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Post by Ally on May 4, 2016 20:01:04 GMT -5
Today I spent some time cleaning up a corner of the house that has been pile high with boxes and bins. I didn't complete any but I worked at it, which to me was a baby step. Much of that stuff has been piled up there for 6 years or more.
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Post by 1rarebeautifuldove on May 4, 2016 23:28:29 GMT -5
Great job - cyn! How wonderful that you are close to having one wall of bins/boxes cleared. Ally - great job on those baby steps! I often start a box, make decisions on what I can, close it back up, then work on another - and repeat that process. Leaving the boxes to be further dealt with on some future date. I am finding that if I allow myself to do what I can, and I usually leave them in the same box, unless for some reason, I really want to move those things to another box or bin for sorting later. For example, today, I was able to look in a paper bag of my gram's things. There were probably only about 6 - 8 things in there. It had a sign that used to hang on the wall of the hotel. A handmade, B.Y.O.B sign. Yes, I know, classic art. Done in magic marker, no less. Today, I thought the frame looked broken. And I realized that OK, this really isn't that special of a thing for me. I can toss this whole bag: the other *priceless treasures* were cardboard budweiser coasters from a bar, no idea which, 3 plastic drink stirrers, and something else, can't remember right at this moment. A couple things I put in a baggie to go to the thrift shop. The others went into the trash. Paper bag was used to wrap up that picture. Right now, I have almost 5 big black plastic bags ready to go out for pick-up in the morning.
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Post by angela on May 5, 2016 1:48:39 GMT -5
Nice job mouseanne! Ally, wonderful work! Sometimes it does take just opening those boxes and bins and getting a first look. It is progress to make a beginning of any sort! I didn't get too far in my boxes and bins today unfortunately. Tomorrow is another chance to make progress though!
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Post by angela on May 5, 2016 20:39:59 GMT -5
220 pounds of bags to the dump today.
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Post by 1rarebeautifuldove on May 5, 2016 22:23:57 GMT -5
angela --- how wonderful!!!! Good for you! Well done!! That is a lot of trash to take there!!! Having moved hay and grain on a regular basis, I know how much that is. You are making SUPER progress!!! I was able to get 8 bags of trash out - big black ones. And 3 filled today. Two from by the outbuilding. One from the garage. The outbuilding is NOT a mess I made. Things are being put there. I threw a lot out from there. I worked fast. Took advantage of the cooler weather we had today. I put in the bag - a couple broken buckets, old feed bags which were starting to disintigrate from the sun, and an old basket. The small rugs on the dog crate will also be going. I will roll them up one at a time. And send them off. I saw there is an empty cardboard box in there too. When I was gathering up some old feed bags from under a rusty BBQ grill - which will also leave, I found another nest of ants. One bit me. Stinker. I know what to do next time. Yesterday, when I was opening cans of paint, under several of them were giant ants, and eggs, the kind the chickens will eat if they know about them. So I called the chickens over and used a little broom and some feed, and swept them off for the chickens to eat. Thanks, ladies!! (hens are ladies) I also dropped off at the thrift shop a plastic bin of fabric and a bag. It was what I had ready. And since I drive right past there on the way to the post office...
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Post by angela on May 6, 2016 0:37:09 GMT -5
Good job 1rarebeautifuldove! I need to take your example and take whatever I have ready to donation instead of thinking only a bigger load is worth the trouble.
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Post by imamess on May 6, 2016 6:15:08 GMT -5
I'm taking a bag of donations to the thrift store today on my way to visit dd. It's been in the living room for a month.
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Post by Ally on May 7, 2016 10:26:26 GMT -5
I've been procrastinating this morning. Time to get to work!
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Post by angela on May 7, 2016 14:59:50 GMT -5
No bag or bin work just yet, hmm, what can I put in the donation bag?? A challenge for the day...
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Post by Ally on May 7, 2016 16:15:07 GMT -5
angela! I hope you found something to donate. I am throwing out some books that have been abused by being in squalorous conditions. ETA: I tossed out a few more things. I found some envelopes of photos to go through. I could probably get rid of many of them, but I'm sure that there are a few memories I'd like to keep or at least scan.
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Post by 1rarebeautifuldove on May 7, 2016 19:38:55 GMT -5
Ally I think finding things that got ruined, due to not being properly taken care of by me (under a pile of stuff or left on the back seat floor of the car and water spilling on it is not being properly taken care of) is probably one of my big motivators to get things in order. So, to prevent that from happening again. Good job on going through the pictures. Yes, some will be worthy of being kept for time and all eternity, but others, like the ones with people's heads chopped off, well.... or the ones that remind you of a not so happy time in your life, those can go too. When I sorted the photos, it was very freeing. It took a while. And I am getting ready to do it again. Duplicates this time, of keepers.
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Post by Arid on May 7, 2016 20:01:33 GMT -5
Here's a somewhat "funny" thing about photos with people's heads chopped off! We have a bunch of those, too; however, over time, less and less of their heads were "chopped off" in those pictures. The reason why: my niece, who was the person *taking* the pictures, grew taller!!! Hence, more area of the heads was included in the later pictures. It's been yet another way to watch her grow "up" . . . !! Arid
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Post by angela on May 8, 2016 0:08:36 GMT -5
Ally I put 5 items of clothing in the donation bag. Much more to follow.
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Post by Irisheyes on May 9, 2016 18:42:24 GMT -5
A few days ago, I told angela I would have to come by the bin chucking thread, so here I am. How many bins Could a bin hoarder chuck If a bin hoarder could chuck bins? As you can tell, I get punchy with fun things initiated by Unswamping and cyn (is your name an acronym for Clean Your Nest?). I am seeing good progress here from many of you. Every little bit helps! Even thinking about it is the start of a good thing. I know I cannot get anything accomplished if I cannot bring myself to think about it. That is a major reason for the mess I am in. I don't know if that is avoidance, demand resistance, or some other quirky mind mangle going on. I suppose that doesn't matter - at least not nearly as much as getting into the thinking stage and then (sometime) getting up and doing something about those thoughts. So, great going to angela , Unswamping , cyn , creativechaos , 1rarebeautifuldove , Ally , imamess and everybody else (sorry, can't easily go back pages to find you all again while I am typing). Oh, right, my other reason for posting here: I cleared out several bins and many boxes containing paperwork, and have sorted much of that. The purging mostly was limited to unnecessary envelopes (as opposed to the necessary ones), junk mail older than a month or two or so, and years of unopened advertisements (which, of course, I opened to make sure that was all that was in there). I found many unopened envelopes that were not junk mail at all, just those important things that nefarious companies try to hide as junk mail or innocuous correspondence. I despise those kinds of folks. I have a long way to go on the many other bins of clothes, miscellaneous photos, cards, certificates, awards and other paper items destined for scrapbooks, non-paper memorabilia, and what I am certain is a lot of old things that got scooped up during a clean or move, but I haven't had a place for them here in this house. I am not ready to count the number facing me until I finish tackling these old bills. Do we have to count? Never mind. Of course not. This is SooS. I may decide to count them at some point, and will post if I do. Nobody hold your breath.
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Post by angela on May 9, 2016 20:43:44 GMT -5
Irisheyes, on those bins and boxes of paper you've sorted! That is a great accomplishment, it seems paper takes so much time and decision making. I've set up a paper sorting station so whenever I sit down in this certain spot, I can just reach in and deal with whatever paper is next. It is helping to keep it all moving through and helps me keep from being overwhelmed and overdoing it. ______________ Filled 4 BIG BOXES today of things ready to be mailed. I know, we're supposed to be EMPTYING "b" things, but I wanted to have something to post!
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