So, here's how the decluttering went:
11/1 - 1 bag of (15) erasers
- 2 zippered plastic bags that bed linen came in (bought when daughter went off to do her master's in 2014 and kept thinking I could reuse them to store craft supplies); recycled
- 1 pile of papers (old lecture notes that daughter no longer needed)
= 4 items
11/2 - 2 books, bought during a time when I belonged to a mail-order "Book of the Month" club and didn't have access to all the information we now get on the internet:
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| Books from my shelves |
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| 3 magazines |
11/5 - 1 pile of junk mail, mostly political ads
11/6 - 3 election related brochures
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| Election Brochures |
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| Auto Club Magazines |
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| Craft Books |
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| 3 more magazines |
11/10 - 1 pink dance skirt I had sewn for my daughter when she was still taking ballet lessons (donated)
11/11 - 1 purse with broken strap (tossed)
11/12 - 1 plastic container that some ready made frosting had come in which was being used as a storage container (recycled)
11/13 - 1 fake fur lined jacket hood that used to be on one of daughter's jackets (she didn't like the hood and removed it; I kept it in a drawer "just in case" for years!)
11/14 - 1 pair of shoes (daughter's that she said I could give away - donated)
11/15 - 1 stack of birthday cards I received (kept one because I liked the verse inside)
11/16 - 3 blouses (donated)
11/17 - 1 skirt (donated)
11/18 - 1 picture frame (donated)
11/19
11/20
11/21
11/22 - 2 pairs of pants given by aunt (daughter said they were too big on me and I looked funny wearing them! In any case, she bought me better fitting new ones!) - donated
11/23 - A bunch of junk from the kitchen junk drawer:
- 1 lot plastic cutlery & ice cream/dessert spoons (= 1 item):
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| Plastic Cutlery |
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| Ice cream/dessert spoons |
- 1 lot chopsticks, drinking straws, bread tabs, rubber bands, and twist ties (= 1 item):
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| Chopsticks and Straws |
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| Kitchen drawer junk! |
- 1 lot miscellaneous items (= 1 item):
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| Misc. items |
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| Doorbell System |
- 1 fridge drawer edge:
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| Fridge drawer edge |
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| Napkins and Wipes |
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| Chipped glass |
11/26
11/27 - 2 cookbooks, including this one:
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| Cook Book |
11/28 - 1 wall clock
- 1 bag of papers (recycled)
- 1 plastic flower pot
11/29 - 2 pairs of pants
11/30 - 14 magazines
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| 14 Magazines |
= 64 items
My goal for the month was 64 items decluttered and I met that goal! I have 1 bag of clothes, 1 bag of books/magazines, and 1 bag of miscellaneous/household (including shoes) to be donated. Other items were recycled or tossed.
Does that mean I am all decluttered now? Nope! I still have an abundance of belongings! Clothes, decorative items, books, etc. It is hard for me to declutter. I am definitely a collector, although I've stopped buying decorative items, books, cookware, etc. But, it is hard for me to declutter what I have already bought or have been given as gifts or items with a sentimental value.
For example: these items were considered for decluttering. In fact, I pulled them out from the drawer and put in the donations bag, but, they made their way back to the drawer where they had been stored. I guess I am a sentimental fool, but, I am not ready to part with them, yet!
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| Daughter's Baby Shoes |
Well done. Like you I keep stuff 'just in case' and I need to be more ruthless. You've done so much decluttering. I am really impressed. Books are hard to get rid of though....
ReplyDeleteThank you, Angela. I am amazed I still have so much left to declutter! Some of it, like books, isn't really clutter, but I feel I have an abundance!
DeleteDecluttering is just plain difficult. My downfall are books, magazines and cards that people have sent to me. When I was still working, relaxing to me was sitting down and devouring magazines. Now, I never read them it seems unless I am in someone's waiting room. At the end of my days, I want to be passively entertained by the television. I am looking at the piles of magazines that you purged and immediately wished I could have them. Ha,ha. There is something terribly wrong with me. Congrats on meeting your goal!
ReplyDeleteBooks and magazines and things people give me - those are my hard to purge items! I like having a magazine to look through (especially the home and garden type ones) just before bedtime, etc. Doesn't seem to matter how old, how many times I've look through them, etc. But, these magazines are 4-5 years old, and I needed something to make up the number of items! If you'd really like them, let me know - send me an email (my email address is on the top of my blog) with your mailing address and I'll send them to you. It'll be my Christmas gift to you! :D
DeleteWhat's the betting that next week you will suddenly find a 'need' for something which is exactly what you've just thrown out! Such is life
ReplyDeleteOh, no! Please don't say that! :D Actually, that's what I am thinking right now, about a Christmas sweater I used to have, which I decluttered and donated a couple of years ago, during a major decluttering session! I am now needing another Christmas sweater to wear to a gathering, next weekend and don't have one! Wish I had kept my ugly Christmas sweater!
DeleteGood job Bless.
ReplyDeleteAfter seeing the post about your decluttering challenge I also wanted to do one. And my goal was 30 items. I didn't keep a good record though I did toss/donate over 30 items.
I'm going to continue it this month too because I have too many books.
Well done on the decluttering, Nil. I am going to try for 31 items in December. I, too, have a lot of books, but it's hard to declutter books!
DeleteI didn't do as well as you with decluttering, but I did donate a few items to a Silent Auction, and passed on a few paperbacks. I have a box with 2 or 3 items waiting for more items before donating. Oh, and I should mention that I bought a picture from the Silent Auction, so that is an addition to the household!
ReplyDeleteWell done on the decluttering, Bushlady, even if you did buy a picture! :D
DeleteI'm challenging myself to declutter 31 items in December, if you'd like to participate! One item a day - although it doesn't have to be a daily thing.