apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm going to remove some over sized glass beer mugs that my ex-husband left. My home is mine now!

an ugly computer desk that has been 'functioning' as a hallway table. I deserve to see something better (hmmm... even open space!) when I arrive home from work,

The boxes that have been waiting to go to the Housing Works Thrift Store will be out of the door tonight!

I'd already started on the Apartment 2.0 project, as we've been calling it at home, which included donating a bunch of old clothes, kitchenware, etc. Was thrilled to find out about The Green Cure because I figured the project, and the folks participating, would provide much needed structure and inspiration. I've got a lot of work to do, but there isn't much left to get rid of except some old magazines. Those are going out the door tonight!

Anybody have suggestions or clever ideas for getting rid of things while still avoiding the landfill? For example, The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence will take your old cell phone, repurpose it, and give it to someone who needs it.

Goodbye spare dining room table (and chairs!)

To wordwallah: One great resource for getting rid of unwanted things that still have some use: FREECYCLE. These groups are all over the country. Google 'freecycle' and your city and you will likely find a group nearby. I have given away glass and backing for picture frames, cardboard boxes, even a couple of chairs.

I'm going to remove a cheap office chair that I've already replaced, but I keep holding onto for some reason. Out you go into the world!

Wordwallah, great question! I just updated the post with a whole bunch of recycling/donating information links. Check it out.

I'm going to get rid of clothes that no longer fit me. I gained weight due to life happening and I've been waiting to fit into these clothes again. Problem is, I've been holding on to them too long. When I finally lose the weight, I'll have waaaay more fun buying new clothes to fit me than I'll have wearing my old clothes again! But man is it hard to let go of these things... Out with the old clothes, in with a new respect for myself! I deserve better things in my life!

I'm getting rid of a ton of old clothing too. It's time to let it go and have an excuse to buy some better things for myself!

Another way to get rid of things responsibly: post them on the "free" section of Craigslist. I've found that people will come running for your junk, if you post it there. What I like about this method is that (a) it goes directly to someone who wants it, and (b) I don't have to haul it anywhere myself.

Oh, this is going to be very motivating and inspiring! I'm going to haul off some unwanted and unneeded items that are covering a desk that I need to sell. Recycling and making money for the makeover. Another good website is www.treehugger.com for all things GREEN!

I'm going to get rid of a whole bunch of old moving boxes that I've had stacked up in one room. I moved about two months ago and those boxes are just reminders that I haven't fully moved into my apartment yet.

clothes going to goodwill and selling off 2 plastic chairs n craigslist(bought them when i dint have a choice :( _

I'm going to be recycling old magazines that I've been accumulating since I was 15 (eep!).

My boyfriend & I have already cleared off an old rickety bookshelf and disposed of it. My living room already feels more spacious!

We're going to be getting rid of TWO out of three televisions in our house. We only use the TV to watch movies every once in awhile, and we've just been reluctant to let go of the old sets. Eventually we'll be upgrading to a flatscreen in the living room, so we need to make space for it.

I've also given away a ton of books to a local coffee shop that sells the books & gives the proceeds to an animal shelter.

It feels very liberating to be rid of things and create space.

i'm a spaz for decluttering and happened to pack up a little bag last night. i do it almost weekly, although i know there are a couple 'donate' bags in the basement that have been there for a long time! those should go too.

it kind of feels like cheating, to just go about my usual decluttering rather than attempting a more difficult purge. you know, the thing you're emotional about letting go of, whether it has sentimental value or you just feel like you 'have to' keep it for some reason? i'll have to give it some thought, because i'm sure there's something in my house that is bringing me down and i'm just not recognizing it.

I have been slowly building a now rather large pile of things to get rid of. This week I plan to bring all the books to Half Price and/or all the hangers to the drycleaner to be recycled and/or the box of packing materials to the local mailing place that recycles them and/or all the rest to GoodWill.

It's a rather large pile and it's not easy to get to. If I do get rid of it all, I will not feel the guilt that doubledutch is feeling even though I have already selected these things. Actually getting them out of my house and into a new home will indeed set my intention.

There's an ancient TV cart in my bedroom I want to get rid of. The ex took that TV when he moved out and I don't want a TV in my bedroom right now. I can't believe I moved that crappy old thing halfway across the country 10 years ago. It's time for it to find a new home.

I am de-cluttering and moving duplicates to another house I've just inherited (but which was stripped bare by others.) I am determined to leave only that which I love and use, and to move only that which I also love and will use.

Luckily the two places are very different styles which determines some of the choice. And for the "things" that are neither loved nor used - off to Goodwill for another home.

