Sunday, August 16, 2009

Gettin rid of clutter...

This is kind of a random post! Since moving in our house, I've come across many boxes of "should I keep this or not items" that I've kept over the years. My question to all of you is, "What is important to keep, and what do you toss?" For example, I have a ton of cards that Mike and I have given to each other, cards other people have given to us, etc. I have Christmas cards people have sent to us since we've been married (I usually only keep ones with pictures!) Is this normal or a waste of space?
I also have quite the problem with keeping everything Madi and Luke have made in nursery, preschool, etc.
Tell me what you keep and what you toss!

12 comments:

Art and Evelyn said...

I'm kinda the same way actually, but as for the Christmas cards, I save the ones with pictures, but let Ellie cut the other ones up for craft projects! (I got that idea from a friend.) I have a box in my nightstand where I store all the notes and cards Art has given me. I put a box in his nightstand too. It's fun to take out and go through once in awhile. I just can't part with them! Good luck with the rest... I have no idea myself!

The Whittacres said...

for usable things if you haven't used it in the last six months and don't plan on using it in the next 6 months get rid of it.
For school crafts and items...is it small enough to scrapbook? Keep it? Will you scrapbook it? Keep it...if you won't scrapbook it get rid of it. If it is too big to scrap book but you just love and adore it...take a picture of it and get rid of it. Or display it.
Natali made me at Kinder this year a small pot with colored flowers. I LOVE it! I display it on my dresser. She made Nathan a big poster size paper with her foot prints and a poem. I took a picture to scrapbook and tossed it.
If it shows an accomplishment and is small enough to scrapbook I keep it..if it is "scribble scrabbles" I tossed it.
Cards: if they are cute enough to scrap book. I rip off the front of the card and use it in scrapbooking and throw the rest away. If not I toss them!
Good luck!

Nat said...

I so so have the same problem. We are thinking about moving and I'm wanting to get rid of some stuff. I look at something and say, have I worn/used this is the last year? If not... DI! As for kids pictures or husband cards, etc, I'm thinking decide on a box (file box or plastic storage bin or something) assigned to each person and fill it up. Once it's full, maybe go thru it and get rid of some and keep your favorites. So you can always save a lot but its kept to a certain amount and doesn't take over the house! And it's stored nicely.

Taylor family said...

For school stuff, I keep something from the beginning, middle, and end of the year. The gifts they make in school sometimes I keep and other times I don't. I try to think 25 years from now will I really be that sad if I don't have it and will my child be terribly sad that I threw some things away.

Liz said...

I keep all the cards, notes, letters, that Jeff and I have given each other. It's in a little love box. Then I only keep cards or letters that really meant a lot to me. I'm sure I'll be keeping everything Hailey does too though. Isn't that what cedar chests are for?

Heidi said...

After we moved I tossed ALL the Christmas cards. They will send you another one next year!
As far as school goes. I keep most of the stuff in a big box. After the school year is over I look through the box and keep about 5 things... toss the rest! It is hard to toss stuff your kids have done, BUT when you have 3 kids it is going to be very hard to keep everything! GOOD LUCK!

Lindsey said...

I throw away cards with no pictures, but it is fun to get old Christmas cards and wedding anouncements! I have a hard time throwing things away too. You have a big house and plenty of room to store it, you might as well!

The Covie said...

I usually toss all of my christmas cards except for the ones from my kids and hubby. I only keep the stuff of my kids if I think it is something they will want to keep for the future or if it is really cute. Report cards and awards I keep too!! I know it is hard to throw out your kids stuff but there will be so many things they make and give you in the future so you just kind of have to weed it out!

MKSIMS said...

I'd say toss the cards, keep the kids' stuff (or some of it at least). But then, I have turned over a new leaf lately of not keeping things I don't need (trying to decide when I move from Indiana, what do I really care to move).

Carly said...

I don't really save that much stuff that my kids bring home from school. I used to, but then at the end of the year my kids came home with a portfolio notebook full of all the important things and accomplishments that had happened that year and that's what I kept!

Carly said...

So, you not only saw "O", but you even stayed in the Bellagio?! What an amazing and ROMANTIC 9th!!! Congrats!!!! Bellagio is my very fav place in Las Vegas. I can't believe it's been over 9 years.

Shelly Benson said...

I've heard of people either scanning or taking a picture of their kid's art and then putting into one of those blog/picture books you can make online.