Purge forJuly 2014

Sorry, I meant to say install a glass shower.

I'm afraid I've only taken out a little, and brought in more. My cousins are clearing out my Great Aunt's estate, and I have been gifted some things. A table that my grandfather made is shop class when he was in high school, several afghans my grandmother made, my great grandmother's wedding outfit, the old wooden high chair that goes back 4 generations in my family, and several other family treasures, including had written recipes from 4 generations. I am so excited and grateful to get these things, but I am determined to remove that much from things that aren't as treasured, just have to get off my keester and get it done.

To make room for the new decor I have purchased over the past couple of weeks, I got rid of several pieces of decor I have used for several years and probably wouldn't use again...like the Slatkin luminary village including the GB house. I decorated with them for 3-4 yrs. They take up an entire 4' long tub! I did not purge the set during the big 'entire house' purge I completed several months ago.

Although the pieces are nice, I just don't have the desire to decorate with them again. I dropped them off at Goodwill several days ago along with a few other decor pieces.

I continue to do maintenance after I purged our entire home (including the garage). If something comes in, there will be something going out! Now that I am in my mid-50's, I don't EVER want to do a purge like that again!!!

When I did the house purge, I started with one drawer at a time, closets, rooms, etc, I knew it was going to take some time...maybe a month or two. But have mercy! The entire process took 8 months and it was done in 2 cycles!

Why 2 cycles? The 1st cycle got rid of the majority of the purge. The 2nd time around helped get rid of stuff I was on the fence about...or had difficulty 'letting go'. By the 2nd time around (several months had passed), I was able to get rid of most of the undecided clutter...realizing that I really don't need it or will not use it again.

If you saw our home before and after, you might not have seen a big difference other than our finished basement. One of the tipping points was when my dad passed away a couple of yrs ago and I inherited half of his belongings which the majority wound up in the basement.

I am not going to sugar-coat the process of 'letting go' of my Dad's stuff....it was HARD! I had a memory or two for each piece...whether it be decor, clothes, furniture, framed painting, etc.

I knew I had to put a limit on what I was going to keep (besides pics/documents/jewelry). I chose the limit of only 10 things. They wound up being 2 framed artwork, 4 pieces of furniture (dry sink, matching curio/shelves that went above it on the wall, a small round table and a stool), a box of Christmas ornaments (I put several on our tree last year), and a few of his collectibles...that's it. Everything else went to Goodwill.

Our upstairs living areas...

The drawers were nearly all filled to the brim...same with the closets (at least the doors closed and there was no fear of stuff falling on our heads )...that was the other tipping point. I got tired of moving 10 things to get to what I wanted...UGH!

How refreshing it is now to go to a kitchen cabinet or drawer...open it up and get what I want immediately. I LOVE having a 'home' for everything!

Even my clothes in my drawers/closet is nicely organized. The drawers are neatly filled (not stuffed), there is no overflow anywhere...either it's in a drawer or it's hanging in a closet...including my handbags all neatly organized in my armoire...all 31 of them (28 are D&B, 2 MAXXNY and 1 Sak). Thank goodness some of them can be stored flat...LOL

BTW, I am also grateful I have no desire for anymore either!!!

When I get new pieces of clothes now, I will put the ones I will purge in a bag I have set aside in the basement. When it gets filled with our clothes, I will make the drop off.

For those who have been wanting to purge, but haven't begun the process, start with a small area like a drawer, a bag, or container each day. As you get more into it, the momentum does pick up and the 'letting go' does get easier. The length of time it will take to complete depends on how much stuff you have to go through. Don't let that discourage you...keep plugging away. It can be exhausting at times, however, clearing the clutter is very satisfying too!!!

I hope this info helps someone get started...or if they are 'stuck' in the process, this will get them get going again

I slacked off of my continual purge since Spring, really, when I moved to the outdoors and constant yardwork (big yard and big pool to take care of), did do a small amount in the shed though. Now with August staring me in the face, I know it will be too hot to do much more than cut the grass outside, I will start again, beginning in the kitchen this time around. Thanks for starting the thread, a good reminder for me to begin again.

Susan Louise, someone visiting your GW store is going to be a very happy camper as those Slatkin houses are still in high demand.

The 1-800-Got-Junk truck visited my house yesterday and filled 2/3 of their truck with my discarded books, magazines and VHS tapes. On Monday, I will clean out the remainder of the items in my off-site storage unit.

I've been purging like you've never seen! I'm downsizing from a huge house to one for me and and my 2 cats!

I have closets full of clothes. From a size 2X to right now a size mostly Large. I wish I live near some of you people because only QVC people who remember the good old days when QVC sold clothes other than Susan Graver and Denim and Co can anyone appreciate the value of these beautiful clothes.

So many clothes.

I had kitchen and laundry room and garage cabinets filled with dishes from QVC, electronics I bought from HSN (do I hear Wolfgang Puck). Two bread things of his.

Purge!?? You bet! I feel so much lighter. Now I can't wait til I get rid of most of it so I can get me 2 smaller houses (one in Florida for 3 months in Winter) and 1 I haven't decided yet.

I am starting over. Just the idea of it excites me!

I've been thinking about building a small house. When I say that my daughters flip! I build (with a partner) developments, I think I can have a house built.

Anyway, purge. That could be my middle name!

On 7/26/2014 Marsha2003 said:

Susan Louise, someone visiting your GW store is going to be a very happy camper as those Slatkin houses are still in high demand.

The 1-800-Got-Junk truck visited my house yesterday and filled 2/3 of their truck with my discarded books, magazines and VHS tapes. On Monday, I will clean out the remainder of the items in my off-site storage unit.

Yep, they certainly will!! I put my original one on Ebay last year at what I bought it for on an auction and was surprised at how high it went!

On 7/26/2014 Marsha2003 said:

Susan Louise, someone visiting your GW store is going to be a very happy camper as those Slatkin houses are still in high demand.

The 1-800-Got-Junk truck visited my house yesterday and filled 2/3 of their truck with my discarded books, magazines and VHS tapes. On Monday, I will clean out the remainder of the items in my off-site storage unit.

Hi Marsha, I'm glad I take pics each year of how I decorated during each season. I displayed the Slatkin Village in a few different ways during the holidays. Having the pics helped me in the let the village go. Additionally, the VPH house and church pieces I got last year (H201082) were FABULOUS pieces to decorate with. They are very lightweight and light up beautifully too! Oh so much better than the heavy Slatkin luminary pieces...so a great replacement and more fun to surround them with a variety of trees! I see myself using them for many years!

So, giving up that Slatkin Village was a good thing and I'm thrilled there will be some happy campers at the GW who will use them and enjoy them. That is much better then us keeping them in a 4' tub in our basement, taking up space, and probably never seeing the light of day again

Many decor items I have used religiously since we got married in 2000. For many years I had decorated with the same stuff year in and year out. One reason was money was tight too.

The 1st 2 yrs we were married we got real Christmas trees. Then I picked out a rather small 5' tree at Terry's Village for under $40 in 2002 and used it til 2012. Last Christmas we finally bought a new tree (you may or not remember my pics/threads about it)...a Vickerman tree I got at Wayside for about $110...it has berries, pine cones and it flocked too...no lights on it though. I like putting on the ones I pick out and we plan on using this tree for many years. So, if the lights fail, I can just string new lights.

Anyway, now as each year passes, although it may seem like I buy a lot of decor, I am becoming much more choosy. I remember, while I did the big purge, I came across decor items I bought over the years and asked myself "What was I thinking?" Like a collection of about 15 snowmen ................I kept just 3

Congrats on clearing out your storage unit. That has to be a tremendous weight off your shoulders!