Tuesday, April 5, 2011

56 April Challenge: Project "Purge" {Living Room Purge}



Alright - yesterday we tackled shoes in the entryway, and I was able to pick out 11 pairs of shoes to let go.  However, that doesn't mean you have to stop there.  I did, because that's all I have in my itty bitty entry.  For those of you who have bins and baskets and closets... dig dig dig.  Mittens that don't have a match.  See ya later!  Duplicate pet supplies.  Gonzo.  The neighbor kid that won't go home... call his mom.  Time to PURGE!

I am moving on to my living room today.  At first, I thought this one would be tough.  We just cleared things out and re-organized when we worked on our recent "Built In Bookshelves" project.


Our living room is pretty simplified and full of things we heart.  However, there definitely are some excess living room items that didn't make the cut, and have been in storage either waiting to be brought to new life or sold.  Well, I am not waiting any longer.  This is the month to SHED {and no, I am not moving things to the shed, I am shedding my life of excess stuff}!

These days, living simply with the Less is More mentality is actually the "In" thing.  It's stylish and sleek to keep your spaces clear of clutter and easy on the eyes.  So let's get our living room's there today!

My Living Room Purging Tips:

Remember, if you haven't used it in the last 6 months to a year, you probably won't much in the future, if at all.  Is it worth the valuable real estate that the specific item is taking up in your home?  Here are some things to look at in the living room:
  • Media:
    • Music CD's - These day's, you can rip your music to your PC and let go of the actually CD version.  You will probably find that you listen to your fav's more.  
    • Movies - If you don't love it, let it go.  And the cool thing about movies is that there are a lot of movie "collectors" out there that want your old movies.  Try listing them on eBay or adding them to a friends garage sale.  You could also check with local libraries or hospitals to donate old movies.
    • Video Games.  Same thing.  Old video games can either be sold or donated.  There are also many gaming stores that will buy old video games from you!

  • Electronics.  Wowzers... Camera's and Camcorders, old Video Gaming Systems, TV's, VHS players {for those of you that don't know what that is, it came before the DVD players}, stereos {again, prior to MP3 players}, etc... Many local recycling companies may actually charge you for your old electronics, however, some actually will take them from you for free.  In fact, check with your local electronics stores such as Best Buy, who will either let you trade in your old electronics for gift cards or take them off of your hands for free.  You can also try to sell them via eBay or Craigslist, or use a site like Gazelle.com in which you can place in your specific electronic information and they will give you a quote to purchase it from you.
  • Magazines - I am a magazine hoarder.  Time to recycle.  And cancel and subscriptions that haven't been beneficial or looked at enough.
  • Pair down living room accessories by picking one or more items that were purchased on impulse and never really worked in the space. 

  • Books.  Books can always be donated to a local library or hospital or school.  Goodwill also accepts book donations.


Donate or Sell?

I really am a believer in trying to make some money back.  Whether you put it towards a savings plan, paying off debt, towards a vacation fun or to buy something to replace the old... it doesn't hurt to make the effort to gain a dollar before giving it away.  You can always donate it if you are unable to sell it.  However, you really have to look at each item and ask yourself if it's worth your time to sell, as listing items effectively can be a time consuming process, and sometimes it's just easier to bring it to your local free will donation store.  Either process of selling and donating are the greenest way to go.  They both offer a solution of moving items forward in their life cycle and keeping them out of landfills and trash cans.  These days so many things can also be recycled so always check your items for that option as well before tossing them into the trash pile.


So what did I come up with in the Living Room as part of the 30 items in 30 days purge?


1. Project Life Binder - since I replaced the one that came with the kit it with something in a simpler pattern.
2.  A Discman.  What's that?
3.  A digital camera that is no longer working since it was dropped in the mud last year.  Why is it still in my house?
4.  A Jacobean Area Rug that once lived in our living room... as seen here.


3.  Magazines - They need to be recycled asap!


4.  An old video camera.  One that uses mini VHS's to record.  Why when the new one came in, did this one not go out?


5.  Even though this blog is totally a NO JUDGING zone, feel free to laugh and judge.  I did.  Really?  A season of the OC?  Impulse and never bought another season.  The Sims though... I am totally making some moola off of those right?  Wait, no?  Oh poo.  How about old VHS Disney movies from when I was growing up that I haven't been able to say goodbye too or let go of.  We don't even have a VHS player any longer, but I still didn't want to part.  Perfect example of clinging to things for an emotional reason and it's really not doing anyone in this house any good to look at the pretty covers and not be able to watch them.  Time to say farewell!



