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Post by morningglory on Jul 10, 2012 10:31:31 GMT -5
Well, even though it wasn't *needed*, it sounds like they will get some fun use out of it. It may be that the excitement of it wears off after a few weeks, at which point you could always donate it back to Goodwill. See how it goes.  |
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Post by morningglory on Jul 10, 2012 14:03:44 GMT -5
Update:
* Dropped off books to Better World Books that I wasn't able to sell on ebay (after trying three times).
* Swiffered my bedroom, the bathroom, the stairs, entryway, and the living room. I was really surprised at how much dust came up in the bedroom, which has the gleaming floors.
Also, the fence guys finally showed up yesterday and began working on our new fence. :-)
Planning to drop back in later for further updates.
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Post by morningglory on Jul 10, 2012 19:15:43 GMT -5
Update on my goals (listed earlier):
* At least 20 more minutes dealing with the bedroom clutter. Not started.
* Toss at least 5 more files from the file cabinet. Not started.
* Move at least 2 more boxes out of the living room. Moved 3 plastic file boxes onto the top of the file cabinets. I had left them in the living room a few weeks ago, while sorting files, with the intention of getting back to them. In typical fashion, they continued to sit there while i worked on other parts of the house. I will, indeed, get back to them, but when I do, I will find them stored logically, with other files, instead of cluttering up my 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. Done! (Only did the current boxes, which are the second set. I want to label the first set, eventually, but these were the ones I was intending to do for now, to make it easier to sort 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). Done! Put away some keepsakes, some medical docs, some tax docs, some pads of blank paper and unused envelopes. One thing I realized going through one of the bins was that I had put a lot of things in there that I now would have immediately thrown away. So I realize that I have progressed in my tossing capability!
Still planning to work on the first two items tonight. Planning to report back tonight or tomorrow morning.
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Post by Di on Jul 10, 2012 19:33:47 GMT -5
I bought 2 large plastic drawers, the goal is to get them into my closet and get the shoe pile contained in them. 1. to keep the shoes from damaging each other while just in piles 2. to get a cleared out spot in the closet walkway so that I can get to my hanging clothing. I am sitting here watching "What Not To Wear" and I am afraid that they would toss out everything that I own.... Maybe I should look at the clothes through their eyes.
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Post by Hurricane on Jul 11, 2012 8:05:22 GMT -5
Great job everyone!!
Hey Di, I purposely watched What Not To Wear before I did my big closet clean out. I too think they would have tossed EVERYTHING I own...but I used all my "fashion disasters" as an excuse to get rid of 80% of everything. It is sooooo much easier managing life with less stuff (and I can get at everything in the closet), so I don't regret it...it did take some effort to get used to doing laundry more often though. My philosophy now is to make due with less, but have the "less" a lot nicer! Good luck!
Happy tossing all....you're such an inspiration!
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Post by morningglory on Jul 11, 2012 8:16:14 GMT -5
Sounds like a good plan, Di. Both getting the shoes contained and weeding out your clothes with "What Not To Wear" eyes! I am happy to report that I did get those other two goals completed last night.  Threw out five files of old papers from the file cabinets. Spent time sorting through the milk crate--moved some files to the file cabinet, tossed others. My goals for today: * At least 20 minutes on the bedroom. * Toss at least 5 more files from the file cabinets. * Get the stack of clothes that are on hangers out of the living room and put away in the appropriate closets. * Move at least 1 box or basket out of the living room. * At least five minutes filing or tossing the collected papers. * Find some books to donate. Still need to get that furniture into the car. I need some boys to move it, and I haven't caught them at the right time yet. |
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Post by morningglory on Jul 11, 2012 8:26:29 GMT -5
Hurricane, what you wrote:
"My philosophy now is to make due with less, but have the "less" a lot nicer!"
is exactly how I am feeling now. I find it so freeing to have less stuff (and I've only really just started with this aggressive tossing), AND it is great knowing that every item I can pull out of the closet is something I actually enjoy wearing (instead of feeling obligated to wear stuff I don't like, since I own them and spent money on them, or whatever).