That's the so-called easy part. For the Cure "removing one item from my apartment that I don't need or use but which still has value" is, of course, harder. I studied my kitchen which is where I am working the Cure hardest. I found a lovely copper gratin dish which I plan on cleaning up and sending to my daughter's boyfriend. He loves nice things and cooks (she doesn't), so it will go off to make someone happy I hope.

Piles of papers are the bane of my home's peace! I will consolidate, file, and recycle until my tables are my own again. Peace & perseverance!

I am finally getting rid of clothes that are too small, too old and too un-stylish-- conveniently, neighborhood yard sale coming up soon so I'll find more stuff. My husband and I have also decided to get rid of a table in the bedroom. It's just been sitting there with no useful purpose but to hold junk and clutter so it has got to go. We'll probably just donate this to get it out of here asap.

I am going to get rid of the box of soft toys I still have from when I was a kid. I'm going to keep the 2 really special toys and give the rest to a charity shop.

I have also repurposed one a long thin snake from ikea, it is now a draught excluder for the bottom of a door.

I love the orange curtains! They would be perfect for my bay window. Does anyone know where they can be purchased?

i'm going to get rid of some margarita glasses that i never use. adios amigos!

We just replaced our old (broken) fridge with an energy-star fridge, but now the old one is just sitting on the front porch (ugh). We either need to find a repair guy to take it and fix it or find the right way to dispose of "too far gone" appliances (any tips?). Also, got big plans to purge my closets and dressers!

I did a deep decluttering with the help of a home organizer within the last 45 days. I held onto the BIG furniture pieces, which are Chinese antiques. I have tried to repurpose them in different rooms, but I think they need to go. (They're all from my formerly married life.) Going to list them on craigslist by the weekend and hope at least one piece sells.

Just got rid of a laptop bag and an old light fixture that were sitting in an ugly box for months (which annoyed me every time I walked in that room). Took out the trash/recycling. The greatest journey begins with a single trip to the trash bin. :)

I'll be moving in two weeks and my wife and I will be trying to reduce as much as we can to make the trip a bit easier. That means books and magazines we don't look at anymore are going to the local thrift store. We have lots of papers and receipts tucked away that we'll need to sort through as well. We have a two room apartment where we live now but we never really go into that room, its a storage haven. We have a pull-out love seat for when guests come and we'll be keeping that and trying to find a one bedroom with enough room for a desk at our next place.

Something else we removed a few months ago were paper towels. We had them on a shopping list as well as some car care items for our new vehicle. When we were in the automotive department we saw a variety pack of microfiber clothes that were super cheap. We've been really happy with them so far. They scrub a lot better than the paper towels anyway and we use them for everything that we would have used the disposable product for anyway. Then hand wash them out or toss 'em in the laundry. They're great!

I've got an old phone to freecycle, possibly a 'stereo' and some other bits and pieces, although I freecycled most things that I wanted to get rid of, before and right after moving. Got some plastic storage boxes that I will either donate to the workplace or freecycle (there's only so many I can squeeze into my tiny loft above the kitchen!). I'm sorting through clothes etc too. I don't buy that many but I'm terrible for holding onto what I've got so that, what can't be repaired becomes 'gardening gear' and messy job attire and eventually, cleaning cloths!

More interesting textiles are set aside for making stuff. My current project is repatching worn out sections of a patchwork quilt but I've also unearthed a few unfinished projects of old. Ten years ago, unable to face parting with an unfashionable collection of screen-printed T-shirts, I decided that I would make something out of them. The T's themselves were hideously big and baggy but the designs I loved so, I got out my silks and wadding and quilted them by just stitching over some of the outlines and then used them to make cushions (pillows to you guys!!!). It was labour-intensive but worth the effort...and now I've found that I've got a few more to do, after all these years!

So, I'm probably better at recycling, repurposing etc than actual de-cluttering... but "motsvont", on the other hand, seems to be even better at it than she thinks.... Well Done, Motsvont! You appear to have already got shot of one 'oversized beer mug' before you've even cleared out his glass ones!!! ;)

I took a load of stuff to the goodwill, but most of it was my boyfriends. I have to go through my clothes, because I know there's some stuff in my closet that can go. I'm also getting rid of a frying pan (we have two the same size), and some computer equipment that's still good but that I don't or need. Oh, and some books from school I don't need anymore!

i am removing FURNITURE!!! from the extra room in my apt, and moving some stuff out of my bedroom to that room. when i got this apt. i had nothing, now i have way too much. So i want to make my bedroom an oasis and make the extra room a functional workroom instead of a place to store crap.