Brava! Every year I turn all my hangers backwards. When I wear something, I turn the hanger. At the end of the year, with a few exceptions for special occasion garments - I donate everything I haven't worn in a year. I now apply that same approach to things in my drawers. What do I use? What do I not use? After 3.5 years of this I now have EMPTY drawers and cupboards where I can see everything. This is an ongoing process, and I really appreciate it. I still have way too much stuff. I am not a minimalist, I am a crafter, a gardener, and a closet mosaic artist. Stuff is the stuff of my days. But organized stuff. Curated stuff, even. Thanks for another opportunity to wrap my head around my life - to be mindful and present in the details.
Good morning. I want to thank you for all your videos. My husband is 90 years old and losing his memory. Even though I am not living alone, in a way, I am. I appreciate watching and learning from your videos. THANK YOU!
My tip for mascara + other types of makeup / skin care is to buy travel sized options. Lots and lots of higher end cosmetic companies offer travel sized products and so sometimes you can get something "nicer" than you normally would. In the US Sephora has a really wonderful selection of travel size products, but department stores do too.
You need one basket or baggie for rubber bands, and another for the wire twist ties. When it is full, then you throw the extras away. It will also mean that they are all kept in one spot, not sprinkled around the house. Having one spot for things shows you just how many you have and enables you to find them when you want them.
So good to see your messy junk drawers! 😄 I get so annoyed by RUclipsrs showing their perfectly purged drawers with like 3 spoons and a pair of scissors saying, oh it's time to declutter...what do I need 3 spoons for when one will do? 😒🤣
I learned from Flylady to have one place for each specific item. Took me a year after the kids left home to get all pens and pencils into one location! I also have a Grab and Go bag for emergencies, even though I am unlikely to have an earthquake or god forbid, a fire. I update it every January with a memory stick recording account numbers and passwords and names of current medications, doctors, accountant and the neighbours and friends who can help in an emergency. This took me a couple of years to set up, but all good now. It’s worth it for peace of mind. Thanks Jen for such great hints, I’m sorting electric cords today!
I recently purged my car. Trunk, glove box, arm rest, etc. While I was at it I finished by vacuuming the interior, then cleaning the inside windows. Looks great. Job well done.
Pam here….every cable should come with a LABEL that has NAME of the PRODUCT it came with. They are the bane of my existence! Especially since my husband is a Computer Consultant and is CONSTANTLY bringing in devices and cables of his clients besides our own! My goal to empty bins of THAT this week!
Omg ! Since we recently decided i would stay home.. i ve started our spring cleaning..well really mom is finally home and can clean .. 😩 . Hi! I am a 42 year old mom of 4... And i love your channel!!!!! You kinda remind me of my Aunt...whom I adored! She was single and child free both by choice..for a long time she lived kn the city in a an old building in a downtown area with a murphy bed ..she rode a bike or took the tram or city bus..gods i thought she was so cool.... ❤❤❤❤love your channel and you!
Watching what has happened in LA has me thinking about evacuation readiness. My "Spring Cleaning" this year will be to sort through important documents and get them backed up and into a portable form. Also to have pet carriers in a convenient location and maybe even a "go" bag at the ready to be quickly packed or already packed. Another idea is a checklist that can be followed when in a panic so minimal thought has to go into an emergency exit. In such a situation the bare minimum that can be quickly put into the car for a fast get-a-way. People, pets, medications and important documents. What would be on your emergency checklist?
You can also get fire-proof boxes to store documents in. That way if you are away from the house and something happens you can recover your important documents later.
@@Mrs.Silversmith I have one of those fireproof boxes and someone told me that the box is meant to survive the fire for a certain number of minutes, depending on the fireproof box, but the documents inside will turn to ash. I don’t know if that’s true or not.
Great video Jen. I finally got new glasses this fall and found 5 old pairs to donate. Junk drawers are very common 😉 and I have also found stored cables & electrical cords to God knows what stashed in a closet. You bring humor to the junk we can all relate to.
We have an extreme heat situation here in Western Australia ….so we keep our mascara, lipsticks and perfumes in the fridge for longevity of items 👍🇦🇺❤️
I didn’t know about perfumes, but learned by example in a perfumery sunlight and heat can turn the scent into an ugly one. Thanks!Any advice for tiny bottles to fill in a small amount of perfume , airtight? I don’t like sprays, as sunlight turns the skin down my neck into a different color. The larger the bottle the less money it costs but the more oxygen is in the bottle the more I empty it which causes changes of scent as well.
