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[rnmom]

@mistriTsquirrel - That's okay, slow progress is still progress! As long as more is leaving than is coming in, you are ahead! Plus the way I see it, every item in our home needs to be handled, even if it's as small as a marker. So if you eliminate 10 markers, that's 10 less items in your house that you have to handle, shift around, etc. So it all counts, whether it's big or small!

[rnmom]

@Dusty1 - That is amazing! What a big job! But it must feel like a new house, with all new paint and carpet. Enjoy, it sounds awesome!

[rnmom]

@Sweet Caroline 1 - You can come back here and visit anytime you like, everyone is always welcome of course! I'm glad that you joined us!

[Witchy Woman]

@rnmom 

I understand your feelings so well.  I think for most of us, we hope our donations go to help someone.  I've read many times that things get trashed, but that is understandable too. 

You are kind to try to help your friend.

My local thrift store benefits a specific group of people, so I think there is more of an effort to repurpose things.  But, even so, I'm sure some of it goes in the trash.  

I've been into their store (5 minutes from my house), and it is well-organized and always seems busy.  

A year or so ago, I stumbled across Better World Books which takes donations.  They have drop boxes in my area, and I'm going to try to get rid of some of the very old Reader's Digest books DH has collected.  He got them for years as a young man and used to read every one!  I was surprised to learn that about him when we were "dating."  So, we've been together over 30 years and these books are ancient by now

He still reads, but gets his books electronically now.

I have donated a lot in the past, but there is still more to go!  I want to stay motivated this year as I'm getting older and it's just time to let more things go!

[rnmom]

@just bee - I believe this will be year 4, yep. If I recall correctly when I started the thread last year it said it was the third year. Time flies, huh? 

I'd say come on in and join us more, but I can't imagine you have  much left to purge after the house fire took so much. 

[rnmom]

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@alicedee wrote:

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@Sweet Caroline 1 wrote:

@rnmom  I like this thread and hope I earn chances to keep visiting.  So far in my donate bag - two sauce pan lids, a purse and a trinket box.

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@Sweet Caroline 1 You don't have to "earn" a spot here, my friend.  Every time you toss a piece of junk mail from your counter or throw away a sock with a hole, you are a winner in my book!  We all are works in progress!!

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@alicedee - Agree 100 percent! I couldn't have said it better!

[rnmom]

@4kitties - Welcome, and thanks for joining in this year!

I agree whole heartedly with you that it is high time that your girls get their things out of your house!

If they are married with their own places there is no reason that you should have to be their storage facility. If you encounter resistence then I would just give them a deadline, it's out of the house by x date or it gets donated. If it is important to them, they will take it. If it isn't, then it can go to someone who will use it. 

Sometimes we just gotta be ruthless.

I don't have girls, I have 2 boys, ages 12 and 15, and they don't accumulate nearly as much as girls do. But I try to make it a point at least once a year to go thru their rooms and eliminate any toys they've outgrown, books they've outgrown etc, and get it out of the house.

They will have a few things here that they will probably keep forever, like yearbooks, pictures, boy scout memorabilia, special book collections, that they will have to take when they move out. But I'm hoping that it's not too much. 

[just bee]

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@rnmom wrote:

@just bee - I believe this will be year 4, yep. If I recall correctly when I started the thread last year it said it was the third year. Time flies, huh? 

I'd say come on in and join us more, but I can't imagine you have  much left to purge after the house fire took so much. 

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@rnmom 

True, I've lost quite a bit, but so far the house has remained pretty minimalist.

I've resisted filling up spaces and collecting things I don't need.  Again, I don't recommend this method for decluttering or, dare I say it, ComPacting, but it is effective.

I would suggest, based on my experience, that if someone is serious about reducing the amount of items in his/her home, that the person tackle the project now. 

Either do it room by room or collection by collection.  Don't allow Fate to do it for you.

My regret is not moving faster and parting with items that could have been donated.  Instead, they ended up, wasted, in landfill.

That haunts me.  Especially the books.

So, to everyone on the declutter thread, use this year as an opportunity to travel lighter.  Don't put it off.

You will part with your things one day -- it's inevitable.  It's better to do it your way instead of someone else's.

Keep what you need and what brings you joy.  The rest is just noise.

[rnmom]

@Witchy Woman - I always used to just drop my donations off at the Salvation Army because it was easy, but right across the street is a thrift store that benefits the Underground Railroad which is a shelter for victims of domestic abuse. I've recently been donating to them instead. It's a little less convenient because they have more limited hours, but I feel better donating to them.

Plus, I can give them donations of toiletries, food, pet supplies, etc and they will take them directly to the shelter for me. The shelter itself isn't convenient for me to drive to, but the thrift store is, so it's a win-win. I hope they can use my friend's items too. They are who I want to call Monday to make sure they are taking donations.

I did a lot of purging when my kids were younger, toddlers and elementary school age, they are 12 and 15 now and other than routine stuff, we are kind of in a purging holding pattern. They outgrew a lot of big stuff that I've gotten rid of, but I won't do big purges again until they are old enough to get out of the house and we can downsize. 

The stage of life you are in definitely plays a part in how much you are able to eliminate from your life. 

[rnmom]

Yesterday we got rid of a few more small things: son tossed a pair of sweatpants with a hole in them. I tossed a broken salt and pepper shaker holder and put the salt and pepper shakers into donate. We'd glued the holder together several times and it just wasn't staying. I liked it more as a centerpiece for the table than actually using the salt and pepper, so now I have to decide if I want to put something else on there or not. 

I tossed a face serum that I just don't like to use. I felt bad about wasting the money but I have other newer products here to use instead so I'm not going to force myself to use it up. 

I put a nightgown into my donate bag. I rarely wear them, only in the summer, and even then I usually just sleep in t-shirts and shorts. I still have 3 in case I want them. I went thru a drawer and tossed a 2019 planner, a phone book and assorted papers like expired restaurant coupons, etc. I have a few things to put in another area of the house, but the drawer is much neater now.