Since I Retired

[posiepurrs]

Since I retired last month, I have been slowly going through the house and deep cleaning room by room. I think I have vacuumed up enough cat hair to build a couple of extra cats! I also thought that when we started remodeling (STILL NOT finished) a couple of years ago that I had 'de-junked' the house, getting rid of clutter. Clutter seems to multiply like rabbits! I have a bad habit of saying if I get rid of it, I may need it. Not any longer! If I or my husband have not used it or worn it in the last few months it is going! The exception is my cat room. I am keeping and displaying the rosettes and plaques. The cat room is last on my list anyway. I have a lot of work to do in there and want it just right. Still working on storage solutions for my show stuff since there are no closets in the room (it is supposed to be a formal living room.). I have to finish the inside because in spring I start doing the same thing to my yard.

 

[Winchester]

Good for you! I agree that clutter multiplies like rabbits. It doesn't take long. That's the first thing I want to do when I retire: go through the house and get rid of stuff that I don't use.

When Rick's dad passed away and his mother went into assisted living, we were the ones who had to clean their house. It was awful; they were packrats. We said then that we didn't want our son to have to have to handle our house like that.

Keep on keeping on....

 

[posiepurrs]

When our kids were small, my husbands job kept us moving around frequently for awhile. We didn't have clutter because I was ruthless since we had to pack and move everything ourselves. Then we bought a house and stayed put (almost 27 years) so it accumulated. Kids left home and left stuff. I finally told them we weren't a warehouse to store their things.

 

[Winchester]

We finally had to do that with our son, too. When he moved out, he kept a ton of stuff here. Then he got married and we thought he'd take his stuff. That didn't happen. Finally, after they were married about ten years, I told him he really needed to clean his things out of the basement....or at least go through stuff and decide what he wanted to take and what could be trashed. That didn't happen either. Finally about a couple years after that, Rick and I loaded his stuff on the truck and went down. You should have seen the look on his face when we pulled into the driveway. In the truck. Which was loaded. With his stuff. I think it's all still in his garage. In the same boxes and totes. (Not that it really cleaned our basement out all that much.)

 

[rgwanner]

I could easily be a pack rat, if not a hoarder. I told a friend that all my yarn, fabric, trim etc was labeled and he said that just makes me an organized hoarder.
(I sew and do craft shows so I keep a lot of that and actually use it.)

That being said, about 2 or 3 years ago I started de-cluttering. I am making progress. For one thing - clothes. Every spring and fall, anything I can not wear NOW gets donated. Or if I have not worn it that season.

I read an article that said think of thrift stores as your attic. Let them store your stuff. I love that thought, if you think you MIGHT need something SOMEDAY. Every week I go through a cabinet or drawer and find things that are just taking up room. Off they go to the Shelter thrift store.

The more I get rid of the better I feel. My daughter does not want any of my stuff. And when I get rid of stuff I don't use, I can find the stuff I do use.

Even in a small space it is amazing how much can accumulate.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Yes, my wife and I actually watched this start to finish on how people living in places like Tokyo (small spaces) manage to keep their place free from clutter and it was very informative.
We separate clothes, kitchenware, odds and ends, tools (sniff) and everything else into a "keep", "toss", and "maybe" pile, and when we hit that maybe pile we adopt the idea mentioned here that if you don't immediately get a sense of awe or something from the heart, donate it so someone else can.

Happy retirement!!!!

 

[FelisCatus]

Yes, my wife and I actually watched this start to finish on how people living in places like Tokyo (small spaces) manage to keep their place free from clutter and it was very informative.
We separate clothes, kitchenware, odds and ends, tools (sniff) and everything else into a "keep", "toss", and "maybe" pile, and when we hit that maybe pile we adopt the idea mentioned here that if you don't immediately get a sense of awe or something from the heart, donate it so someone else can.

Happy retirement!!!!

We use a slightly different method called the KonMari method, it definitely helps decide what you should really keep or not.

The creators name is Marie Kondo and she just got an (English) Netflix show here in NA:

Tidying Up with Marie Kondo | Netflix Official Site

Watch the Empty Nesters episode if anything

 

[1 bruce 1]

We use a slightly different method called the KonMari method, it definitely helps decide what you should really keep or not.

The creators name is Marie Kondo and she just got an (English) Netflix show here in NA:

Tidying Up with Marie Kondo | Netflix Official Site

Watch the Empty Nesters episode if anything

This will be very valuable to us, thank you!!
Our big hurdle has been donating clothes or things to what we know is a very good cause shortly after a family member passes on. It seems unloyal. But eventually we go through, thin the pile down and realize we can do it again and again as time passes.
We have an organization in town that handles food, clothes, and all house hold items for the needy that are given away free of charge, and I keep thinking that old coat of my fathers that's hanging in the closet (that I never wear) might keep someone warm. They might love it more than I do.

 

[Winchester]

I read Marie Kondo's Tidying Up and it was interesting. Yesterday, I went through my closet and got rid of size S shirts and blouses and all my size 6 and 8 pants and slacks. There's no way I'm ever going to get into them again and I've finally come to terms with it. (At that size and weight, I look like death warmed over.) Size 10 seems to be my limit these days. There's nothing wrong with the clothes at all and I'm going to take them to the thrift store.

But when it comes to kitchen stuff, all bets are off. You will take my kitchen stuff over my dead body.

You know, to help us purge a little bit as we go, maybe we should start a thread "What did you purge today?"