6.  A set of Pottery Barn Vintage Inspired Skeleton keys.  I had gotten one set as a gift and purchased one... I loved them enough to think that I would use two sets.  Wrong.  Only one needed... one will have to go!


7.  I have three pillow covers that I know I will never use again in any space.  They are too color specific and no longer match any of our decor. 

The only thing making the cut to stay that I purged:

I actually have a pretty good stash of old frames.  I always keep them.  I have plans to collect as many as I can and create and awesome gallery in my hallway.  These babies are staying even though they look extremely awful in the moment.  That's the only thing that was saved by a thread.  I get to say goodbye to everything else... should I count each item individually?  If so:

1 Rug
1 Camera
1 Discman
1 Stack of Magazines
1 Skeleton Key Accessories
3 Pillow Covers
1 Project Life Album
1 Video Camera
9 Disney VHS Movies
9 Video Games
1 DVD Box Set

Let's see if my math is as bad as my spelling - 29 items PURGED!  It kind of makes me want to go and find one more thing to make it 30... we will see how that goes!

So my plans.  I am hoping to post this week on the selling process.  Other than the magazines and broken camera and Discman {which will be recycled}, I am going to try to sell everything in the pile.  I will share links with you so you can see me go through this and watch live as I sink or swim.

Now it's your turn!  What are your purging from your Entry/Living room this week?  What tips do you have for me as I begin to sell the Living Room purge?  Who feels the weight being lifted and the amazing feeling of letting go?  Am I the only one who used to have a crush on Seth from the OC?  Seriously.  Hot.




I decided a little challenge would be fun! This month we are spending the next thirty days saying goodbye to thirty things!  Wanna Join in?  Take photos and blog about your awesomeness as you go!  I am hoping to do a giant, "We did it!" celebratory post where we can all link up our purging success stories at the end of the month!

56 comments:

  1. I love the comment about calling the neighbor kid's mom!! Hilarious!! :)

    I love the feeling of just getting rid of things!! Great job...I'm still trying to convince my mom that all of her VHS need to go, but that's a long and difficult battle...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love it Jen, Yesterday I got rid of 19 pairs of shoes and am excited to see what i will get rid of today. Any way you'd want to sell those keys that you're getting rid of to me?

    ReplyDelete
  3. If you have a half price book store in your area, you can sell your magazines, VHS and DVDs. You won't get much for them but you'll get a little bit and get rid of them at the same time.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I was going to say the same thing as Michele, I'd love to buy those keys from you! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I wish I knew if you lived close, I LOVE that rug and it would be perfect for my entry! Off to work on the challenge myself.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I would LOVE to have those keys!
    ~Beth

    wb_griffin@Msn.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I want to buy the keys too! There might be a fight over those ones! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oooh I know i'm supposed to be getting rid of things but oh how I want those keys in my house!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I donated all our disney vhs tapes to our local hospital's pediatric ER unit. When my son broke his arm two years ago, there was a lot of waiting time and the movie selection was very minimal. If your local hospital still uses vhs tapes, I'm sure they would love to update their video libraries with your donation. I'm sure the families who are there would appreciate it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yesterday I purged my closet. It was such a nice feeling. I think I'll join you today in my living room! Thanks for the inspiration!

    Tiffany @ The Nest Effect

    http://www.thenesteffect.com
    http://www.realsimplesavingmethods.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. I LOOOVE that rug! My husband and I are saving up for a rug that looks JUST like that from Target. How far are you from Michigan? :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I also loved the neighbour kid comment, funny.

    I think we keep electronics that do not work (or are outdated) longer then we should because of the cost involved in buying them. I still attach value even when the value is long gone.

    Anyway, looking forward to doing some purging this month, very timely since we are planning a garage sale in the late spring.

    ReplyDelete
  13. You've inspired me to tackle my books. oh boy! lol The problem with books, is that I re-read them over and over again, I love them all, but as we're getting a little short on book space, I think it's time to start good-bye to some and passing them on to other to love and enjoy them, especially all those old paper back!

    ReplyDelete
  14. LOVE that rug! Can't wait until I have a budget for such things.

    And thank you for reminding me I need to go home to my mom's and get rid of all the old, like my Discman. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. If you haven't thrown those VHS tapes out yet, you could always frame the covers for your kids' playroom or something. (Since they are sentimental).

