# my New Year's resolution this year was to declutter my house, but



## CeeCee (Jan 10, 2014)

With joining this forum that is not working out too well. I did start with removing a lot of pictures in frames go my 5 grandsons.  Dusting is so much easier now.

I will put just a current pic of them out.

Also, my other resolution was to exercise more...that doesn't seem to be happening either!


Where is that new member who would tell us how to exercise in our chairs?


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## Vivjen (Jan 10, 2014)

I don't make New Year resolutions, mainly because I never keep them!
However, I have given up alcohol for a week; and no snacking; lost about 7 lbs; therefore am having a night off tonight, and going out to eat with some of my best friends, and a couple of glasses of red. Cheers!


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## CeeCee (Jan 10, 2014)

That's great about the 7 lbs!
Have fun, but don't overdo...I expect to see you here tomorrow, lol!


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## Vivjen (Jan 10, 2014)

I will be here; in between cleaning windows, washing, and playing with my new steam cleaner; oh joy!


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## That Guy (Jan 10, 2014)

I know the feeling all to well.  Plan to doing housework tomorrow, every day!


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## CeeCee (Jan 10, 2014)

I do it when I feel like it!

If you saw my home you would think its clean, but don't look too close, lol.


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## CeeCee (Jan 10, 2014)

Now Pedro is here and because you are all so much fun, I didnt pick up the dog poop in the backyard.

Now I'm too embarrassed to go out and ask about planting "grass", lol.


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## That Guy (Jan 10, 2014)

I'm sure Pedro is used to dog poop in the yards he cares for.  But I understand completely.  I recall when I was married my wife would straighten up the house before the cleaning lady got there . . .


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## CeeCee (Jan 10, 2014)

Of course!  My daughter does the same, so does my dil.

Actually I think they get more worn out doing that than if they cleaned, lol.

Wednesday nights my daughter has no time for anything after work as she has to clean up.


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## Old Hipster (Jan 10, 2014)

I have been busy the last few years de-junkifying our house.

The trick is to not re-crapify it, that's the act of buying new junk to replace the junk you just got rid of and somehow you think this new stuff will be better, but when it comes right down to it, it is still junk!


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## CeeCee (Jan 10, 2014)

Yep...I refuse to buy anything for the house anymore...I don't need anything....now when my daughter asks me if I want something I resist the urge to say yes.


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## Old Hipster (Jan 10, 2014)

Now the only thing I collect is dust!


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## CeeCee (Jan 10, 2014)

Lol...me too...where does it all come from???


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## Vivjen (Jan 10, 2014)

I don't know... And another job is to de-clutter the garage; full of broken stuff and things I have no further use for. Maybe next week.


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## CeeCee (Jan 10, 2014)

Why did you mention the garage....I try to forget about that.


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## Vivjen (Jan 10, 2014)

I keep my car in mine....unusual I know...so this is all round the edges.


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## CeeCee (Jan 10, 2014)

I have a 3 car garage and only room for one car, thankfully I onl,y have one, lol.

But in my defense, most newer homes don't have basements!

Its still a disaster though...I need a man to help me with this though.


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## Vivjen (Jan 10, 2014)

Basements? We don't do basements. I have a next door neighbour who will help....when he stops laughing at me!


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## CeeCee (Jan 10, 2014)

Lucky you!

Guess maybe I should start dating or looking for a friend with benefits, except the benefits would be for me and not sex but helping me clean out my garage...any takers? lease:


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## Vivjen (Jan 10, 2014)

I tried that with next door; he has found a younger model...


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## grannyjo (Jan 10, 2014)

I've been De-cluttering for a couple of years now.  We have council pick-ups twice a year and I always manage to put out my allowable lot.  I think I've almost got there,  and I have been resisting buying anything new.  Maybe one day I will make it.


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## Vivjen (Jan 10, 2014)

Why is it that I have one drawer for crap, then it spreads....?


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## CeeCee (Jan 10, 2014)

One of the laws of nature!


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## CeeCee (Jan 10, 2014)

grannyjo said:


> I've been De-cluttering for a couple of years now.  We have council pick-ups twice a year and I always manage to put out my allowable lot.  I think I've almost got there,  and I have been resisting buying anything new.  Maybe one day I will make it.



