In a little over a week my DH and I will be stationing ourselves in my parents’ stuffed basement and three-car garage. The gentleman who will be serving as auctioneer for their home and remaining possessions will bring a crew to go through everything and sort out what will sell. We’ll be there to tell the workers if there is something we’d like to save.
They estimate three hours for both (concurrent) jobs. Amazing!
I got inspired by what coralbrook did in her flip! I have a few quarts of sample paint sitting in the pantry (from picking our house color). The paint is indoor eggshell… I think I will mix them all in one bucket and see how it looks like. Could be good to paint the bathroom walls after the new doors get installed. Or if the color is not that great… off to the garbage it will go. No waaaaay I am keeping that paint.
Like the kid himself?
@VeryHappy - ha - not the kid! I’ve never wanted my kids to leave! But his old clothes that fit no one? Glad to see those go.
This thread inspired me to get going and get the 3 bags over to the Salvation Army. Then I started on sorting things that were behind the bags 
@NerdMom88, You give me hope. How many people does it take to clear out a stuffed basement and three-car garage in only 3 hours? 
So if anyone needs inspiration to get on with the decluttering (for those who have the hoarder spouses) - I injured my foot on vacation and have been on crutches this last week since I got back - surgery coming Monday with plates etc. And no weight bearing for at least 6 weeks or more followed by weeks of partial weight bearing. I really struggled with crutches so rented a knee scooter. This is miserable enough but when you add in clutter - OMG. I find myself really angry when I have to maneuver the clutter in top of the already stressful situation. I was snapping at my husband yesterday because of running into things all the time. Doubt he will do anything about it. Plus I’m stressing cause I know work friends will want to bring food and I don’t want them seeing my house (when I had gallbladder surgery i was trying to tidy my house because one of my co-workers (kindly) insisted on bringing food - I’m not mobile enough to do it this time). Makes me all the more determined to get back to decluttering but it will be weeks. Really regretting not getting more done before!
My ex was fond of “borrowing” supplies from his former employer, which fired him more than 9 years ago. A few weeks ago, I found what I think was the only remaining item that I hadn’t already surreptitiously returned to one of the employer’s work sites. I took it back just now. That felt great to do!
@swimcatsmom, Don’t try to tidy up before people visit or bring food. Real friends won’t care and everyone else deserves to be put to work. Hand them a donation bag and give them the opportunity to really be of service by pointing out things they can put in it. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
I still have a storage unit from my folks old apartment, which they downsized to from a house. They are now in assisted living.
It’s a weird feeling because they are still around. When my in laws died, DH and I cleaned things out and it was emotional but we got it done.
I know that they will never use dads desk again, nor have room for all their china and books but I just can’t seem to get rid of it.
Plus my mom is a child of the depression and every time she sees me throwing something away (like used wrapping paper) she reminds me that her family had to save things like that etc etc. Argh!
@swimcatsmom - hugs!!!
@austinmshauri I’ll let you know once we’ve done it! I think they’re projecting 5-6 people, but I haven’t received the contract yet.
@surfcity My parents are both still living as well, and my mom will be at the auction. Naturally she wants to keep much more than she can, so I remind her over and over that I have a set amount of room to store the things she wants – she live with us now – and that it’s not a big space. I’m developing a thick skin very quickly.
@swimcatsmom, another hug from me! So sorry you hurt yourself and are facing surgery. Hope it and your recovery go smoothly.
I have 6 bags waiting to be picked up on Wednesday.
My husband included some brand new pants, which is a big “win” - normally he’d hang on to them even if he will never wear them.
I also have bed risers and a big fan in my car, ready to be re-homed to a new college freshman tomorrow.
Now that all kids have come and gone, I’ve decided to overhaul their rooms. I started in older S’s room today.
He’s been out of undergrad 4 years, but has used his room as a dumping ground between various apartments and grad school. Now he’s moved across the country with no expectation of returning to our area. I pulled everything out and sorted, packed, redistributed around the house, and pitched.
Only one giant garbage bag, but now the hundreds of books are neatly boxed and stacked in the closet, as well as the memorabilia from college and grad school.I rearranged some furniture, and after one more day (need to sort and file desk items), that room will be useful to us as an office space, and ready for him when he returns for the holidays, possibly with his girlfriend. Yay! I wish I was this ambitious every day!
"For 15 days in September, we’re going to take on a series of one-day-at-a-time assignments that aim to make your home the lean, mean, clutter-busting machine you’ve always wanted it to be. The September Sweep is both a cure and a prevention—the tasks you’ll take on throughout the month will help you sort through the pain points in your current home, but also help to establish habits and structures that help you keep your space tidy and trim.
So sign up for The September Sweep now, and take the first step to creating a home that’s slimmer on stuff so you can fill it with love. The whole thing kicks off on Monday, September 10."
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/september-sweep-2018-signup-261832?
I can guarantee that it’ll take me more than 15 days to finish decluttering my house!
This thread has been very inspiring to me! Spending the bulk of this weekend cleaning out the basement, closets etc. One thing has helped enormously this year: from May thru September, our local bank has a Shred Day event on one Saturday morning a month. You just drive over, the staff unloads the stuff from your car, it gets dumped into a giant bin that then gets dumped into the giant shred truck and they shred it right then and there. Kind of amazing. I actually had boxes of bank statements and medical bills from decades ago that I found in the basement – I took those plus 8 boxes of other shred stuff to Shred Day last month. It felt great to get rid of it and it would have taken forever to shred it all in a typical office-sized shredder. The last Shred Day this year is next Saturday – I am filling more boxes right now. Thank you, helpful, friendly local bank!! :x
The thread has inspired me, too. Thank you, CCers.