I have like a thousand instruction manuals. They come with everything! Do you keep or toss these? If you keep how do you store them?
Do you ever reference them? Even if I keep them, I'm more likely to google the pdf in the rare event I need instructions. Recycle all.
I pretty much never look at them except for things like the car seat or electronics. That's a good point that almost everything is available online now.
Do you ever reference them? Even if I keep them, I'm more likely to google the pdf in the rare event I need instructions. Recycle all.
I pretty much never look at them except for things like the car seat or electronics. That's a good point that almost everything is available online now.
car seats often have a slot to store in the back of the seat.
The only papers manuals I kept were for things with assembly instructions that I'll use soon - converting our crib to a toddler bed and walk mounting a babygate.
H was a saver of ALL the paper, but once I pointed out we can get it all online he became a hardcore paper recycler.
I pretty much never look at them except for things like the car seat or electronics. That's a good point that almost everything is available online now.
car seats often have a slot to store in the back of the seat.
Post by mainelyfoolish on Aug 3, 2015 11:51:44 GMT -5
Re: instructions manuals
Pretty much everything is available online now, so when we get a new appliance DH saves a .pdf copy of all our manuals to a Google drive folder that he has shared with me. That way we don't have to try to figure out model numbers etc. later when we need to reference the manual.
i am such a nerd. this thread makes me excited every time it pops back up.
SHARE MORE PURGING STORIES.
lol.
Get ready! I'm hoping to have a really impressive purge porn photo tomorrow . Our charity of choice was not open during July for donations so we've been piling stuff up big time. Tomorrow we're going to be sitting there when they open with 2 car (SUV, rather) loads probably. I will be sure to take pics after we've loaded everything. It is a big regret of mine that we didn't take more before and after pics as we've gone through the process.
I do have some b&a closet pics I can dig up maybe.
I just skimmed the ones I know he's worn recently and blindly got rid of the rest. "Choosing what to keep" and all that jazz.
Thank you for reminding me of this. Duh. Socks don't have to be hard. I just need to grab 15 or so pairs I know fit and be done with it. I so easily lose track of the mindset I'm supposed to be in when it comes to practical things like that. Toddler socks really won't spark joy so I get hung up on what to get rid and what to keep. Refocus- easy peasy now!
I know its clothes, something, something, miscelaneous, and sentimental. I know clothes are first and pictures are last.
I am a dumbass. What am I doing with this checklist? LOL NO, I haven't read the book and may not get to it but always have a need to declutter. My issue is that I have been burned in the past with prematurely purging items and then needing them later on.
The logic behind going in the listed order (clothes, books, papers, komono, mementos) is that you're going from the least sentimental (therefore easiest to discard) to most sentimental, and by the time you get to the most sentimental stuff, you'll be good at the decision-making part of figuring out whether or not an item actually sparks joy, so it'll be easier to actually discard sentimental stuff. You're also supposed to gather ALL of the stuff from the entire house in each category before starting, so empty ALL of your closets, dressers, bins of seasonal clothing, etc, onto your bed or whatever and then physically touch each piece to decide whether or not it sparks joy. Keep things that spark joy; discard things that don't.
Post by indifferentstars on Aug 3, 2015 22:05:21 GMT -5
Here's my closet before and after. I did the closet back in the beginning of April and it still looks like this (mostly, maybe the hangers aren't so perfectly spaced in real life ). There must have been 5-7 shirts in the laundry at that point as it's a little more crowded now but mostly the same. The most amazing part of this process is how easy it is to maintain areas once you've tidied them. I have always been a really bad back slider and unable to keep up the results of previous purge attempts but here we are 4 months later and I'm still keeping it tidy. There are some things in the after photos that have since been cleared out as I reached later categories (all that crap in the top right baskets/drawers in the after was cosmetic-y stuff that got cleared out).
(the green bin was stuff I intended to sell. It's sat there since April so 95% of the contents are now in our pile for donation tomorrow)
We sold our high chair (which also had a swing and some chair things to snap into) for $60 and an Ergo we bought for a present that she ended up buying herself before we gave it to her for $80. Have a handful of other stuff up right now - DH is way more into selling than I am, so mostly I'm making him deal with it.