My problem is that I have a lot of things that aren't garbage ....I need to do a garage sale but that is not easy alone.
I may start dragging to my daughters and then when her neighborhood has theirs...I'll go there.


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 10, 2014)

CeeCee said:


> Where is that new member who would tell us how to exercise in our chairs?



Old member here but...https://www.seniorforums.com/group.php?discussionid=94&do=discuss


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## CeeCee (Jan 10, 2014)

Thanks...I've done a few of those on airplanes...in fact everybody should on a longer flt to keep from getting a blood clot.


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 10, 2014)

I only do housework when I'm in the mood too, and it's not that often.  I'll do the basics *when needed*, vacuuming, bathroom, kitchen floor, etc.  I have an open field behind my house, and it gets super dusty all the time, I stopped even thinking about that years ago.  The dog tracks in mud from the yard, and when we take him to the park...so I just wait until it dries on the carpet, and vacuum then.  All my drawers, cabinets and closets need to be arranged and de-cluttered...but when I do make the effort, the re-clutter is effortless.   I don't worry too much about cleaning, just won't live in a pig sty, lol. layful:


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## Old Hipster (Jan 10, 2014)

UGH, I'm not having another garage sale, we had one a few years back and really unloaded a bunch of crap, I mean good stuff. But it was a lot of work and some people want your stuff for next to nothing when you are already selling it for a song!

Oh yeah duh-o, we collected coffee tins and spic tins and other assorted tins, anything that would have had a food item in it. We had well over 100, they were all up on a shelf that went along 2 walls of the kitchen, up high on the wall. Anyway I sold them all in one day at our garage sale, a couple of the right people happened to stop by and one guy was fixing his garage up like an old store type place. So holy smokes, he bought a ton of them. I had coffee tins back from the late 1800's and on up, same with the spices and nut cans. Weird hobby, I know! We used to have fun about 20 years ago haunting flea markets and garage sales for the things.

I don't know about where anybody else lives, but the prices have really gone up on "junk", everybody thinks they are selling an antique treasure. 

I have been junking/antiquing since I was a little kid, started with my grandma, so that's over 50 years! and boy howdy I do know my junk and how furniture was made and what's what with all sorts of old stuff. And man, sometimes people really like to try and pass off some junk as something it's not! 

Well anyway...now I am just rambling.


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## CeeCee (Jan 10, 2014)

SeaBreeze said:


> I only do housework when I'm in the mood too, and it's not that often.  I'll do the basics *when needed*, vacuuming, bathroom, kitchen floor, etc.  I have an open field behind my house, and it gets super dusty all the time, I stopped even thinking about that years ago.  The dog tracks in mud from the yard, and when we take him to the park...so I just wait until it dries on the carpet, and vacuum then.  All my drawers, cabinets and closets need to be arranged and de-cluttered...but when I do make the effort, the re-clutter is effortless.   I don't worry too much about cleaning, just won't live in a pig sty, lol. layful:



Well since I've been on here all day you can imagine how much I did around the house...who cares right?
I always plan on it for tomorrow, then tomorrow I get on my iPad and before I know it, it's time for bed.


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## CeeCee (Jan 10, 2014)

Old Hipster said:


> UGH, I'm not having another garage sale, we had one a few years back and really unloaded a bunch of crap, I mean good stuff. But it was a lot of work and some people want your stuff for next to nothing when you are already selling it for a song!
> 
> Oh yeah duh-o, we collected coffee tins and spic tins and other assorted tins, anything that would have had a food item in it. We had well over 100, they were all up on a shelf that went along 2 walls of the kitchen, up high on the wall. Anyway I sold them all in one day at our garage sale, a couple of the right people happened to stop by and one guy was fixing his garage up like an old store type place. So holy smokes, he bought a ton of them. I had coffee tins back from the late 1800's and on up, same with the spices and nut cans. Weird hobby, I know! We used to have fun about 20 years ago haunting flea markets and garage sales for the things.
> 
> ...



Ive had garage sales and they are a LOT of work, I agree.  We have so many here ...I don't go because I'm trying to get rid of junk not buy more and you are right about what they are asking for their junk,it is ridiculous...forget it!