    ReplyDelete
  16. Don't be hating on the OC...lol..Maybe I should purge my complete series set :) AND Seth was hot :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'm a new reader!! I am an organizing freak, so finding your blog is the highlight of my week (maybe even month!!) Thank you!!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I already have a pile of books, some electronics & decor that I need to garage sale this Spring/Summer. I will add shoes to my donate list and I have to go through my entertainment center in the Living Room. This is going to be a huge garage sale for us, yet another year. We had a really big one last year and made some nice money. :D

    ReplyDelete
  19. OK, maybe you need to ahve a give away for thise keys! People could leave a comment and you could put the names in a hat and draw one out to win! XO, Pinky

    ReplyDelete
  20. Maybe you could donate to your faithful Blog readers?!

    ReplyDelete
  21. The neighbor kid that won't go home... call his mom! You are so funny, I love your blog and look forward to your new posts! Thank you!
    ~Fern
    Fern-Smith.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  22. WOW! Awesome purge! I love love love the skeleton keys!! I am an avid collector of old keys & boy would they look good in my collection! LOL!

    I did my living room yesterday along with the closet where the animal food & litter box are. I got rid of a HUGE bag of old cords & chargers (no clue what they go with!), a pile of old magazines & some mangled rolls of wrapping paper that weren't usable. Not sure if it was 30 things altogether, but it must have been close!
    Thanks for the inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I will also take those keys but it looks as though there are quite a few bidders already ;) Great inspiration, once again!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Jen i LOVE those pottery barn keys! how much are you selling them for?

    ReplyDelete
  25. Lol, you are going to end up with your own Auction site if you're not careful Jen! I'm in Oz, so I'm sure I could find something a little closer to home and therefore I'm not joining the scrambling masses. This time.
    But I was also suprised that you were getting rid of the binder, it seems like something you could use in an upcoming project, but I'm sure you know what you're doing :o)

    P.S. My mum still has all of my old Disney Movies, they're expensive to replace with DVDs!

    P.P.S. Seth is very definitely hot.

    ReplyDelete
  26. That's awesome - way to go! I did a little decluttering and purging too - here's my post:
    http://curliegirlie03.blogspot.com/2011/04/30-items-in-30-days-living-room-purge.html
    Sara

    ReplyDelete
  27. Amazon also has a buy back program for books, DVDs and video games. We purged DVDs this winter when we upgraded to BluRay and made about $75!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Wow! I'm purging on a different level. Check it out: www.rosiebear.com/blog

    I'm starting with the little things that annoy me most... like junk mail and bad facebook friends. I'm not quite ready to tackle a whole room!

    -Rosie

    ReplyDelete
  29. Wow, that is pretty good! I personally take things out every week without planning on doing so! I hate clutter and slowly but surely, I'm minimizing the amount of 'stuff' we have. I'm not a minimalist by my husband is the opposite!

    I'd love to have those Pottery Barn keys, interested in selling??

    ~ L.

    ReplyDelete
  30. OMG I seriously love the OC! Ummm, there's an attorney, that works on the same floor as us, and he looks like Tate Donovan, OMG!!! Every time I see him, I think of Jimmy Cooper! I totally had a crush on him, and Seth! Love me some Adam Brody - even Adam Brody from back in the day on Gilmore Girls! lol.

    Now I'm totally going to take on this challenge, however, I'm definitely going to have to do an abbreviated version as soon as Tax Season ends!

    ReplyDelete
  31. GO YOU!!!!!!!!!! PS- I LOVE the rug your getting rid of and the keys! I wish I could buy those keys from you! Too cute!

    Also, can you tell me where you got your current rug? I LOVE it and it's really similar to my dining room one and I would love to get a larger one for my living space!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I would LOVE (heat) taking the project life book off your hands!!! Let me know if it's not too late!!

    chrisgreedy AT gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  33. Ok...tackling entertainment center NOW! Also, I would love to buy those keys :-)

    ReplyDelete
  34. Wow you are amazing. I am so going to take this on. I think I have more junk than anyone, and I do not have the time to sell it, so it will be donated.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Well done! You are better at letting things go than me, guess that's why your challenge only needed to be for 30 items and mine had to be for over 2,000! Two years in a row in fact, I'm going to follow you and apply some of your principles since you obviously have this organizing thing down pat. I'd love for you to stop by and check out my little project as well, if you have the time.

    http://kidsstuffworld.com/category/stuff/operation-minimize/

    Stacy

    ReplyDelete
  36. I have big hopes of someday having a home as well-kept (and managed as yours) ... my husband really wants this dream of mine to come true ... and fast! :)

    ReplyDelete
  37. I want those keys! They are awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  38. @Ashley: Here is a link to the Faux Bois rug: http://www.homedecorators.com/P/Martha_Stewart_Living_Layered_Faux_Bois_Area_Rug/270/ I adore it, however, I will caution you that mine sheds like crazy... I am hoping it's only a temporary thing... but it hasn't gotten better for the couple 6 months that I have had it!

    xoxo,
    Jen

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hi everyone!

