Decluttering the piecemeal way

Clutter is the bane of my existence. I have too much stuff that just ends up collecting dust and the "I need it just in case" instance never comes. Culling is never easy, but a recent family onslaught (e.g., hosting a family gathering) prompted a major clean up in my home. Well, that and starting a to-do list of items that I needed to tackle. Here is how I accomplished my first pass at decluttering:

Give it away: This was done in two phases: donations to a local charity shop and then offering items for free. I had accumulated several paper bags worth of stuff that I meant to donate but I finally took the time to list each item and its worth before taking it to the donation center. This now adds to my itemized deductions. I gave six feet of books (mostly Star Wars novels) to my brother who will enjoy them and gave away almost all my videotape collection, mostly TV shows and movies I recorded myself. I also managed to give away most of my scrap fabric collection for a church's use.

Sort through it: There was clothing I was not wearing or no longer liked, fabric I was never going to use, papers no longer needed and bins reclaimed in giving away the VHS tapes. With extra bins, I could sort through my fabric collection, put away the Christmas-themed fabric, and cull various items. It also reminded me I had several pieces of clothing that I had set aside for repair. These actions reduced the clutter around my sewing machine. Many items were sent to the basement for storage until needed (e.g., box fan and electric heater).

Also, the newly opened bookshelf space--was partially filled in by books that were stacked on or in front of the bookshelf. Less clutter and easy access to frequently used books on preserving and gardening--bonus for me!

Fix it: That clothing I "found" in the long-neglected to-be-repaired pile? I fixed all of it, washed and sorted the items back into my closet and dresser. That freed up a lot of clutter from one room. However, having all these new items in my closet also reminds me I need to think about a second round of clothing culling.

Just do it: Keeping a list of what I needed to accomplish (cleaning, decluttering, moving items around) and marking them off gave me a sense of purpose as I noted my progress. Plus, I uncovered a lot of floor space that I did not know I had and hey, I have a kitchen table at which several people can eat!

However, this is only my first effort at decluttering the home. While seeing more of my house rather than my stuff is easier on the eyes, my next steps include focusing on specific thinks in each room (e.g., all the papers stacked in my computer armiore) and asking if I truly need to keep the stuff or not.

What to get done over the winter months

With the change of seasons showing in the falling leaves and few garden harvests, my mind turns to projects. Yes, if I kept myself gainfully employed redoing landscaping, crafting new raised garden beds and hauling compost, I need to find things to occupy my time once the snow begins to fly and I feel like hibernating. There are several projects that have wanted my attention, but of these, only the GFCI outlet in the garage was installed (and that just a week ago). So what are my plans?

Tackle the basement.
In my earlier post, I mentioned installing an indoor clothesline. This is still on my radar, but has been pushed aside in favor of using my solar dryer (or my outdoor umbrella clothesline). With freezing temperatures and snow weeks away, this pushes up the indoor clothesline priority.

I also want to take a few steps toward making the basement more livable since I am considering moving my sewing area there. Right now, I am looking for lamps to plug into the newly installed outlets in the basement. A nice craft table would be useful for quilting and sorting fabric plus I may use my newly won skills in wood construction to fashion some shelving to store said fabric.

In addition, I would like to fix the holes in the drywall that was installed. Oddly enough, the person who installed the drywall also took his or her anger out on the drywall with hammer and foot. The doorways to the storage and mechanicals would look better with doors so I would also like to install those. This would test the limits of my construction abilities since I have never installed a door. Gaining a new skill would make me feel accomplished so I haunt craigslist with hope.

Craft with confidence.
I owe my godson a doll, my niece is due hers in January and technically, I owe my brother and sister-in-law a quilt. Furthermore, I have collected fabric for at least three quilts, several clothing items and three sets of curtains. Now that all my windows have been rescued from beige plastic blinds, I should proudly construct curtains and valances. These will not only make the rooms more decorative, but also help with light and cold infiltration especially with my single-pane windows. Quilts for warmth in the winter are a good thing especially if I happen to have guests.

