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[kzeks]

On 1/21/2014 onewhiteSparrow said:

If you are starting in the kitchen... good starting place. Keep only the number of plates you are really going to need. Same goes for the glasses. Forks, spoons and knives.

Maybe you need only 2-4 each. Toss all the others out.

Sit aside the pans you really use NOW....and toss all others out.

Electric items if you no longer use them...toss them out.

Having a simple neat kitchen is great.

Call your VETS store or Good Will stores and tell them to come get them. Put everything in several boxes. If you start wondering who to give them too it will drive you nuts, and you will not move forward in clearing out the kitchen.

Call a Good Will store or VETS to come pick up all kinds of furniture. Open the door and point out the items for them to take. Done. Finished. Again do not get into the mind set who to give them to or how can you get money for items.

You enjoyed them for years and now its time for someone else to enjoy the items.

I agree with all of this except for the dishes & cutlery

If you have a large family & friends who come over.. you

will need these items for entertaining...

[kzeks]

On 1/21/2014 momtodogs said:

This is one of my favorite things to do.... I just don't understand why people don't enjoy it, lol!

It is so nice to open a closet, drawer, cupboard and have it nice and neat without excess stuff.

Good luck with your project.

My daughters love doing this... I do not know

where they find the time because they are so busy..

My last daughter does this to her home every three

months... and she donates the stuff or drop it off

in my basement...

I have a very large basement and I had it cleaned

from top to bottom... I already have a sail spread

out on the floor that my husband is working on, and

I have a tarp on the floor in another area where I

am making piles of "Give away",.... "Keep".... "Maybe"...

I hope I give away more than I keep....

[aprilskies]

For those having some difficulty in letting things go, I would suggest reading some minimalist sites. They really help. I am not looking to be a minimalist but every time I get stuck I will read some of the blogs and get a second burst of courage and find myself letting go of some of the harder things. I have decluttered so much in the last couple of years and it really feels great. I feel more peaceful. I am so tired of managing stuff. I have a ways to go but it's going in the right direction. It can be painful but so worth it. So far, I have donated everything to goodwill and also to family and friends. I am hoping by the end of this year to be mostly done and in great shape.

[Sooner]

YES! That's it! MANAGING STUFF that one never sees or uses but has to MANAGE when you could be doing something else.

[kzeks]

On 2/1/2014 Sooner said:

YES! That's it! MANAGING STUFF that one never sees or uses but has to MANAGE when you could be doing something else.

Good one... I am going to tell my daughter I do not

want to ""manage her stuff""...

They are renovating their home and because of the

weather they have stopped and will continue in the

Spring...

They knocked out their kitchen and a room overlooking

the lake and put those items in storage....

Knocked out a bedroom and walk in closet... And some

of her things are in my basement which I am sure she

will end up donating...

Manage is right....

[Susan Louise]

On 2/1/2014 aprilskies said: For those having some difficulty in letting things go, I would suggest reading some minimalist sites. They really help. I am not looking to be a minimalist but every time I get stuck I will read some of the blogs and get a second burst of courage and find myself letting go of some of the harder things. I have decluttered so much in the last couple of years and it really feels great. I feel more peaceful. I am so tired of managing stuff. I have a ways to go but it's going in the right direction. It can be painful but so worth it. So far, I have donated everything to goodwill and also to family and friends. I am hoping by the end of this year to be mostly done and in great shape.

Thanks for the suggestion...any specific ones you can recommend?

[Snicks1]

I do better if I make a list of things I need to do, don't ask me why, I don't know, but it just seems easier to look at my list and pick a project to tackle for the day. I have had trouble getting started on my purging.....haven't made a list....so this evening I will make a list of several areas to start on, and see if this helps me get going again. I also like being able to check it off my list when done, it's the feeling of accomplishment, I guess. lol How is everyone else doing with their purge?

