The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #151363   Message #3536567
Posted By: GUEST,mg
11-Jul-13 - 11:42 PM
Thread Name: Summer Declutter & Fitness - AUGUST '13
Subject: RE: Summer Declutter & Fitness - JULY '13
i can tell you a support group if you pm me. very nice people.

i can also recommend where to start..garbage first and recycling second.    Do not sort papers or pictures at this time. gather them and put them in a plastic bin or laundry basket. laundry baskets are great for sorting.

gather up your best treasures, wrap and put in a chest of drawers. you don't need them around for a while while you do this and you want to keep treasures away from anyone who might help and send stuff to goodwill. you will also be able to wipe off surfaces better with no knick knacks etc. and do wipe and clean any surface you can reach as it clears up.,.don't wait until everything is done..just keep doing little patches.

a lot depends on your finances, energy level, ability to hire anyone, help from family etc. at this time accept help but limit it to certain tasks..like can you help me sort through my clothes...some will go right away to goodwill or a consignment shop or yard sale...if you can find someone who is good at garage sales and will have one for you that would be nice..give her a share of profits..or you might find it easier to just get items of no particular value out of the house direcy totl goodwill.

work on one destination at a time at first..tomorrow i will go to goodwill....gather up in bags anything reachable and not overly valuable but others could use...clothing , bedding, old toasters etc. don't deliberate..just gather and take to goodwill. get it out of the house immediately. if you like pets the shelters often like old towels, bedding, tshirts etc. so pet shelter could be the next dropoff.

my theory is lighten your load. easy stuff first. unsentimental stuff first, nonvaluable stuff first. keep gathering and confininng papers and little treasures.

i think for most people huge amounts of stuff to goodwill first, saving more valuable items for more careful consideration. if you have a goal for any money you recover, it will help...do you need house repairs, dental work? Is there a lifelong dream vacationF? eSPECially if you inherited stuff from relatives..you can not keep it all and yo9u should not keep it all because it is theirs ..but you can transform it into something be4neficial to you and that is what they would want you to do.
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So do all that and check back in tomorrow..just joking..you need to shovel out the stable and get down to manageable amounts of stuff. you will improve the value of your home, your family life, your health, your bank account as you start selling off more valuable items down the road.. but to start, garbage, recycling, goodwill. yardsale if you have the energy and motivation .