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Post by PaperGrace on Jan 3, 2015 10:41:01 GMT -5
Welcome to the boards runningawayfromme I know you'll find lots of tips and encouragement here! I fell short of the goal last year given how I was counting, but I feel confident that I got more than 2014 items out, I was counting stacks of papers as '1' and not counting items that I got good at throwing away without as much effort as they would have taken the year before. I'm trying not to put too much energy into figuring out if I 'win' or not. Last year was better than the year before, and this year will be better than last. We're all succeeding, just by starting the year with a goal, whether we meet it or not.
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Post by dtesposito on Jan 3, 2015 10:58:03 GMT -5
We're all succeeding
YES!
I actually have a notebook next to my computer for keeping track of odds and ends--my book purging, my email purging, books I want to look for on the library site, and also my items out. So I jot them down the day I get rid of them, so that I can make a weekly (or whatever) post about them--I can update the ticker when I make a post. No, I would never be able to keep track of all these things in my head. I often think I'm wasting time keeping track of them at all, but before I did, I never got rid of anything--so whatever it takes to get the job done, I'll do it.
I think we all have to be careful to not make the counting, or reporting, or talking about--the process, more important than the process itself. Last year, since I was counting each piece of paper and went through two file cabinets, I did 2014 items twice--and after that, keeping track of things started to be more of a hindrance than a help. So, I didn't do any more in that thread for the rest of the year, since I had made my goal, and it didn't feel helpful because of other things I was keeping track of.
So, do whatever you find helpful and fun. When it stops being helpful, change to doing it another way. It's not helping us to count up to a certain number, if the counting process itself slows us down and makes us less productive than we would be without it.
On the other hand, making decluttering fun and having friends we can talk to while doing it can push us forward. So that's the goal, whatever form that takes for your personal situation.
Diane
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Post by PaperGrace on Jan 3, 2015 10:59:59 GMT -5
As always, Diane says what I mean ever so much more elegantly and succinctly. dtesposito I'll have to hire you as a ghost writer to make my 'autobiography' less of a boondoggle.
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Post by RoadRunner on Jan 3, 2015 11:17:11 GMT -5
12 books to recycled reader
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Post by thedreadedknock on Jan 3, 2015 11:47:25 GMT -5
I'm counting bags of trash and anything it "hurts" to get rid of.
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Post by cyn on Jan 3, 2015 11:58:06 GMT -5
Thedreadedknock, I love your "Things I trip over" message! If I can remove all of those from my home, that'll be awesome! My trouble is, because my storage is currently holding crap, all my necessities are in my way. This is something that the challenge will take care of, I think, since 2000 items should free up plenty of space. So I won't count individual papers, because I want space. But I might divide them by increments of time, or sorting individual drawers, or something like that.
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Post by thedreadedknock on Jan 3, 2015 12:14:14 GMT -5
Thanks cyn. I like the "increments of time" idea. Because our time is worth so much.
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Post by PaperGrace on Jan 3, 2015 13:33:32 GMT -5
Oooh, I like the idea of measuring papers in minutes.
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Post by cyn on Jan 3, 2015 14:11:12 GMT -5
I love this thread! I just tossed 2 plants that I was trying to overwinter: annuals that I didn't know if they'd tolerate living indoors. The answer is no. But, any other year, I'd have waited until every last leaf had fallen. And then left it, still! ! Now, since I'm on a hunt to add to my pup's beeline to pee on the flower (or eat it, whatever that little imp's up to) I'm actively *looking* for things to remove. Wow, what a change in attitude here! Yay for that! I think minutes is good - what do you think, 10 minutes counting as an item? Or is that too slow? I'm very pokey with papers, so I'd probably have a higher tally if I counted a minute per paper, rotfl. I anguish over them, it's pathetic. I'm going to try a new technique with my shredder (once I plug it in, and get started on my paper monstrosity) and just ram in all the unopened mail from all my utilities. Electricity and phone bills shouldn't need to be opened, I'm thinking, since I'm up to date on the payments. I used to keep the hydro bills, to compare consumption, but since they keep raising the cost of delivery and padding the bills, my health might benefit from me not paying attention. It's not like I can change this, and getting angry over it won't do anything.
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Post by larataylor on Jan 3, 2015 16:29:25 GMT -5
I succeeded in making a ticker! I'm not sure how to update it. Do I have to go back to TickerFactory?
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Post by cyn on Jan 3, 2015 16:56:09 GMT -5
Lara, just 'click' on your ticker, and it will take you to the page. Then log in with your password, and 'click' the "Add" to enter whatever amount you want to update. Then click on "next" for the few pages after that, and ta da, it's all updated. By the way, I love those teal waves! I made my ticker something that would make me laugh, like my puppy molesting my garden - which is *not* funny IRL, but this little cartoon guy can get away with murder, ha.
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Post by larataylor on Jan 3, 2015 17:43:13 GMT -5
runningawayfromme"If I can lose 125 pounds and run a marathon, I can declutter this house right?" YES, you CAN! I'm so impressed by your accomplishment. "I am SO OVERWHELMED by this process. What are some good daily strategies? How do you get around the "but maybe I could sell this" mental block?" The "sunk costs" thread is a good one. I also had tons of inherited stuff that I didn't need, and I was plagued by thoughts of trying to sell it for desperately-needed money. But I don't really know how … and the learning curve would slow me down. I may sell a lot of the old books, because we're already set up to sell books. But I focus more on what I'll be able to do when the place is all cleared out … get a full-time job, have a home office for myself, etc. These are also economic opportunities, and all the stuff is in the way of them. I would keep things to sell only if they are quite valuable and it's really worth your time to find a buyer. Otherwise focus on clearing space and living better.
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Post by seekingpeace on Jan 3, 2015 17:55:02 GMT -5
Hello! I will join you all in spirit, I know myself well enough to know not to count or to make a ticker... that would throw me off course so fast! I do, however, have a word pad document that is a little blog just for myself that I open up on my desktop computer (I have the big old kind, stays in one place and I can't lose it!!) And I list stuff to myself there on my purging progress... I don't print it out, but I do reread it every so often and then delete and start a new one. Usually do this with the change of seasons. I also keep a tote handy and toss all the stuff into it that I don't want, so that I don't get hung up on where it's gonna go and get sidetracked. I throw out trash, but I do consignment and sales. And since this is my income, I'm good about not letting it sit around, so the tote sits there and each time I leave the house (not very often lately in winter) I go thru it and fill a bag or two depending on where I'm headed -- by the thrift or consign. Works for me and that's what counts, right? !
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Post by runningawayfromme on Jan 3, 2015 20:57:16 GMT -5
Thanks for those of you who welcomed me to the boards last night. I continued working on my clutter today and as of today, I brought 150 items to Goodwill. I am only counting items that are gone and out of my house into the 2015 ?. Every time I have a significant box or two I bring them directly to Goodwill. Tonight I donated 2 printers, lots of books, and a lamp. I have a lot of recyclables and papers I need to be shredded and burned. It doesn't look like I am making a dent...but I know something is better than not doing anything with this crap like I have for years.
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Post by andrea on Jan 4, 2015 0:31:18 GMT -5
Today was a great day for me with getting rid of things between all my papers and books I was able to get rid of 301 things today which feels terrific and has cleared a large area in my room.
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