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Post by BetsyMarie on Sept 12, 2016 23:08:28 GMT -5
Tomorrow is trash pick up and I realized I could jam pack a few more things into the trashcan. So I looked for something wet that would get picked up in the morning, and not make too much mess if it just sat there. So I emptied out two large jars of 'stuff' into a plastic bag. I had been putting this off for some reason..., but out they went today.
Looking for more, I found a case of 9 or 10 'new' cracker boxes that I didn't like... and were now too stale to give away. So out they went too. They had been sitting in a back room, had no future, but I just couldn't pull the trigger on them till now.
These were small victories for me and I have decided to make note of these sorts of small 'getting rid of' successes.
Please feel free to add anything you've gotten rid of (given away, trashed, donated to good will, etc) that was difficult, made you feel good, is a relief, etc.
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Post by def6 on Sept 13, 2016 11:07:06 GMT -5
Love this BetsyMarieDirect and to the point...What I got rid of today. Brilliant!
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Post by PerrinJade on Sept 13, 2016 12:01:47 GMT -5
Great work, BetsyMarie! I imagine it must be a relief to let those items go. Yesterday I donated several toys that the boys no longer play with and some books they aren't interested in or are too old for. I haven't culled either as much as I'd like, but it's a start, and it's what I was willing to do at the time.
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Post by Unswamping on Sept 13, 2016 17:58:29 GMT -5
Great work BetsyMarie . Its trash night for me too. Yesterday i returned two big bags of stuff i no longer wanted (looked good in the store, at home not so nice) plus i dropped off one big bag of donations. I did a big recycling push on Sunday. I dont want to rest on my laurels (or hardy butt) so im going to take a look around and see what can go. Earlier i was thinking it was time for a pantry purge. I spotted applesauce and since i buy organic, it has a limited shelf life. I cant remember when i bought it so i think i will work on that. PerrinJade great work on culling some toys and books.
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Post by Unswamping on Sept 13, 2016 19:36:15 GMT -5
Did the pantry purge tonight. I hate wasting food but im sure the food pantry does not want my food that expired a year ago. The applesauce went, it expired one year ago yesterday. Have to get better at rhis.
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Post by BetsyMarie on Sept 13, 2016 20:52:47 GMT -5
Great work everyone!!
Unswamping, I also have to get rid of some canned things that are severely out of date, and that I know I'd never use. Two easy cans went out this morning. And I have a large jar of pickles sitting on the counter that will go out. I need to purge some storage shelves too. But first priority is the general decluttering of living spaces. When the house looks superficially 'good enough', then the shelves and drawers will be next.
I'm finding, after it's done, getting rid of things with an emotional charge feels better than getting rid of things that I just don't care about.
Today a small victory. I tend to wear 'at home' clothes too long. They get stained and holes, yet like a rag-a-muffin, I keep wearing them. Today I cut into rags one of my old favorite tops. And I've already used some of those rags in the kitchen cleaning up containers from the fridge.
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Post by BetsyMarie on Sept 13, 2016 23:23:49 GMT -5
I can add two more things to the list, though the items are still in the house - cuz it's dark outside. First, my first ever pair of Costco Ugg's knock-off fleece-lined boots. I've had them a very long time, have loved them but have worn them to the point of needing a tape repair to hold them together.. But no, out they go. They have served me well, time to retire them. And less charged but still tugging at me.... a stack of padded envelops that have come in the mail. I have a stack of these used envelopes about 6-7 inches high - in case 'I might need these someday.' I will allow myself to keep 3, and the rest are leaving the house.
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Post by joyinvirginia on Sept 14, 2016 6:44:32 GMT -5
Yesterday I took three purses that my younger dd decluttered, and gave to my co-worker for her middle school daughter. We get less clutter, she gets new purses for free!
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Post by def6 on Sept 20, 2016 18:17:03 GMT -5
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Post by BetsyMarie on Sept 20, 2016 18:45:59 GMT -5
I forgot about this thread.
Today the trash man took away a bunch of trash. Included in that was a nice but soiled Styrofoam box that normally I would have kept and cleaned up. Someday. But I didn't since I have others. So out it went instead. Locally we can't recycle Styrofoam. But either way, I felt a small pang doing it, but it's now gone forever.
Feel the pain and do it anyway. I remember an 'expert' on Oprah once said when decluttering to 'Be brave'. We are going to have feelings about getting rid of things, even stupid things, but if you want to be successful, 'Be brave'.
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Post by entropy on Sept 21, 2016 7:22:15 GMT -5
yesterday I got rid of a bunch of extra hangers. Also followed the one-in one-out rule: I received a new pair of shoes in mail Monday, so promptly discarded an old pair that I would normally have kept.
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kimab
New Member
Joined: September 2015
Posts: 44
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Post by kimab on Sept 21, 2016 10:15:59 GMT -5
Me as well. I cleaned out the pantry, organized it, threw away old food and put out recycling for the first time. We've just moved and I've never had curbside recycling before. I'm allowed three black garbage bags/ per week of garbage so I made sure the last one was full. I've been quite worried that we'll make more garbage than is allowed and have to pay, but we've done okay so far. But we have the back up dumpster at the other place until the end of the month.
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Post by BetsyMarie on Sept 26, 2016 13:33:34 GMT -5
Two things of note today:
A couple decades ago I really wanted some down booties for warm feet. After much ado, I got a pair. But then didn't really like them. Yet I hung on to them, unworn, for years. Today they went into the charity pile. I'd never considered just giving them away.
Second - my neighbor gave me some cat food his cat would not eat. My cats didn't like it either. I was going to pass it on... but instead I just now trashed it. Who knows how old it was. I will pass on two other bags my picky eaters won't eat - but it's not that old.
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Post by BetsyMarie on Sept 28, 2016 20:21:06 GMT -5
I was doing a back-log of dishes today, including many pots and pans. I know I have too many. One of the kinds of pans I use are non-stick fry pans. Every few years I get new ones because over time they lose their effectiveness. Yet.. I keep the old ones too. So today, when washing a pair of these oldies, after they dried, I put them in the charity pile. Someone will love to get them.
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Post by BetsyMarie on Sept 30, 2016 19:20:29 GMT -5
Today I worked in the garage for about 90 minutes. My neighbors are gone, and (with their permission) I wanted to fill their trash can as well as mine. I filled theirs today.
Out went old cans of food as well as other things normally I might have thought I 'should' rehabilitate. But it was dusty and grimy and icky and had been there for years.. so out it all went. Good on me. Also a dish drainer that was all dirty, and that I doubt I ever would have used again. And other stuff.
Also I got rid of a good amount of recycling from the garage, and later I'll have to cut down more cardboard boxes.
Also I collected a box of thrift store items to donate that weren't dirty.
Get rid of 'stuff'!
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