But, speaking of clothes, there are a couple of items in my closet that I have been wavering about. One is a custom-made ankle-length dress with a pattern of ginham checks and apples. I really loved this dress because of the whimsical pattern. I have often worn it on Rosh Hashana, since there is an association with apples on that holiday. Although it is about 17 years old, it doesn't look worn at all, because it is good quality fabric and construction. However, it is slightly unflattering, because it is empire-waisted and loose, so it makes me look really big. Also, it has a big Peter Pan style collar and puffy sleeve tops. In other words, it's probably not something other people would find attractive, even though I like it. Also, it's slightly tight on me right now, around the bust and lower parts of the sleeves, so I can't wear it right now.
So I am trying to decide whether (1) to hold onto it until it fits more comfortably because I love wearing it and its unique, or (2) to go ahead and donate it for someone else with my taste to enjoy, considering that it doesn't fit me right now and probably doesn't look all that great on me and has already gotten a fair amount of use.
Thoughts?
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Post by Hurricane on Jul 11, 2012 9:06:25 GMT -5
Donate the dress Glory! To get my closet clean I made very rigid goals: if it didn't fit properly or look good RIGHT NOW, it had to go. I have the opposite problem of most in that I'm getting more skeletal due to chronic illness, and was swimming in most of my clothes. I look HORRIBLE and even skinnier in clothes that are too big, just like other people look larger than they are in clothes that are too tight. Let it go....we deserve to look good in something that is "current" and makes us look like the lovely women we are (even if "lovely" would be a bit of a stretch for me, as most people just assume I have an eating disorder....ugh).
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Post by cando on Jul 11, 2012 11:37:18 GMT -5
Although I can understand Hurricane's thoughts completely... and this is the "Tossing Aggressively" thread... and hearing the motto, "When in doubt, throw it out!" -- I still am of the thinking that if you really like something, why rush to throw it out when there are so many other things that can be tossed? Unless you do not have room for it or no place to keep it. Also, if you do not have a plan of losing weight... then toss it. CD  |
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Post by morningglory on Jul 11, 2012 13:11:16 GMT -5
Thank you, Hurricane and Cando. I do have a weight-loss goal/plan, and have already lost several pounds. And I do hear what you are saying about holding onto it while getting rid of all the other, less wanted things. But I have actually removed most of the totally unwanted clothes (even things that were still in good condition, but I no longer liked wearing). Plus, there is something liberating to me about tossing something that I feel irrationally attached to. I'm going to think on it while I finish the rest of the bedroom and I'll post here about what I eventually do.
Getting ready to dive into today's work now. Planning to update in a bit. . .
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Post by morningglory on Jul 11, 2012 14:50:26 GMT -5
Hurricane, before my update, I just want to say I am sending lots of love and hugs your way. I am sorry about all the difficult effects of your disorder, and I so admire your triumphant and life-embracing attitude. You ARE lovely, no matter what you may think about how you look. Update:  At least 20 minutes on the bedroom. Sorted stuff from the plastic bin on top of the milk crate, including tossing out expired medicine and outdated makeup, moving jewelry into a wooden box (made by my son!) on my dresser (until I get a proper jewelry box), and salvaging some keepsakes. Also tossed a few papers from the milk crate. Toss at least 5 more files from the file cabinets. Tossed 6! Mostly old business and tax records. I was excited to see how my attitude has changed regarding sentimental attachment to things like old car stuff. I had an old license plate in one file and a key in another, as keepsakes for these cars I haven't owned in over 10 years. I had no qualms about tossing them.* Get the stack of clothes that are on hangers out of the living room and put away in the appropriate closets. Not started.* Move at least 1 box or basket out of the living room. Not yet, although I did move a bin of papers to a more convenient location for sorting. At least five minutes filing or tossing the collected papers. Spent 20 minutes doing this!* Find some books to donate. One book set aside so far (a children's book about conjoined twins!). |
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Post by morningglory on Jul 11, 2012 15:06:09 GMT -5
I am definitely chipping away at the remaining squalor in the bedroom, a little at a time. Some of it I find difficult to tackle, so that's why I am interspersing that work with things in the living room, etc. Clearing out the file cabinets helps me do the bedroom stuff, because it makes room for things that need to be moved into them. And a lot of the stuff I have been sorting into keepsake boxes, etc., came from the bedroom, so it's really part of the same project.
