Woot! You're on a roll and you're going to feel great when you look around and see your new surrounding.

hooray!

I'm especially impressed that you've been able to "talk back" to yourself when you think you ought to keep something.

Don't you wish you could get mayo in teeny jars? Or, maybe buy teeny little packets, for those 6 times a year you need it?

I know what you mean about "more could go," but it's wise to work in stages, or waves. You can only do so much at once.

Way to go--and thanks for sharing!

Way to ROCK!!

Well done indeed! And thanks for posting about your progress -- really helps everyone to see how folks get the job done! :)

This forum is so inspiring! I reorganized my closet just now, moving winter clothes and jackets to the front, and summer stuff to the back, and I got rid of a knit top, bought on sale, that I have never worn - tags still on it, but it just didn't look right on me - and hardest of all, two very nice cotton print dresses, that I made - one never worn (!) that I finally realized just didn't look becoming on me! (I should toss that pattern for them while I'm at it). Most of the stuff in my closet now I can say I do wear. And there's more room in it, now too.

I don't even use my closet anymore. I keep the clothes I wear day to day on a chair near my bed. Yes, I do wash them frequently. And I always wear clean underwear. The only time I open the closet is when I'm going to a party. Yes, I think it's time to cull the closet!

I must've had some good chicken tenders for lunch yesterday. Not what I normally get, and it was bad weather, so my normal exercise after work was also out.

There is no longer anything on the (home) office floor that shouldn't be there. One huge bag of trash out. Windows washed. Blinds dusted. Floor vacuumed. More to do, yes, still lots of clutter on two desks, but much better.

I think it helps to have extra energy I normally use for athletics poured into clean-up and decluttering. I also think I'm just feeling more energized for it. Perhaps because of some small steps of progress. I'm also helping by trying to pick off doable tasks to work on and to get them done, rather than fussing about many things, none of which are about to get finished. This is a mental infrastructure readjustment!

Now I need to invite someone for dinner on Friday -- reward for progress and reminder to keep working on it. ;) (Housekeeping via the shame method!)

Making progress,

Jean Marie

Sounds good, Jean Marie. I quit work in July 2005 and I'm determined to stay healthy. I normally have a lot of energy. It's time to use the energy I had at work for otganizing my home. Time to work for me and my family instead of for someone else!

Schools can use your old computer. The next time I replace mine (which I've done twice since my first computer in 1999) ,I will call several schools until I find one that can make use of it. we bought my NIL a computer she never used. When she died, her son in law grabbed it. Not sure if he had a use for it or just wanted to sell it on Ebay. He IS an Ebay dealer!

Did everybody see this?

I'm also helping by trying to pick off doable tasks to work on and to get them done, rather than fussing about many things, none of which are about to get finished. This is a mental infrastructure readjustment!

This is a really great thought; we should all take note.

Jannie, the last time I tried to give a school a computer, they didn't want it.

in order to simplify their lives, they make sure all the computers in the school are exactly the same--and UP TO DATE. That way, fixing problems is much easier. (most scools nowadays have Macintosh computers that they get a pretty good deal on)

Also, most schools do a lot of work on the Internet, and the older the computer, the harder that is.

Plus, the legal aspects of licensing don't make this easy--the license for the operating system is assigned to YOU, not to the machine, and you aren't legally allowed to sell it. So the school would have to buy a new operating system, new software, etc.

I bet you can't find a school that will take that off your hands.

In fact, if it's old enough that you are getting rid of it, why would you want to saddle someone else w/ it?

My vote: offer it up on Freecycle or Craigslist.

Your NIL's son-in-law is the husband of her daughter,a nd her daughter is next of kin. Even though you bought your NIL the computer, that doesn't mean it should be returned to you when she died. It was her possession, and it should go to her next of kin.

drjinx, I'm proud of you! Good job.

I did want to tell you all about one more wonderful way to dispose of old computers. Here is Oregon, we have a wonderful group called Free Geek. A friend of mine has done volunteer work for them, and loves them!

As their website says, "Free Geek was founded to recycle computer technology and provide low and no-cost computing to individuals and not-for-profit and social change organizations in the community and throughout the world." Basically, what they do is strip out and rebuild donated computers to give to great groups/individuals. People can "earn" computers by becoming volunteers for the organization.

I would bet there are similar organizations around the country. Yes, there is a disposal fee, but at least the computers are being reused instead of landfilled.

Here is a link that might be useful: Free Geek

I think that's great! One thing that's true, and the reason it works w/ them, is that old computers usually need some "geek" work done on them before they're usable for the next person.

And schools simply don't have that sort of resources. Some volunteers do, like the folks at Free Geek. Plus you notice where they're sending them--NOT schools, but rather individuals and (probably small) nonprofit groups.

Great job! About the mayo - you can take the little packets from restaurants and not worry about the big jars. Personally, I like mayo and buy the squeeze bottles. Yum.

Today my sister and I cleared out our bathroom under the sink area. We filled up a trash bag and a cardboard box full of shampoo and stuff we never use.

My drafting desk that has a little area to store stuff under the table randomly shattered. The top part's ruined and I can't put it back straight. Should I just get rid of it or try to fix it? I would have to find new homes for all the stuff I keep in there.

~Surfer~

If you can' tput it back straight, that means it needs to go away.

Even if you do have to fin dnew homes for all the stuff.

This means you can get new & different infrastructure (another desk that has storage space, even if it's config. differently, or a new desk withOUT storage space so you *also* buy a taboret

But this is a number-one rule of decluttering: if it's broken, it goes in the garbage.

You're OK to let it sit there holding stuff for a very short while until you get its replacement storage solution. But not indefinitely. Set aside time to figure out how you're going to replace it.

Even if you have to do something temporary (like a card table from Craigslist and a plastic 3-drawer chest by Sterilite from Target) bcs you can't afford the ultimate solution yet

I threw the broken desk away. Now there's an empty space in the room. Most of the stuff that was in it I threw away or placed on shelves in my closet. My sewing machine has been moved as well.