Decluttering progress list

I've decided to keep this post as a running list of things decluttered for my Decluttering Challenge, identified in very general terms. This post will be accessible from the decluttering progress bar on the main page of this site.

June 22, 2008

1. 12 books > library donation box
2. 07 puzzle magazines > recycle
3. 10 ripped/stained clothing > trash
4. 02 broken toy creatures (camel, dolphin) > trash
5. 01 book > gave to Liz

June 23, 2008

1. 01 sneakers > drop-off box at Mel's school
2. 18 books/mystery magazines > Operation Paperback
3. 19 books/mystery magazines > Operation Paperback
4. 01 book > sold on Amazon

June 24, 2008
I hit the gold mine today, decluttering and cleaning 3 kitchen drawers and 1 cabinet. I debated whether individual utensils constitute separate entities and decided that they do.

1. 01 broken ice cream scoop > trash
2. 92 used plastic utensils > trash (why, God, why?)
3. 01 burnt wooden spoon > trash
4. 19 non-plastic utensils > Good Will
5. 01 broken drawer lock (which was hell to install, as I remember, some 10 years ago)
6. 03 fancy plastic straws > trash
7. 01 pencil holder > trash
8. 01 broken bubble dog > trash
9. 08 miscellaneous kitchen items like egg tray, plastic quart containers > Good Will
10. 06 old, lidless "sippy" cups (I hate that name) > trash
11. 04 spent, formerly glowing tubular necklace things (from last Halloween) > trash
12. 01 old SpongeBob lunchbox > trash
13. 85 plastic containers and lids, mostly from deli section of store > trash

June 25, 2008

1. 01 book > shipped via Bookins
2. 19 miscellaneous items from corner cabinet in kitchen > trash (16); Good Will (3)
3. 40 stuffed animals > Good Will
4. 03 skirts > Good Will

June 26, 2008

1. 01 packaging for very old cell phone

June 27, 2008

1. 24 miscellaneous stuff from kitchen cabinet > Good Will or trash
2. 01 old art set case > trash
3. 01 ugly, slightly frightening mask > trash
4. 01 small toy sandal > trash
5. 01 Salad Shooter > Good Will (sorry, Mom)
6. 01 plastic cover for blender > trash
7. 01 lid to pot we no longer have > trash

June 28, 2008

1. 01 remains of large Bratz balloon > trash
2. 01 book > shipped via Bookins

June 29, 2008

1. 18 clothes I haven't worn in a decade > Good Will
2. 15 plastic planters > Good Will
3. 06 bottles of ancient, frighteningly flavored vinegar and cooking wine > trash/recycling

June 30, 2008

1. 01 book > sold on Amazon
2. 01 book > shipped via Bookins

July 1, 2008

1. 16 old clothes > Good Will (14); trash (2)

July 2, 2008

1. 25 small toys, many from McDonalds > Good Will

July 3, 2008

1. 03 shirts > Good Will
2. 01 unopened photo album/scrapbook from an evil source > Good Will
3. 88 catalogues dating from 1994 to 2001 > recycling

July 4, 2008

1. 02 shirts > Good Will
2. 01 headband > Good Will
3. 01 picture frame > Good Will

July 5, 2008

1. 09 clothing > Good Will

July 6, 2008

1. 12 clothing and shoes > Good Will (9) and trash (3)
2. 01 plastic bank > trash

July 7, 2008

1. 01 clothing > trash
2. 31 plastic toy creatures > trash

July 8, 2008

1. 01 book > mailed to Gypsi

July 9, 2008

1. 01 book > shipped via Bookins
2. 02 books > sold to Powells.com
3. 01 book > shipped via Bookins (Thanks, Tom!)

July 10, 2008

1. 01 thin plastic square thing > trash
2. 02 burnt out (?) lightbulbs to lamp we no longer have > trash

July 11, 2008

1. 02 old umbrella strollers > Good Will
2. 01 broken PowerPuff Girls spoon > trash

July 12, 2008

1. 06 broken/dismembered toys > trash
2. 20 small toys > Good Will
3. 01 book > shipped via Bookins
4. 01 book > shipped via Bookins

July 13, 2008

1. 03 contact lens cleaning supplies, from the time I wore contact lenses, roughly 1990-2002 > trash

July 14, 2008

The following list doesn't quite do justice to the enormous cleaning job the girls and I did in the dining room. Much of it was moving paper to recycling--lots of school stuff--and I've only taken one decluttering point for that.