[Susan Louise]

On 2/2/2014 snickster said:

I do better if I make a list of things I need to do, don't ask me why, I don't know, but it just seems easier to look at my list and pick a project to tackle for the day. I have had trouble getting started on my purging.....haven't made a list....so this evening I will make a list of several areas to start on, and see if this helps me get going again. I also like being able to check it off my list when done, it's the feeling of accomplishment, I guess. lol How is everyone else doing with their purge?

Hi Snickster,

If making a list helps you get started, you are on your way! One of the hardest parts of purging for most folks is just getting started. The more you purge, the easier it gets...no joke! The more progress you see, the happier you will be. It is an exhausting process since it takes a long time to do an entire house. Start with one box, drawer, closet at a time.

I am on my 2nd go around! There were a few areas of sentimental stuff I am still working on and I am determined to do it...otherwise the rest of the house is done...Whew!

For me, the kitchen was the easiest. I was able to purge so many things. I know my MIL just can't part with anything. I remember trying to help her out over 10 yrs ago. Back then I remember how she had 11 spatula sets. I told her to choose one or two sets and she wouldn't give up any of them for charity ...nothing has changed and I'm sure she has bought a few more sets since then...and that is just spatulas...'nuff said.

As for myself, to give you another example, I have used the same set of 3 spatulas since before I was married (over 14 yrs ago) and have no spares. If I ever need another set, I'll throw out the set I have...I don't need a spare set hanging around...

Hope that helps put a perspective on things to get started

[aprilskies]

On 2/2/2014 Susan Louise said:

On 2/1/2014 aprilskies said: For those having some difficulty in letting things go, I would suggest reading some minimalist sites. They really help. I am not looking to be a minimalist but every time I get stuck I will read some of the blogs and get a second burst of courage and find myself letting go of some of the harder things. I have decluttered so much in the last couple of years and it really feels great. I feel more peaceful. I am so tired of managing stuff. I have a ways to go but it's going in the right direction. It can be painful but so worth it. So far, I have donated everything to goodwill and also to family and friends. I am hoping by the end of this year to be mostly done and in great shape.

Thanks for the suggestion...any specific ones you can recommend?

There are two I usually read and they are

www.mnmlist.com that is by Leo babauta

and www.theminimalists.com by two men! I didn't note their names. ...and I also go on YouTube and just search on minimalism and view a few videos.

sorry I couldn't include the actual links but working on iPad and still getting use to it.

[aprilskies]

On 2/1/2014 Susan Louise said:

I currently have a box in front of me with a few hundred cards/letters/postcards etc. DH and or I have received over the years we've been married (and even some earlier than that when I was still single from family/friends).

My common sense logic wants to just save one or 2 from each family member/friend...lets say a handful or a little more and throw the rest out. DH and I don't have kids, so no family member would want them anyway when we pass on.

Well, last night I tried to do the "purge" on these and I'm just not doing well. It seems nearly every B-Day card, Christmas card, post card, letter, etc has some sentimental comments that mean a lot...for one reason or another.

I know life is not going to end if I just keep all of them and save myself the trouble...sigh. I did think of scanning them, but the # of them to do would be just crazy. I'd rather spend my time doing other things.

Anyone else have this problem and become successful with the outcome I'm looking for? Suggestions please!

I didn't have a few hundred cards and letters but I had a few . I tried so many times to clear them out over the years and just couldn't. Sentimentality just took over. A couple of years ago I did toss some, just felt ready and then last year I tossed them all. BUT I was ready. I don't miss them. It's not like I ever read them. I just came across them every time I organized. I took them out of the drawer and they would go back in. I would take the time to read a few but that was it. My suggestion is think of the special occasions or just the ones that may of been important for/with that person and just keep those. Sometimes all these letters just say the same thing using different words and expressions. I hope that made sense. Keep in mind, these are the types of items you can't replace once you let go so make sure you are ready to do that. If you are not ready there is no harm in keeping them until you are. If you never are, that's ok too. Sometimes a nice hat box to keep them in is nice that way it gets them out of your drawers and at least frees up that space. Not sure where you store them just a suggestion. Good luck, I know this is a hard one.