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#1
Old 01-17-2015, 03:07 AM

Inspired by Alexander J Luthor's cleaning adventure thready, I've decided to describe the horrible clutter that currently surrounds me and my progress in keeping the mess away.

Today is January 16th. My living room currently has four boxes on the floor, books and plastic bags on the floor, two pieces of clothing on the sofa, random things all over the coffee table, piles of magazines under the coffee table, two plastic bags on the chair, a clothes hanger on the chair, three lotion bottles on the stairs, some other lotion-y things on the stairs, two empty bottles on the desk, piles of paper on the coffee table and desk, and more things...WOW this is a mess.

My plan for today is to get all the plastic bags back to the place where I store my reusable plastic bags, hang up those clothing articles (one possibly with that random clothes hanger on the chair), flip through some of the magazines so I can finally recycle them, do something with those empty bottles, and clear some stuff off the coffee table and desk.

Wish me luck!


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#2
Old 01-17-2015, 02:29 PM

I successfully returned all the plastic bags to their rightful place in our little plastic bag corner in the kitchen! I am also doing laundry now, so I have picked up those scattered clothing articles that were lying on the sofa.

Right now, my plan is to do something --- anything --- with those empty bottles on my desk, skim through some magazines because the piles under my coffee table are much too high right now, and clear some stuff off the coffee table in the process. I have the television on in the background so kind of multi-tasking at the moment.

Also, I stubbed my toes on a pile of books on the floor this morning, so I really need to find a better place for those. Ouch!

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#3
Old 01-18-2015, 12:11 AM

Cleared out maybe a dozen magazines so far. The pile is getting smaller! Also cleared some stuff off the coffee table.

I also have to put all my jeans in the laundry later and wash those so I have some fresh-smelling ones ready for next week.

My room has a pile of clothing that I need to fold tonight and/or put in the laundry hamper. If there's anything I can wash together with the jeans, that would be great.


---------- Post added 01-17-2015 at 10:43 PM ----------

UPDATE: So I washed the jeans with some other pants that were lying around. Those are now all on the clothesline. I also brought all the already-washed clothing up to put in the drawers. Still going through the magazines. Was frightened by one of them just now, so maybe I'll delay that a little bit.

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#4
Old 01-24-2015, 04:32 AM

So, I was able to recycle a pile of more than a dozen magazines so far! But, that was only maybe a fourth to a third of the original magazine pile, which is still all over and under my coffee table. I am planning to bring a few with me to my relatives' house tomorrow night, so I can flip through them and add those to the recycling pile.

I am doing pretty well on the laundry. I now have some really fresh-smelling jeans that I can wear outside and all. However, my dirty sock pile is starting to grow. I hope to wash those sometime this weekend, if the pile is big enough. I try to have an accumulation of things to wash before I dump them into the washing machine. Trying to save water and detergent here.

Also, I lost my water bottle, so I guess that is one fewer empty bottle lying around that I was trying to figure out what to do with.

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#5
Old 01-24-2015, 02:55 PM

I love sorting through my things and organizing them or getting rid of things that I just don't need anymore. I used to keep sooo many things thinking that I would maybe use in the future, etc. but I've realized that if I've had something around for more than a year and still haven't done anything with it then it probably means that it's time to get rid of it. I've pawned a lot of the makeup that I don't use off to my coworkers and sorted through my old clothes and put some into the donation bins. I've sold back books to the book store, etc. Now if I could only convince my fiance to do the same with his stuff, LOL!

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#6
Old 01-28-2015, 04:24 AM

Hi there, zigbigadorlube! *waves* It is great to hear that you were able to get rid of things. Good luck with convincing your fiance :) I often find myself sorting through and organizing stuff...but the pile is the same size, except neater. I have a ton of books that I will probably never open again -- especially textbooks from years ago! I have to figure out where I can sell them...it would be a shame to throw away such great books of knowledge, in my opinion (which is probably why I still have them).

I am super happy, at least, to have reduced my magazines down to just one pile (versus the five or so that I had been keeping under the coffee table). I can definitely get recycle at least half of this one after reading them! That is my cleaning plan/goal for this weekend, at least :)

And then there are things that just do not belong where they are now...like the two gigantic unopened bags of chips next to me on the floor. And those two cans of planters peanuts on the chair. I'll have to bring those to the kitchen or pantry later tonight.

