our three garbage cans :jawdrop. We have to take our garbage to the dump (no service) and would normall have another week or two. Now I need DH to empty one of the cans just so I have a place to put our nasty kitchen garbage until Saturday! :blush

It's amazing how much junk we have. I almost get :sick thinking about the wasted $$ and the stuff going to the land fill. There's a lot that I've got ready to donate, but just so much that isn't worth it too.

It makes me more concious of what I'm buying these days to make sure it's a NEED that will get USED verses an emotional or impulse buy because it's "a good deal".

Thanks for this challenge! :heart

[Sweet Life]

I'm so excited about the decluttering challenge. I was waiting to join until my first box of treasures junk was safely at the thrift store. :giggle And I'm not counting the items that I decluttered before coming across this challenge.

So this is my first post.

February 17

To the thrift store:
24 plastic bowls and cups
12 baby girl clothes
10 toddler boy clothes
18 foolish toys

Via Craigslist:
12 more baby toys (some LARGE)
1 crib set

Total so far:
77

[Teribear]

Another 50 pieces of assorted trash out of the playroom today...that brings the total to an even 400.

[tree_hugger]

30 odd nappy liners, booster and cloth pads

1 x shoe (that's right, not a pair, just one! :scratch )

1 x changing pad

New total 244 + 32 = 276 :cool

[tree_hugger]

Why didn't anyone tell me the title said "delcuttering"? :O

[greenjellysnakes]

Why didn't anyone tell me the title said "delcuttering"? :O


:giggle

[Teribear]

Why didn't anyone tell me the title said "delcuttering"? :O


Because we've all been too busy "delcuttering" :giggle to notice. :)

[apmommy]

61 more items for me.

NEW TOTAL: 162

[tree_hugger]

Why didn't anyone tell me the title said "delcuttering"? :O


Because we've all been too busy "delcuttering" :giggle to notice. :)


:lol

[thomer]

Cleaned out the food cupboard and got rid of 16 empty or almost empty jars, bags, packages, etc.

New total - 330

[KatieMae]

Why didn't anyone tell me the title said "delcuttering"? :O


Because we've all been too busy "delcuttering" :giggle to notice. :)


I read an email once that said as long as you have the first & last letter correct, and all the correct letters mixed up in between, most people will "read" it correctly. So, see, we're all just really intelligent and can read misspelled words! :giggle



New count: 116 :O I was at 140, but then I bought 24 new-to-me pcs of maternity clothing yesterday (for an astounding deal, absolutely could not resist since none of my old maternity clothes will fit me next time), so now I have to store all those things until we get pg again in the summer. Time to go buy another Space Bag! :yes2

[mom2threegirls]

Ok my old total was 78 items.

This last week I've been cleaning out the garage. It started as a little present for DH but it's turned into a BIG overhaul and I'm really enjoying it. What is it about getting a space organized and cleaned out and getting rid of stuff that is so satisfying? :think

Anyway, I've cleaned out 3 BIG moving boxes full of stuff, throwing out 80 items from all three. Cleaned out and unpacked another 4 medium sized boxes with 70 items thrown out :rockon. My garbage cans are stuffed FULL right now :giggle- good thing garbage day is the day after tomorrow! I also have gotten rid of (yay craigslist!) an old printer, 6 old shutters, a big fireplace mantle, 2 water storage containers, an office chair that even goodwill wouldn't take :shifty, and a huge mirror (which I was actually able to sell for some $$ :rockon). All within the last 24 hours- craigslist is great! And to goodwill: an old tent, 3 pictures I'm not going to use, 7 picture frames, 25 pieces of clothing, a shelf, 2 paper holders, a backpack, a birdhouse, and a car organizer. And finally, given to some friends: a BIG chest of drawers, kids table, and 2 kids chairs. :rockon New total: 280 Oh yeah!