I need to schedule another pickup. And move on to books! I did some of DS's last night, and DD's (but we just have board books for her). Although I need to get more ruthless with hers when DH isn't looking.
i read Kondo's AMA on reddit, and really liked her answer to the question "should I sell my stuff or just donate it?" She asked "which would bring you joy?" Basically, if you like selling things for $5-10 one at a time, by all means, sell it! But if the idea stresses you out, just pack it in a bag and give it all away.
I've found this to be really helpful as I'm going through my To Get Rid Of pile. Some stuff is so easy to list and I have $20 in my pocket for no more work that posting a picture to Facebook and leaving it on my front step for someone to pick up. Other times I know I *could* sell it, but it would take more work than I want to invest. in those instances I pack it up without guilt and send it on its way to the donation bin. The money spent on it is already lost. No point in letting it sit around as a dreaded chore.
I can see my closet floor again! Very little of my wardrobe brings me joy so I'm tossing it.
I'll get to my second closet tomorrow - that's mainly out of season clothes and maternity clothes, but also a dumping ground for donations. Goodwill is on the way to daycare.
i read Kondo's AMA on reddit, and really liked her answer to the question "should I sell my stuff or just donate it?" She asked "which would bring you joy?" Basically, if you like selling things for $5-10 one at a time, by all means, sell it! But if the idea stresses you out, just pack it in a bag and give it all away.
I've found this to be really helpful as I'm going through my To Get Rid Of pile. Some stuff is so easy to list and I have $20 in my pocket for no more work that posting a picture to Facebook and leaving it on my front step for someone to pick up. Other times I know I *could* sell it, but it would take more work than I want to invest. in those instances I pack it up without guilt and send it on its way to the donation bin. The money spent on it is already lost. No point in letting it sit around as a dreaded chore.
This is why we just donated everything. It was hard enough to purge and the idea of dealing with flakey CL people was overwhelming.
That's my "donate" pile for pickup tomorrow. Books and adult clothes. There's an equal amount of kid's stuff, but I do figure I'll get $50 if I put it through OAUC so it can wait a bit until that happens.
Just started today with my closet. I filled 15 trash bags of stuff to donate or toss. The book really helped me part with things that I had an emotional attachment to but didn't really want anymore. I am exhausted but elated at the same time! I can't wait to get to books next.
I've been enjoying the check ins and started myself, but just bought and started the audiobook today. I'm going to take another swing. I am LOVING purging. Who knew, as I am usually a pack rat.
Post by purplecow0206 on Aug 7, 2015 10:59:08 GMT -5
I really need to get into the kitchen and do this. We've cleaned out the pantry, but I have to be realistic with the kitchen electronics and accessories (I'm looking at you, Cuisinart food processor I've only used 2 times in the 10+ years I've had it!) and figure out what is actually functional.
While I haven't actually read the book, these discussions has really sparked me to get rid of stuff anyway.
I need to buy this book. I don't hold onto that much stuff but I still think I could benefit from her rules and suggestions.
I was just telling H that I want to clear out our bookcases because I decorated them with THINGS and not things that make me happy to look at. I am over it and I want things with meaning now.
Today I'm cleaning up the piles of stuff I tried to sell that hasn't sold. Baby things to the consignment store, everything else to the donation centre. I can lower the prices a bit, but at some point the money isn't worth the hassle.
Can anyone tell me a good way to get rid of DVDs? Is there any way to get a little cash that isn't a ton of work?
Here's I'd take them to Cashopolis - it's the least sketchy pawn shop around. You could list them in groups on CL (this pile for $20). Amazon buys some stuff:
How quick a read is this? My birthday is Monday and Mil wants to know what to get me so I'm going to ask for this. I've been purging Willy nilly and think it would be a good read.
How quick a read is this? My birthday is Monday and Mil wants to know what to get me so I'm going to ask for this. I've been purging Willy nilly and think it would be a good read.
I read it broken up over a few naptimes and h read it in ~3 hours one evening. I went back and read it again because I'm a nerd, but it's definitely a quick book.