The Basement, Oh The Basement!

The Uncluttered course is now complete. I've a few posts left to write to wrap up my experience. In short, it was a wonderful experience and I am thankful I did it. The next round is Sept 5th. I'll have a discount code for you around the end of August! I plan to take it again, (hopefully, with my mom).

But first --my crowning achievement-- the basement!

As the weeks went by, the basement just got better and better. No matter what area upstairs we were focusing on in the course, I would come down here and work. Things which had survived many past purges got taken upstairs and taken away. I am absolutely thrilled.

I started my decluttering for the course down here. And that means pictures! Before and afters! My favourite.

The view from the bottom of the stairs looking at the back wall:

From left to right: The white shelf unit held home decor items and the last of the homeschooling books. I donated them to a lovely woman who had lost a lifetime of homeschooling books and supplies in a devastating house fire last year.

With some space freed up, I put a few dishes down here from the kitchen clear out to see if we can live without them.

Those blankets are protecting our new windows for the bedrooms upstairs. We will save some money by staining, varnishing and installing them ourselves.

The pine dresser and the black shelving unit hold various scrapbooking supplies.

There's my exercise ball and underneath it, my 12"/1" miniature townhouse. I am not sure whether I will ever finish it.

To the right, out of frame is my husband's workshop. I don't touch it--or photograph it. That's totally his domain! But I am happy to say it is in relatively good shape.

To the left is the Wall o' Shelves.

Some cubbies I decluttered, others I left alone. I went through the bins of fabric and home decor. I didn't touch the memorabilia. I also left the photos alone: but I have a project in mind that once I'm done will see more than half --and dare I hope? 75%-- of those photo boxes gone.

I would like to pare down our luggage, too, but I doubt my husband would agree.

(No, the table is not longer. I turned it lengthwise to make more room for our bags of recycling (blue) and bottles and cans (clear).)

Turn left again and you're in the "game room." I did ask the boy whether we could get rid of this TV (and some of the Lego pieces) but he said, "no," even though the Xbox is now upstairs (and very infrequently played. Still, he and his father still enjoy a game from time to time.)

I made room for this piano. It's well-traveled! It belongs to my Mom. We borrowed it for years and it had pride of place in the living room while the kids took lessons. When the lessons were finished, we returned it to my Mom. A few months ago, we took it back when Emma said she wanted it in her room. No sooner did we haul it over and all the way upstairs when she declared it "too big" (it was) and she wanted it out. I doubt anyone will ever play it again but Mom is not ready to let it go (and be useful to someone else) so I'll store it here for a while.

Isn't that cozy? The picture over the piano used to be in the living room. It is one of the first things Chris and I ever bought together. I'm glad it is on disply again. That's the flooring leftover from the bathroom. We had to buy an an ginormous piece of it. 

Going through some art I had stored on top of the wall o' shelves, I came across a few pieces Ben had done when he was around four or five. I'd gone to the trouble to frame them way back when, so I decided to hang them in here with a few other pieces I found. After all, if we were going to keep it, we may as well enjoy it!

I am still struggling to put into words the uniqueness--or the difference, if you will--between this decluttering program and others I've participated in. As I went through my buckets and bins and shelves the interior monologue was something like this: "Am I using this stuff? No? Why hang on to it then? Could someone else get value from it?" And I think the difference I am seeking is right there in that last sentence. There was a whole lot of awareness for me of other people and how they may be blessed with my things. Decluttering became this huge act of giving. And so it was easy --and fun!

And then there's the laundry room:

and look at that: stuff in the donation station! I'll take that out Tuesday. I wonder if I can scrounge some more to go with it? I bet I can!

Aaaaaand, last but not least, the area beside the stairs: the painting supplies.

aaah, that's so much better!

Of course, I am under no delusion that this is it, that for once and for all, the basement is done! No. Things change. And when they do, stuff comes down here to die. So, it will get cluttered up again, I suspect. But you bet I will enjoy all this space as long as I can!

Plucking the Low Hanging Fruit.

Assignment #2.

Go through the rooms of your house with a trash bag and just remove items you know you do not want. Sort the bag (or bags) into donate/trash/recycling when you are done. (paraphrased)

This is an excellent assignment. I have given it to my Mom several times--though I may have limited the scope to one room--or, when it comes to her basement, whatever she can reach.

As the main living spaces of my home are pretty well sorted, (though an absolute mess due to the One Room Challenge), I will be doing this assignment in my basement.

At the bottom of the stairs, this is what you see:

To the left (and most of what you see) is the stroage area (yeah, I know). To the right is the workshop. 

Looking at the Wall of Shelves:

(To the left in the floor plan above.)

This is the main area which needs work. But the other areas are pretty bad, too.