I should post some pict's of the garage :) It is SOOOO much better! I'm not sure we have any before pictures but it was so bad you could barely walk around in there. And now I can ALMOST fit my van in there (will be able to as soon as the trailer is moved to the backyard which is dh's job ;)), and DH parked his motorcycle :woohoo. Needless to say he is REALLY happy with his gift :smile.

[KatieMae]

Cari, I am SO impressed & excited for your new roomy garage!!! :woohoo :cheer Do a little happy dance - you did an awesome job! :dance

I'm sure we'd all love to see pictures if you have time to take some :yes

[TrinMama]

Wow! Everyone's making great progress. :) :rockon

Yesterday I shredded a stack of 250 papers. No joke. Now I'm up to 520!!!

[Heather Micaela]

SPECIAL TOPIC QUESTION: BASEBALL CARDS
Does anyone else have a DH that has a binder (or four) of baseball cards? I'm stumped about this one - how do you know if any of the cards are truly collectible? DH is reluctant to toss them - not that he has even opened them as long as I've known him - b/c his grandmother tossed his dad's cards when he went to college & it turns out he had some REALLY desirable ones. But those were from the 50's & 60's - DH's are from the 80's & 90's and I can't believe any of them are worth more than 50cents since they were SO mass produced by that time. But how can we know for sure? Anyone know of an online resource for finding out?


My dad said go to a local baseball card or collectable shop for info. But the best is to get the Beckett magazine. http://www.beckett.com/default.osi It has teeny tiny print and will list only the card that have any value and how much.

If your dh has duplicates of valuable cards, it may be worth holding on to them. Or you could sell them. Dont just toss them though. ;) Some are not worth anything, so for those it would just be how emotionally important they are to him.

[KatieMae]

Thanks Heather!!! :rockon

[WI Mama05]

New total = 541


Plus 94 boxes broken down for recycling and 203 kid hair thingies thrown away

New total: 738

[klpmommy]

621 + 28 items from a junk drawer

new total: 649

[tree_hugger]

20 x odd items from my medicine cabinet (including a cream the expired in 1998! :hunh :blush )

15 x empty spice jars - I transfered the contents into magnetic containers

New total 276 + 35 = 311! :heart

[apmommy]

1 infant swing, 9 bags of small unused parts for dh's job, 2 pic frames, 4 old shirts, 2 towels, 3 cups (plastic), 1 broken breast pump attachment, 4 boxes that held food, another car seat :blush, 1 hat, 1 beach blanket, 25 things of trash from my car :jawdrop, 1 package of plastic knives, 1 onesie, 2 old cereal boxes, 1 ink pad, 2 coloring books, 1 infant tub

new total 61 + 54 = 123

Going to keep on trucking tonight.

[thomer]

10 books
21 pieces of clothing from DS's closet - he picked them out - they were either too tickly, too small, or too Russian
:shrug :giggle

New Total: 361

Also, I took pictures of all the rooms in the house yesterday - no prior cleaning or preparation - just to see how they compare when we're done.
Um, I have a lot of work to do! :shifty
I didn't really think we had too too much stuff, but now I just want to get rid of it all. How stifling!

[thomer]

I'm getting brutal :shifty


20 spice containers that I probably will never use. From now on I'm just going to buy a tablespoon or so in bulk when I need it
4 to go cups from the car
2 spice racks
21 misc. kitchen items from the spice cabinet

new total: 408

[KatieMae]

A little less brutality here at our house ;) but I did finally take a somewhat critical eye to my closet. Without trying too hard I got rid of the following:

9 items to sell (1 trenchcoat, 3prs DH's pants, 1 DH's suit, 3prs too-big pants of mine :woohoo, 1 nursing dress that I forgot I had but is also now too big!)
7 items to Freecycle ("shlumpadinka" lookin' & too big for me anyway)
4pcs of clothes in the trash + an empty suit hanger on DH's side of the closet :scratch
Almost forgot - Sold 5pcs nursing clothes & 2 items into the yard sale pile!

