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Friday chatter: Are you Spring cleaning?
This is Portland right now, in a nutshell.
It may not officially be Spring yet, but the trees have burst into blossom, the daffodils are everywhere, and the sun is starting to peek out.
After this week’s post about hair and makeup, I’m in the mood to start clearing out cabinets.
I’d also love to give my closet another pass-through. I have so much stuff that I really like, but don’t actually wear or even want to wear. This tends to be what stops me in my tracks when it comes to closet editing. I think I need to bite the bullet and do another major purge. I know it’ll feel great when I’m done.
Do you do any sort of major Spring cleaning?
Comments
Amy W
March 14, 2014 #
I have two storage closets that need cleaning out. I don’t like having a bunch of things in storage that I’m not using and haven’t used in a long time. The clothes closet needs to be updated too.
Trisha
March 14, 2014 #
I’ve been gathering up things to get rid of. We have eight inches of snow here and my daffodils aren’r ready to be more than green stubs poking out…so I may as well clean! (Laugh)
Fooniks
March 14, 2014 #
I go crazy when the spring cleaning comes. I clean everything. And by everything I mean EVERYTHING. I wash or have dry cleaned all the garments in my closet, I wash all the dishes in the house. Basically my house looks like one big pile of stuff during the cleaning weekend. Mountains of laundry waiting to be ironed, piles of dishes waiting to be done. It’s awful but I won’t settle for anything less. And I toss a lot f clothes as well. I hate tossing clothes but I just toughen up and if I haven’t worn it in ages or if it doesn’t fit right anymore and it’s not something that I feel like I can revamp or upcycle somehow, it goes in the bin.
Alison
March 14, 2014 #
I’m planning a wardrobe spring clean this weekend. I’m going to put everything I don’t wear or don’t think looks good on me in a suitcase in the loft and see how I get on. If it’s still there in 6 months it’ll be going to the charity shop.
Also, does anyone else find that their clothes are really worn out (holes or faded or frayed edges) but yet you don’t really notice? And then even when you do, it’s so hard to get rid of them because they have good memories attached or they’re really comfortable?
Katherine
March 14, 2014 #
I normally don’t really do a spring-clear-out, though I go through cycles of “THIS STUFF NEEDS TO GOOOOO”, and I’m probably going to have one this spring. I recently had a bad accident and now am hobbling around on one leg (broken ankle), so I can’t do a lot of the projects I wanted to do this spring, and I’m starting to feel fed up with all the crap I’ve let accumulate around myself.
I come from a pretty long line of borderline hoarders (and I’m an archivist by training, which also doesn’t help), and I do have to work on that “Well, it MIGHT be useful. Someday. . .” mentality that keeps bits and trinkets and whatall lying around in disorder. I think this endless winter (I’m in Toronto) is making me want to get a clean slate ready for when I can walk properly again.
Gen
March 14, 2014 #
I am spring cleaning my sewing studio but maybe not so much in the traditional “cleaning” sense. I am going through all of my shelves, drawers, bins, and boxes for all of those half-finished or “someday” projects that never quite got off of the ground and those mending or clothing alteration projects that have piled up or been lost or forgotten. Basically, any unfinished objects (“UFOs”). I am either finishing it up and putting it (back) into use or putting the materials back into my stash or getting rid of it. No more UFOs for me! Ok, that is my goal. I hope I make it but at the very least I will make a lot of progress and know where I stand.
Taylor G
March 14, 2014 #
UFOs–I love it! I have so many of those: a few sewing/mending projects and a large number of scrapbooking projects. Maybe now that I have a name for them it will be easier for me to call them what they really are–unfinished objects that need finishing, and do something about them. Thanks. :)
Rebekah
March 14, 2014 #
My fiancé just bought me a new sewing table, which means it’s time to sort through all of my supplies and truly set up a sewing space for myself. We’re also planning to do a kitchen deep clean, getting rid of things we don’t use and making space for things we do. Both dreading and looking forward to it!
