This week I decided to step up the decluttering, and deliberately get rid of two items at least one day. I've done two or more items at a time before, but the plan was always one a day.
So what happens? It's the weakest week of decluttering ever. I still did it, but the little baggie on Tuesday was only the beginning of tiny decluttering. I have had to keep reminding myself that the tiny stuff is also clutter, taking up space in my life, and it counts!
Wednesday: I threw away two rubberbands. I was pretty low about this. Have thrown away rubberbands before but they never made it into the blog. But I don't use rubberbands, so they are clutter for me.
Thursday: This was a result of some results! I took a catbox deordorizer to the lobby. It was far too strongly scented and would have given me a headache. It was given to me that day, so I also recycled a few newspapers so I could say I got rid of stuff that was already in the house.
Friday: I threw away some old body scrub that was...old. Too old to use. There was hardly any left anyway. Also gave a neighbor some cat treats I bought that my cat didn't like. She's picky about her treats. She'll eat plants that make her sick, but not treats made out of meat.
Saturday: Finally! Took a bag of clothes and stuff to the thrift store! There were seven items of women's clothing, two items of men's clothing, one indeterminite pair of shorts (though it looked manly), that shower scrunchy I couldn't give away before, and 5 notebooks. Three of the clothing items were mine, the rest came from my neighbors. And the notebooks were from work. We ordered them and didn't like them, and Staples said to donate them to charity, so that's what I did.
Results: A friend gave me a whole bag full of cat food and cat stuff. He found it in the free stuff area of HIS apartment building and snagged it for me! That's where the deodorizer came from. It's great cuz the cat likes the food (though again, not the treats!), so that means I get an extra week or two before I need cat food again. I gave the cat one of the toys, a squeaky mouse, to play with, and she thought it was real. She was running around with it in her mouth, meowing at me just like when she catches a real mouse (she's caught two or three since I've had her - they pretty much stay away). I took it away from her before she tried to eat it, but in the interim it was pretty funny.
It was kinda sad too, though, cuz there was a brush in the bag that still had cat hair in it, and you know whoever gave the stuff away just lost their cat one way or another. Awww.
Anyway. I just have to say, if you throw out a rubberband that you are never going to use, YOU ARE DECLUTTERING. One item a day, big or small, means you're in the game.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Sunday/Monday/Tuesday
Sunday: Took a very small notepad to the lobby. It was one of those freebies you get with offers in the mail. You know how they give you a bunch of semi-useful stuff so you feel obligated to buy their product? This was one of those.
Monday: This was a big one for me. I took a t-shirt down to the lobby. It was something I got from doing a coaching program. The program didn't work for me and the stuff they gave me for doing it was useless and not what they originally promised. So I certainly was not going to advertise for them. Let someone else wear the shirt and say "I don't know, I found it in the lobby" whenever anyone asks them about the program.
Tuesday: I threw away a tiny baggie. Pretty lame, I know. I think the day I recycled one receipt was worse. I recycled a couple of newspapers Tuesday to bolster the decluttering.
This might be the first day I've missed (gasp!), because I didn't toss it till after midnight, so technically it was Wednesday. I'm trying to remember if there were other late nights when I got home and immediately took something out. Anyway, I was still up, so I think I could count it as Tuesday. But if you all disagree, leave a comment. I guess I had to slip up sometime - no one is perfect.
Results: HOLY CRAP! I mean, COW. I got the rest of my rent check. Got TWO months worth plus $75 in late fees! After the management fee that's probably $65 to me. I'll take it!
Monday: This was a big one for me. I took a t-shirt down to the lobby. It was something I got from doing a coaching program. The program didn't work for me and the stuff they gave me for doing it was useless and not what they originally promised. So I certainly was not going to advertise for them. Let someone else wear the shirt and say "I don't know, I found it in the lobby" whenever anyone asks them about the program.
Tuesday: I threw away a tiny baggie. Pretty lame, I know. I think the day I recycled one receipt was worse. I recycled a couple of newspapers Tuesday to bolster the decluttering.
This might be the first day I've missed (gasp!), because I didn't toss it till after midnight, so technically it was Wednesday. I'm trying to remember if there were other late nights when I got home and immediately took something out. Anyway, I was still up, so I think I could count it as Tuesday. But if you all disagree, leave a comment. I guess I had to slip up sometime - no one is perfect.
Results: HOLY CRAP! I mean, COW. I got the rest of my rent check. Got TWO months worth plus $75 in late fees! After the management fee that's probably $65 to me. I'll take it!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
The Rest of The Week
Wednesday: Took a half-used bottle of bubble bath down to the lobby.
