Preparing For the New Year

pasajes4

Well-Known Member
:happy_new_year:I decided I wanted to start the year with clean closets. I have been at it for over 3 days. I have unearthed hundreds of socks, many shoes without a mate, and clothes that have not seen the light of day in years. The garbage man is going to hate me. I have about 10 bags of clothes to donate and bedding that does not fit any of the beds. I think I might get it all done by the 31st.

Does anyone else have plans to purge the clutter?
 

dstc_99

Well-Known Member
I actually think that sounds like an amazing idea. I need to do that in the kitchen for sure and clean the cabinets as well.
 

Scent of Cedar *

Well-Known Member
I like this idea, too. I have been "keeping an eye on" the accumulations of stuff that seem to materialize out of thin air and into my closets. I made one trip to Goodwill and have some things in the car for the next trip, already. Setting a goal of clean by New Year's Eve...I think I can do that.

Closet and drawer cleaning are my least favorite things.

I hate to throw anything I once loved to wear away.

Even if I just kind of liked it, I have trouble deciding I don't like it enough to get rid of it. It can look ratty or be out of style or just not fit anymore and I still hang on to it. So, I hit on putting everything in bags. I save them for one year. If I haven't missed the whatever it is after one year, then in theory, the unopened bag goes to Goodwill.

I have never yet been able to not open the bag before I bring it to Goodwill.

Grrr....

Cedar
 

pasajes4

Well-Known Member
All of my closets are huge. I have his and hers walk-ins in the master suite. Since I don't have a "his" that closet has become my kitchen overflow storage. I have finished 3 of the closets. I think I may be working on them until I go back to work.
 

Nomad

Well-Known Member
Staff member
I'm decent about this. I go through my closets and drawers now and often mid year. If I haven't worn it for a year, it is seriously considered for removal (Goodwill) . If there is something special about the item, it gets a second year reprieve. However, it is very very rare ( maybe never) that something gets a third year. LOL.

Every year to 18 months I casually go through the house, book shelves, etc. and remove items to donate for a church bizarre or Goodwill or once in a great while I'll have a small garage sale.

I read a lot of books and donate them, but I'm kinda sorta thinking of at least checking into Amazon's buy back program. If anyone does that...please let me know if it is worth it. Thanks.
 

KTMom91

Well-Known Member
I'm actually working on the clothes to get bags together for Goodwill and for the yard sale we were supposed to have (mother in law, sis-in-law, nieces, and us), but never did.

Hubby moved his bins of wonder (because I wonder what's in them) into Miss KT's old room, so now that's become storage. I want the room for a library.
 

dstc_99

Well-Known Member
Being military we move all the time so I am good about clearing things out pretty regularly. Basically if it has been in storage since the last move and not used I don't need it. I am good about the clothes too but not good with the kitchen crap. I just realized there is a drawer in the kitchen I haven't used in a year. Time to clear that sucker out.
 

pasajes4

Well-Known Member
Most of the stuff in the two spare bedrooms belonged to my oldest son and a few friends who just wanted me store stuff until they got settled. I gave everyone notice to come and get it or I was tossing it. I am tossing and donating. Paralyzed Veterans will pickup furniture and appliances.

It is very invigorating to claim my house back.
 

Lil

Well-Known Member
My house is a disaster. I don't mean that in the way people with a little dust mean it either. I mean every horizontal surface has something on it that doesn't belong there and, if any part of the actual surface is still visible, it's covered with dust. I have one entire room - that is supposed to be a sewing/exercise room - I can barely walk in. I actually don't even know exactly what's in there at the moment! Closets are the least of it.

I hate it. I'm not a neat person by nature but it's just awful. The worst part is I never seem to have time (or ambition) to get to it. We work two jobs, one only about 5-6 hours per week, but it's an hour a couple days a week in the middle of our evenings and 2-3 hours on Saturdays. But mostly, we're tired! Any free time is so precious! I think that is a matter of being stressed more than anything.