Carolyn
March 14, 2014 #
Oh man, I have so much spring cleaning to do this year. I too need to do a wardrobe edit and let go of pieces that I still really like, but haven’t worn in a couple of years now. I’m also facing an impending move of my sewing workspace (I currently rent space in the back of a sewing machine shop, but the building is now up for sale and everything will be moved into our condo, boo.) which means I’ll need to do a major purge of fabric and sewing paraphernalia, sigh. I find it so much harder to let go of fabric, patterns, etc than clothes I’ve made. The supplies are so full of potential and it feels like a waste to never have used it.
I think I will feel very refreshed and relieved once I’ve done these, though. I’m itching to get at it and a good clean of my home after finishing with a very intensive sewing project that’s been dominating my life the past few months. Hopefully by the time I can Ontario will start showing signs of eventually looking the way Portland apparently does now.
W
March 14, 2014 #
have you heard of the stash diet flickr group? they run a swap for patterns, notions and fabric. it might be a less painful way of giving up unused sewing supplies. here is the link to their information page: http://www.flickr.com/groups/2419535@N25/discuss/72157639499251084/
knitmo
March 14, 2014 #
I live on a farm. Spring is mud season. Regardless of what happens or what precautions I take, three kids, a husband, two dogs and two cats track a lot of mud into the house. Spring is usually reserved for maintaining the mud issues. I tend to do major purges each month, in different rooms of the house.
However, I will wash windows and curtains once the crops are in the field around mid June. Before that there is so much dust in the air/sticking to windows, it isn’t worth it.
Kat
March 14, 2014 #
That is SO funny you post this now because that’s just what I spent the day doing today – except we’re autumn cleaning down under!! I spent the day unearthing all my lovely fall/winter garments, hand washing my cashmere and washing everything else and pressing. I still keep some of my summer items in my closet (Perth weather can still be hot even into fall), but now I’m really transitioning. I also cleaned out my closet and dusted everything. It feels really great every time I change seasons…but I especially love the autumn – it’s truly my favourite time for sewing.
MandaNell
March 14, 2014 #
I always spring clean & fall clean. That means I scrub everything from ceiling to floors. I wash walls, curtains, ceiling fans & their glass fixtures, all wall decor, and everything in between. I feel like doing this twice a year helps keep the house looking its best.
~Amanda
Stephanie
March 14, 2014 #
Spring cleaning has become cleaning winter clothes and storing them. I cleaned the wool pants. Line dried, run through the dryer on high heat to cook any bugs, and bagged them up (we have beetles by the jillion). It’s still pretty chilly, so the coats will wait until April. I have put sweaters and yarn in bags and tossed them in the freezer as well.
The other seasonal clean is the purge of the storeroom right after Christmas ornaments try to go back in. Profanity fills the air and another moldy box flies out the door.
Beth
March 14, 2014 #
Last weekend I packed up all my old printmaking supplies I hadn’t used in 5 years and donated them to a local printmaking co-op. Rather than feeling mournful about parting with items that held such importance in my life, I felt lighter and thrilled to pass it on to a new generation of printmakers who will use the stuff. Also passed on some vintage men’s wear to someone who will find good homes for it all and was excited to receive it. Though I certainly utilize Goodwill, it’s so great when you can pass your items on directly to folks who are genuinely excited to receive and use it.
Taylor G
March 14, 2014 #
Beth, I’ve been wanting to do that more myself (pass things along directly to people who will use them). I’ve been accumulating a large pile of stuff, partly my own things and partly things my husband & I don’t need since we combined households. Any tips on how to find people/groups that can use certain items?
Laurel
March 18, 2014 #
Lots of charity options besides Goodwill (which is a for-profit, not a true charity.) We take loads (shocking how many) to the local Veterans Hospital free store. Many women Vets need all kinds of clothes when transitioning back to civilian life. My daughter just retrieved ten huge tubs of fabric and notions from the family of a deceased woman who ran an upholstery/drapery business. My daughter is keeping some, offering the remainder to her sewing friends (and her mother) and the rest will go to a school for their craft projects.
Ginger
March 14, 2014 #
Cleaning? What’s cleaning? ;)
Jennifer Lachman
March 14, 2014 #
I’ve been wideling down my refashion pile to clear out some clutter, but as for other spring cleaning, well it’s hard to do when my pipes keep freezing. Temperatures are still in the negatives over night in North East PA.
