2021 Decluttering Support and Motivation

[Vintage VFer]

I've been doing some organizing and shredding of some sentimental paperwork. It is daunting, so I do it in fits and starts. Health Note: Too much shredding puts a lot of paper dust in the air. I ended up with a very sore throat the other week and realized it was from a marathon shredding session. Try to do it in a well-ventilated area!

Today, I finally got rid of my old Collage catalogs. I hadn't looked at them in years, but couldn't toss them.

I have to lighten my load, so they had to go.

[Vantreesta]

I have come to realize that I need to accept that decluttering projects may not get done in a day or two (I mean specific areas, not the overall chore that never ends) and the house may look worse before it gets better. I too often think that since I won't be able to finish today then I should do smthg else that I can call done. I finally figured out that doesn't work! Now I just have to be okay with that and make myself start. Anything, just something!

[Vintage VFer]

Vannie, I hear ya!

I found this YouTube video helpful in deciding to get rid of some sentimental items:

*SAY GOODBYE* 30 YEARS OF SENTIMENTAL CLUTTER

Warning: There is crying!

(Between this video and Jessica Smith's new YouTube video, I'm all about crying this week.)

[sherry7899]

Alta, I have on plastic box with all my Collage catalogs. They don't take up much space, so I leave them there. I actually have not looked at them in ages. Maybe I'll pull them out and do that.

I went through the kitchen and got rid of some old food storage containers that were old/stained or had been used so often that the covers do not fit on them correctly anymore. We have recycling pickup tomorrow.

I know you're supposed to get rid of things before bringing in new things. The Ross near me had a bunch of Peanuts/Snoopy related kitchen things, and I could not resist: placemats, potholders, dish towels a big blue Snoopy/Woodstock mug (that I definitely do not need since I have a ton Peanuts mugs already) and a dish drying mat. They are adorable and make me smile.

[Vantreesta]

I wish I still had my old Collage catalogs!

Sherry, things that make you smile are important!

[DCW]

I want to thank all of you for your support. In a year, I have made much progress. Not everything is done but wow it is so different in our home.

Thank you so much for everything!!

[Catahoula Cate]

Originally Posted by Vantreesta

and the house may look worse before it gets better.

Vannie, this is so true with me!!

Originally Posted by Vintage VFer

Health Note: Too much shredding puts a lot of paper dust in the air. I ended up with a very sore throat the other week and realized it was from a marathon shredding session. Try to do it in a well-ventilated area!

Today, I finally got rid of my old Collage catalogs. I hadn't looked at them in years, but couldn't toss them.

Vintage VFer, I experienced that too with shredding and use a mask most of the time now.

I don't have any of the old Collage catalogs but I did print and save some of their newsletters. They did a really good job with those. Thankfully they don't take up much space.

I am slow on the decluttering these days. I did start another thrift shop box but not much in it yet. I'm having trouble starting a Thredup acct...they won't verify my acct w/my email so I'm trying to work with customer support. Our weather has been so great, especially for December, that I want to spend as much time outside as I can and save the decluttering projects for those blustery days.

[BunnyHop]

Originally Posted by DCW

I want to thank all of you for your support. In a year, I have made much progress. Not everything is done but wow it is so different in our home.

Thank you so much for everything!!

Just wanted to echo this. I'm making steady progress getting prepared to downsize. It seems neverending, but I can see that I've made big improvements.

My dad, it seems, was a packrat who never threw anything away.

Sure, some of the stuff is of sentimental or practical importance, and deserves to be retained, but a lot is just extra, and needs to go.

[lreidgreen]

Originally Posted by fanofladyvols

sherry7899
lreidgreen are you in the process of downsizing and moving ...or just a general shift in lifestyle?

Linda,
I have no immediate plans to move although it will likely happen in 5-7 years. We can't figure out where to go frankly. However I do want to make it as easy as possible when we finally do move. The basement (at least the workshop section ) is a total wreck so it's hard to walk through it so it is a safety issue as well. There is plenty left to go through but at least we got it started.

ETA: Vannie, I agree with you about breaking things up. I like to see projects complete so yes it is hard to start if I think I won't have time to finish. This last effort had a deadline because of the haz waste collection day but we didn't have time to tackle the whole workshop. So the project got broken up out of necessity. A few years ago when tackling my pantry I decided to do one shelf or cabinet at a time and that helped me get started. Seeing one shelf tidied helped motivate me to start another one at a later date.

[Izzy]

Originally Posted by DCW

I want to thank all of you for your support. In a year, I have made much progress. Not everything is done but wow it is so different in our home.

Thank you so much for everything!!

Congratulations and good job meeting your goals.