TOSSING AGGRESSIVELY (thread #6)

[morningglory]

Don't let them discourage you, Di Dreaming!

[cando]

Update for today:

Spent 30 more minutes going thru that box from yesterday (next to my bed) - Finished!!!
*Tossed: contact lens case, computer part, unopened lens cloth
*1 legal pad to be put in Office Supply Closet
*1 paper to be shred
*2 bags of papers labeled for DH to go thru
*93 papers/receipts/manilla folder into recycle bag - Yay, me!!!
*empty checkbook box put in recycle bag
*empty File Storage Bankers Box put in garage!!! Yay!!!

CD

[morningglory]

Cando, I would have had trouble throwing away the unopened lens cloth (as well as the contact lens case). I am proud of you for tossing them! Also, it sounds like a LOT of stuff is getting cleared out of your spaces.

[cando]

Thank you, MorningGlory!

Update from yesterday:
Had DS look at the 2 things that I thought he might want from the box that was next to my bed that I finished going thru yesterday -- yes, he wanted them.

Got DH to go thru a bag of computer/electronic parts/tools from boxes next to my side of our bed - he is keeping most of it. He says he is taking it to work & 1 thing he will put in his tool chest. Another thing he said he will hook up to his laptop & see if it works & if so will use it or give to DS to use. Hope that I don't find this stuff lying around, again... guess if so, I will toss it after a week. I don't want to go thru stuff again & rego thru the same things...
*Tossed: foam piece & bag of memory chips

Got DH to go through 5 zip bags of papers that I had labeled and kept for him to go thru from cleaning out boxes next to my side of our bed -- He kept very little. Only 5 papers!!!! I was so impressed with all he did and how quickly. Also, his attitude was good!
*I filed 2 of the papers that he kept... the other 3 are going to his office.
*1 laminated paper into the trash
*put 308 papers in recycle bag!!! Woo hoo!!!

CD

[cando]

Another update for this morning:
Before DH got out of bed this morning (for the day), I handed him another bag of papers from that box next to my side of bed. He glanced at it thru the bag & said "not doing this one, hand me another". So, I did... He went thru that bag, but as he was starting it he said "Not doing this in the bed ever again". (Okay... -- but I was happy he went thru this one, anyway. I thought he was going to hand it back, in fact I even said, "okay, hand it back, then...". )

*He kept 11 papers (list of cell phone numbers from an old phone -- he said he would like to have them entered on computer, temporarily I put them into his personal file in the file cabinet).
*1 quart size old zip bag into trash
*74 papers put in recycle bag -- Yay, DH!!!

He is soo close to done with going thru the labeled bags of stuff (mostly papers!) that I have in the 1 box next to my side of our bed. Only 4 more bags left & 1 is the first bag that I handed him this morning which is all papers. The other 3 are only quart size (small) zip bags with mostly computer/electronic parts/tools in them. I showed him the box with so little left in it (I can see the cardboard bottom) and told him that I will be soo happy when it is done! He said that he will finish it today! Yay!!!

Oh y'all! I am so glad that I went ahead and went thru these 2 boxes of mostly his stuff & weeded out as much as I could! Also, so glad that I put contents in clear zip bags & labeled them. I think it was nice that I could hand him one at a time and not overwhelm him with a big bag or boxful to go thru.

CD


CD

[morningglory]

Cando, I am SO pleased that your husband is getting those things dealt with. It does sound like a good idea to put them into small containers and easily visible. I currently have a big box of stuff sitting on that shelving unit in my bedroom, waiting for my husband to go through, but I think it might seem overwhelming to him.

As I mentioned before, I have been slowing down due to a combination of factors (catching up on day-to-day stuff, behind in my sleep requirements, and the horrible heat wave we've been dealing with--especially since we do not have central air conditioning). But I feel I might be able to pick up the pace today, since it is cooler (a chilly 87, ha!). I am pretty much on top of the day-to-day at this point (other than a big stack of clean laundry on hangers that needs to be put into the correct closets).

