DECLUTTER - DAYS 3,4, AND 5

After my good start last week, I didn't get much more done. I was exhausted. I was so tired and sleepy every day, partly because I was not sleeping well at night, but not sure what else caused it. I was, and am not, sick. I think it was Wednesday last week that I did manage to take down several small boxes of craft things that I have not touched in years, other than to move the boxes from the old house to this one, and to put them on the  laundry closet shelf. As you will see in the pictures, I am getting rid of more than 5 things, so I think that, even though I didn't get around to going through the boxes until yesterday (Monday), it qualifies for days 3, 4, and 5 last week.

I think I should have taken a picture of the boxes stacked on the kitchen chair next to the table, which sat there from Wednesday until yesterday! By then I was so sick of having them in the way, that I knew I had to do something with them immediately.

So here we go --

 Quilling papers and tools, plus some pieces I had done many years ago. And at the bottom right are directions for making quill jewelry and a bag of jewelry backings and chains for necklaces, rings and earrings.

A closeup of some of the pieces I made. They were meant to be necklace pendants and matching earrings, but I never got any of them mounted. They could be used for other things as well - on greeting cards if you make your own, for one thing. I have seen some very beautiful things done with quilling, but I know I won't be doing it again. If I haven't touched it in over 10 years . . . . . .

Small wooden heart shaped box, bag of small wooden hearts, various colors of glitter, including almost full container of stardust glitter, 3 homemade wooden spool knitters. One still even has thread on it! Package of good, new artist paint brushes, a couple of stencil brushes and the red handle brush says fabric paint brush. I have no clue what I was going to do with that brush when I bought it. And a package of white chenille stems. There is a round piece of glass that I think might be a jar lid, but I don't think it fits any of my antique jars. I will check before I do get rid of it, but I have to wait until my daughter is here to get the jars down from on top of the cupboards.

Aah, the PEACE item. That is an after Christmas 75% off impulse buy. I thought I would set it on the window sill, but it doesn't fit my window sills. Plus the back is flat and plain white with 2 holes in it, meant to be hung on the wall, which I do not want to do. It could decorate the top of the entertainment center or piano but the green doesn't go with my other Christmas decorations, and I decided I really don't care much for it. And the two doilies. They would be pretty attached to the tops of round pillows, but I know I will never get around to doing that. Again, haven't done anything with them in the last 10+ years. . . . .

This is about place mat size, so I assume that I was going to use it as part of a table decoration centerpiece, probably for Easter/spring. But it has been in the box 10+ years as well, and I don't see myself using it in the future. I know I crocheted it, but I have made lots and lots of things, and can make one again if I decide I want something like this later.

Stamping supplies. You can tell that I never really got into it much. I think my granddaughters will enjoy them. If not, they will be donated also.

Now to the throwaways and recycles. I think I might have mentioned that last week I sorted my coupons and tossed the outdated ones. But I didn't get the pictures taken so they were still on the table. Two cat food boxes, pocket hose container, cool whip and yogurt containers to be recycled.

And last, the large box from an online order from Walmart that came last week, plus the shipping pillows that were inside. The pillows I will deflate and toss after I check to see if they are recyclable. I put all the culled craft stuff in the box, waiting for my daughter and grandkids to come next weekend. I might keep that box, once empty again, in the garage in case I want to use it for other declutter items to be donated. Otherwise it will go to recycling.

I have not counted the items, but they are more than 5 x 3 days, don't you think?

This week's declutter goals are to choose one room and work on it at least 15 minutes a day. That will be the laundry/back entry again since I have a long way to go in there. The project for the week is digital decluttering, such as organizing photos and cleaning out folders on the computer. I did some of that last week so have a head start on that. I already organized the photos so that I can find them quicker. And I have been working on deleting several hundred old emails already. But still have several hundred to go through yet. Some have TNT recipes from friends, or craft ideas, and household hints that I want to keep, so they go in separate folders so I don't have to wade through a thousand emails to find them again. Yes, I hoard email. LOL Part of the problem is that I don't take enough time to read them when they arrive - super procrastination. I should just do a mass delete without reading them when they are a couple years old, but I just can't bring myself to do that until I at least glance at them to make sure there are no recipes, etc. Recipes are another thing I hoard, but at least digital ones don't take up physical space! And they can be much easier to find back if I have them organized.