Game room and furnace:

Laundry Room and Pantry:

I never photograph the workshop (at my husband's request) and though it needs a clean out--it is not my domain!

But this area by the stairs (to the right of the drawer unit above) is certainly within my purview:

I just dashed through the basement...looking for anything I no longer wanted, just grabbing it quickly, looking for a quick win. I was on fire. I only spent about an hour down there. Here's the haul I took to Value Village.

There's more for the Eco-Station (batteries, inks, CFLs, and the like) and the animal shelter. I'll do that before the week is out.

A good start, I think.

40 Bags in 40 Days: Days 7 to 18: So Good.

I want more things to get rid of.

You heard me. More to get rid of.

The feeling I get when I create a clear wide open space is addictive, intoxicating! It makes me feel calm. It makes me feel free.

But a bit anxious too. What if my husband asks me for something I've let go of? What if after five years of forgetting--he suddenly remembers?


Day 7: The Laundry Room

I meant to do more, but the day got away from me, somehow.

Day 8: The Paint Spot

An hour and a half later...

The opposite happened. I hadn't meant to do so much! I cleaned out and reorganized the top two yellow drawers.


Day 9:  Donations Run I

release the kraken, indeed!

It took me more time to pack these up and load the car than it did to drive to two different locations to drop it all off!

I found more bags in the garage...so I loaded those up, too.

Day 10: Clean the kitchen Day!


I spent the day and cleaned the kitchen.

Day 11: Nada

I didn't do anything today.

Day 12: You Can Do Anything for 15 Minutes!

I decided to do just 15 minutes. I wandered down to the basement--and the first thing that caught my eye was these shelves. (Not surprising, they're just to the right at the foot of the stairs!)

And just like that, I had a bag for the animal shelter.

Day 13: Nada II.

A long, tiring day. I didn't try to declutter at all.

Day 14: A Pile and Some Files

This was actually a surprise. I was tidying the bedroom and decided to go through my closet and my drawers just quickly to see if there was anything I could let go. And there was!

In the evening, I went through the top drawer of a filing cabinet we have in the basement. It holds just our taxes and supporting documents.

Everything dated 2008 and before--except the returns themselves--was purged.

Day 15. The Past and Donation Run II.

I went back to the filing cabinet. My goal is to get these three totes into the cabinet.

I also bit the bullet on a few things that have survived past purges--but still, have never been used. Now they are gone.

This donation run saw me go to H&M for their cloth recycling program, Value Village, the animal shelter, and Habitat for Humanity's  Re-store (the old light fixture from the dining room). It probably took over an hour (well, there was a train, a slooooooooooow mooooooooooooving train, so definitely, it took well over an hour, lol!) to drive to all four places. Decluttering this way is not for amateurs!

Then, I went to Mom's and several hours later, left with a garbage bag I could barely lift and a liquor box full of movies on VHS. I dropped them at Value Village on the way home.

Yay.

Day 16: The Files, Continued.

More files.

Over half this drawer went to recycling. I had six inches of poli sci papers. I did keep a copy of Rawls' paper, "Justice as Fairness," however. It's a reminder of what I missed not finishing my Ph.D. Given the way things have turned out at Universities--especially in the Humanities, I am very happy I did not continue down that path to the ivory tower. I also kept a copy of The Constitution Act of 1867 to 1982 as a nod to my interest in constitutional law and a copy of the Indian Act because, well, because, every Canadian should have one.

The files in the totes are on hanging files. I prefer that system even though it takes up more room. Ever notice, sometimes, that "organizing" something isn't as space efficient as not organizing it?

Day 17: The End (of the) Files and Donation Run III

I finished up the files. I bought one more hanging file rail kit and a box of hanging files. (I didn't bother putting the tax drawer on rails.)

Just look at that!

The file drawers are labelled taxes, household, Memories general (and hobbies and Interests) Memories--Kids' school years).

That pink bucket up top? That's the burn pile.

We don't have a shredder--and there's no point getting one when we have a back yard fire pit. It'll just be a month or two before we can use it.

As for the donation run, I grabbed three boxes from the garage and went to my Mom's where she had a bag ready for me to take away. We filled another bag while I was there and I dropped everything off at Value Village on the way home. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me,

Day 18: Terrible Tuesday

I made the menu for the week and went grocery shopping. I decided that March will be "eat from the freezer" month.

I've decided I'm going to continue--though the pickin's are getting slim. I hope I can spend some time at my Mom's helping her declutter before my hours at work pick back up later this month.