That big screen computer that my husband salvaged from work and brought home has been sitting on a little folding table in the living room all this time. I thought he might clean up his area to make room for it, but what he mostly did was to move his basket of laundry from there to the kitchen entryway. I think he has forgotten about it now. I guess it's good to have it moved out of the living room, but it's not good to have it taking up space where we need to walk. I might just wash it for him (although I honestly don't know whether it was originally clean laundry he was planning to put away, or dirty laundry he was planning to wash!).

I also continue to be frustrated that the kids leave actual trash lying around on the floor, as well as leaving dishes everywhere. I feel it is a pretty basic idea not to drop trash on the floor of one's own house, but I still haven't been able to get this idea through to them. I think it will take having the room really, really clean and neat, so they will immediately notice the difference if they leave a popsicle stick or cheese wrapper laying around.

On the positive side, my husband has been going through some of his clothes and giving them to one of our sons, which frees up closet space for us as well as providing more clothes for our son.

So, my goals today are to (1) put away the laundry, (2) move the boxes that have accumulated as part of my organizing effort OUT of the living room, and (3) spend at least 15 minutes desqualoring the bedroom (which, as I mentioned upthread, is nearly done!). If possible, I'd also like to move the lingerie stand and other donation items to my car today, so that I can drop them off in the morning. (Right now my new shoe rack is blocked, so people have just been piling their shoes up in the entryway again!)

Planning to report back with an update on my progress later today.

[morningglory]

FIRST UPDATE:

* Threw away about 10 file folders of business papers, receipts, bank statements, and insurance info from 10-20 years ago. (Salvaged a few paperclips which I put in the container in the kitchen drawer where I keep them.)

* Moved about 4 file folders of things I do want to keep from the milk crate in my bedroom into the file cabinet.

* Threw away several file folders worth of stuff from the milk crate. (Also set a few things aside to re-read before tossing.)

* Moved the three pieces of plexiglass from my room onto the shelf in the garage where hubby keeps his plexiglass collection.

* Moved bagged-up adapters and power cords (that my husband decided to keep last time we sorted stuff) from the shelf in the bedroom into the canvas bins where we keep them.

* Hung up clothes from the living room that I determined belong to my husband. Stacked the rest on my chair to make it easier for their owners' to pick them out. (I really don't know who the various items belong to, because I have 3 boys who are man-size, in addition to my husband, plus they pass things around that don't fit or they don't want.)

So that's a good start, anyway. Planning to report back again in a little while.

[cando]

MorningGlory! That is a FANTASTIC start!!!

I plan to play Dice Game for a while & then switch to have-tos, if I haven't rolled them.

Question about the trash kids are leaving around... do you have plenty trash cans around? May need more than 1 in a room, if it is really bad problem...

I also tell my DH & kids (grown kids) that they need to follow the "camping" rule... (well, it is similar).... leaving a room they go into at least as good as, but preferably better than it was when they got there. So, clean/clear behind themselves and make at least 1 step to make the room even better.

When we had trouble with empty toilet paper rolls sitting on the counter or floor in bathroom, they might occasionally wake up with one under their pillow or go to sleep & find it, then.

CD

[cando]

Update from yesterday:
Gave DH one of the small bags to go thru -- He said that he is keeping it all & will put it in his tool box. They were tools he's needed & knew he had them somewhere.
Gave him another small bag. He kept one DVD to see what is on it. He gave me a Floppy Disk & a CD to toss
*3 papers into recycle bag
DH went thru another zip bag
*33 papers into recycle bag
*DH went thru another bag! -- That was the last one!!!
*74 papers/receipts into recycle bag
*1 napkin that was written on -- into trash
*2 zip bags into trash

Whew! I'm glad that is done! I was a little worried about the things he said he was taking to the office, putting in his tool box, and that he said he had to check out. But, I just looked and I don't see anything around except for 1 2007 receipt. I won't make a "stink" out of that one. I will see if he takes it to his office this week, if not... it will go in the 2007 tax box.