Sara K
March 14, 2014 #
Do you have any friends of similar size? I’ve found it easier to give up things that I thought were super-cute to friends. That way I still get to see the item in question, and appreciate its cuteness.
I need to spend the weekend doing some spring re-organizing. We had a heating pipe burst in our bedroom, so everything is in disarray right now. My goal is to do a cull of clothing (and anything else that’s going back into the bedroom), before it makes it back into the room.
Sarai
March 14, 2014 #
That’s a good idea. Naked lady parties are great for this, since there’s no pressure for anyone to take anything.
Terry
March 14, 2014 #
I usually don’t, but this year a major overhaul involving the garage, the yard shed, and my closet has been simmering through the cold months. How are these three things connected? There’s a wonderful old hand-made trunk in the garage that held my late hubby’s grandfather’s woodworking tools. I’ve emptied that out, and it’s going to get cleaned up and spruced up to be a blanket and fabric-stash trunk in my bedroom. That will leave a space for another working table in the garage. I’m moving most of the yard tools out to the shed, and all of the woodworking tools that somehow migrated to the shed, back into the garage, for a major sorting and reorganization. The shed will get some hooks and shelves to hold the yard tools. And my closet, once it’s freed of the blankets and fabric stash, is going to get a thorough overhaul including unused clothing purge.
Whew! That’s a lot of work but it’ll feel so good when it’s done!
sara
March 14, 2014 #
I switch most of my clothes out twice a year. The thing is I tend to do it too soon. As soon as the weather starts warming up I want to pack the wool and bring out my summer dresses. But it usually gets chilly again here in April and then I have nothing left to wear. So, I’m going to try to hold out a bit this time around.
Sarai
March 14, 2014 #
Ha, I do this too!
Amie
March 14, 2014 #
We are still under snow, after another storm hit on Wednesday. I am waiting to tap my maple tree for the first time to see if I can make syrup. Other than that, I’ve been opening the windows and airing out the house whenever it is above 0C.
I would love to see blossoms.
Amy
March 14, 2014 #
I was JUST thinking about this exact thing. My closet desperately needs a clean out, but it’s so hard to get rid of things I like but haven’t worn in months. Gotta bite the bullet and just do it, because I know once it’s done, those items won’t be missed.
Lady ID
March 14, 2014 #
I don’t do a major closet switch because LA weather doesn’t vary enough to warrant one. Instead I do mini spring cleanings. Space is precious and I don’t like clutter so every few months or so I will check for things I no longer use, items that can go to goodwill, things that need to be fixed, papers that need shredding and recycling, etc.
It’s weird but one of the things I’m having a tough time discarding is some wool I bought a LONG while back. I have no time to knit but I guess a part me still hopes. I don’t even remember the pattern I was using for the scarf on my needles.
Nancy S.
March 14, 2014 #
What a beautiful photo! Maybe, if we can send away the cold, and the expected snow does not happen on St. Patrick’s Day, we just might see flowers like that here too, one of these days. Just gorgeous. Thanks for sharing.
Emma Jayne
March 14, 2014 #
I get my kicks from the Spring clean… nothing better to blow the winter blues away than a thorough sort, tidy and clean. I take it slow – a room per week but I’m really thorough. I have two rooms left for this year and the rest of the house is such a pleasure to be in at the moment.
rebecca
March 15, 2014 #
oh, I come from a long line of hoarders, it’s in the blood!! So spring cleaning really needs to be a conscious decision for me. It’s so satisfying throwing out stuff that you really don’t need/use/want. It’s hard, but satisfying! I know some people say “if you havent used it for 3/6/12 months throw it out”. That is definitely easier said than done!
Steffi
March 15, 2014 #
I love to plan my cleaning routine. I want a clean house! I need space! But then I never follow my own rules… I found out that the only way to get the result I was aiming for, is to break everything down into very small, simple steps. Nothing you need a list for.
The first simple step is to get rid of the clutter by carrying two bags full of stuff out of the house, every day. Two bags is something I can manage quite well. I try not to throw away anything, or at least as little as possible.
The next step, is to repeat the first one.
Then when your room (flat or whatever) is quite empty, spring cleaning is easily done!
