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Forum
-> Household Management
-> Organizing
twinkle
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Tue, Jan 05 2010, 5:24 pm
Does anyone have any decluttering tips for me. I want an organized house without not used junk around but I don't know where to start. THanks
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ra_mom
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Tue, Jan 05 2010, 6:25 pm
Start with 5 minutes a day of decluttering.
Choose 1 cabinet, go through it, and throw things out. Don't save the "maybes".
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su7kids
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Tue, Jan 05 2010, 11:02 pm
One area at a time.
Get four boxes.
One for "garbage"
one for "must find a place for"
one for "it has a place in another room"
one for "thrift store"
work on one area at a time, and don't leave that area. Anything that doesn't belong there, put in one of those boxes.
I often found I would pick up something in the kitchen and say "oh it belogns in the office" and walk off to the office and start cleaning up there, and then find something that belongs in the bedroom and then walk off and start cleaning in the bedroom, etc. And strangely enough, NOTHING GOT DONE!!
So stick to one room or one area at a a time. Set a timer for 15 or 20 minutes, and then reward yourself with something (computer time, imamother time, but not food) and then go back and do another 15 minutes.
Its tough to TIDY up while you're SORTING so be patient with yourself.
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Zus
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Tue, Jan 05 2010, 11:46 pm
First of all:
http://www.flylady.net
How to declutter:
The 4 box idea is great. Here is a tool to help you sort the stuff: with every item, ask yourself this question: "Do I need this? Do I love this?" If the answer is 'no' to both, out it goes!
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louche
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 9:33 am
Getting rid of a lot of stuff at one time can be scary and painful. I keep a big basket or shopping bag in the hall and add to it little by little. When it's full, it goes to the charity thrift shop. For some reason it's not as traumatic for me to decide to get rid of one thing every day or two as to decide to get rid of 2 dozen things at one shot.
Now for my next trick, I'm going to try to learn not to take things that are free unless I actually need them. If I had a dollar for every trade-show tote bag and baseball cap I collected and brought home only to shlep it , unused, to Goodwill, I could retire in luxury.
You know the story about how we got the Dibrot:
G-d goes to Bnei Israel and says "Would you like some Commandments?"
"How much are they?"
"They're free."
"OK, we'll take 10."
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flowerpower
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 10:32 am
Whatever you won't use or didn't touch for the last year get rid of, even if it's still good..... give it away. Only keep what you use.
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Mimisinger
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 10:58 am
yes, but who can you give these things to?
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amother
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 11:01 am
Mimisinger wrote: | yes, but who can you give these things to? | I throw stuff out. Or give them to the cleaning lady.
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Raisin
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 11:03 am
Mimisinger wrote: | yes, but who can you give these things to? |
charity shops, thrift shops, tzedaka orgs that give out clothing and stuff. My recycling depot has a metal container where you can put old clothes, to get sent to the 3rd world. I put clothes there because local charity shops won't want such used clothing.
Things that have value - sell on ebay or craigslist or whatever.
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Mimisinger
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 11:07 am
I wish I could ebay etc. stuff, but I think it would probably be A TON more work than it's worth. I have a lot of stuff that has value, so I try to give it away on freecycle, but the stuff that people don't want, I feel guilty throwing away.
As for clothes, I have a great tzedaka that picks up, but then there's all the clothes that I "MIGHT" use, or the kids might use, etc. How do I sort through children's clothes that are not being worn now, but IY"H will be in the future?
This is all such a stressor for me.
And, as for throwing it away, it makes me feel bad, and to give one item away at a time, is just not enough!
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L K
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 12:19 pm
What do you do with paper and books? Like old high school notebooks and college textbooks that you've not used for like 10 years?
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louche
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 12:22 pm
L K wrote: | What do you do with paper and books? Like old high school notebooks and college textbooks that you've not used for like 10 years? |
Oh You Tee OUT!