I don't like being a nag & watching over & making sure something gets done -- especially when it is my husband!

[morningglory]

Thanks, Cando. Yes, we do have at least one trash can in each room, but you may be right about my having to add more!! It's already unconventional that I have one in the living room, I guess.

As far as the "camping rule", I am glad that at least they don't leave smoldering fires behind! I am going to start trying to instill that rule in them. At least it might raise awareness about not leaving trash on the floor (as I hope they wouldn't think of doing in nature).

I went through that stupid basket of unmatched socks again! I matched up a bunch of them AND. . .threw a ton aware, finally. It was hard for me to do, because they are perfectly good (single) socks. It is always hard for me to toss out something that is in good condition. I am afraid I might find their mates soon and then feel even worse. But, come on, we already have tons of PAIRED socks. And socks don't cost that much to replace. And I can't give them away, because other people don't want single socks either. (Please, no one suggest that I should save them up and take them to a local elementary school for making sock puppets and other crafts. )

I also moved a couple of boxes of books out of the living room and into the dining room (where the other boxes of books are currently being stored). I had boxed up the books a few years ago when I began to paint the dining room. Even though the dining room is still not finished, I decided to go ahead and put the books back on the shelves until we get back around to the painting. It will look much neater and we will be able to access our books. It helps that I weeded out so many books several weeks ago and was able to empty out a number of boxes! (Unfortunately, though, some of the books that had been sitting in the boxes suffered various sorts of mouse damage.)

I plan to check back in either later this evening or tomorrow morning with a further update.

[morningglory]

Also, Cando, your husband's having been needing for those tools but not knowing where they were is so like my husband.

[morningglory]

Last night I did a little more laundry and dishes, but didn't make any major dent in decluttering/desqualoring. My goals for today are:

* At least 20 more minutes dealing with the bedroom clutter.
* Toss at least 5 more files from the file cabinet.
* Move at least 2 more boxes out of the living room.
* Label the children's keepsake boxes (right now they aren't labeled, so I have to keep checking inside to see whose is whose in order to put more stuff into them.
* Spend a few minutes sorting more papers into the keepsake boxes, medical records bag, or tax records bag (I have a box of items that I collected from the bedroom because I want to keep them, but haven't yet placed them in the proper places).

Yesterday I decided to use the method of pouring a noxious fluid onto my old documents, in lieu of shredding (since I don't have a shredder). I haven't done it yet, but I will probably pour a cleaning fluid into the trash bag where they are today. So that could be considered another goal.

I notice that dust is collecting on my newly clean bedroom floor. In the past I wouldn't have noticed it, because the floor was always covered with clothes and boxes and papers and so forth. It's too fine for sweeping with the broom (which I think would just stir the dust up), so I will probably use a Swiffer on it. But I really wish I had my HEPA vacuum already! :-)

Remember a few threads ago that I bought a futon couch for the living room, since there was hardly anywhere for people to sit? I just want to update that that couch has been getting lots of great use. It's nice having the kids sit in here with us. We have even used it folded out as a bed during this heat wave, because one of our sons who sleeps in the attic bedroom (without air conditioning) needed to sleep downstairs where it was cooler. We still need an additional couch, though, because this one holds only 3-4 people (depending on their size).

Planning to report back later on my goals listed above. Looking forward to hearing more updates from Cando and from the others who have been pretty quiet lately!

[Di]

Sigh... got another bag to Good Will... BUT made the mistake of going inside to shop. Got Kiddo 2 dresses (those were needed), got grandson a dress shirt and a tie (needed), got the kids an ice cream freezer (wanted but not particularly NEEDED) I think I brought back more than I took....

[morningglory]

Di Dreaming: Well, at least most of the things you got were actually needed, and you had already made some room in the house for them. Did you already give them the ice cream freezer?

[Di]

They were with me when I got it -- the kids were the ones who found it. We had been to the library where they made homemade ice cream in a freezer similar to the one we purchased and they had been asking for one because they were given the recipes for the several treats that we tasted at the demo.