I didn't lose my DH but went thru years of him having serious health problems. The problems started in 1995, and lasted off and on until last year.

This past summer, I started sorting through old checks - cancelled checks; boxes of unused checks from banks I no longer frequent. Some boxes were from the late eighties!!!

I spent a couple of days shredding. I left the stacks of checks and shredder out, and spent a while each day with the radio on, listening to music and shredding away! My cat thought I was nuts, I'm sure!

But when life gets crazy, keeping up with this sort of thing goes by the wayside. I knew I had let things pile up but didn't realize how badly! Probably if I had lived in a small place like you, I would not have had the chance to let it get so out of hand.

It was really uplifting to finally get all that stuff shredded and gone!!!

I cut up credit cards. If it's a spare, simply cut it up. If it is one you no longer wish to use, call the company and get it cancelled. Otherwise, it will show up as an open line of credit on your credit report.

You are doing great!!!! Keep up the good work, and remember, take it a small step at a time!

If it is [a credit card] you no longer wish to use, call the company and get it cancelled. Otherwise, it will show up as an open line of credit on your credit report.

It may still be open even after you call. To give the request legal weight, write a very brief letter and send it to the customer-service address for the credit-card issuer. That way you can prove the account was closed at your request.

I will call on each one but when I would think it was lost I called. I only have 3 & 1 I don't use so will cancel that one. Some were my DH's. Know I canceled one as he had quite a bit on it. I didn't have to pay it though as my name wasn't on it.
I never used it at all. He got it before we were married.
Thanks for the answers & sugestions.
Dar

ell today I got the dresser top cleaned.. Guess what..I found a dresser! Arranged the drawers better.I was able to get rid of a lot of cludder..old mail & such. I even packed up some of DHs things. Threw a few things out like his beat up slippers.. That wasn't very easy but needs to be done.
I never realizes how much junk was in this trailer. I think I'll complete the bedroom before starting any big cleaning in the rest of it.

Good for you! I agree with completing the bedroom first. That will definitely give you the incentive to continue.

I'm w/ Marie26--I think having that one room in order will really juice you up.

And what a lesson you are to us all--we all preach "baby steps" and "just 15 minutes." but here you are, doing it, and proving it! You did a little bit--one component. And it looks great, feels great, and makes the whole room look like it's closer to done.

Thanks for the inspiration!

Keep us posted--I'll check tomorrow to see if you've gained further ground!

One more preject cleaned. I got the nite stand cleaned & the 2 drawers in it cleaned out. In doing that I found several item I couldn't find & bought replacements. I also got 2 drawers of my DH things & will donate them. I put the cameras & some other things in one of the empty drawers. I had a pleasant surprise when I did that. I had figured my puter glasses had been lost on the plane Xmas. Well I found them in a pouch with my camera stuff.

I already cleaned out the medicine cabinette but tomorrow I'll clean out under the main bathroom sinks (there is 2) I don't think I'll start the "storage" garden tub till next week. That will be quite a job. I'm sure some surprises are there. I brought a lot of things here from VA when we were married & I have no idea what is there..lots have never been unpacked. I guess if I haven't used it in 4 1/2 years I don't need it.

It is going slow but I'm not wearing myself down & have time to do other things too. Except for the back extra room the bedroom was the worse. The back room will be last.
Dar

I have had that happen, also! I finally found my DH's passport last summer when I did some purging in my file cabinets. I LOVE it when someone finds a long-lost item while decluttering! It makes it more like treasure-hunting!

Sugar, it doesn't sound as though it's going slow. You're making great progress. I love reading your posts to see the progress you've made. Please keep posting.

We moved here a month ago and I am having company over for the first time on Saturday night. I have a major cleaning ahead of me today as well as going through some boxes that I have been ignoring.

If you can do it, so can I!

Today already I cleaned out under both vanities in the dressing room & found the tops of them. I think I cleaned
the main one that is used to good as under the faucet is leaking a little. So far it is going into the sink. I also need to caulk around the sink or I'll have problems with that soon. Tomorrow I'll tackle the BIG tub filled with who know what. I brought a lot of STUFF here that has never been used.. lots of it is there. The big tub, closet & under the bed then I'll be through after I vaccuum & dust again. One room will be done & 3 more rooms plus The hall & other bathroom WHEW.