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#7
Old 02-01-2015, 03:09 PM

Yeah... Haven't had much luck with convincing him yet. We're planning on moving around September so he will probably end up throwing everything away at the last minute. We'll probably be moving into a smaller place so it's going to be really important to get rid of some stuff. There's some big stuff I plan on getting rid of (beach chairs, old air conditioner, printer, Rock Band instruments, etc.) but it's going to be a heluva lot of work. They just passed a law here in NYC that you can't throw out electronics. I understand the why of it but it makes things suuuuper hard for us. There will be like electronics collection events but of course they're not going to be super close by so I don't know how I'm going to get all of our junk there. I'll probably end up having to call a cab and load it all in which is going to be expensive. I also have some cat stuff that I was hoping to get rid of. My kitty is really picky and doesn't like half of the things we've gotten for her. I have scratching posts and toys and other things that she never uses. I contacted the ASPCA to see if I could give some of it to them but of course they only accept new things in their packaging. The scratching post is literally like brand new, she's never used it a day in her life, but since it doesn't have the tag on it still they won't take it.

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#8
Old 02-01-2015, 06:48 PM

That's nice that you are hoping to donate the scratching post somewhere. I hope you find someplace that would be happy to take it! Maybe an animal shelter or even a private veterinary practice.

I didn't know you couldn't throw out electronics. That's an interesting thought! I looked it up out of curiosity, and this website:
NYCWasteLess: FAQ — Electronics Recycling
says that:

Quote:
Used electronics from households are currently not regulated as hazardous waste. The NYS Electronics Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act will ban the disposal of certain electronics such as TVs, computers, peripherals, and some portable devices by individuals and households by 2015, and requires a manufacturer take-back program to handle household electronic waste by April 2011. Other electronics can be discarded as regular trash.
That definitely sounds inconvenient for big electronics. Hopefully you have neighbors who would help take those off your hands! Would definitely save some time and effort.

Last minute throwing away stuff is better than never :) haha~ as long as the throwing away happens before the moving instead of afterward!

Update on my own cleaning - I have successfully reduced the magazine pile again somewhat, but not as much as I had hoped. I could not read through them quickly enough this weekend.

I have a cousin who will be visiting soon, so I was happy to go into my closet and pick out a nice purse to give her. I have filled it with some things like lotion, the nice eos lip balms (of which I bought way too many), and hair accessories so she will have a nice surprise when she opens the bag. Also, it helps to clear some stuff out of my home :)

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#9
Old 02-09-2015, 10:22 PM

I will have to see if I can find a private shelter or a vet's office like you said since the ASPCA said they wouldn't take it. V_V

Unfortunately what you quoted is out of date. Here is the new law regarding electronics: Electronic Disposal Information | City of New York

Quote:
Starting January 1, 2015, you cannot throw out the following electronics in the trash:

• TVs
• Monitors
• Computers
• Laptops
• Small servers
• Printers/scanners
• Tablets/e-readers
• MP3 Players
• VCRs/DVDs/DVR players
• Fax machines
• Video game consoles
• Cable/satellite boxes
• Mice
• Keyboards

You can dispose of electronics through manufacturers, recycling programs, events, and donating or selling working electronics.

City apartment buildings are eligible to participate in e-cycleNYC, which provides a free and convenient in-building service to remove and recycle unwanted electronics.

Manufacturers of computers, televisions, and other electronics are required to accept their products for recycling under New York State law.
That was a really cute idea, filling the purse full of surprises! I know I'd love to get something like that.

Also, my fiance finally decided it was time to part with his Xbox 360. We went to Gamestop last night and sold back the console, games, and all the accessories. Yay for one less thing to worry about! And he can use the money he earned towards new games.

I'm debating wether or not I want to take the two beach chairs I have downstairs and put a sign on them that says "free". My fiance says he wouldn't do it but to be honest I don't know how else to get rid of them... They're in good condition, it would be a shame to just trash them...

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#10
Old 12-24-2015, 11:10 PM

Wow! It's been more than 10 months since I last posted here. Oops. Sorry zigbigadorlube if you were waiting for a reply! Yay for parting with old consoles and video games to get newer ones, and hope you made a decision about those beach chairs. :)

So...my house is a mess. I have been relatively busy these past few months, and not always home, but I am eager to get some cleaning and decluttering done during the holidays while I have time. The status right now includes maybe ten articles of clothing on the coffee table, stacks upon stacks of old books and magazines on the table as well as on the floor under my desk, dozens of plastic bags filled with stuff lining the walls and filled with who knows what... there is just a lot of stuff.

