Saturday, January 16, 2010

Reduce Clutter - Create Space - Update

As you may have seen on my sidebar, I have been following Shannon's inspirational lead in getting rid of clutter and creating space. This is what I have done so far:
  1. Clothes cupboard and shelves - got rid of two bags. It would have been more, but I did the clothing exercise twice last year.
  2. Photos on computer - I worked my way through hundreds of digital pics, organising them into meaningful (I hope) folders. A few duds were deleted, but I still have loads of below-par pictures. I should spend more time in deciding which to keep, and which to dump - maybe next week.
  3. Top of my desk - I didn't really get rid of anything except for a few pens that don't work anymore, but I did reorganise to make better space for my laptop, scanner, and writing/drawing materials.
  4. Sock and tights bags - got rid of a bagful, put some aside for mending, and reorganised.
  5. Envelopes - I have a bad habit of keeping envelopes that people send me (with their return addresses) so that I can contact them again. I made a list of addresses I wanted to keep, retained the envelopes that are reusable, and got rid of the others.
  6. And the piece de resistance of this little list. Yes, dear friends, get ready to congratulate me. Especially those of you who know of my sad addiction to paper towel and toilet paper inners. I got rid of them. It took a lot of courage though. As the local recycling run takes place on a Tuesday only, the enormous bag is still down in the garage. I am fighting the urge to go down and save a few as we speak ...

18 comments:

Linda Sue said...

Oh my! You are disciplined! I mean really - the rolls could be strung and hung out of the way on the side of your house facing the neighbor, yes, THAT neighbor! I am also trying to toss things but being very unsucessful at it- I keep finding things that are too sentimental- how does one get rid of objects that say "love"??? I dont' know how- The man in this house does- he can dump my stuff at goodwill no problem- his stuff is a different story... it is precious and makes total sense...mmmhum.Like the broken boat in the drive that has not seen the water in 19 years...

Anonymous said...

Be strong - you know you can do it - let those cardboard tubes go to a better place!! Well done on your decluttering - but it's hard to part with stuff.....

Anonymous said...

this is tied in with my new year's intentions. i must return to study this post.
popped over quickly to let you know that i linked to you in my post today, please come check it out.

at swim-two-birds said...

you're worse than i am, what was your intention with all those cardboard tubes?????
wish you luck with your decluttering project!!

Leenie said...

Well done! The thing that keeps me focused when I have to decide what to save and keep is the months it took me to sort through the stuff in my parents' house after their deaths. Sometimes I had no clue if the object was a treasure or trash. I try to remember the mountain of greeting cards I faced and finally just tossed. BUT IT IS SO DIFFICULT.

Hang in there.

Anonymous said...

Oh I am so envious of you...That decluttering has been #1 on my priority list for months now, yet it finds its way to the bottom of the list again and again. It so bad that the clutter clutters my mind...Trapped in clutter. Craving to see my desktops.
I admire you.
XOXOrly

Denise Kiggan said...

I so need to do the photo sorting thing! I did do some other cleaning out over the Festive season though and it feels so good!

kendalee said...

It's cathartic isn't it? But also somewhat traumatic. Sadly, when I clear space, I immediately start to think of what I can use that space for instead. I'm just a squirrel at heart I think. I'm impressed you've let those TP inners go... very, very brave!

Aris said...

You rock!!!! You are an inspiration to us all.

aimee said...

oh, NO! your toiletpaper tubes and all of those potential little students and teachers you could have made out of them! no, seriously, i understand completely. i go on huge purges of my studio every once in a while when the need to have the stuff gone far outweighs the need to have it stay. i'm taking part in shannon's e-course starting monday - that might be the prod i need to clean out my garbage dumpster of art supplies!

Jesse said...

Eek! Hope you've managed to stay strong! Just remember, there's no shortage of cardboard tubes, and you'll soon have another collection.

Anonymous said...

ha ha ha, toilet paper inners?!
tomorrow is the day!
or, by now, i guess it's today.

yes, cutting the clutter creates both physical and mental space. good for you!

Unknown said...

Guess it is a family addiction?? I have limited mine to 20! Nice for small little surprise gifts!But my children find my gift ideas quite hilarious, sooooo no more "cracker" gifts for them!

Denise Kiggan said...

oo, Anairam, I just came across this idea - Hope you didn't throw all the toilet rolls away! http://www.glueandglitter.com/main/2010/01/18/reuse-inspiration-toilet-paper-tube-dioramas/

Denise Kiggan said...

I'm not specifically looking for them, I just keep coming across creative toilet rolls! - http://homemademamas.blogspot.com/2010/01/recycled-wall-art.html

et lille oejeblik - a little moment said...

so, are they still in the garage?

tell me, are you still doing the week word? i am still dreaming of getting back in :) so, just wondering.... :)

Anonymous said...

so...are they gone?

kat said...

Inspiring! I've started on the study...