Thanks for the morning chuckle. I feel the uncertainty of getting rid of the cords. I tossed the cord to an electric blanket, thinking it was a cord to a heating pad. Regrettable. Love the label idea.
I got these little plastic boxes from Amazon. I think they’re 4“ x 4“ and 1 inch deep they came in a set, and I put all my little charging cords in there and have them all labeled standing up in a basket in my hall closet. I have some motion sensor lights that take a different kind of plug rather than a USB-C and I keep one ethernet cable just in case my printer won’t connect wirelessly. You never know, also my router has an ethernet cable but most of the things I have now use a USB-C. I do have an old iPad that uses a lightning cable. I wish all the makers of electronic devices that need charging would just settle on one type of connection.
Omg, 😂I do the wire and bands as well. But ive used an old ziploc snack bag carton to hold wires and a cup type thing for bands in a kitchen drawer. Once full no more saving till pile goes down.
Shoes! I rarely need "dress" shoes anymore, so while looking at my shoe organizer recently, some of them were so old that when I flexed the sole, it literally cracked.🤔😂 Out to the trash bin. basically I'm left with sport shoes and one pair of sandals. This from someone who once had a shoe fetish.😆 No more high heels or anything with a narrow toe box. Getting older means comfort. May not be as cute but my toes thank me.
Morning Jen! Just having coffee and watched your video. The av cables are a big problem, I agree. We organized our kitchen junk draw with transparent drawer organizers (Dollarama) and now finding twist ties or elastics is a breeze. I hate searching for things. Keep purging and have a great week!
Ahh, the infamous "junk drawer" where all our miscellaneous stuff ends up. I'm guessing nearly every kitchen has one! I too save strips of wire that come in packaging and reuse it in various ways. I also took to putting identifiers on every cable in the house. It really helps to know which ones to recycle and which to keep. Thanks for sharing your ideas. I enjoy your vlog.
I still have my old flip phones like the pink Motorola Razr. I know they can't be used again, but miss the days before smart phones so I keep them around. I keep a coffee can full of rubber bands from my produce! They do fix everything. If you can't open a jar, put a wide rubberband around it for friction. Got a cap that won't stay on whatever, wrap the whatever with a rubberband and put the cap on. Voila! Cap doesn't fall off anymore! 🙂
Hey Jen, you are not alone! My dirty little secret is keeping plastic bread clips. I know they are bad for the environment but I keep them and just keep using them so I feel I am doing my part lol. As for your cords you can drop them off at the customer service desk at any Best Buy store. However, Best Buy mobile store, kiosks and express stores do not accept them. I hope that helps with your spring cleaning😁
I also live in the US, last time (several years ago) I recycled a laptop that stopped working, I took it to our local Staples....I would imagine they still will accept them and any cords
Thank you so much Ms. Jen you're something we all need to be doing. We're looking at it right now 🙄maybe tomorrow! I recently started my YT channel and wanted to share with the community I'm serving as your E-Reader KJV bible all is welcome. Thank you, Ms. Jen, for your channel I've truly learned a lot.
As i am planning to move abroad in 2 years i am starting the major task of getting rid of everything I don’t intend to take with me. I started with my shoe closet thinking it would be easy. It seems i was a shoe hoarder… any way, i started looking for advice and found a YT vid or podcast from Dana K. White. (I quickly got overwhelmed and felt like there had to be a better approach.) She talks about the difference between decluttering and organizing. I can’t recommend it enough. One tip was if you are a collector of certain things (like wire and rubber bands ;-) ) designate one container (not a drawer) like a glass sauce jar and limit your collection to what fits in that container. You then know you have what you need for little tasks and where you keep it. The book is Decluttering at the speed of life. For the charging cables, i made sure it wasn’t a one off specialty and threw the rest in a donation box or the trash (decade old ipad cable ). I still have a couple of each (a set for upstairs and one for living room. The places i charge my stuff.
Great tips, thank you! I cut up old towels and use them for cleaning rags, my old sheets I put in storage box in the garage and use for any painting projects, along with shower curtain liners I’m replacing for new . I do donate to Salvation Army and animal shelters those items that are still good but I just want to rid.
