Apr. 24, 2008 - Keep decluttering, ladies!
Well, I challenged myself lately to read a couple of chapters (at least) a day. I've just got out of the habit of regularly reading. Can't find books I'm interested in (another whole post).
Anyway, the book I was reading was "The Home Has A Heart"
by Thyra Ferre Bjorn
Page 61
"But it is also a good policy not to keep too many thing you don't need, esp. old letters and cards, Mama always said that when one reaches sixty years of age, it is time to start "clearing the deck." Everything of sentimental value to you alone should be disposed of. It saves
loved ones a lot of work after a person has died."
The "clearing the deck" caught my eye. I loved it. I'm pretty ruthless about chipped / broken / stained items. Let them go. The little girls and I went through their closet and their *to keep* boxes. A couple of the baby items has small stains - I'm assuming that came out after being put away. Threw them. Plus a blanket my mom made had worn out in one area. If it the only one I would have kept it, but it was one of 5, so off it went. Now, that was a hard one.
Anyway, it sure is a never ending battle to keep the house looking good, but decluttering helps more than anything.
Here is what I decluttered the other day:
I've just spent a couple of hours sorting / decluttering / arranging upstairs AND I only touched the girls room, the hallway, and one closet in my room. Sigh. BUT I got rid of 3 garbage bags of stained
/ worn out clothing and bedding (I try not to pass on anything not in goodto great condition), one bag for a friend, 2 1/2 garbage bags for theGoodwill, AND I found my box of diapers that a friend could use.
Plus I put out 2 baby gates and a bed thing that keeps little ones from falling out - into the garage, for the May curbside share. I've got quite a pile of things to share. I'll have to keep putting things out as items go to new homes that weekend!
I've actually decluttered some big items recently. We have redone our basement and I have a ping pong table and a six foot metal desk waiting to go to a friend. Even got rid of a small bunk bed set.
Gave away a 4 drawer file that was a clutter keeper, as well as numerous toy collections Redhead and Jewel have grown out of - probably the hardest thing to give away was a bunch of felt sets - Charlotte's Web, Numbers and Letters, Early Math and a Store set. It helps knowing the family I gave them to, really enjoys felt sets!
So what have you decluttered lately?
