Peggy, something is wrong with this picture, I am walking around with my first cup of coffee, looking to see what I can toss today. Have my first box of the day. Grandkids toys they have outgrown,, they are already sitting on the porch to put in the car on their way to the goodwill. Thanks for being our cheerleader.

Hallngarden - you are welcome. Don't laugh but my mental inspiration is coming from 2 areas - fear of not living my dream (wanting more space) and the TV show Hoarders.
I'm so proud of you. This is wonderful.

Before our home went into storage I never got to finish sorting boxes in the crawlspace. I have been diligent to mark the boxes before storage so that has helped with this process. But there is a lot more to go.

I'm going to show some photos today but without a fisheye lens you see more of the move in clutter than the actual areas that are clear and organized. One day will will have kitchen cupboards, wall storage cupboards with display areas. But for now getting sorted out is the first step to living without my un-built or missing units in our home.

The missing photo is of my spare room (future craft room) - there is a full wall of boxes of craft/fabric and single bed all on my future hit list along with a growing stand for seedlings.

Here is a link that might be useful: From trailer to home

How about the cat, Peg?

I'm keeping Andy - I need constant supervision...and he motivates me to clean the floor - dust and cat hair love each other. Over time it can look like an invasion! LOL

I am up drinking coffee excited to move on! Last night DH asked me what I was doing today I told him about the 'challenge'and how much fun it was~~~he said well the closet in the extra room needs going through lol! It is organzied but needs clearing out~~I am going to also do under the bathroom sink cabinets too (3).

Mcpeg I do not know your history with the trailer to home??

Lunchlady we hired a contractor to build our dream home. By the time we fired him between the cash he conned out of us and the unpaid bills we were homeless. We sold our lovely 3 bedroom home based upon the belief our home would be built in time for our friends to arrive from Scotland. DH got the trailer from Kijjiji the night before the movers arrived who we had to change from a move to storage until we had somewhere to live. But that was then and this is now. I'm loving our new home and counting my blessings everyday we did this.

I am so happy with things right now I'm busting with energy. Let me loose around here! Just finished clearing snow and got to learn how to use the snowblower (part 1). Bonus! It's a hog.

Now I'm taking a wonderful glass of water to finish putting my CDs away (keep finding more) and see what other mischief I can get into around here. Oh, I know - finish putting away DH's laundry - I'm labeling the drawers so we know where our stuff is finding a new permanent home. (Some of the furniture has different roles until we can progress more in here.)

C'mon - it's a terrific day - let's go!

Yaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy! I'm still energized after a few hours in the snow - I feel young - I feel like a kid again!

Wooooooooohhhoooooo!

I just got out of the shower and went to put a bottle of mouthwash in the medicine cabinet. I noticed an empty bottle of mens cologne. I tossed it in the trash. Then I noticed another. And another. And ANOTHER! I have no idea why my husband does not know how to put empty bottles in the trash. Must have a chat with him.

My dream is to box up 90% of my basement and get rid of it: either to the dump, recycling or a 2nd hand store.

Just finished my mission for the day. Toys are at the goodwill, found magazines to recycle, found 7 fabric bags, called the lady that helped me with the yarn yesterday and she could use them with her sewing. She has already picked them up. Peggy, after reading your story, I must say you are one of the most incredible women ever. Lots of folks would be thinking , oh, woe is me. You took a negative and made a huge positive. I am excited watching to see your progress. You rock girl.

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

Good Afternoon~~~~~~~~~this organized closet I am cleanng out has taken me all day so I will not be doing the bathroom cabinets today darn! This closet is full of boxes of pictures I just needed to dust the tops off and put them back but where is the fun in that. DH and I have been LOLing over the good ole days looking at the pics. One box is full of the kids art work from school how can I get rid of that;)It is all in Rubbermaid type boxes so I am just dusting them off and putting them back.

What I have trashed is old dried up stenciling paints and rubber stamp pads~~~I stacked up all of the boxes DH keeps of old cell phones, cameras and other gadget things. I told him none of the boxes are to go back in this closet~~I have all of the instruction books of what I use, the rest is old even a cell phone from 1997~~~~know what that looks like?? We are going to take a pic of him holding it and send it to our 3 kids and tell them dad finally has a cell phone ;)Going to tackle the last container in the closet 'craft items' we shall see how this goes. Have put any junk from the closet already in the van for tomorrows drop off.

Lunchlady who forgot to eat lunch needs to eat first;)

Way to go Lunchlady! Glad you found fond memories. Got rid of stuff too. And dusting off the stuff is great when the cold hits outside - helps keep it fresh for ya.

Now enjoy your lunch and pat yourself on the back!

Cheers,
Peggy

YAHOOO~~~I am done! My part is nice and dusted and looks great everything is in containers~~~DH just moved his dumb boxes out to the garage :( At least they are outta here!!!

Peggy you do have such a wonderful positive spirit!

We watch that Hoarders show also~~~it does make it easier for us to get rid of stuff we do not want our kids to say WTW were our parents thinking keeping this junk! We also want to this Spring to get the house painted in and out and new flooring. Getting rid of stuff now and organizing it will we hope make that job easier.

This is fun!

Yes it is much easier if you do the work now. Take a bow - Bravo.

And Bravo to others taking part on your own terms. Been a terrific day all round. Now let's enjoy a well deserved rest.

Well done, well done.

Cheers,
Peggy

I had started this a couple of weeks ago and just today I threw out that one last box from the upstairs closet.

The closet is now completely clean and only holds what I use regularly. There is plenty of space now. The drawers are no longer packed tight with stuff I haven't used in 10 years. The hangers are hung with only clothes that I wear regularly.

It's bright and clean and airy now.

I'm very very happy!

Love cleaning up like this.

Way to go Oldgardener! Isn't it a fantastic feeling? Everyone is inspiring me to go further too!