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## Diwundrin (Jan 10, 2014)

Good luck with the de-cluttering.  Best thing for it is to watch Hoarders closely.  I started recognizing the 'reasons' they had for getting into that situation and had a real hard rethink about what I owned, and what owned me!  

 I looked around at all the loaded furniture and sorted in my mind what I had there because I liked it, from what I had because it had sentimental tentacles imbedded in my psyche.   aaaaghhhh.  Scary!

I was (still am a little) carrying around treasured items from previous generations.  Their treasures, not mine.  How dumb is that?  They haven't come back to collect or dust 'em so why should I still carry them about with me?  They're gettin' heavy. 

 I'm fobbing off as much as I can to 'kind homes' with the younger generation using grand tales of Great Granny and how she treasured something and I know she'd want them to have it.   ... let's spread the burden and guilt around eh?...  and sometimes it works, but the youngsters are too smart in the main to fall for loading up with other people's junk nowadays.  The ones that take them probably whack them on eBay or into an Op shop anyway. 



I'm downsizing real soon and trying desperately to take only what I need and a few things I like to look at for decorating.  Easier said than done!

Do it while you're still fit enough.  Pretend you are moving into a home under half the size of what you're used to.  That focus' the attention a treat. I can guarantee it!


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## Vivjen (Jan 11, 2014)

I agree; in theory.However, I have loads of books; which I re-read, so operate a one in, one out policy; same with clothes.
at least that doesn't add anything!


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## Diwundrin (Jan 11, 2014)

Wish I'd gone that path, if I read one I particularly like it gets filed to read again later, about 20 years later!  Also have a lot of craft and  reference books that I don't want to part with, siiiiigh.


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## Rainee (Jan 11, 2014)

Only problem Di is when you move to a smaller home and think to your self now what will I need and what don`t I need ?
well! I need this and I need that and before you know it nearly everything goes with you hehe !  how to decide is hard !! 
I moved from 5 bedroom and 2 story home to a single story 2 bedroom smaller compact home easier to clean .. well it would 
be if it didn`t have so much stuff in it.. I really need to declutter but not as a resolution as I`d not keep it.. don`t make any 
as too hard to keep them..


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## TICA (Jan 11, 2014)

Vivjen said:


> Why is it that I have one drawer for crap, then it spreads....?



I've always had a "junk drawer", but it has grown into a junk room.  No kidding - I have a small room upstairs that has all of the crap in it.  A bunch of suitcases (I traveled a lot when I was working). a dresser that was my Grandmothers, you name it.  I have boxes and boxes of books that I can't part with because I'll read them all again some day.  lol 

I have to de-clutter when I'm in the mood to do it and then I can go great guns.   I'm like most of us - clean the house to make it presentable but don't look too close.  I do find that if I'm angry or upset, I can whip through the house in no time and it gets spotless.   My kids used to say that they always knew if I was pi**ed off when they came home from school because the house would be spotless....


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## Vivjen (Jan 11, 2014)

Funnily enough my kids never said that......
i wouldn't mind so much, but it is a never-ending cycle; fridge, freezer, drawers; I am good at moving things from one place to another though.


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## CeeCee (Jan 11, 2014)

That is why I have to declutter, vivjen...all my drawers and closets, etc are filled up!

My guest bedroom closet has my stuff in it...good thing I don't have guests!


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## Vivjen (Jan 11, 2014)

Do you follow the rule; if you haven't worn anything for a year....get rid of it? I tried it with jumpers last year, and I haven't missed any yet.


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## CeeCee (Jan 11, 2014)

No, unfortunately.

i have too many clothes because I have a very generous daughter who always takes me shopping but since I don't work, I just don't have the opportunity to wear them...I still have stuff with the tags attached.

In July my family and I went on a wedding cruise for my niece , my daughter bought my whole wardrobe...fancy dresses etc.  where will I wear them again??

Ive even thought about joining a church so that I can wear my nicer clothes, lol.


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## Vivjen (Jan 11, 2014)

That, to me, would be quite an extreme way of using clothes! but, here again, you have brought up the differences between sons and daughters; just before Christmas i bought my 33 year old son two shirts and one pair of trousers, as he had none!