I also pulled out a pile of maternity clothes that I'm going to reorganize with my old stuff (in storage) & the new stuff I got on Monday, so I'll have a new # on Saturday too (unless I have a burst of energy & do it tonight - not likely!)


So, 116+27 = NEW TOTAL 143!

[amstermarie]

sorted threw another pile of clothes put away in drawer and bagged a whole bag for good will.. i got ride of 2 or 3 good piles of paper..
i still need to go threw another big pile of clothes and my closet.. and then on to the den.. i will be getting rid of all my school notes.. i kept them i dont know why,, just in case i went to vet school.. but i doubt ill ever go.. if i do i doubt those notes will do me any good any how.. will fill the recycle bin tuesday :yes also have a corner that is cluttered w/ i dont know what dh and i are tackling the den monday i hope.. :)

[apmommy]

I accomplished alot. 89 items total. I used my day off wisely.

123 + 89 = 212

[apmommy]

Another 2 bags full of trash and to charity 29 items. Just in my office. :jawdrop

Another 39 down too.

212 + 31 + 39 = 282

[klpmommy]

621 + 28 items from a junk drawer

new total: 649


1 broken umbrella
1 broken clothes hanger
3 expired food items

new total: 654

[mom2threegirls]

I can finally fit my car in the garage! :rockon And as soon as DH takes care of moving the trailer to the sideyard his car will fit too :woohoo. Moved a bunch of stuff around, and went through more boxes and bags and I threw out 32 pieces of trash, and am giving one old pencil sharpener to Goodwill (the only thing good enough to give away :giggle :rolleyes2). New total: 312

[KatieMae]

Wow girls! Awesome updates!!! And a special :woohoo for cars fitting into garages :yes

[apmommy]

While the board was down I went through my office again and got rid of a ton of stuff either donated or on craigslist. Also started dds' playroom. Got rid of cords to old machines/equipment we don't even have anymore, a broken camera, memory cards, 8mm tapes, dvd player, just to name a few. 173 total!!!

173 + 282 = 455

I have today off from work until tonight, so I'm going to try to finish dds' room and our bedroom.

[klpmommy]

654 + 28 assorted items from my spice cabinet. Including some spices that were all caked at the bottom & one that was "sell by" 1998. :bag that one has made a couple of moves with me.

new total: 682

[klpmommy]

682 + 30 (or more) items from one shelf in my hall closet/junk closet. This includes empty paper towel rolls, empty egg cartons, empty play doh containers (you know, those will be great for crafts *someday*), assorted papers, an old purse that was not in shape to donate.

new total: 712

[ArmsOfLove]

I've gotten rid of a bunch of trash while I've rearranged things today, haven't kept count, and I've organized most of the cluttery little stuff that I should be going through but didn't take time since I'm reorganizing everything down to at least one basket :D

I'm finding that the key for me is this: Get a substantial new organizing tool (this weekend it was pantry snapware and an entertainment center, as well as some stuff for the boys' room that I haven't really gotten to tackle yet). BUT--put the entertainment center in--means moving stuff. As I move stuff I figure out what fits, what is needed, what is working for us--and where to put it now. THEN when I put that stuff in it's new home, other stuff gets moved and the process snowballs until I get to the end of the trail and have everything in a new home. It ends up being like a treasure hunt, and I find missing/forgotten things, and I fall in love with my house all over again :heart

[thomer]

I cleaned my office over the weekend. And I'm trying to pick one small place to work on each day - today was the dresser....

lg pile of file folders
lg pile of hanging folders
50 or so loose papers
a bulletin board
A bread-maker
5 articles of clothing
20 other random things


New total: 487

[apmommy]

Didn't get as much as I wanted accomplished as I started painting a table and chairs. 4 picture frames, 1 memory stick, 3 pieces of trash, 4 modeling clay boxes, 2 old cups, 1 dvd.

