clean out the clutter

so last week we took all the scrap metal from our house building project to the metal recycler and got a whopping $15 for it all. Well, it will buy some groceries and it’s GONE! :)

but we had to get rid of some stuff that was beyond garbage. Both sons play/work sneakers were way worn out so they went in the trash. And two pairs of rubber boots had splits all along the sides. They weren’t really doing their job anymore, so they got thrown out last night. We’re running out of shoes and socks here…..

I cleaned out mental clutter(a friend moved back to another state), computer clutter (emails and tabs), and material clutter.

-bag of stuff to Goodwill
-3 sweatshirts to uncle
-bag of boys clothes to a friend
-skirt to a friend
-bag of girls clothes to another friend

I still have a bag of stuff for consignment and a pair of jeans to give to a friend, but overall the house is looking better!

But I think it will never be enough. I went through the stuff we brought back from MIL’s house. Got rid of about a bag. Some to consignment and some will get donated. Also went through the kids’ closets and found a few more things they outgrew. So I have 4 people to give some items to.
We are also working on using up pantry supplies because the budget is tighter now and the sales at the stores haven’t been as good. So the meals have actually been better than usual because I’m using the “good” stuff I was saving for special occasions. I realized my family is worth it right NOW.

It has gotten much colder around here and we just got back from MIL’s house in South Carolina. It was 90 degrees there and it’s been 60s here. So it’s time to sort the kids’ clothes for fall. Daughter has grown so much that she only has one pair of pants for playing/working around home.
We also inherited a lot more of FIL’s clothes since he died a few months ago. So hubby needs to sort out his clothes and we’ll donate or consign some of that too.
People have been giving the kids more clothes and that all needs to be sorted. I have so much that won’t work for them and I just can’t figure out whether I want to donate and get it out of my life, or save it til spring and consign it. That would involve moving it twice—once to the new house and then back to a consignment store. I don’t know…

but I got sidetracked with other necessary tasks. I did fix up a pair of hubby’s bluejeans, a pair of son’s shorts, and a pair of hubby’s pj pants.

I got the 5 things listed on ebay.

Found one whole bag full to garage sale at MIL’s next month.

Cleaned the toaster oven and microwave inside and out. Ashamed to say that it had been months. Not really clutter, but it made a difference in how things looked.

I just listed 4 vintage things and 1 other thing on ebay and hope they sell. I haven’t sold on there in a long time, but I’ve got to get rid of this stuff!

cleaned up, but not cleaned out today. Well, one for donating. I finally got a chance to fix up daughter’s dress, husband’s shorts, the handles on one of my cloth bags, and another item. I haven’t been able to easily get to my sewing machine, but I moved stuff today to get there. In the process, I found a belt that I will donate. So, overall, a good day.

and saw a show about Time Warp decorating. In other words, you are stuck in a style that you’ve had for 10-20 years. There was a country style house with dried flowers and stuffed bunnies, ducks, and cows all over the place. The other was a 60’s style kitchen which had not been updated in the past 40 years. Then they showed an example of a room with Victorian floral decor and a new plainer updated room using the same furniture. I realized after watching that show that I haven’t really changed our style at all in 15 years. I don’t have the country style or the floral, but I do have doilies and lace and pictures framed the same for all that time. I think it’s time for them to get gone. They really just look like a lot of clutter. Too many things in too little of a space and it just overwhelms. I need to work on this now and even more after we move to the new house.