1. 02 pencil cases > trash
2. 01 sneakers > trash
3. 02 pairs of mocassins > Good Will
4. 01 lots and lots of paper > recycling
5. 03 school folders > trash
6. 01 plastic toy > Good Will
7. 01 scrunchy bathtub thing > trash
8. 01 headphones > trash

July 15, 2008

1. 02 books > sold on Amazon

July 16, 2008

1. 02 books > shipped via Bookins

July 17, 2008

1. 10 books > library donation box
2. 01 face of old cell phone > trash

July 18, 2008

1. 01 book > sold on Amazon

July 19, 2008

1. 10 books > library donation box

July 20, 2008

1. 10 books > library donation box
2. 151 clothing > trash or Good Will

July 21, 2008

1. 04 clothing > Good Will

July 23, 2008

1. 02 books > shipped via Bookins

July 26, 2008

1. 28 books (mysteries) > shipped via Operation Paperback
2. 05 squirt bottles > trash

July 27, 2008

1. 75 clothing (Melissa's closets thoroughly cleaned) > Good Will or trash

July 28, 2008

1. 01 book > shipped via Bookins

July 29, 2008

1. 02 books > shipped via Bookins
2. 02 books > sold on Amazon
3. 01 DVD > shipped via Bookins

July 30, 2008

1. 03 books > sold on Amazon

July 31, 2008

1. 01 book > shipped via Bookins

August 2, 2008

1. 01 book > sold on Amazon

August 5, 2008

1. 01 book > sold on Amazon

August 6, 2008

1. 01 book > shipped via Bookins

August 7, 2008

1. 01 book > sold on Amazon

August 9, 2008

1. 01 book > shipped via Bookins
2. 01 book > sold on Amazon

August 13, 2008

1. 25 small stuffed toy creatures > Good Will

Comments

[Clare D]

1.

At this rate, I reckon you're going to have no trouble reaching 1000!

[Debra Hamel]

2.

I don't know! So far this has been pretty painless.

[ClareD]

3.

Heh heh. I am enjoying this.

[Clare D]

4.

I mean enjoying you doing this. I am too, but not as effectively.

[Susan]

5.

You may lure me in yet, Debra, but I'm finding this all very stressful because I've been at it for so many years. When I first came to this house my husband was sharing it with his mother and his uncle and the accumulated detritus of four generations. My 'living room' had three unmatched couches...I think only one was mine... Items which should have been discarded fifty to sixty years prior had achieved 'collectible' status and so had to be retained. There were (and *are*) no closets or storage space. ...can't...stop...twitching...!

[Debra Hamel]

6.

That does sound tough. Inherited clutter is far worse than one's own.

Well, I don't know what you can do. I guess when people lived in the same place for generations it must have been worse. Though they probably didn't have that much stuff.

My friend Liz doesn't have a blog, but she's keen on the idea of decluttering. She set herself a goal of getting rid of five things a day until she hits 1000. Must check on her progress.

[Debra Hamel]

7.

Glad you're enjoying my labors, Clare! The drawer cleaning today was great. I mean, really really productive. I can feel good about the state of the drawers for a long time. There are some other cupboards I should hit. But not today.

[Susan]

8.

"Generations" of clutter is my problem. Peter's family has been here - right here, on this property - since 1918 and his grandparents' and great-grandparents' stuff is still here. His grandfather's pince nez is sitting on his grandfather's bookshelf, and old cookie tins from his great-grandmother... On the floor behind the desk I'm sitting at now, there's a *giant* hand-tinted photo, moisture-damaged, etc., but done by the grandparents. There's an interesting (but not my taste) hand-tinted portrait of an ancient Indian chief in full regalia in the hallway... So much of the stuff just has to be kept.

[Susan]

9.

July 6, "abd shies"....? I wondered, "is it a variant of German?" Now I'm leaning to mis-type. Is that "and shoes"?

[Debra Hamel]

10.

Argh. You'd think I'd have noticed that.

[Susan]

11.

It's getting harder, isn't it? Time to start raiding David's stuff!

[Debra Hamel]

12.

I would like to! He's one of those people who can't throw stuff away.

I haven't been applying myself fully the last few days, but yes, it's definitely getting harder. Still, I shouldn't have any problem getting up to 1000. The harder it gets, though, the more interesting it gets.

[Susan]

13.

You did a good job today! I got rid of two items :-( I'll save them to make more of an impression another time.

[Debra Hamel]

14.

Thanks! Yes, it was a huge day. The dining room is now clean, plus we re-organized slightly in a way that should help it remain so. (This had to do with the placement of the shoe rack and Rebecca's school stufff.) If someone were to drop by today, and we herded them into the proper rooms, it wouldn't be at all embarrassing!

[Susan]

15.

151 clothing! A HUNDRED fifty-one?!! Please tell me that's a typo. Are you guys all running around naked?

[Debra Hamel]

16.

You know, I was there and I'm not sure how it happened. We were going through Rebecca's drawers.... Actually, a lot she'd grown out of and we gave to Mel. That's not counted, of course, but then there was a bunch Mel didn't want that we're giving away or that was trashed. Now, I did rely on Rebecca to count some of this but she swears she's accurate. A lot of it was socks, actually--unmatched socks. I bet there's a lot of underwear that could be gotten rid of....

[Ivan Girl]

17.

nyek. tried to start mine and got on with it. follow-up is the problem. you inspired me again....:)

[Debra Hamel]

18.

I'm glad to have inspired! Of course, I'd like to get rid of more stuff. Should inspire myself to do that....