I do have a lot of brand new and quality items lying around that I bought and did not use, so I am wondering what stuff I can give away to people as holiday gifts. I guess stay tuned to hear about Salvete's decluttering adventures tonight.

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#11
Old 12-25-2015, 05:26 AM

So here is the update before I go to bed:
- I found out two of the large plastic bags on the floor were filled with Mrs. Fields chocolate chip and white macadamia nut cookies. So, that was two fewer bags on the floor and lots of boxes of cookies added to the pantry, where I discovered that we still have mac and cheese. Yum! I think I will make this for lunch soon.
- There were two big glass jars under the kitchen table. I like them and all, but they can go. I’ve put them next to our recycling pile for now.
- I picked up some paper scraps, receipts, and dust from the floor….definitely need to sweep after I get rid of some of the bigger things.
- I am starting to pick up the articles of clothing and put them in their proper places

Lots more to be done!

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#12
Old 12-26-2015, 04:52 AM

Merry Christmas to everyone <3

So due to family coming in from out of town, I now have a big plastic bag full of new clothing and bags sitting on the floor next to me! I shall sort through and hang these up tomorrow.

At least I found a nice big container to store all my mini lotions and whatnot! So I have taken those out of the drawer and have organized them very nicely into this hexagonal container. I also cleared some wet wipes from my drawer and put them with all the other wet wipes. I do like having the same items all in one place!

hummy
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#13
Old 12-26-2015, 05:00 AM

MERRY CHRISTMAS, SAL!

salvete
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#14
Old 12-26-2015, 05:21 PM

Continued from yesterday, I'd forgotten that my bed was covered in paper scraps from a last minute Christmas card making project, so I cleaned that up before sleeping.

I am picking up as many random items as I can and returning them to their proper place. I have no idea how two bobby pins ended up on my living room floor, for example, but they are now back where they belong, I.e. In one of the bathroom drawers.

I also took all the dry laundry off the clothesline and put those items wherever they belong.

Okay, my to do list for today:
- Clear the coffee table
- Figure out what to do with these stacks of textbooks and magazines


---------- Post added 12-26-2015 at 12:21 PM ----------

Quote:
Originally Posted by hummy View Post
MERRY CHRISTMAS, SAL!
THANK YOU, HUMMY <3 Merry Christmas to you as well <3

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#15
Old 01-15-2016, 04:10 AM

The wonderful Laurelle shared this link with me:
200 Things to Throw Away % | Embracing Homemaking

It is 200 things to throw away! This is the perfect list to get started on cleaning and decluttering again :) I am pasting it here so I can refer to it in the future, and also share with anyone who happens to read my decluttering journal. I think it would be a good idea to make this sort of a to-do list. A 200 item to-do list, but a good one nonetheless!

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#16
Old 01-17-2016, 04:40 AM

Okay, so before I get started on the 200 things to throw away list... guess whose computer is now at max capacity?! *raises hand* Well, I couldn't even download a video onto my computer because I am out of gigabytes. So now, in addition to decluttering and cleaning in the "real world," I also have to focus on decluttering my computer, which I actually need to use for work and studies. I literally have 200 something megabytes left on my hard drive.

Just skimming through my computer folders and files, I found old artwork and avatars, a zillion screenshots of various websites, and a ton of photographs and videos spanning several years. And of course, there are a lot of academic-related items saved on my computer that also take up a ton of space. Right now, I am trying to upload some of the saved images onto imgur and other storage sites, and then I am deleting them off my desktop.

UPDATE: I now have 12 gigabytes of storage free! I found an SD memory card that had some space in it, so I transferred about 12 gigabytes of photos and videos onto it. Now my laptop has space again! But I will continue to try to empty out things that are unnecessary to keep on the computer.

UPDATE: Now more than 16 gigabytes free on my computer!

Last edited by salvete; 01-17-2016 at 08:37 PM..

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#17
Old 01-17-2016, 08:41 PM

January 17th - We bought a new fluffy mop! I think it was originally meant to be moistened before mopping, but we're using it dry. It used to be pure white, and now it's covered in gray chunks of dust. I did not know the house was so dusty, but I am glad our new mop got a ton of it cleaned up.

