I am actually finding things to get out of here, aside from the usual and
obvious garbage.

-I freecycled that aquarium with the hood and canopy. A lady was looking
for one so I offered one I had.
-I just posted on freecycle to get rid of this Little Tykes picnic table we
have. It's missing...

For those of you who are interested in reading lists of tasks
completed and like to keep track I'm going to number my lists. I
might enjoy this.

List #1, Jul 27

DIRT:
- critter cage cleaned (also bathed & nails trimmed - he's elderly)
- upper hall and stairs vaccuumed

CLUTTER:
- exBF's remaining belongings rounded up and in a designated home
(toothbrush tossed)
- half the desk cleaned one piece of paper at a time
- beauty tools collected up and in one place
- Canadian Tire $ rounded up and in a designated home

HOUSEWORK:
- compost out
- frozen chicken carcas simmered for dinner and tomorrow's lunch

CLOTHING:
- dress mended & ready for consignment shop
- yet another pair of shoes ready for consignment shop

I need to go back to planning my meals so they stop being so slapdash.

Today:

B: Spanish tortilla (eggs, potatoes, onions, peppers, dill havarti)
L: Dim sum with a friend
D: Refried beans, Spanish rice, salad
S: Fruit, popcorn, the rest of the cookies and chips from yesterday's event

Pork slow-cooked in barbecue sauce
Buttered noodles
Corn

I clearly need to get to the store and buy some green veggies or
something. :-)

Serene

Alt.Recovery.Clutter FAQ
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Archive-name: alt-recovery/clutter
Last-modified: 2008/05/26
Expires 2008/08/26
Version: 16.04

The latest version will usually be at
http://dsgood.wordpress.com/clutterinfo-2/

If you know something should be added, please let me know; and please
say why.

07/26 Added http://zenhabits.net/2007/01/zen-mind-how-to-declutter/
Thanks to Maelstrom Mel
05/08 Added Adult Children Anonymous and Underearners Anonymous.
02/08 Added http://groups.google.com/group/flybaby...

In case anyone else wants to chime in...:)

Salmon
Rice
Steamed broccoli
Homemade bread (bread machine)
Lemon cake and coffee for dessert

Picked up the salmon at Wal-Mart today, their brand - a one-pound bag of
frozen, individually vacuum-sealed wild salmon filets for just over $4.
Id never seen these before at Wal-Mart, a good deal, plus since DH
doesn't like fish (except for canned tuna or the occasional fish and
chips), having a few pieces easy to pull out individually when I want
one for myself is very nice. Will definitely keep these in mind and try
to have some on hand.

The broccoli was one of those steamer bags of frozen veggies, also from
Wal-Mart, which MIL tried and told me she liked. A little pricier than
regular frozen veggies, but for a super-easy vegetable occasionally,
it's so nice to simply pop the bag into the microwave and let it steam.
I picked up a bag of the corn too.

Diva

1) Freecycled the bar stool that we never use, and that has become a
junk receptacle.

2) Freecycled a bag of office supplies culled from everywhere around the
house.

3) Put out a batch of trash from the storeroom -- styrofoam, a broken
chair, etc.

4) Finally mailed off a box of toy robots we have been meaning to send
to my boss for months.

It's been a stressy couple of days, but this helped, because I always
feel better when I'm making progress on the clutter problem.

Serene

Checking freecycle this morning, I saw someone was looking for a 10gal fish
tank. I know we have at least one of them in the basement that we no longer
use. I offered it to the lady and she said she'd love it. She said she can
pick up this weekend, so although it's only one small item, it's still one
thing that will be out of here, and one thing that we clearly don't use and
haven't used for quite a while.
and... something that holds a little bit of value is able to go to a new
home where it will be used and not just tossing it away or keeping it as
another useless object around here.
The next task is to go into the basement and pull it out and get it ready!

My aunt sent me this link.......

http://snipurl.com/dont4get2takeyurbags

I've been making an effort to remember to take my cloth shopping bags in
with me and I'm getting a lot better at it. The part I kept getting hung up
on was getting them back out to the car after I've carried the groceries in.
Well, the other day I had a light-bulb moment and realized that taking the
cloth bags back to the car is only 20 more steps than taking the plastic
bags to the hall closet. So, as soon as the groceries are unloaded, I take
the bags back to the car for the next trip.

Since they're in the back seat, right by DS's carseat, I see them everytime
I get him out so they're handy to grab when I'm heading into the store.
It's also nice to have them there when I realize that all the missing toys
have migrated to the backseat of the car.......yesterday I filled up 2 bags
with all the stuff DD had managed to carry out with her over the last week
or two.

I had to go to Wal-Mart twice this week......each time bought $100+ in
groceries and household items (more than usual, throwing 2 parties and had
to restock paper and cleaning products).....and fit it all into FOUR cloth
shopping bags. Normally would have been 10-15 plastic bags each time.

I call it amazing because it actually worked!

A few years back I was in weight watchers, near my goal weight and had
some clothes that almost fit me. I tried on clothes and put the ones
that almost fit in a section near the ones I was able to fit in as an
incentive. Next to that section was another batch of clothes for when
I was even smaller. When you're close to goal every few pounds makes
or breaks a pair of pants or skirt.

The result.
I always knew what fit and did not end up discouraged because what you
put on didn't fit and back on the hanger and rod it goes.

This time I went further.
Often recommended is removing everythign from the closet and return
only what you are keeping. I rounded up my all clothing tin my home
(i.e. ironing pile, mending pile) and tried each item.

Make the trying on part easier:
Group items together so you are trying on only pants in one stint,
then only tops, dressess, etc. Have shoes all ready on the floor so
you just need to step into a pair. I recommend wearing a neutral top
when trying on the skirts or pants and vice versa.