Thursday: Removed the shower filter from my shower and pitched it. It was cracked and spraying so I couldn't get enough pressure without getting the wall all wet. The paint is already peeling - need to get the landlord on that - and getting it wet would only make it worse. Whoever painted it last used matte paint rather than semi-gloss. Evidently this was not an experienced painter. I am going to buy a metal shower filter soon, which will never crack and spray water where it shouldn't.
Friday: Tore down the plastic on my bedroom window and threw it away. It had a hole from the tape so next winter I will need a new sheet anyway. Also took some dead flowers out to the empty lot next door - fertilizer!
Saturday: Threw away my old tennis shoes. I wore them to walk to the Farmers' Market in the morning, and my legs were aching before I even got there.
Results: I'm getting a pile of extra money in a few days from late payments for one of my tenants. He was served 5-day notice this week and his dad came in and paid. Since he was so late, there should be at least an extra $50 on this check. I love late fees.
Thursday: Removed the shower filter from my shower and pitched it. It was cracked and spraying so I couldn't get enough pressure without getting the wall all wet. The paint is already peeling - need to get the landlord on that - and getting it wet would only make it worse. Whoever painted it last used matte paint rather than semi-gloss. Evidently this was not an experienced painter. I am going to buy a metal shower filter soon, which will never crack and spray water where it shouldn't.
Friday: Tore down the plastic on my bedroom window and threw it away. It had a hole from the tape so next winter I will need a new sheet anyway. Also took some dead flowers out to the empty lot next door - fertilizer!
Saturday: Threw away my old tennis shoes. I wore them to walk to the Farmers' Market in the morning, and my legs were aching before I even got there.
Results: I'm getting a pile of extra money in a few days from late payments for one of my tenants. He was served 5-day notice this week and his dad came in and paid. Since he was so late, there should be at least an extra $50 on this check. I love late fees.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Monday/Tuesday
On Monday I took a small white basket to the lobby. I don't remember where I got it but it didn't sell on eBay or craigslist, or at the yard sale, so it was time to give up!
Tuesday's decluttering: I took a cell phone holder (that you could attach to a purse or maybe a belt), a notepad, and some blank recipe cards to the lobby. Then I took the shower scrubby thing back in. As a friend pointed out to me, "Would you use someone else's used shower scrubby thing?" I hadn't really thought about that. I barely used it, years ago, and only on my back, so it never occurred to me that someone else might be grossed out by any use at all.
Tuesday's decluttering: I took a cell phone holder (that you could attach to a purse or maybe a belt), a notepad, and some blank recipe cards to the lobby. Then I took the shower scrubby thing back in. As a friend pointed out to me, "Would you use someone else's used shower scrubby thing?" I hadn't really thought about that. I barely used it, years ago, and only on my back, so it never occurred to me that someone else might be grossed out by any use at all.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Sunday
Sunday's decluttering: I took a large black candle to the lobby. It had some logo on it, maybe for a watch company or something. I got it in a gift bag from a luxury car party that I went to with some friends from work awhile back. If we had been quicker on the draw, we'd have gotten luxury bathrobes as additional gifts. Oh, well. We did get a few swag items, so it's all good.
Well, tonight we had a birthday party for my friend and neighbor, so I'm ready for sleep - getting to where I can't drink very much anymore without suffering for it. But we had fun and that's what really matters.
Well, tonight we had a birthday party for my friend and neighbor, so I'm ready for sleep - getting to where I can't drink very much anymore without suffering for it. But we had fun and that's what really matters.
Saturday
Today's decluttering: I took a bath scrunchy thing - what are they called? They are like net that's scrunched up into a ball and you use it to scrub yourself, usually with some body wash or gel. Whatever, I don't enjoy them - too much work - so I took it to the lobby.
Results: Did I mention I'm singing in the chorus of an opera in June? The company is my friends', and they invited me to sing in the chorus of the last opera but I couldn't do it cuz I had too much going on. This one fit my schedule, though.
Anyway, today was our sitzprobe, and it went better than I expected given the amount of music we've had to learn in the amount of time we've had to learn it. Would be perfectly straightforward except for the fact that the women are frequently singing along for the mens' choruses and some of the parts have been switched around to compensate. Kinda hard to practice when you don't know what part you're singing. I've also volunteered to sing second on the soprano lines that split, and those notes are nearly impossible to find unless you have perfect pitch, which I don't. I do have great pitch memory, which I am going to need for those notes. For non-singers, that just means that you've memorized how the note sounds so you can pull it out of thin air. It's kinda like a cousin of perfect pitch. Perfect pitch is always there, though, while pitch memory only comes after you've heard the music a few (or many) times. But it lasts - I can still "hear" the starting notes of songs I learned 15 years ago.