Pictures! I've been going thru a big box of historical pictures that we've had 50 years!! Today I mailed off several manila envelopes with some of these pictures to their new homes....relatives of my husband. If they are a direct Grandparent of my husband I will keep, but those shirttail ones need to go. For your wire pieces i would collect from different corners of the house + put in one specific drawer.
I only keep the really good long twist ties. I don’t keep the little short green ones from the produce section at the store. Those are too small. I keep them in the drawer where I keep all my baggies and foil and plastic wrap, and all that sort of thing. I have the green twist ties that come on a roll in the garage. You just cut off the length you need for gardening purposes.
That made me chuckle! I have drawers that look very similar to yours, including a rubber band collection! 😅 Also, years ago I worked in a pharmacy. People responsibly brought in their old and out of date medication to be discarded. We flushed it down the toilet.... Hopefully things have changed these days! Xx
Every year in January I go through my kitchen cabinets, dust them out, get rid of dishes, pots and pans, etc. that I am not using. I have done this enough years that my cabinets are quite efficient. Now I am shifting into a new season, a senior with decreasing health, that will translate into less cooking/baking, so I should get rid of even more things. I actually enjoy sorting and decluttering, the cleaning part of the project not so much. 🙂 Thanks!
When we moved into our house (2003) I asked my handy husband to build full extension shelves for all my base cabinets, it was the best thing we did in anticipation of getting older. I don't have to get on my hands and knees at 75 to dig out what's at the back of any cabinet I just pull out the drawer and everything is easily accessible.
Cables and why I hoard them. I had a cordless Kitchen Aid hand blender. It had a battery which needed to be charged with a cable. I purged all random cables one day. The Kitchen Aid could no longer be charged. I haven't thrown away cables since that day. This was more than a decade ago. I am gonna get rid of cables tomorrow. thanks for the timely video
I have a good story (to me anyway) about electronic device cables. Last week I needed to scan something that was too much to scan from my iphone, so I got my scanner off the shelf to use. When I went to plug it into my computer's USB hub, all of the ports were used. My kneejerk reaction was to go on Amazon and look for a USB hub that had more ports. But then I thought "Silly rabbit, just check what doesn't need to be plugged into the port." It turned out that I only needed to have two. The other cables were for devices I use once in a blue moon. In particular, when I was teleworking, I used an external webcam. - I did do a massive electronics cable and power supply purge a couple of years ago, but I'm due for another. My goal would be to have all my devices as USB-C as most of them are now. But I a couple of devices that I'm not parting with any time soon that still have the old USB styles. So, I keep two each for the different USB and lightning connectors. - The funny thing about those old rubber bands is that they deteriorate. The last two I tried to use, that were gosh knows how old they were, snapped. I actually looked at buying some new ones from the Target store. But I could only buy a huge bag of them, and I couldn't think of anyone who would want them if I just kept a few, so I didn't buy. Have to say that a rubber band does come in handy once in a while. -
I agree with the rubber bands. I used to get the newspaper, but I haven’t subscribed in 10 years, so I was out of the rubber bands that came around the newspaper and I needed some, but I got a little package at the Dollar Tree.
Maybe regular size or child size hair ties from the $ store (or similar type store) where you get 5 or 8, they are fairly durable, and sturdy 👍🏼 hope this helps
My husband and I do the same things when we're out regarding the reading glasses. I have several pairs of reading glasses around my house so I don't have to constantly hunt them down. :)
Once I organized my kitchen junk drawer, including all the rubber bands (I actually bought a bag of them) and wire twist ties, I am so pleased with myself every time I opened it 😂. I really need to tackle under my sink now 🫣.
Every year I do spring cleaning, one room at a time. That takes most of the year, because I … Wash the walls Touch up wall paint and wood trim Steam clean the carpets Refinish furniture (if needed) Make new curtains (if needed) Go through every drawer and closet Donate clothes if not worn Replace windows if seals are broken This year I get to make a new doorstop. 😂 It’s a huge process but it makes the inside very nice and comfortable.