Believe me if I can do this anyone can. I am the queen of procrasination.
Dar

Just reporting in for the day. I left the bedroom till Monday & cleaned the hall where my washer & dryer are. That's the 1st thing anyone sees. I also cleanered a very bad hot spot... the kitchen table. I don't eat there.. it is to hard to eat there alone. It has a way of catching everything.
Tomorrow I'll vaccuum & stuff like that.
Monday is our trash day so that let's me start decluttering Monday with empty trash cans. It's funny but I kinda look forward to the challenge of the day now.

Sugar_fl -

I'm happy to hear you are doing so well. I can relate to your statement about having stuff you've never used. Part of my decluttering today was throwing away some stuff I had ordered from a catalog and never used. Such a waste of money but I need to remember that by keeping it, it is causing me to waste time in my life trying to manage where to store it.

I agree that this decluttering stuff can be kind of interesting and not that much drudgery once I get started. But funny how the "getting started" part can be so difficult . This forum definitely helps me in that area. That includes your posts so keep on posting about all your work when you can, it is very inspirational. Thanks.

Keep up the good work.

--Alice

Yesterday I did some much needed routine cleanng. I did get my DH clothes bagged up to send to church tonite. They will store them till time for them to be sent to Guiana. That is a job I have been dreading. I don't plan on doing much of anything today.
Dar

Sugar_fl, hope you get/got some good rest. You've earned it.

Hope you don't mind my using this thread to give some of my status reports. The title is still apropos. Today and probably for a couple of days, I've started shredding. At least for me, the problem of making a decision whether to toss or not is very minimal here. Who needs a 4 years old phone bill? What about some 6 year old catalogs? These got stuffed in the "cave" room (i.e. spare room) and then I developed some health problems and just quit doing much of anything. The delay in decluttering has really added to visual chaos (and all other kinds as well) in our home but it sure helps me to clean up now.

I'm shredding and adding all of it to my compost. I'm going to have to start a new pile, there is so much.

--Alice

Alice I don't mind at all.. WARNING once U start U will see no end & keep going LOL
So far today I haven'tdone anything but will before the day is over. I had to go out early this morning to tend to some bussiness then while I had a way I bought some groceries.
I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.
Dar

I went through everything in the big tub. My room looks pretty bad right now. I have quite a few boxes to dispose of & won't be room in the trash cans. I need to burn some things but have no burn barrel as it rusted out. Maybe tomorrow when someone is home next door we can find some place to burn things if the wind isn't blowing. I wouldn't do it when I'm here alone just in case something went wrong. I'm gonna have to leave a couple of full boxes in the tub but will still look better. It is stuff I hate to get rid of but no where to put it till I get the back room cleaned out.
I hope tomorrow to finish it. That will almost finish the bedroom. Except for the back room that was the hardest room.
I keep the door closed to keep the cat out & everything got dumped in there. I do need to straighten up the closet. I still have a few of DHs clothes to get packed up. Someone in Giania will sure have lots of clothes when they are shipped there. It is very fitten that they go there. In the 70s he spent a month in Giania with a turtle egg gathering group. He said U wouldn't believe how poor they are there.
Sure feel good to almost have one room done & know it is clean.

Can you take the boxes out back of a nearby grocery store or walgreens and dump it in the dumpster?

TreKaren, the guy next door burned them for me. There was hardly no wind yesterday so it was safe. We have an area where we have burned before. Before he died my DH burned many things there including an old chair & sofa. I do wish I could find a burn barrel & I'd burn all my paper trash Like I did before it completely rusted away.

I finished the bedroom yesterday except for the closet. I can't do that till the back bedroom is done as I need somewhere to put the plastic boxes I want to store some things in. I can't do the cabinettes till I get some stronger trash bags. The only clutter to amount to anything in the living room is around my desk. That will be easy to take care of & may do that today. Then I think I'll be lazy for a few days.