In the paper recycling after I've torn out anything with my name on it.
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drumjj
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 12:23 pm
shred it if u dont want ur name on it. but I agree throw it out. why would u keep that stuff.
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Raisin
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 2:02 pm
Mimisinger wrote: |
As for clothes, I have a great tzedaka that picks up, but then there's all the clothes that I "MIGHT" use, or the kids might use, etc. How do I sort through children's clothes that are not being worn now, but IY"H will be in the future?
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I bought a bunch of ikea boxes with lids for about 50c each. they look quite nice so I pile them in the corner of my attic/guest room. On each box I wrote gender and size eg girl 0-12 months boy 3-5 years and so on. you can also get underbed storage bags if you don't have space for boxes, but just label everything clearly. If you want to be orginised make a file on your computer so you don;t forget where all the stuff is. eg boys clothing 2-3 years - under bed in guest room.
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Ruchel
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 2:08 pm
drumjj wrote: | shred it if u dont want ur name on it. but I agree throw it out. why would u keep that stuff. |
I have read school stuff from my grandmother. You bet it's precious.
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levial
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 2:15 pm
Start with one thing -a closet, a cabinet, a specific room.
Next: one of the reasons I get clutter is because I didn't strategically plan how to use a space.
Let me give one example: there is a pantry cabinet. There are sprinkles and cake decorating items on the lower shelf. I know I use them once a month, max. So I need to combine those and move them to a less used location (higher or lower). That frees up more space for the staples (spaghetti, canned goods) that should be at arm's reach.This evolved because I am too pregnant to reach anything so to "put it away" I just shove it on the bottom shelf of the cabinet. Now I have it organized.
Second is the "hot spots" where we dump things. That takes discipline to tidy every day. Keys on the key rack, coats in the closet..etc. Mail goes into the office.
Third is to organize the boxes as mentioned, and start to sort and throw. It is hard because I want the tax deduction, to give to a nice person whose kid goes to my daughter's school- it adds weeks to the effort to drop things places, but I am just that kind of person.
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geemum
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 2:27 pm
Raisin wrote: | Mimisinger wrote: | yes, but who can you give these things to? |
charity shops, thrift shops, tzedaka orgs that give out clothing and stuff. My recycling depot has a metal container where you can put old clothes, to get sent to the 3rd world. I put clothes there because local charity shops won't want such used clothing.
Things that have value - sell on ebay or craigslist or whatever. |
That;s great. I have quite a few clothes like that, that the gemachs don't want (stained, tiny holes etc) but in the 3rd world, they'd be wanted. Where is this recycling depot? Are there any others?
Also you mentioned ikea boxes for 50c - where/which ones? Thanks so much
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Sherri
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 3:43 pm
I second this, check it out.
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Raisin
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 4:00 pm
geemum wrote: | Raisin wrote: | Mimisinger wrote: | yes, but who can you give these things to? |
charity shops, thrift shops, tzedaka orgs that give out clothing and stuff. My recycling depot has a metal container where you can put old clothes, to get sent to the 3rd world. I put clothes there because local charity shops won't want such used clothing.
Things that have value - sell on ebay or craigslist or whatever. |
That;s great. I have quite a few clothes like that, that the gemachs don't want (stained, tiny holes etc) but in the 3rd world, they'd be wanted. Where is this recycling depot? Are there any others?
Also you mentioned ikea boxes for 50c - where/which ones? Thanks so much |
Do you have any recycling place near you - where you can take bottles, cardboard etc? go and see if there is a clothes container as well. (I don;t live in the same country as anyone here, so you're not going to shlep to mine )
these are the ikea boxes... actually they are more then 50c. http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/cata.....15601 they have sturdier ones as well...see which would work for you.
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cookielady
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Tue, Jan 12 2010, 4:09 pm
For things I can't give to a gemach, I call Vietnam Veterans Association. They pick up from the house and come within a day or two when I call.
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