wow, Texas, that is one big dent in this project! You got on a roll, didn't you! PAT ON THE BACK to you!

Thank you Debi!

The good thing about the clothes was that they were already pulled out of the closet and in some plastic bins. I did sort them per season, so that all the long sleeves were together and such.

Two of the boxes were candle stuff that was in the bottom of the hall closet and have been there since I put them in it back when I moved in. I figured if I hadn't made a candle in 5 years, I wasn't going to. The other box was candles that were burned to different points. Most of them still 'new'. I started sorting them then said, screw it. I'll just garage sell them with the candle stuff. Someone could melt them down, since they are already scented and reuse it and if not I'd just trash it.

I have plenty of other candles I have bought since then, mostly the jar ones, which I like better. And I don't burn alot of candles since I'm not sure how my cat would behave with them.

Some things were easier to let go of than others, but I think that will be how alot of it will be. The living room will be a pretty easy project. But the rest of the rooms, well some of them will be a challenge, including the cake room.

Oh and if anyone has some practical storage ideas for Jewelry I'd love to here them! I think I've out grown my last system. I don't want a big jewelry box as I don't want to advertise that they are there. But the little drawers I have the stuff in now are too full to make it easy to find anything.

Well I didn't get as far as I would have liked to last night in the cleaning department, but I do have another bag or two of trash to go out.

I need to finish living room tonight. I have dusting the built in shelves and coffee table (which I cleaned off last night) and then vacumning let in there.

My dinning room is next, which also has my desk that I apparently don't use for anything other than to stack papers on. I'm going to have to work on the paper thing. I have Wilton papers, past sign up sheets and student forms and such that I need to figure out what to do with.

I also have a habit of printing out recipes that sound good to try or crochet patterns that I liked and they just end up in one massive pile. Okay, they end up in many different size piles. Then when I go back to find one, I can't ever seem to.

Having them in digitial format isn't really an option, so I have to figure out if it is worth going through the papers and trying to organize them or if I should just toss all that I have now and come up with a system for newly printed stuff. Of course I don't know what that system will be it. But I need to come up with something because I know I will print out more stuff. Sigh.

Just found this topic!! I am loving it!! Clutter is something I struggle with still. I am doing a little better because I read something that said pick one room that makes you happy and no matter what, keep that room clean! So, my living room is the room I picked. It's the first room someone sees when they come over. My kitchen still needs work, (well and pretty much every other room in my house) lol. Paper is the thing that gets me!! I do have a suggetion for the recipes that I have been trying to do. I print them out and put them in a three ring binder. I had papers every where for recipes!! I haven't gone back and filed all of the old ones yet but they are all in one tote! I do make myself put them in a binder now as I print them. I have it divided by sections so it helps when looking for one of the recipes! Hope you all don't mind if I tag along on the journey of decluttering and saving money. www.couponmom.com is a good site for coupons and it is free!!
Thanks!

Charliein, tag along. Maybe we can push each other in getting motivated to get it done.

I'm thinking the binder will end up being the best way to go for me for now. I can get one for cakes and one for food. I enjoy trying new recipes, but I also hate that when I can't find one I know I did and liked.

I had a horrible paper problem when I had the office in the shop. Talk about "a pile for everything and everything in it's pile" method!

What helped me was getting one of those wire stands that you put folders in. Folders for bills / junk / paid / to be filed / look at later / might want to keep / new mail......whatever categories work for you.

Even if I didnt' open the envelope right then and there, I had a place to put it. The "junk" folder was more helpful than it sounds. You'd think that junk mail would go in the trash right away, but there was always a bunch of "oh, I might want to go thru that Val-Pak coupon envelope" (I never did so why did I think I MIGHT?)

Something else that helped: The folders would get full REALLY fast! So then I started opening ALL envelopes. Wow, that outer envelope and all of the "filler" stuff really take up space! So I'd open the electric bill, staple the return envelope to the bill and put it in the "to be paid" folder, trashing all of the other stuff. Open that "Please join our organization" offer, keep the letter, the envelope and the app and trashed the other stuff.

That got rid of about 60% of the paper volume!!! THAT little trick is amazing! And it's probaby a big DUH moment to the organized people, but seeing the differnce it made really made an impact to my desk!

I'm lucky that I don't really get alot of paper mail. About the only thing I get that I don't want to throw away is my bank statement.

But the wire file frame may be an idea I can use. I could always make files for recipes to try, cake ideas to try and crochet patterns. Then file them away as I use/try or get a chance to.

I need to work up to tearing apart magazines and keeping parts instead of keeping the whole thing too. I think I can, I think I can.

Great ideas!! Need to get some sheet protects. Probably have some in a tote somewhere LOL!!
I really need to get in the habit of trashing the stuff as soon as it comes in the door. The two smaller kids bring home TONS of paper EVERYDAY!! I have gotten much better about not keeping everything. Learned that with the oldest. You would not believe the amount of boxes I used to have with her papers in them.
I need to work on the "do it now" attitude. I find myself saying I'll get to that later. By the time later comes there is much more on the list!!
Ok, gonna go get rid of some papers now!!
Charlotte

1 and 3 got finished and worked on 2 and 4.

I'm almost done with the desk. I have one drawer left, and to figure out what to do with the two containers of pens. Then it needs to be dusted.

I opened the middle drawer last night looked through it and was like, I could use most of this stuff. Closed it then cleaned out another drawer, then went back to the middle one and started throwing stuff out of it. I reminded myself alot of that stuff had been in there since I moved in and I hadn't used it yet.

I'm working on the getting rid of stuff. I think for me purging may have to come in stages. I think there are probably a few things in the 'put away' boxes that I will be able to get rid of before I give them a home. With some things I have to break that first thought of I need this.

Tonight after class I'll look through my desk again, and see if anything else can go. Maybe that second look will help me let go of more things.