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## grannyjo (Jan 11, 2014)

The stuff I put out for council cleanups is usually all quite useable, just that it has served it's life with me.  What gets me are the people who will knock on my door,  asking if they may take it?  So many just sneak around in the dead of night, sort through to get what they want,  and leave the rest strewn over the footpath.


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## Vivjen (Jan 11, 2014)

We take ours to the local tip here, where we separate it, so that as little as possible goes to landfill.i doubt wether anybody would want my broken lamp shades, and extinct Christmas lights!


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## CeeCee (Jan 11, 2014)

We have a big garbage pick up here too twice a year, but it has to be a certain size and I can't chop up some of the big things.

We too have people driving around picking up stuff, nobody has ever rung my bell though .


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## Jillaroo (Jan 11, 2014)

_I have been trying for 5 years to declutter, i have sold quite a few things on Gumtree which is a site that's free to advertise on, at the moment i have a large box full ready to take to the Op shop when my injuries allow me to, then i can start on another box or 2 or 3 or 4 OMG it's never ending, i'm sure it breeds in the back room  as each time i look in it seems to have multiplied_


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## Casper (Jan 11, 2014)

Vivjen said:


> Do you follow the rule; if you haven't worn anything for a year....get rid of it? I tried it with jumpers last year, and I haven't missed any yet.



_*Yes Vivjen......I do this every 18 months to 2 years.....a couple of things I have missed, well for a minute, then I moved on.  :bonvoyage:


It's the best thing to do if you can.....I think the first time is the hardest then you toughen up....:gettowork:
*_


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## Vivjen (Jan 12, 2014)

Towels, duvet covers, and sheets definitely multiply in the dark. I have to operate a one in, one (or two) out system on them...or else I would suffocate.


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## Jackie22 (Jan 12, 2014)

Diwundrin said:


> Good luck with the de-cluttering.  Best thing for it is to watch Hoarders closely.  I started recognizing the 'reasons' they had for getting into that situation and had a real hard rethink about what I owned, and what owned me!
> 
> I looked around at all the loaded furniture and sorted in my mind what I had there because I liked it, from what I had because it had sentimental tentacles imbedded in my psyche.   aaaaghhhh.  Scary!
> 
> ...



Great post, lol......I have a son that loves all the old stuff, his home is the show piece of our ancestors' lives....and so it goes.


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## CeeCee (Jan 12, 2014)

Well since I joined this forum I havent made any headway at all...it's all of your faults!

Ths place is addicting , had I known that I wouldn't have made any resolutions...oh well it won't be the first time I break them.


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## Vivjen (Jan 12, 2014)

I must admit.....I haven't done a lot......just about enough to keep things ticking over! Maybe next week..


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## CeeCee (Jan 12, 2014)

yes...maybe next week!:lies:


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## CeeCee (Jan 12, 2014)

I don't mean the Lies sign to be pointing at you Vivjen but at me!


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## Vivjen (Jan 12, 2014)

It could just as well be....


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## CeeCee (Jan 12, 2014)

Lol!


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 12, 2014)

CeeCee said:


> Well since I joined this forum I havent made any headway at all...it's all of your faults!
> 
> Ths place is addicting , had I known that I wouldn't have made any resolutions...oh well it won't be the first time I break them.



Hey, don't blame it on us!!  You need to learn to multi-task, that's all.  Right now I'm using this time to dust my keyboard and mouse...glad that job's out of the way!  :barbershop_quartet_


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## CeeCee (Jan 12, 2014)

That's what I'm going to have to do...right now I'm eating...pretty good, huh?


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 12, 2014)

I'm "dusting" with my right hand, and eating some marble halvah and a sliced Anjou pear with the other, LOL!


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 12, 2014)

There's plenty of donation bins around, almost one on every other corner.  So when I want to get rid of some clothes or household items that someone else might make use of, I just put the things in a bag, and place it one of the bins.  They are for various causes, epilepsy, cancer, etc.


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## grannyjo (Jan 12, 2014)

Here,  they've had to remove the donation bins because of so many people putting rubbish in the bins. Costing the charities millions of dollars to get rid of the rubbish/stuff.  Really can't work out where those people come from


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## Jillaroo (Jan 12, 2014)

_I have seen them in action on TV , it's disgusting what they were doing_


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