In my 20 minutes of bedroom work today, I brought down a bin of books that are important to me which I want to keep somewhere I can find them. So I plan to put them onto the shelves (as discussed upthread). Again, even though that work takes place outside of the bedroom, it is really part of the same project, since the books were collected from there.
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Post by morningglory on Jul 11, 2012 16:43:27 GMT -5
OK! Update for the remaining goals: * Get the stack of clothes that are on hangers out of the living room and put away in the appropriate closets. Almost done. Have managed to sort out which belong to whom and some have been claimed already. Just a few odds and ends left. Move at least 1 box or basket out of the living room. Moved 3 boxes and 1 (now empty) laundry basket out of the living room. Although I must admit that a couple of those boxes I just shoved into the dining room, which is not ideal, but at least clears up the living room, which is almost presentable now. Find some books to donate. Found a couple more books to give away. Put them all with the donation stuff.I also picked up a bunch of trash and some dirty socks and assorted other junk off the living room floor (under the couch, pushed into corners, behind boxes, etc.). Picked up books off the floor and put them on shelves in the living room. Planning to finish putting the clean laundry away tonight, and then start with a new list tomorrow! |
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Post by morningglory on Jul 12, 2012 9:03:15 GMT -5
Wasn't able to get the last few items of clothing claimed last night, so that is still on the agenda for today.
The Culligan guy came today, because we are signing up for a water softener (thankfully) and I didn't realize he intended to go into my kitchen and basement! He had come out before and done a check on our water and looked into the basement where the water softener would go, and so forth. I had especially cleaned up for that. But this time I thought we would just stand on the porch and fill out paperwork--nope, he checked the water again and checked the basement again! He even wanted to trace the drain pipe, so used his flashlight to look at the our basement ceiling (which is a drop ceiling with multiple tiles missing, or stained and hanging down) and over to the part of the basement where the cats have started using the floor next to their boxes (son was supposed to get that cleaned up last week, already, but hasn't gotten around to it), and even into the "bathroom of doom", which hasn't even been used for over 10 years (due to previous flooding) and is full of cobwebs. Gross.
So, I did feel humiliated. However, it was actually *possible* for him to go throughout the house this way. I had just cleared out those boxes and laundry from the living room yesterday; I had just swept the front entryway this morning; the kitchen had some dirty dishes in the sink and on the work table, but it wasn't a huge pile and the surfaces weren't a complete mess. So while it was unpleasant for me having him in when the place was as nasty as it is, in the past I simply would not have let him inside at all. It just wouldn't have worked. So. . .*improvement*, although still far from really acceptable.
Today's goals:
* Finish getting those last bits of laundry put away.
* At least 20 minutes working on bedroom.
* At least 10 minutes putting away papers to be sorted.
* Make sure cat box situation is dealt with!
* Finish clearing/sweeping living room floor.
* Find out hours/location of hazardous household waste site.
I am excited that I am nearing the end of the bedroom desqualor effort. It will feel strange having at least one completely clean room! (I am so pleased that I have not only maintained the cleanliness and order in the bedroom so far, but have even made the bed every single day since that first day!)
Next, I plan to focus my attention on the living room, so that I won't cringe if people want to step inside! That's one reason that my "outside the bedroom" efforts have mostly involved the living room at this point.
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Post by Di on Jul 12, 2012 10:57:56 GMT -5
UI am tossing out plans, preconceived notions, schedules, and outside expectations. I am going to live each day as it comes and find something to delight me. I am going to focus on listening to what the kids are truly saying and not just the "words" Today's fun is going to be making over a tomboy into a girly girl (at her request to get a portrait made for her dad.)
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