April was busy.
I know, because I never had a chance to share this decluttering post from the week of April 6th (my daughter’s birthday party clean-up week), and now it’s May 6th.
And it’s one of those decluttering projects that didn’t let me pretend the mess had happened overnight. Those piles were full of clutter with DATES on it.
Blech.
Sometimes I’d prefer to live within my delusions . . .
Anyway, in less-than-27 minutes, I went from this:
To this:
I know. Not exactly a great after picture.
Anyway, the point of this post is what I found at the bottom of the probably-used-to-be-a-few-piles-but-now-it’s-one-big-pile.
Can’t really pretend that’s from last week when it’s already April.
And I know coupons. So I know coupons that expired in December must have been sitting there for at least a month before that.
I was a hero for this one! My 9yo had just been looking for it just the week before. At least it didn’t have an expiration date . . .
What “dated clutter” have you found that keeps you from pretending it hasn’t been that long?
The expiration dates on the salad dressings I just threw away today while cleaning out the refrigerator. The oldest was 2009!
The wrapped Christmas presents that still need to be delivered!
I cleaned up my sewing room in March and found a towel at the bottom of a pile. I used to use it to change my youngest’s diapers, but I haven’t changed a diaper since November!
What do you do with old greeting cards? I’ve got a huge box full from over the years. I’ve thought of ditching the ones that didn’t have notes in them but what about the ones from my kids or my husband? My sentimentality starts to take over. Him, on the other hand, tosses them after the holiday has occurred so I’m sure he doesn’t have the ones I’ve given him for anniversaries and Valentine’s. That kind of irks me because I associate it with “He must not love me that much if he won’t keep my expressions of love to him.” Ugh! Stuck between a rock and a card place.
That’s so tough, but I’ve become more and more ruthless over time.
Annie,
I scan cards with sentimental value into the computer and place them in a sentimental folder. That way I can throw them away but always have a way to go back and remember the special days.
Jackie
That’s a great idea, Jackie!
this is a great idea!!!
I was just cleaning out a bathroom cabinet. I found stuff that EXPIRED in 2009.
I might have also just thrown away some Christmas stuff. From last year – as in December 2011.
coupons for FREE stuff that you missed out on! Boo!
I just cleaned the fridge the other day and threw out stuff which expired in 2011. The cabinets are next. And I also just cleaned the receipts out of my wallet. From January. Ugh.
My husband’s uncle passed away in January, and as we’ve been cleaning the house, we’ve found a lot of dated clutter – all neatly organized. The best so far was the bottle of vinegar that was 11 years expired…as in, expired in 2002 – and it was never even opened! And I can’t imagine that vinegar expires too quickly, since it’s used to preserve other food, so I imagine it probably had been sitting in that cupboard for 14 or 15 years. Makes me a little worried about all the other stuff in there that didn’t have expiration dates…
Well, had I read this when it was posted, and handled my “dated clutter” I would not have had to pay an extra $50 on my water/garbage bill…to get it turned back on! I had the bill right on the kitchen table. For…well, obviously at least 2 billing cycles. My kitchen table has turned into my computer table/sewing table. And apparently mail table.
I guess I should probably get it cleaned off and under control. Like, NOW. Before I lose track of another bill…again.
BTW…I was following 28 days to hope for your home…I’m thinking I need to start with the Drowning in Clutter first?
the pile of “to be paid” bills on my desk.since we usually pay them online, the paper bills often Don’t get tossed once they’ve been paid. i’ve found bills as old as two years in that pile. And it’s one of those recurring piles that i often need to declutter
Receipts, receipts, receipts. Because of course I’m going to check them against my credit card statement every month….someday. Or I might return that bottle of ketchup or six pack of crew socks. I just tossed all miscellaneous receipts last night and it went back as far as 2012 and amounted to 5 kitchen size bags of crumpled-up paper!
A pile “to be filed” that no longer needs to be filed because the things in it are so obsolete.
An idea for you. I love your built in at the end of your table the shelves are gorgeous. Instead of mixing the pretties with the practical, why not just keep the practical there. It keeps wandering that way anyway? Just a thought
In 2016 i found a receipt i did not need to keep from 2008.