 

[di and bob]

When my father passed away a few years ago and my mother went into an assisted living, it was up to my husband and me, 70 miles away, to drive to their house daily and sort through massive amounts of accumulated possessions and put them on flats for an auction. We did it all by ourselves even though I have three siblings who live in the same town. They did show up at times to take things they wanted!I, too, swore I would never put my kids through that. Now I have a husband who keeps everything. He has at least two of every kind of power tools because we remodeled houses in two different towns He has 4 power miter saws. The last couple of years i have gone through the house and sorted through a lot of belongings and have gotten rid of much. But how do I convince him? I am exhausted just thinking of moving into his folk's place when they are gone, we have inherited it, it has 160 acres and a 120 foot long by 35 foot wide steel bldg full of 'possessions', then all of ours! They have 8 riding lawn mowers (only one works), 6 tractors and at least 5 vehicles crammed into that bldg. She has 200 dolls with all of their original boxes! they have furniture, everything they have ever owned 'saved'. right now I am going to have a huge garage sale this spring and hope i can convince my husband to donate! It's a start!

 

[AbbysMom]

When my father passed away a few years ago and my mother went into an assisted living, it was up to my husband and me, 70 miles away, to drive to their house daily and sort through massive amounts of accumulated possessions and put them on flats for an auction.

My soon to be 86 year-old mother constantly tells me that all of the stuff in her house will be my problem eventually.

I am a packrat and really need to go though things.

 

[di and bob]

I know.... and then add things from your mom's. Sigh....Someday we will all have to go through things like we are moving into a small apartment, and we may well be!

 

[posiepurrs]

When my father passed away a few years ago and my mother went into an assisted living, it was up to my husband and me, 70 miles away, to drive to their house daily and sort through massive amounts of accumulated possessions and put them on flats for an auction. We did it all by ourselves even though I have three siblings who live in the same town. They did show up at times to take things they wanted!I, too, swore I would never put my kids through that. Now I have a husband who keeps everything. He has at least two of every kind of power tools because we remodeled houses in two different towns He has 4 power miter saws. The last couple of years i have gone through the house and sorted through a lot of belongings and have gotten rid of much. But how do I convince him? I am exhausted just thinking of moving into his folk's place when they are gone, we have inherited it, it has 160 acres and a 120 foot long by 35 foot wide steel bldg full of 'possessions', then all of ours! They have 8 riding lawn mowers (only one works), 6 tractors and at least 5 vehicles crammed into that bldg. She has 200 dolls with all of their original boxes! they have furniture, everything they have ever owned 'saved'. right now I am going to have a huge garage sale this spring and hope i can convince my husband to donate! It's a start!

Maybe if he likes to travel you could tell him that all the money you make from the garage sale will go to a vacation fund. That may encourage him to part with his unneeded treasures and keep him from investing the profits in more!

 

[di and bob]

Good idea!!!He wants to travel so bad, but we can't because of all the cats. I can tell him it's towards vacation AND a pet sitter!

 

[margecat]

Get rid of stuff: if you donate it to a charity (Goodwill, VVA, etc.), you can claim $35.00 a large bag or box on your Federal income tax!!! (Up to a certain amount; I think it's $500, then you get a percentage after that). You can also itemize the items to add up to more than $35. The IRS has a list of values per type of item, such as a blouse, a pot, dishes, appliances, etc. Your tax preparer can also give you a list; ours is more detailed and larger than the IRS one (wish I could find it, LOL!).

 

[Furballsmom]

Ooo, those dolls in original boxes could possibly be worth some serious money...

Oh, thank you for the tip on the IRS list of value!!

 

[susanm9006]

I have always been someone who needed a clutter free environment. Cleaning or straightening a closet makes me happy and relaxed. But. There is the basement and it is a whole different story. The basement holds seasonal decor, craft items, things that might get used again, like lamps, lots and lots of tools, spare wood for my wordworking projects, and a a host of miscellaneous stuff that just seems to end up everywhere. Since I retired six years ago, it has been on my list to organize, but it hasn’t happened yet. In the winter, when I have time, it’s too darn cold to work down there. In the summer, who wants to be in the basement. So it keeps getting postponed.

 

[margecat]

Ooo, those dolls in original boxes could possibly be worth some serious money...

Oh, thank you for the tip on the IRS list of value!!

Thanks! Keep in mind that when they say "value", they're talking about thrift shop prices for everyday items. We're talking about $3-5 for a blouse, etc. If you have collectibles, you may be better off consulting a list for those elsewhere.

Here's the IRS list, from IRS.gov. It says Goodwill, but it really means any donation of items. Keep all your receipts. :https://www.amazinggoodwill.com/hubfs/docs/Donation_Value_Guide_-100115.pdf

I noticed that (used and new) bath towels are on this list. As animal-lovers, we may want to consider donating those to our local shelters, if they accept them. Ours does, and they were very grateful. You can get a tax receipt for those, as well! I also buy them cheap bath towels at WalMart, for about $2.50 each.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[rgwanner]

I read Marie Kondo's Tidying Up and it was interesting. Yesterday, I went through my closet and got rid of size S shirts and blouses and all my size 6 and 8 pants and slacks. There's no way I'm ever going to get into them again and I've finally come to terms with it. (At that size and weight, I look like death warmed over.) Size 10 seems to be my limit these days. There's nothing wrong with the clothes at all and I'm going to take them to the thrift store.

But when it comes to kitchen stuff, all bets are off. You will take my kitchen stuff over my dead body.

You know, to help us purge a little bit as we go, maybe we should start a thread "What did you purge today?"

Thart's a great idea for those of us who are trying to get rid of all our stuff!