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#18
Old 01-20-2016, 06:09 PM

Hey! Cleaning is hard. Decluttering is hard. Good luck to you! Posting about it is a good step - logging it can provide some motivation and accountability! Here are a couple things that have helped me in the past:

Unfuck Your Habitat - Helpful guides on how to tackle overwhelming stuff by breaking it into manageable pieces. Cleaning advice for real people who aren't Martha Stewart and/or have some kind of disability that majorly affects the ability to get stuff done.

The KonMari Method - There's a whole book for this if you have money to spend on it and time to read it. But there are millions of breakdowns online that cover the basics in a much shorter read. My favorite part of this method is on getting rid of things. I'm very emotional and sentimental, so it can be hard for me to pitch or donate my stuff, even if I'm not using it. But this method suggests acknowledging what the item has done for you, thanking it for its service to you, and letting go if it doesn't "spark joy" for you. A nice little way to rid yourself of that weird guilt.

Now if only I could find something that tells me how to keep my damn laundry from piling up.

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#19
Old 01-20-2016, 07:27 PM

Wow, thank you so much, Cherry Who?! <3 I think I have been unknowingly following at least one step of the KonMari method already, since I do love all the same items to be in the same place :) although I definitely have not been picking things up and asking myself whether or not they bring me joy ^_^; and it's very cool how the first link shows before and after pictures of the tidied up spaces! I don't know if I will share photographs of my personal things, but those can definitely increase the accountability felt when making it a goal to tidy up and declutter :)

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#20
Old 01-20-2016, 08:17 PM

Yeah, the real life before and afters on UFYH are helpful! It provides a bit of extra motivation, in a very real-life way. Looking at clean, perfect rooms in magazines just doesn't do it, since we all know no one can ever live like that. But a mostly tidy room with a packed-full laundry hamper and some imperfect organization? Well hey, that looks downright achievable!

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#21
Old 01-20-2016, 09:00 PM

The only reason I would not put up pictures of my room is because I am paranoid someone will be able to identify who I am o.o I know that might sound silly, but I have a ton of things (including textbooks, papers, even toys that I got from certain events) that the average person will not have ^_^;

But looking at the before and afters really does help! I think just the after photographs would not be as impactful as when the before photos are included.

Cherry Who, I'm curious about whether you have been cleaning and decluttering as well!

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#22
Old 01-20-2016, 09:18 PM

Taking the photos and keeping them for yourself can help, though! That way, even if you only get a little done, you can look at your "before" and see how much improvement you've made. And when it's all done and time passes, if it falls back into chaos you can look back your photos and think "well, if I did it once, I can do it again!"

Well, as for me, I moved six months ago. I spent about six months prior to that uncluttering! I took carload after carload after carload of old junk to goodwill. @_@ And you know what? Despite all that, I still look around sometimes and ask myself "why do I have all this junk???" It's a lot less, though.

As for cleaning... I need to. But right now I'm sick so I'm just resting and making my boyfriend do all the work.

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#23
Old 01-20-2016, 09:20 PM

Oohh that's a good idea! I think that is a really really spectacular idea, to take a photograph to keep for myself :) and be able to better judge the progress too, over time! Thank you for that suggestion!

And that is really nice of you to donate a lot of your stuff to goodwill! As they say, one person's trash is another person's treasure! :) plus you get to declutter a ton, which makes it easier to move.

Hope you getting better soon <3 what a nice boyfriend lol ^_^

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#24
Old 01-23-2016, 03:43 AM

I have been keeping "my other room" spectacularly clean. Although my papers are all in an organized mess on my desk, I have been very thorough with my decluttering. Today, I tossed out three empty orange juice bottles, took out the trash in my one trash can (I purposely only have one so that I can constantly just empty this one), threw away these big crumpled papers I had been saving from the last shipment I received (thinking I could use them for future projects or something but really, it was all just taking up space unnecessarily), recycled a big piece of cardboard, and also got rid of some stray papers that I really did not need anymore. So, I would say that "my other room" is pretty much a success in terms of the decluttering and cleaning!

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#25
Old 01-23-2016, 03:54 AM

Good progress! Those things that seem like they might maybe someday be useful for something perhaps are the worst for clutter. Congrats on letting go of them!

 


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