Are We Walking to Alaska

Are We Walking to Alaska
Are We Walking to Alaska - A True Story

Sunday, March 9, 2014

De-Clutter Update

The photos here have nothing to do with the items I de-cluttered, organized and recycled - the photos are just for entertainment.  Let's look at some collages I've used over the years. While I list the de-clutter items.
I left off with 180 items - taking us up to Feb. 11 in my attempt to de-clutter or organize 4 things per day - all year long.  Since then I have -- -- -- 


Donated 26 items to the food bank
Pretties I've knit or crocheted 

Taken 9 items to Goodwill
Put 16 items in a box for my cousin when she comes to visit this summer - she can "shop" at my house - but only in the designated box (I'll be watching)
Hydrangea from last summer

Deleted 32,000 photos from my computer files - well that takes me to 21 years from now - but to be fair I'll give myself 10 points for that.  These were all duplicate or bad (blurry, etc) photos that were just jamming up the files.  Don't worry - I still have thousands and thousands of photos left.
Sunsets and clouds in NW Washington

Sorted Medical Files - that's worth 5 points - there was a LOT to sort through and put in order
I painted two of these - a friend painted the boats from a photo I took.


Got rid of every receipt that I'd saved from the building of our deck 3 years ago - not sure why I saved that tupperware full of receipts after the first few months - but they are shredded now - I'll take 5 points for that too.
Washington State Ferries going to and from the San Juan Islands

I gave 25 pieces of fabric to the Senior Center - they are beginning to expect a visit from us every month now.
Snow Geese - overwintering in the area


Gave 12 magazines to Don's office for the lobby.
Lunch at Nicki's Diner in Blaine, WA


That makes 121 more so far - which takes me to March 14 - making progress for sure - and I see more that can be done right away
I'll be back later, with another update - as I continue to de-clutter this entire year.

Some pretty summer flowers - just to add more cheer.  Thanks for stopping by.




17 comments:

The Quintessential Magpie said...

I am so proud of you! That is inspirational, my friend!

xo

Sheila

Julie Fukuda said...

Good going. I wish I knew how to make photo collages like that.

HickChickBritt said...

I need to declutter! If I keep going at the rate I am I will be on hoarders by the time I'm 40!

Veronica Roth said...

Hey, there are your snow geese! :D Very, very lovely photos. I especially love the blue herons. So very good for you to de-clutter like that. I so want to do that too; now to find the time! Hope your week is a lovely one Joann.

Lorrie said...

Great progress! Love all the bright glimpses of the color that's just around the corner in spring and summer.

greenthumb said...

Love the way you have done all your photos.

eileeninmd said...

Lovely mosaics. The sky shots are beautiful. Congrats on the de-clutter. You are doing great. Enjoy your week ahead!

J said...

Loved seeing your photos and following your story! In the past I have been overwhelmed by looking at a messy room that needed de-cluttering and just turned around and left to go lie down at the thought of digging in! Then I adopted a version of your method - just deal with 3 things each day. As the pile gets smaller and victory is in sight, it's easy to double the amount of items that go out each day! We're pretty smart ladies to make these efforts into a game!

Mary said...

Current clearing out three rooms ready for the carpet installers this morning - yes, I'm up at a 6 AM to strip beds so they can dismantle same - has made us realize we need to do a heck of a lot more to rid ourselves of stuff!! I'm better at this game than Bob who, although not quite in the serious hoarder category, is getting pretty close I fear! Now our backs are killing us again from lifting, moving carrying so much over the past week - the painter was here so we started some time back. Don't have a clue where anything is right now - hoping I survive today and then can get going on disposing of things (I'm in love with your way of turning into a game of sorts!), deep cleaning and reorganizing furniture etc.

Lovely collages JoAnn - heron is my favorite!
Love, Mary

Grandma Barb's This and That said...

Good for you for all your declutterin and sticking to it. My goal for spending 1/2 hour a day in the basement has gone by the wayside, But I have donated 2 boxes of my mom's things to the thrift store and gotten rid of a bunch of magazines.
Love all your pretty collages!

Wildflowerhouse said...

I was worried for a minute as I thought you donated the birds to Goodwill. Silly me. I am doing the same thing starting with my clothes and my studio. With my clothes I am ruthless but with my studio not so much. So someday you will read about a naked painter in western Washington. That would be me....If you ever move and sell your deck recpts. would have been good for home improvement write off. But I digress I love your photos especially the moon shot. Gorgeous!

Kay said...

Good work on de-cluttering! You've reminded me that I haven't stayed on task.
I love all of these collages. I think my favorites, not surprisingly to me, are the hydrangeas and summer flowers, the herons, and the clouds and sunsets. But they're all great. The summer flowers are an inspiration: I think I'll do one like that myself!

Small City Scenes said...

Wow you are the 'declutter goddess'. I would have a hard time with photos--everything else can go. When I moved in with Bob the thrift stores got a lot of clothes and just stuff. Probably stuff I bought there. LOL
Anyway I am proud of you.
I love your collages. Do you have Picasa? How do you make your collages? MB

Carletta said...

I admire the goal you've set for yourself. It really and truly is something I myself need to do. We moved almost six years ago and I still have boxes I need to go through. I haven't needed anything in them in all that time. IF I could only let them go unopened. :)
Photos are something I've been contemplating this week when I couldn't find one I was looking for. Like you I have many that are duplicate or blurry and taking up space. That is a chore I am doing very soon.
Love your collages! The hydrangeas and the sky shots are my favorites but all of them are wonderful to look at.
You paint! I love that gull painting. You have talent!

GardenOfDaisies said...

Oh wow, you are doing great!
This past week my daughter and I got most of the college stuff that had been stored in her room taken care of. Several a big bins. She'll be back in the fall and I hope we can attack the closet. Her room is already looking a lot better, but I really don't want to touch anything unless she is here to make the decisions.

Jen said...

Sounds like you've got a good system for decluttering. I may borrow your method.

Candy S said...

I love the way you put the collages together. The snow geese and the hydrangeas are my favorites too. Along with the crochet, and the beautiful quilts. JoAnn you are marvelous. I know I said I was going to work on decluttering too, but I have not stuck with it. I barely managed to get through one closet and it is the smallest closet in the house. I really need the inspiration I get from reading about your progress.