Hi Jenn. I too save stuff "just in case". You reminded me to purge old medications. I'll check with my pharmacy to find out how. And, yep I've got a couple of junk drawers that desparately need purging. 🥴 I chuckled a few times through your video. I love your sense of humor. 😂 I am also a serial procrastinator. 😕 But, I recently fell and broke my wrist. 😨 I now look at all the suff I should have taken care of before this. Now I can't for several weeks and it's on my last nerve when I look around. So, this experience has motivated me to stay more on top of things once my cast comes off. Thanks so much for another thoughtful, insightful and entertaining chat. Look forward to our visit next week. 😁 --Paula in Ohio USA 🙋
Hi Jen. Loved your pre-spring cleaning tips! I agree wires are very useful. I gather and twist them onto a wire shelf in the garage.💡Always ready to go. And I use one wire to keep all my elastic bands together 💡As for electronic/charging cables....honestly....why are there not universal cables that fit devices. Think of the waste these cables amount to world wide. I too have put a label on each cord 💡 I love organizing and had itchy hands when I saw your drawers 🤣
Good morning. I can relate to all the electronic cords. I too label when I purchase something new. Most cords are available online if you come up with a gadget and no cord. Ebay is a wealth of them. I thought I was the only one who saved the wire wraps. LOL Blessings to you from Texas.
Hi Jen! OOOOh yes the rubber bands and pieces of wire they are useful indeed! Will not purge those, Now, the electronic chargers oh boy! drawer full, of course they were left behind when folks moved out and I kept them in case they needed them lol. My sons keep saying MOM!!!!! we don't want them! Yup, my garage needs purging! For now, it is too cold in there and will have to wait until it gets a bit warmer.... lol. Thanks for your video. Absolutely love them! Cheers
I really hate wire hangers but I kept two that our sons decorated with pipe cleaners for a Father’s Day gift. Ya, I’m sentimental, even with hangers. 😄 I’ve decluttered clothing that requires hangers down to the bare minimum! Great idea for labelling cords. We need to go through a drawer full. That’s my next project! ☕️🇨🇦☕️
10:42 "OOH, I have a big long one - that's a good one!" LOL! That could've been me! They ARE useful...I need to commit to keeping them in one drawer/area... maybe sorted by size 😁
Every time I look at my husband’s box of old cables, I think “craft materials!” If I get enough I can crochet a very durable shoe mat for outside the garage door, so he can wipe the muck off his shoes BEFORE he comes in the house!
I've made numerous attempts to reduce, organize. I've tried more than a few tricks/hacks, none work 100% for me. But I keep trying and chip away a bit at a time. Closets! Yikes, I need to clean my closet AGAIN! Old towels usually end up in the garage... Cables, I do purge these at least once a year. I have plenty for almost every reason. And frequently, I don't have the right one!!! Zenni eyewear, I have a phobia of being without glasses, always have at least 2 spare within reach. Zenni is cheap and I donate old glasses as I get new prescriptions.
Hey Jen, in B.C. electronics and or cords for devices can be taken to Return-it depot for recycling. I realize not everywhere has this option but in B.C. we recycle a lot more stuff than most Canadian provinces. I love pens and recently went thru them and have a bag full of pens and markers and highlighters to take to Staples for recycling. Again not sure if all Staples stores do this but B.C. does.
I have three fun boxes of arty stuff for when I'm feeling a bit creative. But tidying them a while ago I discovered I had accumulated 10 rulers, all different colours and lengths! Why? Just why? 😂
Hi Jen, thank you for that. Great video, it is a good time of year to perge and I have done that. Clothing that is not needed or clothing that I have too much of, like you organizing of electrical gadgets, labelling wires excellent idea, great idea of putting little wires and rubber bands in Ziploc bags so I know where they are. Thank you for your video. Have a wonderful day looking forward to your next video .
I have a few of these ‘magic drawers’. Drawers that have those wire ties, charger cables, charger bricks, screws, and such like. But you can never find the thing in those graders when you need it. Amazing. I thought mine was unique.