OK, enough music lessons!
Results: Did I mention I'm singing in the chorus of an opera in June? The company is my friends', and they invited me to sing in the chorus of the last opera but I couldn't do it cuz I had too much going on. This one fit my schedule, though.
Anyway, today was our sitzprobe, and it went better than I expected given the amount of music we've had to learn in the amount of time we've had to learn it. Would be perfectly straightforward except for the fact that the women are frequently singing along for the mens' choruses and some of the parts have been switched around to compensate. Kinda hard to practice when you don't know what part you're singing. I've also volunteered to sing second on the soprano lines that split, and those notes are nearly impossible to find unless you have perfect pitch, which I don't. I do have great pitch memory, which I am going to need for those notes. For non-singers, that just means that you've memorized how the note sounds so you can pull it out of thin air. It's kinda like a cousin of perfect pitch. Perfect pitch is always there, though, while pitch memory only comes after you've heard the music a few (or many) times. But it lasts - I can still "hear" the starting notes of songs I learned 15 years ago.
OK, enough music lessons!
Friday, May 15, 2009
The Week in Clutter
Hey all, it's been a crazy week. So much to do, so little time. I've managed to continue decluttering, however. Here's the blow-by-blow:
Monday: Took a package of blueberry scented blue votives down to the lobby. It was open, I had used one or two. I have so many candles and the other blue ones I have are prettier.
Tuesday: Left an Artbar card down in the lobby. This is artwork that comes in a chocolate bar! They donate a portion of proceeds to charity.
Wednesday: Took a small gold picture frame down to the lobby. It was about 2" x 4", very small and cute.
Thursday: Took a brass incense burner to the lobby. It was round and awkward for burning cone incense. Plus, I have a long skinny one for incense sticks, so who needs two of them?
Friday: Today I took a small pin down to the lobby. It was one of the items my friend gave me to sell but no one was buying at the yard sale and eBay costs too much to list stuff.
Results: When I got home Monday night there were THREE checks waiting for me. Two of them I expected this week. The third I did not - thought it was coming at the end of May. It was a $200 affiliate check. Yeah, baby!
Monday: Took a package of blueberry scented blue votives down to the lobby. It was open, I had used one or two. I have so many candles and the other blue ones I have are prettier.
Tuesday: Left an Artbar card down in the lobby. This is artwork that comes in a chocolate bar! They donate a portion of proceeds to charity.
Wednesday: Took a small gold picture frame down to the lobby. It was about 2" x 4", very small and cute.
Thursday: Took a brass incense burner to the lobby. It was round and awkward for burning cone incense. Plus, I have a long skinny one for incense sticks, so who needs two of them?
Friday: Today I took a small pin down to the lobby. It was one of the items my friend gave me to sell but no one was buying at the yard sale and eBay costs too much to list stuff.
Results: When I got home Monday night there were THREE checks waiting for me. Two of them I expected this week. The third I did not - thought it was coming at the end of May. It was a $200 affiliate check. Yeah, baby!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Saturday/Sunday
Saturday's clutter clearing: I took a pretty mobile down to the lobby. It was rainbow colored hearts in graduated lengths so it made a spiral of hearts.
Today's clutter clearing: I took 8 plastic bags to be recycled at the store.
Today's clutter clearing: I took 8 plastic bags to be recycled at the store.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Thursday/Friday
On Thursday, I took a small heart-shaped floral patterned box to the lobby. Good for holding jewelry or something like that.
On Friday (late), I took down some old Mac software. It was gone this morning.
I'm pretty sure I took something else out on Wednesday besides the shreddables, but don't remember what. AND, I've been meaning to add, on my birthday, since I was given a new mascara, I threw out my crappy old Almay mascara. This was their no-clump mascara, and the very first time I used it there were clumps. I should have gotten a refund, but instead I'll just never buy their mascara again.
Results: On Thursday and Friday I was in a seminar about trading strategies, and I learned some things I think I can use. I'm excited about that! Extra cash flow would be wonderful.
Oh, also, my mom is coming to visit! She got a good deal on airfare yesterday, so it's all set.
On Friday (late), I took down some old Mac software. It was gone this morning.
I'm pretty sure I took something else out on Wednesday besides the shreddables, but don't remember what. AND, I've been meaning to add, on my birthday, since I was given a new mascara, I threw out my crappy old Almay mascara. This was their no-clump mascara, and the very first time I used it there were clumps. I should have gotten a refund, but instead I'll just never buy their mascara again.