    I love that you all LOVE the keys! I have been giggling all day and thinking I should just create a giant bidding war? Even my bff texted me for them... oh what's a gal to do? In all seriousness, I am going to post all of my Craigslist/eBay links to a post this week with all of my items... to be fair... and then in the same post, giveaway those keys to one lucky reader! :)

    LOVE YOU ALL!

    xoxo,
    Jen

    ReplyDelete
  40. i bought the Beauty and the Beast bluray combo pack. there is a NEW song in it. take the money you make from selling your junk and buy it. just a tip.... :)

    ReplyDelete
  41. Let me just say... I. LOVE. YOUR. BLOG. I've been following for a couple of weeks now and I just can't stop coming back! You have the greatest ideas. I'm kind of an organizing nerd and I'd love to do something like this on my blog as well. Still growing, but hopefully I'll get there :)

    ReplyDelete
  42. Ohhh giveaway for the keys? Fabulous! And I too loved your line about the neighbor kid. Thanks for the laugh this morning!!

    ~Malissa

    P.S. Did you sell the old starburst mirror that was about your tv??

    ReplyDelete
  43. I'm *trying* to be more organized so your site is one of my favs! Dunno if you've mentioned this before, but if you want the immediateness of donation with the little $$ bonus as well, try using the free It's Deductible program at Turbo Tax .com. If you put in your basics, like income, it pulls resale values for your items based on eBay, then figures what your true tax savings will be based on your tax rate. It's easy and fun to watch the numbers add up, which makes it easier to purge.
    PS I love the keys too! :)

    ReplyDelete
  44. WOW -this is impressive. I'm an organized person but you are right, there's more that could be removed. Thanks for the encouragement!

    ReplyDelete
  45. I would keep the keys...would look fabulous in a frame. Also, can you dye the pillow covers to match a room?

    ReplyDelete
  46. I'm interested in the keys and project life binder

    ReplyDelete
  47. I would love to have some of the items in that pile!

    ReplyDelete
  48. Hi Jen! I actually kept my old Disney VHS movies and bought a Mickey Mouse TV+VCR for my son. VHS movies are cheaper to come by than Disney DVD's, you can get them anywhere, thrift store, goodwill, you name it, they've probably got a few. Also on a plus side, my son is going through his terrible-two-destructive-side, so keeping DVD's around are calling for disaster. I've managed to save a lot of time and money by buying VHS movies for my son. Just a thought, not to mention they are usual $1 a piece instead of$20 for a DVD at target (that get's scratched often). Best, Jen

    ReplyDelete
  49. Ahh! I love that you have/had another thing in your home that I have in mine. I swear we are kindred spirts! Lol. I am actually looking for disney vhs's for our collection. My mom got rid of hers a few years ago and with the hubs working for disney.. they just must be in our home! We have a tv with a built in vhs that will be in the play room and I would love to have those vhs's if you still have them! I would love to purchase them from you for my little one. Let me know if you still have them! Thanks and keep up the good work! I am purging too!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Hi Lacey!

    I still have them! I was planning on bringing them to a Children's Hospital to donate, however, if you are interested in any of them, send over a note to iheartorganizing@gmail.com and we can chat through details!

    xoxo,
    Jen

    ReplyDelete
  51. Thanks for the rug link Jen! I'll check it out. The one in my dining room is by Flor, and it sheds a little too, but I still love it! I'm going to check yours out!

    ReplyDelete
  52. I just posted about my Week 1 purge! I'm so excited!

    http://faithhopelove-cassandra.blogspot.com/2011/04/spring-cleaning-extravaganza-week-1.html

    ReplyDelete
  53. Your blog is a complete inspiration!!! I can't thank you enough for the tips and ideas I've read today.

    ReplyDelete
  54. Where in Wisconsin do you live? I want some of your purged items...lol.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking a moment to join in on the conversation! I read and appreciate each and every comment, however, I will remove any comment that I believe to be inappropriate, malicious, or spam-like. I would love for this comment section to be used as a place to engage in purposeful dialogue, I only ask that everyone remains constructive and considerate.

All comments will be moderated and may take a moment to appear.