455 + 15 = 470

[amstermarie]

Didn't get as much as I wanted accomplished as I started painting a table and chairs. 4 picture frames, 1 memory stick, 3 pieces of trash, 4 modeling clay boxes, 2 old cups, 1 dvd.
sigh.. me either.. i had a wick apt today, and then was really tired i took a nap.. DH did some good cleaning, but no decluttering. well i had already decluttered the desk he pulled it out disconected computer and dussted it blowed it out and steame cleaned.. well can i count the dust as declutered :hiding lol.. i might get back into the closet after dinner i started that yesterday.. if not tommorow for SURE..

[WI Mama05]

New total: 738


Plus 37 misc stuff today!

New total = 775

[joyful mama]

411 + 25 pieces of trashed items from girls room... clothes that are unmendable, socks, broken toys, etc.
+ 15 pieces of clothing for good will = new total of 451

I also bagged up a shopping bag of clothes that need to be put in the 'no longer fit' pile :)

[WI Mama05]

887 total

Plus:

20 thrown
6 to go to someone else's house (and I know who)
47 to donate/garage sale

960 NEW TOTAL!!!!!!!

I'm just SO SICK of the clutter! I'm PURGING, PURGING, PURGING like a mad woman!!!!! I'm finding that I can go back to a cabinet or closet I just went through and find MORE stuff to get rid of. Plus, my friend is having a garage sale in May and I want as much stuff in that as possible! Maybe I'll make the 2008 goal by then. :giggle

[klpmommy]

Kim, you can come be wild in my garage. :bag

[apmommy]

Kim, you can come be wild in my garage. :bag


:giggle :haha :haha

[joyful mama]

887 + 14 from today... broken, annoying toys and crayons, etc. = 901

[klpmommy]

712 + 14 assorted items from the bathroom-- old toothbrushes, kids toothpaste w/ red40....

[apmommy]

32 yesterday of random junk and so far 49 today. Will keep on going.

470 + 32 + 49 = 551

[ArmsOfLove]

I've so lost count. I did the equivalent of 3 white kitchen garbage bags of toys decluttered from the boys room, and 1 bag of garbage :jawdrop

[apmommy]

:clap

[apmommy]

I :clap

[tree_hugger]

Old film camera + 2 lenses + flash + box = 5

Craft cutting mat to a FCer = 1

Toddler clip on chair to a PCer = 1

311 + 7 = 318 :)

[greenjellysnakes]

Toddler clip on chair to a PCer = 1


I assume FCer = Freecycler, so what's a PCer? :think

[tree_hugger]

Toddler clip on chair to a PCer = 1


I assume FCer = Freecycler, so what's a PCer? :think


A PCer is someone you give things to when you are delcuttering. :wink

[tree_hugger]

20 random pieces of junk from my back yard! :blush Broken toys, broken pegs, etc.

New total = 338

[tree_hugger]

More stuff, I'm on a bit of a roll this morning!

2 x packages of food that have been sitting in my pantry for over a year

1 x part of a telescope I threw away long ago

1 x huge metal bolt for hanging up a hammock - I do not own a hammock

1 x funnel that used to be part of a Tin Man costume

1 x old stained pencil case

1 x old laundry powder scoop

New total - 345

[apmommy]

:clap

[TrinMama]

was at 520, and this week was slow. I think I've only decluttered 3 things to other people, and 10 in the trash. Now I'm at 533.

[CapeTownMommy]

I only saw this challenge today, but would LOVE to join! In a fit of frustration, I cleared out probably about 100-200 items from our spare bedroom / study / dumping ground a few weeks ago. So I'll start my tally at 150 and move on from there. This is going to be good!

[apmommy]

:clap

[TrinMama]

hangers, uber-stained baby clothes, old food :blush, old bras: 28
added to 533=561

ETA...plus 20 more from under the spare bed :jawdrop new total 581

[CapeTownMommy]

Decluttered 47 items from my bedroom and 12 from a hotspot in the dining room, so that's 59 more to bring me to 209.