If you'd like to catch up, here are the previous posts:

Introduction:  The 40 Bag Basement.
Day 1: Clearing the Decks
Day 2: I Can See the Table!
Days 3-6: The Bunny, the Comic Books and Other Difficult Decluttering Decisions

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40 Bags in 40 Days: Days 3 to 6. The Bunny, the Comic Books and other Difficult Decluttering Decisions.

Preamble: I have decided to participate in an on-line challenge to rid myself of 40 bags in 40 days. I am interpreting 40 bags as a metaphor for simply decrapifying and decluttering. I am focusing on my basement. Yes. Again. Shut up.


Here's my progress report.


Day 3: The Bunny Saga, Comic books and a Mop.

I
Before he was my husband, Chris gave me this stuffed bunny. Stupidly, in a phone call (and on Valentine's Day, no less) I told him we were pregnant with our first child. Well! As soon as he got off work he hit the stores...looking for a Raggedy Anne or Andy. Of course he couldn't find one--but he did find this.

But he was over two hours late for our Valentine's Day plans and I was livid. I told him what for!

And then he presented me with Mr. Bunny. With the tag on his ear.

Ever since, whenever I'd look at the bunny, I'd wince. I have kept it out of guilt and shame for nineteen years.

I discovered it in the basement, in a box. I talked to my husband. Brought up that day. Asked Chris if he minded if I let it go.

He thought I already had.

(p.s. As a result of working all this through--it's no longer an emotionally charged bunny. It is just a stuffed, dusty, dirty bunny. I'd like to wash him up and donate him to Ronald McDonald house, if they'll take him.)

Er. Scratch that. I had the bunny out to take these photos of it--and my son asked about it.

"Don't you know about the bunny, Ben?"
(He is my first born.)

"You never told me the story of the bunny."

"I've never told you the story of the bunny? Your father gave that to me when I told him we were expecting you. It was Valentine's Day. I've had him for 19 years. Read the tag."

"'I love you Mommy.'"

"I'm going to give it away--unless you want it?"

He wants it.

I asked him if I could keep the tag. He said no. "It's part of history," he said. And off he went with it.

Well then.

II
I found two large, barely manageable boxes of Chris's comic books. It will be a huge project to get rid of them as he wants to make whatever money is to be had from them.

from Box 1:

from Box 2:

Grrr.

III
For instant gratification: I took this mop out of my closet (I've already bought--and used! its replacement). I chucked it into the dumpster at work.

Day 4: Emptying out the plastic drawers.

Tedious. Full of scrapbooking odds and ends. I wonder if I'll ever scrapbook again?


 Day 5: The Picture Shelf

This was a lovely half hour project.
Frames were everywhere.

the donate pile:

Day 6: Decluttering Difficulties

My head is going to explode. Too many things to take away!

Here are things I am trying to sort out how to get rid of:

1. perfectly good plastic storage containers (and cardboard file box without a lid).
2. Children's table. Well loved.
3. Kitchen chair. Gah, I loved that set. Last one left.
4. Rocking chair I got at a garage sale for $20. I enjoyed it for years.


1) Should I schlepp some of it to my Mother? (if she wants them.)

2) Should I sell them? For what? List for them for free, maybe?

4) Perhaps I should take the things to the end of the driveway and put a "free" sign on them. Oh wait. It's just a puddle the size of a pond out there.

5) Schlep them to Value Village. (Ugh. Loading up the Jeep. Unloading the Jeep.)

ugh.

The basement is beginning to look simply amazing.

If you care to read more, check out these links:
Introduction:  The 40 Bag Basement.
Day 1: Clearing the Decks
Day 2: I Can See the Table!

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40 Bags in 40 Days: Day 2. I Can See the Table!

Just like yesterday, today wasn't hard either--though this table has been cluttered beyond reason for more than a year.

Most everything has a home: it just wasn't there, it was here! After I'd made the floor inaccessible with boxes and boxes of books last year, I just started dumping things here to be dealt with "later."

Thank goodness, "later" was today!

I just dumped the contents of this entire box straight into the garbage (after fishing out the recyclable jar). It actually came from the top drawer of the dresser in the back hallway. I was keeping it all "just in case." Well, it's time to evict Justin Case!

It took me about 45 minutes to get this far.

I was interrupted by a phone call. I was going to quit and call it "good enough" -- but when I went back down with some laundry, I thought about how great it would be to come down tomorrow and see a clear table! I figured it wouldn't take much to finish up--and it didn't.

Today's "bag" (things collected for donation):

It'll be great to have this space for sorting!

ugh. Hubs insists they are worth "some money." But guess who has to find out?

And today's most satisfying before and after:

Maybe it'll get tougher tomorrow.


If you'd like to read more about this little adventure, you're in luck!

Day 1: Clearing the Decks.

Introduction: The 40 Bag Basement.

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