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The Kitchen Table

Anyone want to join me in a week long box challenge?

15 years ago

I'm getting tired of unpacking and sorting. But I really, really want to get rid of 'stuff' I will never use so I can get more area clear.

I'm thinking of having a week long challenge starting on Saturday to next Saturday - a box a day. Nothing painful, just a box. The worst thing that will happen is 7 boxes will meet their master.

Wanna join me? Boxes or bags doesn't matter. Or evening something like a closet?

Misery loves company!

Cheers,

Peggy

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Comments (15)

User
15 years ago
I need to clean out a closet.
susie53_gw
15 years ago
I have been trying to do this since the holidays. I am going to get rid of some summer clothes I no longer wear. I have them in a big box and I am going to wash all of them, fold them neatly and take them to the woman's shelter. I have a friend that works there and they are always in need. My girls are going to do this with their baby clothes.
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Debbie - you can do 90 percent of your basement. Persistence pays off. This is a start and you will get there. It took me 5 years on and off of doing my basement in our previous home. It was depressing all the stuff. We had boxes of my mom's family stuff (brother, sisters things) because she lived with us until her death, my DH was married before and duplicates of stuff we were using (we kept the best of both lots and got rid of the rest) and some was stuff we had for whatever reason. It made me depressed and I felt overwhelmed by the size of the total job at hand. But keeping the idea that I've learned quilting large bedspreads - break it down into one thing you can do now. Those one things over time amount to quite a bit. We do the best we can. I used to keep a heavy duty garbage bag in the crawlspace (industrial), charity basket and recycle. Stuff you are keeping can get reboxed and properly labeled. And make your labels on 2 sides of the containers so you can easily identify them. Just don't give up. I had to take breaks from doing it because I honestly got sick of it. Funny thing is over time it got better. When I got stuck and items got emotional I stepped back. At one point I did the 15 minute rule - do as much as you can for 15 minutes. Guess what I'm trying to say is one small step followed by another will get you there. I'm with you all the way. Hallingarden - we all have had/have hard challenges in life. We were blessed that we we almost mortgage free when we sold and we had savings. Our home has been reduced by 50 percent (still 1600 sq ft), we used what we had left (keeping a living allowance to give us time to get jobs and settle in) to build and we managed to get a very good line of credit with our bank. I am very, very, very grateful to still have a home on our land we've held for the last 16 years while we squirreled away money. Over a decade ago we were in debt up to our eyeballs and paid our mortgage on a credit card at our lowest moment. We pulled ourselves out of it - one day, one bill, one step. We are both capable of working and we have a fighting spirit. I am grateful for all that I have in life. I am grateful that KT lets me come and go. I am grateful our new community has wonderful people living around us. We are blessed. DH feels we've been cursed. Sure. We are not living in a war zone. We are not living in a flooded, fire ravaged or poor area. How much does a person need in life? I live with depression - not the end of the world (KTers have been there at my worst, lowest moments holding my hand and telling me off when I trusted them to tell it like it is). I am grateful to still have choices in my day. I choose right now to make the best of this challenge. I want to have a home to be proud of. I want to get rid of residual clutter - clutter that unfortunately we paid to move, store and move here. Let's us all use our freedom to make one box travel on. My eldest sister is a classic hoarder with real illness. She pays for large apartments in Toronto at Toronto city prices to keep her stuff. Clutters hurts mentally and financially. It causes strife, physical illness. Who needs this? I'm glad people are joining me this week. Misery loves company but really I'm not at all miserable. Just feel more like an army in action together taking back our precious space. Rally the troops! Let's giver a good run. We are really something together! I love hearing about our accomplishments - no matter what size - still a step forward. I'm smiling, are you? Love ya guys, I really do. Cheers, Peggy
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We too are on the tags for our garbage. Paying by the bag sure makes me stop and think of what all can be given to a good charity, recycled, and even composted. I also make sure I'm getting my 'bag's cost' worth too. Yesterday I was needing something quick and bigger to really fill my bag before taking it off. I finally got rid of an old ski tube that had been in the basement and unused for probably 15 years. It had a small leak when it went down there, but over the years the plastic became quite brittle and thus useless. When I dropped off my bag and and recycles (at the corner drop off point on Tues between 3-7PM) I asked the fella working there if he knew of anyone who welcomed scrap metal, as they don't take it at the corner. I got the name and number of a local fella so now I can gather together all my metal stuff/junk, and either deliver it to him, or he will come and get it. It's not much, but it needs gone and I really don't want to send it to the landfill, besides having to pay to send it there. Yes, I'm feeling a bit refreshed. I'm not sure what today's challenge is going to be, but will be reading all the accomplishments everyone has made. Mcpeg, you have us 'pumped'. Sue
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Moving update ... after spending the summer getting the new house re-plastered it's back to packing and decluttering. So let's get this challenge under way again. The criteria is "Do I want to pay to move and store this?" If the answer is no, it goes. 13 boxes (Trader Joes wine boxes are wonderful for this) to the local charity book sale, 2 boxes of bookends to the same source. One antique, lovely, but rickety cupboard to a local charity boutique for display furniture. Chair to them too. Clothing purged (again) with more donations. One bathroom purged of outdated stuff and drawers and cabinets cleaned. I'm marking them with a tag of blue painter's tape as a signal that it's DONE and that I shouldn't use it. Kitchen blind cabinets emptied and unused appliances and cookware from them to charity. Quick pass through garage for a couple of tools we don't need. Still to go ... yet more books to purge/donate and pack.
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lunchlady1948
15 years ago
OK McPeg I'm in~~~what are the rules????
jannie
15 years ago
I'd like to join. A few months ago I pulled a box out of a closet to sort, and, lo and behold, I found the opal and diamond ring my parents gave me when I graduated high school! I had not seen it in about 15 years, I was certain it had been stolen by a babysitter.
susanjf_gw
15 years ago
lol lol..and grandma susan just hit target and found selected toys for the grands at 75% off, lol...but i do have storage tubs for them...

