# The De-Clutter and Clean Up Support Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 15, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329 "2012-07-15T19:04:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/381 "2014-04-03T01:52:07Z")
simster, family shelter might need the toys. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/382 "2014-04-03T02:37:31Z")
> [@j666](#): > > simster, family shelter might need the toys. Good idea - and one I will also consider. I’ve been a ‘collector’ my whole life - somehow I feel ‘done’ with this/that phase of it. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/383 "2014-04-03T02:52:47Z")
I’m getting to a point in my life when I want to be less attached to material crap. Not the _nice_ material things - I want to keep those - but really being able to unload the crap and junk. I’m blaming menopause. I mean, why not? It’s as good an excuse as any. Who cares why? It’s still a struggle but it’s getting better. As I said when I started this thread, and in some prior ones, I don’t just want to clean my house out, I want to change the bad habits that led to this mess in the first place. I do find it easier - for me - to get rid of stuff if it’s recycled or donated as opposed to just being tossed in the dumpster. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/384 "2014-04-03T03:48:39Z")
Idly checking out this thread, and I noticed **j666** ’s shirt problem and wanted to suggest a possible solution. I bought a ton of record album frames this Christmas because there was a super good sale at Target (I needed one…I bought 8). I saw somewhere a project where people were putting their old tees in record frames and cutting off the excess from the back and hanging them on the wall. I have a bunch of tees from the 90s that I wanted to save but no way was I going to cut them! But it turned out that with careful folding and some packing tape, I got the tees all fit inside the frames with no cutting. They don’t sit perfect against the wall but they are very close. Also I couldn’t do the long-sleeve ones I wanted to do. But my shirts are also XL or XXL so anything L or smaller would fit PERFECTLY. Anyway, [Wal Mart has frames for 6/$35](http://www.walmart.com/ip/Record-Album-or-Scrapbook-Page-Picture-Frames-Set-of-6/10404229), which is as cheap as anywhere. The ones I used are [at Target](http://www.target.com/p/record-album-frames-set-of-4-black-12-5x12-5/-/A-10891632) but they’re no longer on sale. Same dimensions. Anyway, if you can’t get rid of tees, hang them up. Albums, too. For each one you hang, throw one away. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/385 "2014-04-03T04:16:29Z")
\ Some years back I cleaned out the linen closet, throwing away dozens of sheets. I promptly got scolded: they should have been donated to animal shelters. So since then I’ve been saving up sheets (and blankets, and towels) and now it’s time to get rid of them. I searched for animal shelters in the area. All the ones with web pages with requested donations SPECIFICALLY said they don’t want sheets. WTF?? ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/386 "2014-04-03T19:01:09Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > \ Some years back I cleaned out the linen closet, throwing away dozens of sheets. I promptly got scolded: they should have been donated to animal shelters. So since then I’ve been saving up sheets (and blankets, and towels) and now it’s time to get rid of them. > > I searched for animal shelters in the area. All the ones with web pages with requested donations SPECIFICALLY said they don’t want sheets. > > WTF?? Goodwill, Salvation Army and Value Village will take them here. Don’t know about you. I am at the end of my organizing of the house I am borrowing. Everything is packed neatly in well-labelled boxes. Now, I am just waiting for spring to really be here so I can clean up their garden for them. I just wish I had some help. I guess that’s what I get for leaving my husband, right? ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/387 "2014-04-03T19:17:39Z")
> [@perfectparanoia](#): > > Goodwill, Salvation Army and Value Village will take them here. Don’t know about you. > > I am at the end of my organizing of the house I am borrowing. Everything is packed neatly in well-labelled boxes. > > Now, I am just waiting for spring to really be here so I can clean up their garden for them. > > I just wish I had some help. I guess that’s what I get for leaving my husband, right? You actaully think he was going to help? bwa-ha-ha-ha!😃 ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/388 "2014-04-03T22:52:09Z")
Thank you, zipper, but I am giving them away. After all, I still have my mother’s sweater that she got - I think from a brother-in-law - in the forties; maybe my little t-shirt will be as cherished. Starving, so, I guess all those pleas to donate old sheets worked, huh? Painters and finish carpenters can never have too many rags; they actually sell them now. ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/389 "2014-04-04T17:07:22Z")
> [@simster](#): > > You actaully think he was going to help? > > bwa-ha-ha-ha!😃 I lol’ed. ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/390 "2014-04-08T22:42:47Z")
