Skip to main content

Why I need a decluttering station

Right now I'm focusing on a new challenge: to get the garage cleaned out and sell some stuff on marketplace. Last year my dad came to visit and brought a beautiful 'new' table, one that my family had used as a dinner table when I was a teenager. Made by Mennonite craftsmen, the ingenuity of the pull-apart mechanism and the hidden leaves is exquisite. My dad had painstakingly refinished the four chairs, so the set is also a reminder of his handiwork. Although we loved our square breakfast nook table, now we can actually welcome more dinner and anytime guests. 

So what to do with the old table? I thought about selling it, decided to keep it for one main reason: The sticky issue of cleaning out the garage. As I mentioned in the new challenge post, I would like to clear out the half of the garage occupied by boxes, totes, and other items so that both vehicles can fit inside (and we can get rid of stuff we have now dragged through two moves!). 

The dilemma was being able to take some items out to take pictures (if selling) and boxing them up if donating. I thought about spreading a tarp on the floor of the garage, but knew this would soon get messy and stuff would be in the way more than it already is. 

After placing the table and covering it with an old curtain and a plastic sheet, I am now able to take items out as needed and take pictures and/or box them up. Donation boxes fit nicely underneath the table until the next pickup. 

Yesterday I finally took the plunge and posted several items on my neighborhood's facebook page, and ended up with $28 in my pocket. More on that later, but for now I am so glad I set this up to make this big project just a little easier. What about you? Have you ever made a designated place to sort items to declutter before they left your home? How did it work out? 

Labels:

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 12, 2023 at 3:54 PM

    This is a brilliant idea! And I love how you describe the beautiful table from your youth.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RenataJanuary 13, 2023 at 2:17 PM

      Thank you very much. The table is special to me, and I was glad to give it new life after it sat in the basement of my parents' new home for over ten years.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Full days, unfulfilled life

Sometimes I'm admittedly unproductive. Sometimes I need rest, or perhaps a little distraction. Sometimes I need fun, humor, and silliness. I believe it is important to acknowledge -and occasionally indulge in- these things.   But that's sometimes. Most of the time, I am what others might call 'productive'. I make a to-do list and check items off as I complete them. Unless my plans are somehow derailed, most tasks are done at the end of the day. But even with derailment, I still complete other, more urgent tasks.  So why does it feel like it's never enough?  Because, considering everything I do each day, it is, or at least should be. Waking up early to pack lunch for our daughter, driving her to and from school, looking after and playing with her, grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry, cooking dinner, cleaning up, errands ... Not to mention filling out arduous, time-consuming job applications, drafting professional emails that need to be, in my perfectionist mind, ...
Post a Comment
Read more

More to life than decluttering

Yes, even for a seasoned declutterer like me. This might seem strange, but I have decluttered regularly since I was a child. When I felt too overwhelmed by the toys in my room, I would ask my mom to take me to the thrift store a few towns away and donate a bagful or two. As a teenager, I kept my room neat and carefully curated with only my favorite items on display. I remember both strategies creating a big sense of accomplishment and relief.  But in 2019 I began decluttering in earnest. With the three of us living in small space amidst an explosion of baby items, clothes, and toys, I knew something had to change. I was grateful for the things my daughter needed and enjoyed, but the rest of the stuff weighed on me. A lot.  Fast forward to summer 2022. It was time for our big move to NC, and I decluttered like I never had before. Still, as I wrote in a previous post , everything felt like too much ... and that I had not done enough.  2022 was a year of intense upheaval, mu...
Post a Comment
Read more