I intend to use what I have on hand for sewing and crafting. A few green living projects will likely be incorporated, helping me to dump some disposable and plastic items from my life. Plus, being forced to look at my fabric collection will hopefully inspire me to be creative and to finally craft that blue jean rug I have been wanting.

Manage inventory.
As hinted at with the fabric collection, I have excess stuff. Too many clothes, more books that I really use, a well-stocked pantry that needs rotating and boxes in the basement that need to be sorted. All this and more really need sorting, serious contemplation and more than likely, to be either sold or donated. This is not an easy nor straightforward task, but I want to try another no-spending challenge coupled with a decluttering goal. With few things coming in and stuff going out, I hope to decrease my net stuff and be better prepared to resist buying more.

Fix it and forget it.
I have a table top to strip and refinish, some wood trim that needs the same treatment, and some paint spots that need a touch up, especially around the replacement windows. Cold-enforced indoor time is perfect for getting those small, annoying projects out of the way. I have been lax about getting these things done, but they need to be done prior to either window installation or my house being put on the market. The latter is not intended to happen for another few years, but painting now means less to get done when trying to sell my house.

So there you have it--one giant ambitious list. In the next few weeks, I will look at the time I have and create a to-do list of when to accomplish these disparate items. For me, a list of what I need to do helps me get through the items. I am more successful when I know what I need to do on the weekend before Friday. That way, I will not need to run to the hardware store for stripper before I run out in the middle of the project.

Simplify my existence!

I have written on my efforts to live more sustainably and frugally, but not so much on simplifying my life. Living frugally and green has simplification incorporated into it, but it does deserve to have time devoted to its own discussion.

I have been selling items I no longer use, or purchased and just have not used. My primary motivation for going through my possessions and trying to sell them is to bring in a bit more money to add to my found money savings account. However, the side effect of this behavior is to simplify my life. I am choosing to humanely dispose of items that no longer bring me joy or are useful in my day-to-day life by finding a home somewhere else. Sometimes people pay me for the privilege of taking my stuff; sometimes I have to give them away. Either way, my house is a bit lighter for the removal.

To that end, I have been looking over the various items I own and wondering what else I could do away with. Getting some monetary compensation is nice, but I am realizing that getting rid of stuff is its own reward. My jaundiced eye is even considering getting rid of books, an item I am particularly possessive of as I have spent time collecting novels by authors I enjoy. However, I am one of those people that once I start a collection, I have a hard time stopping even if it is no longer worth my effort (and money). Therefore, it is time to cull the book collection. My goal: reduce my need for a bookshelf by one unit. Granted, it is a small, three-shelf unit (and not full), but one step is better than none!

I have also cast my eye on my CD and DVD collection. I have goals for these as well, but is more challenging because I have CDs from a subscription and record my own (to archive downloaded music) as well as purchasing new albums. I also find myself emotionally attached to my DVD collection so I will have to work hard on these too. While some people have found satisfaction selling DVDs on amazon.com or half.com, I do not see enough money to make it worth my effort.

Clothing is also tough for me to reduce. I do not need ten sweaters, but darn if I like them all and do not want to eliminate any of them. Being ruthless is not in my personality, but my wardrobe is one place I can do it productively. My closet and my dressers will thank me for the breathing space. Yes, I do have two dressers for one person. My excuse: I have no linen closet and need to store clothing in the off season. Do not even get me started on my pantyhose collection!

I start thinking about all the things I no longer need or use and the list just keeps getting longer. There is old software, stashed magazines I have not looked at in years, videotapes I have recorded but sit collecting dust and even items in the kitchen. Many of these will need to be purged not sold for money. Regardless, it is a task will need to be done. Fewer items in my home means less time dedicated to storing and cleaning them. The time for purging will be difficult to find as spring means planting, mowing and cleaning up the yard, not to mention home maintenance (I am painting part of my siding this summer).

Writing this post reminds me that I need to make lists and organize my time to get some of these new tasks done. I spend time balancing my checkbook, subtracting money spent from my spending plan and ensuring my automatic transfers are where they are supposed to be, but need to set aside time for other more financially indirect tasks as well. Here is to purging stuff and simplifying my life!