I cleaned out my car today! First I hit the car wash, then vacuumed the car. Every scrap of trash, lost pens and pencils, pennies, that petrified french fry… all GONE! I even unstrapped the car seats, vacuumed them out and cleaned the seldom seen backseat underneath. Oh my gosh, it looks so much better! Cleaned the leather seats and dashboard, no dust or sticky little handprints to be seen. It’s been about 2 years since the car had such a thorough cleaning. My back is gonna hurt so bad tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/391 "2014-04-08T23:09:36Z")
> [@Moonlitherial](#): > > We’re moving sometime between May 2nd and May 15 and at this point I have packed… 5 boxes. I was on a mission to throw stuff away and I was using out 2 bags a week limit to do so (since we have less than a bag of garbage each week normally) but that hasn’t happened since I cleared out backlog out in early January. > > If I don’t get motivated soon I’m going to really hate myself sometime around mid April when the panic sets in. Looks like I got motivated before panic set in (or panic set in early). I’ve been working at a rate of one bag of garbage, 2 bags of recycling for each 10 boxes packed, and we’re up to 50 boxes, all inventoried in a spreadsheet, labeled with number and destination room and colour coded for which floor they’re ending up on. Plan is for the movers to deposit in one room per floor, visible but unneeded right away, so boxes get unpacked instead of having a door shut on them. My house currently looks like a hurricane hit it but cupboards are empty of everything that I can live without for the next month. Everything that I still need to pack is visible. Goal is to have everything I see packed by April 20th and then to pack the remaining stuff between May 2nd and 13th. The sorting and discarding is the only thing really slowing me down at this point, if I ever hit panic stage I can stuff everything in boxes in one evening. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/392 "2014-04-09T00:08:51Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > \ Some years back I cleaned out the linen closet, throwing away dozens of sheets. I promptly got scolded: they should have been donated to animal shelters. So since then I’ve been saving up sheets (and blankets, and towels) and now it’s time to get rid of them. > > I searched for animal shelters in the area. All the ones with web pages with requested donations SPECIFICALLY said they don’t want sheets. > > WTF?? If they are in decent shape, homeless and/or battered women’s shelters may want them. I got rid of a ton of twin-sized sheets that way once. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/393 "2014-04-09T04:25:02Z")
These were mainly queen sized. Still, good to know for future. And I did finally find an animal rescue place that wanted sheets, though I’ll have to mail them there. Which makes me wonder if I should just donate the money I’ll spend on postage instead. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/394 "2014-04-09T14:21:11Z")
My kids are outgrowing their old toys and since we spent alot of money on some of them, what I’d like to do is box them up keep them for the next generation. I’m talking about the big Thomas the Tank Engine set, hot wheels, Lego’s, and some other play sets. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/395 "2014-04-09T15:55:43Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > My kids are outgrowing their old toys and since we spent alot of money on some of them, what I’d like to do is box them up keep them for the next generation. Are you really going to keep them for 25-30 years? Do you have nephews or nieces who might appreciate the toys? ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/396 "2014-04-09T16:27:45Z")
Another big problem is storage conditions. Do you have safely dry conditions? Otherwise anything made of metal will probably rust into uselessness before another generation reaches the right age. Attics can get too hot for plastic toys such as legos. You might want to consider passing them along so they can be used rather than taking up space in your house for decades and then having to trash them. Maybe there are consignment stores that take children’s toys? ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/397 "2014-04-09T17:52:40Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > My kids are outgrowing their old toys and since we spent alot of money on some of them, what I’d like to do is box them up keep them for the next generation. > > I’m talking about the big Thomas the Tank Engine set, hot wheels, Lego’s, and some other play sets. Don’t do it. Anything plastic will get brittle and the toys you saved for so long will break instantly (I just gave my daughter my old dollhouse furniture and lego and it all broke very fast). There are kids out there who’s parents can’t afford full price who would love those toys. Give them to goodwill. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/398 "2014-04-09T21:38:14Z")
Hmm… some things to think about. ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/399 "2014-04-10T01:18:23Z")
Yea, I think the whole planned “let me hang onto this for 20 years” idea isn’t good for us clutterbugs anyway. Get rid of it, maybe hang on to less than 5 really important, special, childhood-defining items if you must. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329/400 "2014-04-10T02:04:04Z")
Toys deserve to be played with. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-de-clutter-and-clean-up-support-thread/628329.md?page=21)