Alice how are U coming along with your work? I sure hope it is going good for U :-)

I cleaned off a couple of shelves of old obsolete computer books and software I've never used and which would not work on new Operating systems. But other than that, I'm shredding, shredding, shredding labels off catalogs and magazines and old bills, etc. "Burning trash" sounds like a quick easy solution all the way around. Hope you can find a new (or old) burn barrel. Worried about identity theft here in our urban world, otherwise, I think I would just toss. This new technology and problems of the modern world actually increase our labor instead of minimize it IMHO. LOL!

--Alice

Alice,
Keep up the good work.. it is worth it.
Being able to burn trash is one of the advantages of living out in the boonies I guess. I burned a whole stack of checks books too. I have an account both here & in VA as that is where my social security check goes & didn't want to change that. So I have check books from there & here. I have had 3 name changes in the last 4 years. I went from my 1st husbands name to my name now & my DH's name then back to my name only. So dealing with 2 banks I had quite a collection of books PLUS they spelled my name wrong on one set so that was a complete set I didn't use. That would have been a lot of shredding LOL
I do need to start shredding or burning everything with my name on it. That's one reason I want another barrel.
Dar

Sugar,

Have you considered contacting A highway department? They often have barrels and will let you have them. That's what we do.

shirley

Alice & Sugar: good work! Sounds like you're making a lot of progress.

I've gotten a lot done in the past couple of weeks with regards to papers. I went thru a massive amount of paper while I was home sick for several days. Going thru that stuff enabled me to stay in bed or on the sofa & still get something productive done. I have two bags full of things to shred. I have a small shredder here, but for this amount of stuff, I'll take it to work & do it there. I have a large shredder in my office, so I can do my stuff during lunch one day.

Greta

I haven't done any special cleaning in a couple of weeks now. I have been straighting up places. Today I did the bookcase by my Late DH's chair. I found a gun there hid under some maps. This wouldn't be such a big deal but his daughter went through every drawer & searched this house from one end to the other looking for things. It upset me greatly as it was even before his memorial service...he was cremated in Alaska where we were when he died. He had guns hid everywhere & she thought she had them all plus many other things. They even took somethings that were not his. They kept me away while they did all this. I just happened to miss one of my 1st late husband's guns & got it back before they left.. It tickled me that they missed one.

BTW this place is looking nicer all the time. My desk area will be next. Kinda like to get that done before Sunday as I'll be gone for the next week. I should get that done pretty fast.

I did the whole garage this afternoon. Yeah!!! My 3-year-old granddaughter has been staying with us for a little while and I was going to wait to do it until she was in preschool (she goes 3 days a week). But today was so beautiful that she played outside while I did it. There wasn't that much to throw out but there were a lot of boxes that had hardly anything in them so I consolidated alot. I have been working on items that were broken in my move and I came across 3 more things in the garage so I'm glad I did this before I sent in the claim this week.

This is a good thread for major accomplishments.

Marie,
I'm glad it got U going. When U get started it is hard to stop... at least it was for me.

I for one sure got a lot done that I have been putting off way to long. It really was easy as I did it a little at a time with plenty of time lest to do what I REALLY wanted to do. I do need to clean my kitchen cabinettes but still haven't gotten to the store to get some stronger trash bags. I live in the boonies & buy for almost a month when I get to go (I don't drive) If I REALLY need something I can find a away. I haven't bought in awhile as I know I'll be gone next week & will need to stock up when I get back.
Dar

Sugar: You reminded me about how frustrated I feel right now - I've got boxes all over the laundry room floor and can't put them in the garage or basement until I get rid of the clutter in those 2 places, but I can't do that until I can find someone to help me move cabinets to where I want them. And DH can't help. I need someone to push me into throwing stuff away instead of saving it for a garage sale.

On the positive side: my motto is now "Plow In", as you can tell from my name. I figure there's so much to do around here that it really doesn't matter what I pick to do!

Plow In, how much money do you think you'll earn from the garage sale? How about donating it all to Goodwill and getting an IRS receipt from them (which you fill in with the amount that everything is worth)? That way, you can deduct it all when you do next year's taxes.

Marie - that's probably the best idea! Actually, a couple of years ago, I saw a price list that the IRS put out (or somebody official), and the prices were all higher than I would have marked my stuff. Why do we feel that, just because we don't want things any more, our discards are worthless?