Decluttering and Moving

[Anne Lee]

I've spent much of the last 10 days helping friends sandbag and evacuate their houses in preparation for flooding. After clearing out the basement at work (6 feet of water is the worst case scenario although the first floor should be fine) I am on a mission to declutter and organize. As we were hauling stuff upstairs, the random stuff was driving me crazy, the stuff that you just throw in the box with other random stuff because it doesn't have a real place to live and just floats around.

[Zoebird]

That is so true. I have a bag of random stuff right now. It's receipts from our trip (soon to be shredded), and other random papers of my husband's (that I need to figure out how to handle when he feels less stressed). Luckily, there's no urgency such as a flood, but I still know what you mean.

It's an interesting impetus, that flood, getting your decluttering going. :D

[Mrs-M]

Originally posted by Anne Lee.
As we were hauling stuff upstairs, the random stuff was driving me crazy, the stuff that you just throw in the box with other random stuff because it doesn't have a real place to live and just floats around.I totally agree. The positive side to all this, after the dust settles I would make a point of addressing those random boxes of stuff (first), and liquidating what you can to pare down the amount of stuff.

[poetry_writer]

I just spent two days moving. I thought I had cleared out a lot of clutter. After moving it all, with help from family, in 100 degree heat...I'm ready to throw out everything! Much of what we spent two days carrying up and down stairs was stuff I dont really love. So I have work to do...after i recover!

[Mrs.B]

I found moving to be the best way to downsize. We moved to AZ then back to WA within a 3 year period. Since it was a work thing we had a moving company,that being said you still have to organize it all and take out what you are going to need while in transit. Plus they only pack, they don't unpack (there's an eye openner) prior to both moves I gave away a lot, donated and threw out; and still felt amazment when I unpacked those boxes. During the last unpack I had a giant box of stuff to give away, I refilled it 3 times; and yet I still got stuff. I don't have a basement, but I do have the dreaded "under the stairs" it holds holiday do-dads, luggage, and things I'm not sure I want to look at yet.
After both those moves I think everyone should move at least twice in their life.

[Selah]

My mother always said, "three moves is as good as a fire," and she's right! I don't miss ANYTHING I got rid of in our last move six months ago, and am loathe to acquire anymore stuff before yet another move overseas in six months!