Planning the clutter bust

Thoughts and work on Sept. 3-4

To consider doing...work on some

• See if I can get rid of slippers...
• Sort books...

In the process--

• TAKE BREAKS
• write emails to friends
• internet surf
• Put on music!! Make the process happy

Other clutter/clean-up stuff to help the process--my 'to do' list for today:

• Make guest bed
• Finish putting away suitcase items from trip.
• Spend at least 30 minutes on table

Done Monday--Sept 3

• Spent time writing my ideas on organizing the process. Good! It's out of my head, ready to act on.
• Made list of stuff for WN (helping me) to do when she comes tomorrow--stuff to wipe done, shred, etc.
• Separated out items--identified as 'ready to (price and) go', and some things that are "take to Canada"
• Made up my pricing list for big items.
• Made guest bed

Organizing the process--Sept. 3, 2018

Today my mind is thinking a lot around the bigger picture of organizing this process, and how to make it go as efficiently as possible. So I'm thinking about, and planning for.

• Designing and printing a sort of 'label' to be put on boxes--identifying what is in them, and where they are going and next actions, ie.
• Take to Canada (and then even...maybe some more variations in case I change my mind--essential keepsakes, etc. and 'maybe's)
• Give away, take somewhere....
• Setting up/preparing some areas of the house to temporary put different categories of things, also how to do this in a way that doesn't drive me crazy in the process, so I don't feel like I'm living in the midst of boxes and more clutter, AND so the place looks reasonably 'free' and 'calming' in some places...for would-be buyers to see, etc.
• Boxes to ship away (take with me)
• Stuff ready to get rid of now--sell or give away, somehow finding a way to 'display' these.
• Stuff to take somewhere (i.e. books to the centre to sell there)
• Starting to make a pricing chart for large items to sell--furniture, etc. first to roughly know prices so that these can be offered to the home buyer, maybe 'sweeten' the package, or sell it all in one fell swoop
• OR Next steps on this may be to photograph, put on a website... 
• Start 'pricing' other items that I can get rid of--at this price OBO.

I'm also wanting to GET AT IT with the nitty gritty of disposing, organizing etc. So far my thoughts and plans are:

• Start with 'big and easy' stuff
• books--I have some boxes already pulled out and separated out--already designated 'get rid of' or 'take to Canada'
• some Rubbermaid containers whose contents could be easily disposed of, making that a good 'shipping container' for the 'take with me' items
• One container--old finance records--2000-2011. (I'm quite sure I can get rid of  everything at least until 2008 (might need to keep 10 years--check on this).
• One container--guest slippers--and that container is in a cupboard...could easily become a GREAT storage space for the 'take to Canada' stuff boxes that are already packed
• Things already determined to keep--start putting them in appropriate containers.
• Balcony garden area--go through..get rid of stuff that is probably not worthwhile to anyone. Organize everything else so that it is clear and attractive for would-be buyers/takers.
• Oh, and for the balcony garden: Stop planting NEW STUFF!!

• Start labeling things--price tags on stuff around the house.
• Start a list (and get working on) research questions
• Who can appraise the apartment?
• What are tax and related laws related to selling?
• What forms/paper work is needed for international transfer of funds?
• What are my shipping options? (And then a choice...what will be my limits?)

This is a good start! Now...to DO!

Time to Get Crackin'!

I will be leaving, packing up my apartment, selling it, and moving--to the other side of the world. I WILL do some serious reducing, disposing, in coming days.

Biggest progress so far is books--well, just excited to be finding places to get rid of them. I donated 34 to Juniper Tree, and then last weekend sold about 40 at half price.

One thing I'm enjoying--the clarity that comes when you're leaving things behind. Not everything is clear, mind you, there will be lots of choices to make. But much becomes easier. I look at things and know I can chuck them...

I think...I'll use this space to track, and...watch it go...
I want to track...to know that, in the end, I did a lot of work.