Karina
March 15, 2014 #
I don’t havemuch to clean (ok my bookcase is looking rather stuffed and cluttered…), as most of my things are in boxes in Virginia. But I want to clear out those boxes, to go through the things I haven’t seen in one and a half years and, honestly, toss most of the bits and bobs I find in them, laughing a bit at why I kept it all in the first place!
Laurel
March 18, 2014 #
Ha! I still have some of my parents things in boxes in the attic. Haven’t been in the attic in four years. My folks died decades back. They packed up those boxes in New York, then moved to England. When they trundled back to Northern California, the sealed boxes relocated. Another move to So.Cal and the boxes stayed closed. When my mother died and my dad moved in with us, along came the boxes. Maybe there are treasures inside. It’s getting to look like my children will have to be the ones to find out some time down the road.
Christianne Bower
March 16, 2014 #
At the beginning of each new season, I drag my plastic containers from under the bed to sort through the clothes I’ve put away for a year. I always put them away clean and in good repair; but I try the clothes on to make sure the fit is still ok. I also try on “outfits” and try to get as many ideas as I can for various looks. This spring I recycled my midi skirts, and several pieces that didn’t fit anymore because I had lost 10 lbs. Some went to consignment, some to Goodwill. As I sorted through everything, it became clear I needed some new tops for all the skirts I had. I’ll sew as many as I can, depending on the style and type of top I need….ready for spring !
Heidilea
March 17, 2014 #
I am constantly cleaning out. I try to pass through parts of my wardrobe every few months–only about once a year do I do a full purge. I also try to pass through a lot of other things in my house. I have a fairly minimal amount of stuff compared to other married people my age, but I still feel like I have too much.
I did a series of major purges to my fabric stash about a year ago and am trying very hard not to make more bad fabric choices (I used to buy quilting cottons for the prints, but my new cardinal sin is buying fabrics that are bad colors for me, like coral and spring green).
My younger sister, on the other hand, has kept everything. We each had been given the same things for years as presents; I got rid of mine years ago, she still has hers. She owns a house that is full of boxes and I can’t figure out how she can stand to be around such relics. It’s so bad that she will “lose” things, and will buy replacements (ie, my nephew’s backpack–she couldn’t find it the day he started preschool so she bought a new one–the excuse was it was still packed, but she’s lived in her new house for 6 months).
Wow–that got unexpectedly judgy. It’s just kinda surprising how we shared the same room for the first 20 years of life, but turned out so differently in our living habits.
Beth
March 18, 2014 #
Spring cleaning is taking on a new meaning this year because I had my first child in November. Holy moly is there a ton of baby stuff that constantly needs reviewing and paring down! I was not expecting the sheer amount of going through baby stuff that would need to be done every few weeks. We are taking a bunch of newborn-appropriate things to a community thrift group so that there is room for the 6 month size items that are coming in. The saving grace for getting rid of the adorable tiny baby clothes is that the new baby clothes are adorable too… otherwise it is too easy to get sentimental. :)
Jeana
March 18, 2014 #
I do a “spring cleaning” each season of everything in our home. I hate clutter and junk, and it brings me joy to take things to the trash or to donate that I’m no longer using. I just ask myself ” have I used this in the last 6 months? And then, do I plan to use it in the next 6 months? If the answer to both are a no, it’s immediately gone. The only exceptions are heirloom pieces, or things especially given to me. With those things, I may keep them, or allow a close friend or family member who’ll take care of them to borrow or have them.
Teri
March 18, 2014 #
You all inspire me to get busy!
Kim
March 21, 2014 #
I love to clean the things in my home that make the most difference like washing all the windows and cleaning all the cupboards in the kitchen and washing the dishes in the china cabinet. This year I have the privilege of moving and downsizing. I am moving back home to the city where I grew up and spent most of my life. I never thought I would say that moving was a privilege but going home and downsizing all at the same time is going call for a lot of editing and figuring out what I can live without. I think that it is going to be liberating to know what I need and have a place to put it. At first thought I wonder if there is anything my kids need, second thought is there anything that I can donate and third I want a home with only what makes us feel comfortable. I will re-purpose some furniture, keep my most favourite pieces and being one who loves to cook I will be creative with my storage needs. I am looking forward to spring and to my new life.
Kim