[thomer]

20 CDs
8 books
13 random things

New total: 528

[KatieMae]

Just chiming in to :cheer for you all :yes You're awesome!

And welcome lin1235 too! You're off to a great start!!!

[apmommy]

deleted for privacy since in a public forum so family can't read it

[JJsMom]

680+
6 pairs of baby shoes
27-garbage
2 purses
20 kitchen type things
33 mini soaps and shampoos (from our honeymoon, over 8 years ago :blush )
15 lipglosses and nailpolishes
13 combs, makeup things
Total+ 796
:)


I really had to search for my post. :phew I haven't exactly stopped but I haven't been writing as much down. Plus, I've been occupied with my Grandma's things.
Okay, but here is what I did today (I have some other lists floating around somewhere :O )
(796+)
21 pieces of clothing
15 kitchen related things
6 stuffed animals
40 toys (including broken for the garbage)
78 swap things! :jawdrop (and I didn't even get in the March swap! :doh )
28 random garbage
Total: 984

Wait! Found another list!
4 pairs of shoes
21 pairs of jeans (given to my sil to make a quilt :cool I've been saving them but seriosuly, I will never do it.)
7 garbage
15 flannels (also given to sil)
10 random clothes
Total: 1041!!!!!!! I'm over half way there! :woohoo

I'm going to be working some more on my basement this week so I'll try to add more soon. This feels so good! My kids are actually able to play in our basement! I still have a long way to go, but wow, I feel like I'm making progress! Thank you again for doing this. :hug

[tree_hugger]

Huge clean out here today!

6 x broken / moldy chairs that were damaged in the flood

1 x bob the builder fold out sofa

1 x shelf

1 x high chair

1 x water filter

1 x box of rubbish

1 x child's swing

5 x books

15 x photo frames

1 x photo album

10 x kids videos

5 x items of kids' clothing


345 + 21 = 366 :phew

[apmommy]

deleted for privacy

[WI Mama05]

960 NEW TOTAL!!!!!!!



Okay, decluttered 12 items in the basement and went through my kitchen towels and threw out 17 nasty washclothes and towels!

New total: 989

[amstermarie]

not done too much last few days.. just regular cleaning.. i got rid of a magazine i never read.. lol threw away 3 old clothing o i did box up some candel stuff i will never use and posted on free cycle..

[joyful mama]

451 + 14 (I messed up my counts earlier lol) + 12 from yesterday... old coloring books, random papers/mail etc.

new total= 477

[JJsMom]

Old total: 1041

59 toys (mostly old McDonald's toys I had from before kids)
47 grabage (including old phonebooks and broken toys)
4 books
1 purse
10 clothes
3 hats
12 placemats
29 candles (not like a box of plain candles, just a random bunch of candle holders, pkgs of candles, taper candles from our wedding)

New total: 1210!
I think I'm almost through the first major decluttering round. :phew Soon I'll be going through for a second round. I think I'll make it to 2008 this spring! I need to keep uo momentum or I'll stop. I'm almost ready to post before/after pics.

[joyful mama]

451 + 14 (I messed up my counts earlier lol) + 12 from yesterday... old coloring books, random papers/mail etc.

new total= 477
47 toys/stuffed animals/dresses
19 assorted broken toys, broken pens and markers

new total: 543

-----------
later: 10 bath toys, 3 scarves donated, 4 misc. mismatched gloves tossed, and 3 soap/lotions tossed
new total: 563

[apmommy]

:clap

[WI Mama05]

New total: 989


Add 67 items JUST from the playroom closet today and I'm up to.....

1056! YAY!!!!

[apmommy]

deleted for privacy

[apmommy]

:clap

[thomer]

A food scale, an electric beverage warmer, 5 books, 19 balls of yarn, 3 holey socks, 2 broken toys, and 40 pieces of random paper.