Results: On Thursday and Friday I was in a seminar about trading strategies, and I learned some things I think I can use. I'm excited about that! Extra cash flow would be wonderful.
Oh, also, my mom is coming to visit! She got a good deal on airfare yesterday, so it's all set.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Monday/Tuesday
Monday's Declutter: I took a very long phone cord down to the lobby. I think it was 25', maybe more. I used to have dial-up, so I needed it for that. But since I got cable internet, I had no need for it anymore, and no one was buying it at the yard sales.
Tuesday's Declutter: A troll pencil topper went to the lobby.
Tuesday's Declutter: A troll pencil topper went to the lobby.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Sunday
Today's decluttering: I took 9 plastic bags to the store to recycle. I also took a bunch of bottles and cans back. And I took a pair of black socks down to the lobby. They are perfectly good socks, but they crawl down over my heels and drive me crazy when I wear them. So they are gone.
Forgot that yesterday I also recycled 4 glass bottles.
Today I finally cleaned up a bit around here. I changed the cat litter and took out that and the garbage. Also took the recycling down. I put away a pile of jackets that were in the living room, and hung my winter coats in the closet. I did the filing and got rid of a lot of papers, so the paper mess is quite a bit less messy. And I made quiche and did the dishes.
Oh, yeah, and I called my friend's antique dealer friend to see about getting some of my furniture appraised. I'll be emailing him some photos this week and finding out if I have any antiques.
Forgot that yesterday I also recycled 4 glass bottles.
Today I finally cleaned up a bit around here. I changed the cat litter and took out that and the garbage. Also took the recycling down. I put away a pile of jackets that were in the living room, and hung my winter coats in the closet. I did the filing and got rid of a lot of papers, so the paper mess is quite a bit less messy. And I made quiche and did the dishes.
Oh, yeah, and I called my friend's antique dealer friend to see about getting some of my furniture appraised. I'll be emailing him some photos this week and finding out if I have any antiques.
Saturday Yard Sale
Wow! It looked like Saturday morning so my neighbor and I waited a couple hours to see what the weather would do. He invited me over for breakfast and it did rain while I was there. Then the sun came out, so we went ahead and set stuff up. While I was getting my stuff, my next-door neighbor in my building came in and asked what was up. I told him about the sale and said he could join us. He said he didn't want to sit out all day, but had some stuff to get rid of which he'd give me if I wanted to sell it.
He drove my stuff down to my neighbor's along with his, and said I could keep whatever I got for it. Well, one of the items was an older girl's bike - looks like a Schwinn. I have been wanting a bike and decided to keep it. He had a bunch of baskets and an old suitcase too.
Well. We didn't get started till 2 and it was awhile before things started to happen, but between 4 and 6 things were really hoppin'. I sold six items, including the suitcase and one of the baskets, and made $21! I was soooo happy. I got some of my non-movers out finally, and made more than I would have asked by asking the people to make offers. My neighbor wasn't doing so well at first, but by the last hour he was making money. So it was a very good day!
Oh, yeah, I also left a pair of Warner Bros. cufflinks in the lobby.
He drove my stuff down to my neighbor's along with his, and said I could keep whatever I got for it. Well, one of the items was an older girl's bike - looks like a Schwinn. I have been wanting a bike and decided to keep it. He had a bunch of baskets and an old suitcase too.
Well. We didn't get started till 2 and it was awhile before things started to happen, but between 4 and 6 things were really hoppin'. I sold six items, including the suitcase and one of the baskets, and made $21! I was soooo happy. I got some of my non-movers out finally, and made more than I would have asked by asking the people to make offers. My neighbor wasn't doing so well at first, but by the last hour he was making money. So it was a very good day!
Oh, yeah, I also left a pair of Warner Bros. cufflinks in the lobby.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Friday
Today I threw away a ripped up pair of jeans. I was going to patch the holes, but I already have jeans with patches. Do I really need another pair? Not really.
Results: Today I went to put $2 on my Metrocard so I'd have two rides, and I found out I already HAD two rides!
Doing the yard sale with my neighbor again this weekend. He's been doing it every weekend since the first one. Some days haven't been great, but he's done OK on others. Anyway, I'm hopeful that I might sell some of these knick-knacks of mine. Will let you all know!
Results: Today I went to put $2 on my Metrocard so I'd have two rides, and I found out I already HAD two rides!
Doing the yard sale with my neighbor again this weekend. He's been doing it every weekend since the first one. Some days haven't been great, but he's done OK on others. Anyway, I'm hopeful that I might sell some of these knick-knacks of mine. Will let you all know!
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