I use small zip lock type bags for elastic bands and wires, oh and a couple of charging plugs in another bag, all in 'that' kitchen draw. I go through them sporadically and cut up the bands that are starting to perish before binning them (so animals can't get stuck in them). Old mobile phones I find difficult to let go of. I've factory reset them but I'm still a bit paranoid there might be info left on them 🙄🙂
I use rubber bands to close food to help keep fresh. I buy them. If they have been in the freezer too long, or I try to close something too big they break and end up in the trash. I buy also the elastic bands for hair, and then they just seem to disappear so I buy more
This winter, I vow to purge my food pantry of all old spices, seasonings and expired boxed foods I bought on sale and never used. That includes crackers, cookies, cereal, nuts, baking ingredients, dried fruit and more. I can't donate it because it's past the expiration date so the next best thing is to dump it in the alley out back (I don't have a yard) for animals to feast on...but I also don't want to attract rats and other "undesirable" critters!
Ha! I have a baggie full of twisty ties and wires, some 35 years old. I jokingly tell my 2 kids to equally split when I'm gone. They say, ok Mom, but will rush to see who can be the first one to throw them away!
I, too, have a box issue. It is so hard to give up a really nice, perfectly good box. I moved 2 years ago and I had about 25 little boxes in the garage that my pets meds were delivered in. I recycled them but it was painful.
Mascara dilema. Shopper's Drug Mart has the best gift box at Christmas. It contains 8 to 10 sample size mascaras of good name brands. If the samples are not opened and used, they keep for a long time. After you decide on a brand that you like you can use the coupon in the gift box for a full size mascara. Also speaking from recent experience, organizing and purging is so uplifting. So much "stuff" weighs us down.
There is a good way to replace mascara : eyelashes can be dyed by a professional . If I do it I can see when it’s time to make an appointment at the beauty salon and combine this visit with other things in this area. I don’t want all black( the older you get the more stark and scary all black one looks. Ask what color matches( blueish, brown). Isn’t necessary to do this as often as hair dying. Lipstick I love as it covers freckles just at the edge of my lips .In winter I use a colour pencil fitting to my skin tone. If I add lipstick I do so to protect my lips from the sun( I had dark brown hair, so everyone was sure I didn’t need sun protection .) Wrong: my granddad had a red beard, but brown hair. The sensitivity to sunlight passed over to me. I wouldn’t like a surgical procedure to protect me from melanoma, too delicate a place.
At the end of the video, you ask "where do they all go?" Well, you would know where they go if you kept them all in 1 place...as you probably realize, it takes no more than 30 seconds to walk from end to end in your house, so what's your excuse for not keeping those small things in 1 designated place each & every time you find 1, then, when you need it, you will know exactly where it will be! A place for everything & everything returned to its place... 😉 A good way to get your steps in everyday too! 🤣
As the saying goes “ God sees everything, neighbors see more” it bothers me to get rid of paper, advertising ones and the rest. I shouldn’t be bothered what I shovel into my waste but I know I am. So sometimes it piles up. In my community there is a picking up three times a year for old color cans, dangerous left over stuff and I must admit old vegetable oils which aren’t tasty any longer.This truck stops for only ten minutes to reach the next place.So you have to be there in time. I put a garbage bin into every ! room to make me put any waste in there instead of an edge or corner the waste will never leave . I’m grateful though as I live alone on the first floor and asked my neighbors to ring the doorbell should I not pull up the shadow…( don’t know the word) and I still shy away from getting an emergency button for an ambulance. That’s what will be my next task.
If you only wear mascara and other cosmetics periodically, why not buy travel or trial sizes instead of full size? You might save some money and it takes up less space. If you don't see smaller sizes in store, ask the clerk if they have any samples. Specialty stores such as Sephora and Ulta usually have smaller sizes for promotions.
Funny, no one saves those stupid little bread tie plastic clips, just the wires. Rubberbands? I bought a huge bag of them a couple years ago but couldn't locate them later when I needed just one. Finally found them a couple weeks ago. So I put several in one of my kitchen drawers.
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Brava! Every year I turn all my hangers backwards. When I wear something, I turn the hanger. At the end of the year, with a few exceptions for special occasion garments - I donate everything I haven't worn in a year. I now apply that same approach to things in my drawers. What do I use? What do I not use? After 3.5 years of this I now have EMPTY drawers and cupboards where I can see everything. This is an ongoing process, and I really appreciate it. I still have way too much stuff. I am not a minimalist, I am a crafter, a gardener, and a closet mosaic artist. Stuff is the stuff of my days. But organized stuff. Curated stuff, even. Thanks for another opportunity to wrap my head around my life - to be mindful and present in the details.