New total: 599

Ooh - lessie.... 1 more piece of paper - 600! :)

[JJsMom]

1210+
5 candles
1 pair of shoes
12 garbage
5 toys
7 fabric
6 books
1 video
16 cassette tapes (and that only made a small dent :O )
1 old sheet
4 old food from cupboard
5 containers of old spices
Total: 1273 :cool

[apmommy]

:clap

[KatieMae]

143 + 40 (or so) things into proper storage + 4 pcs maternity clothes tossed = 187 :)
So far behind you all, but like I said - I'll be excited if I get to 1000! :yes

[thomer]

6 pieces of tupperware, 24 crochet hooks/knitting needles, 2 pkgs of snaps, 1 juice caraffe, 4 rolls of ribbon, 1 ink pad, 1 stapler, 1 bag of soybeans (inedible), 10 books, 10 magazines, 1 ball of yarn, 2 boxes feminine products (use a Diva cup now), 5 pc trash, 1 shower curtain, 1 basket, 1 suitcase, 7 Christmas cards, 5 articles of clothing, 1 computer moniter, 11 pieces of paper, and 1 dead pen

Total: 696

[apmommy]

:clap

[JJsMom]

I've had some major decluttering going on around here! I'm so motivated to get to 2008 that I'm searching my house for things to get rid of. :giggle I had no trouble in our master bathroom today. :O We have two sinks but one was completely full of stuff and then the huge three panel mirror with shelves in each one was overflowing. :O
1273+
5 coasters
6 books
4 candles
8 toys
10 jewelry
1 printer
22 textbooks
1 pen holder/paper organizer
16 clothes
57 pens (my ds went through and took out the ones that don't work anymore, we have so many!)
1 air filter
1 rug
29 garbage
26 boxes
1 pr socks
4 hair things
6 soaps
1 curling iron
2 make-up cases
4 bottles cologne
2 glasses cases
86 garbage ( :jawdrop and that wasn't like little bobby pins and things :no it was stuff like old toothbrushes, contact containers and tons of expired make-up)
New total:1566
I'm getting there! I'm starting to run out of clutter! Well, maybe not! I still have some pretty big hotspots to work on, like the entryway closet and under the sink.

[apmommy]

:lol

[thomer]

30 magazines (thank you DH for finally letting go of your 10 year old Car and Drivers), 14 canning jars, 2 computer keyboards

Total: 742

[Shnooky]

Oh I am SO in!! I really need to get our house sorted! My son needs a bedroom apart from sleeping in the cot in the corner of the spare room! :lol

The room I'm in now is the computer/junk room, and i reckon I could get 2008 things just from this room (most of that off the desk!:lol )

[joyful mama]

563

+ 25 old sippies/lids that didn't match etc.
+ 25 pieces of clothing tossed/donated

= 613

[JJsMom]

I got to the entryway and under the sink today. :phew I also decluttered a bin of winter clothes. My dh took the kids so I turned on some music and did a big decluttering! I can't believe what was under our kitchen sink. :sick I still have a lot under there but it's so much better.
1566+
13 garbage
2 pr scissors
4 old food
1 steering wheal cover
5 dog booties :scratch
8 pr gloves
4 scarves
3 hats
2 headbands
1 pr snowpants
1 dog jacket :giggle
29 clothes
31 garbage
25 toys
2 random things
3 jackets
1 diaper bag
2 purses
6 pr shoes
1 candle
1 pizza cutter
3 soaps
1 coffee pot
1 book
1 cd
104 garbage :blush (that was all from under the sink :blush it was old pans, old toys and random containers and just junk, I can't believe there was that much garbage under there)
Total: 1765
I really should have been taking pics. :doh I feel like people aren't going to believe me.

[TrinMama]

was at 581, now I've ditched 15 boxes, a microwave, 5 hangers. New total: 602.

[apmommy]

:hug2

[apmommy]

:yawn

[crunchymum]

can i just say how proud i am of you ladies?? :heart :cheer