i've got 3 bags of sheets sitting in the lr for salvation army..if i can get them out to the car that's a biggie...
User
Original Author
15 years ago
Start with 3 laundry baskets, boxes or bags - label them keep, charity or garbage. You will use these over the week.

Beginning on Saturday (or today if you want to) take one box and sort it into keep, charity or garbage. That's it. Get rid of the box now.

Other strategies you can employ if having a hard time is the 15 minute rule. Take 15 minutes, set an egg timer or something, and tackle that closet, box or part of a storage area. 15 minutes a day for a week works out to almost 2 hours of decluttering. Not bad eh?

If you have ever quilted, done a project you know that it all starts with one small step forward. Simple. That's it, that's all.

It's only for a week, no big time commitment. At the end of it you have moved that much more towards decluttering and feeling better. If you are tacking a room or large closet, break it down but make sure it's finished by challenge end.

There are no losers in this. Only winners.

Cheers,
Peggy
joyfulguy
15 years ago
I don't know about this, Peg ...

... when someone starts ruminating about someone my age possibly being fitted for a long box ... the one that's the object of the attention (challenge) starts to get a bit jittery.

So much for one's first impression, on seeing your subject line.

As for the tenor of the message ... I have about as many boxes as I can handle, and some of them, with more than ten-year old information, need to be winnowed, at least.

And I've started in on that project, as of the new year.

Now, as for a box a week, maybe I could qualify ...

... but when it comes to a box a day ...

... now, that's a really steep mountain - and I get out of breath rather easily (especially when the air gets rarified).

Anyway ... we'll see.

ole joyful

P.S. Actually ... maybe I have an out. Some of the boxes being empty, if I get home rather late at night and nothing has been done toward the goal for that day ... maybe I could just count one of them?

Would that be cheating ... more than a little bit?

o j
User
Original Author
15 years ago
No, I would not call that cheating if you actually flatten the box ready for recycle. You can have that one if it helps your count.

Funny you should mention about the other type of box. Had that discussion a couple of nights ago with friends visiting. I want an eco burial - but what I totally want I don't know if I go first hubby will let me do this - I want either a homemade box (DH is a woodworker - I'd love to do this in advance so I can decorate it my way....I want to make a quilt that is totally me to be wrapped in and I want to wear lovely flannel pjs and my polar bear slippers (they have names - Klondike and Snowflake) or a woven basket type casket that is gaining ground (pardon the pun). I'm in my late 40's - this sort of stuff doesn't bother me at all. But I digress, for this challenge it's clutter boxes.

Any effort will count...and think how good we can feel after the week!

OJ your comments often crack me up to no end.

Cheers,
Peggy
OklaMoni
15 years ago
waaaaaaaaa, my boxes are in storage... and I don't have a house/home to put anything in yet. I so wish, I could join, but honest, I did toss a lot instead of boxing up.

Moni
littlebit_gw
15 years ago
I think I will join you starting on Sat..There is enough junk that I could get rid of around here.
country_sunshine
15 years ago
We went and did a major declutter at our home a few years back, and it is positively liberating... I love not having so much stuff around.. We declutter every spring now.. I am right now in the process of picking through books to donate to our church library... lots of them here.. and all read and now collecting dust.. Great idea !!
User
Original Author
15 years ago
Moni, I really get where you are coming from - we were homeless and everything in storage too. After being away from stuff for 6 months I'm finding a heck of a lot easier now to distinguish what is important to me and what is not. I'm taking no prisoners this time round because as Country-sunshine said "it is positively liberating".

I want to be a liberated woman. Less clutter, more space, much happier.

You will get your chance to make your new space totally yours. I hope you keep us all on your journey with you.

((((((((((((Moni)))))))))))))
carol_in_california
15 years ago
Is it OK if I start next week? Or the week after?
I have lots to do so maybe I will start Monday.....or Tuesday.
I have a problem with procrastination.....can you tell?
User
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi Carol - you can start when ever it suits you. I'll be doing this for some time yet. Just trying to have some fun with all this.

It's not meant to be taxing by any means.
haffie
15 years ago
OK - I am in! Starting with the TWO bags that have been here on the hall floor in the corner for TWO months. They are "waiting to go to the car" for Salvation Army. Today is it. Here we go

Fun motivating thread here

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