We're planning on selling in the next year or two and plan to downsize! Some of it is not really our fault, as the basement is empty and being remodeled, so the house is pretty much upside down. I'm about to the point though, where I have to do it or die trying. :( I would really like to have someone just come in and haul it all away. After all...if I don't know what's there and it's sat for all this time, I apparently don't need it!

Maybe New Year's Day I'll try to tackle some of it.
 

Scent of Cedar *

Well-Known Member
www.flylady.com

This is how we get to that place where the house is clean and we are calm and happy.

I actually used to do this.

The site is free. She starts you out in fifteen minute segments. The key is, a 15 minute job, every day, over time, and a schedule. Which she provides, along with lots of support and humor. The thing we forget is that creating a home is a daunting, demanding thing. Ambiance is key. How it looks, how it smells, how it sounds, whether you celebrate your lives there or just kind of drop off your laundry. It is a huge, important thing, making a home.

But we are all sort of looking away from that these days, and pretending that somehow, someone will magically whisk everything clean and cook dinner and grocery shop while mom works, too.

So, it's a big job, Lil. Don't get down on yourself.

When we first started going through the battles with difficult child daughter, I lost all interest in the house. I felt like such a failure. I went back to school and recreated a self to be.

I had always really wanted to be a mom.

We sold that house, and I am glad we did. The house we bought next was on water. The kids were both there alot, but the same darkness was not in that house, and there was much joy there. This one, the kids have never visited.

This one is ours.

That has helped us go on from those two crushed-parent identities.

***

Anyway, I cleaned out two closets. I am still contemplating the others. That is why I am back again. Any minute now, I will be going in. (Jaws theme song.)

Actually, what I am up here doing now is checking the value of some of the Christmas things I am considering selling on E Bay.

Cedar
 

Lil

Well-Known Member
The thing we forget is that creating a home is a daunting, demanding thing. Ambiance is key. How it looks, how it smells, how it sounds, whether you celebrate your lives there or just kind of drop off your laundry. It is a huge, important thing, making a home.

Love this. :)

I'm very much looking forward to my next house; a house that will be only my and Jabber's home. It seems wrong to say that is won't have been my son's home, but that is part of it. No memories of tantrums, lies and thefts...just our little house. :) A whole new start.
 

recoveringenabler

Well-Known Member
Staff member
I'm very much looking forward to my next house; a house that will be only my and Jabber's home.

husband and I recently bought "our" home about 20 minutes from the town we were all in for 32 years. It has made a nice difference in it being just "ours." No memories at all, making new memories, really, for all of us.
 

pasajes4

Well-Known Member
I will be selling this house. It is a house made for a large family who do a lot of entertaining. I have not needed this much space for many years. I have my eye on a cottage by the river. It is small and cozy.
 

Scent of Cedar *

Well-Known Member
Actually, what I am up here doing now is checking the value of some of the Christmas things I am considering selling on E Bay.

I meant to clarify that the Christmas things were found when cleaning the guest room closet. That cleaning the closet could actually be profitable occurred to me as I began stacking boxes of Christmas figurines and so on that I hadn't used this year. Literally, husband and I came here with nothing but the dog and the cat. We bought almost everything at auctions or estate or moving sales. So, many of those Christmas things we picked up turn out to be old enough to be worth more than a person would think.

And they are all in the original boxes.

So now, we are going to clean the attic and store these Christmas things there on a shelf husband has yet to build.

This is why I hate closet cleaning.

Cedar
 

nlj

Well-Known Member
We bought a new desk and cupboard with drawers for our youngest daughter and have spent the day clearing out books, toys and games that are too young for her now and sorting all her more grown-up stuff into her new desk and cupboard. What a difference! Her room looks brilliant now. I'm almost jealous - how fun to be ten years old and have your own lovely room with new furniture and a place for everything and everything in its place.

I wonder how long it will last :)
 
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