I’m shredding old paperwork that I no longer need.
Very cathartic.
I did this last week, felt so good and agree very cathartic!
Good morning. I want to thank you for all your videos. My husband is 90 years old and losing his memory. Even though I am not living alone, in a way, I am. I appreciate watching and learning from your videos. THANK YOU!
My tip for mascara + other types of makeup / skin care is to buy travel sized options. Lots and lots of higher end cosmetic companies offer travel sized products and so sometimes you can get something "nicer" than you normally would. In the US Sephora has a really wonderful selection of travel size products, but department stores do too.
It’s a good idea to keep a spare/old pair of prescription glasses in your car, and in your luggage.
You need one basket or baggie for rubber bands, and another for the wire twist ties. When it is full, then you throw the extras away. It will also mean that they are all kept in one spot, not sprinkled around the house. Having one spot for things shows you just how many you have and enables you to find them when you want them.
So good to see your messy junk drawers! 😄 I get so annoyed by RUclipsrs showing their perfectly purged drawers with like 3 spoons and a pair of scissors saying, oh it's time to declutter...what do I need 3 spoons for when one will do? 😒🤣
10:52 - “Something that needs to go in my electronics bag.” Jen throws it back in the drawer at the speed of light! 😂
😂😂😂
I also added labels to all my cords. It's a game changer.
I learned from Flylady to have one place for each specific item. Took me a year after the kids left home to get all pens and pencils into one location! I also have a Grab and Go bag for emergencies, even though I am unlikely to have an earthquake or god forbid, a fire. I update it every January with a memory stick recording account numbers and passwords and names of current medications, doctors, accountant and the neighbours and friends who can help in an emergency. This took me a couple of years to set up, but all good now. It’s worth it for peace of mind. Thanks Jen for such great hints, I’m sorting electric cords today!
I recently purged my car. Trunk, glove box, arm rest, etc. While I was at it I finished by vacuuming the interior, then cleaning the inside windows. Looks great. Job well done.
Pam here….every cable should come with a LABEL that has NAME of the PRODUCT it came with. They are the bane of my existence! Especially since my husband is a Computer Consultant and is CONSTANTLY bringing in devices and cables of his clients besides our own! My goal to empty bins of THAT this week!
Omg ! Since we recently decided i would stay home.. i ve started our spring cleaning..well really mom is finally home and can clean .. 😩 . Hi! I am a 42 year old mom of 4... And i love your channel!!!!! You kinda remind me of my Aunt...whom I adored! She was single and child free both by choice..for a long time she lived kn the city in a an old building in a downtown area with a murphy bed ..she rode a bike or took the tram or city bus..gods i thought she was so cool.... ❤❤❤❤love your channel and you!
Watching what has happened in LA has me thinking about evacuation readiness. My "Spring Cleaning" this year will be to sort through important documents and get them backed up and into a portable form. Also to have pet carriers in a convenient location and maybe even a "go" bag at the ready to be quickly packed or already packed. Another idea is a checklist that can be followed when in a panic so minimal thought has to go into an emergency exit. In such a situation the bare minimum that can be quickly put into the car for a fast get-a-way. People, pets, medications and important documents. What would be on your emergency checklist?
You can also get fire-proof boxes to store documents in. That way if you are away from the house and something happens you can recover your important documents later.
@@Mrs.Silversmith I have one of those fireproof boxes and someone told me that the box is meant to survive the fire for a certain number of minutes, depending on the fireproof box, but the documents inside will turn to ash. I don’t know if that’s true or not.
@@LynsAlteredArts Good point, it may depend on the product too.
I just discovered your channel. You are a delight! And this video is about my favorite hobby-getting rid of stuff. Thanks.
Great video Jen. I finally got new glasses this fall and found 5 old pairs to donate. Junk drawers are very common 😉 and I have also found stored cables & electrical cords to God knows what stashed in a closet. You bring humor to the junk we can all relate to.
We have an extreme heat situation here in Western Australia ….so we keep our mascara, lipsticks and perfumes in the fridge for longevity of items 👍🇦🇺❤️
I didn’t know about perfumes, but learned by example in a perfumery sunlight and heat can turn the scent into an ugly one. Thanks!Any advice for tiny bottles to fill in a small amount of perfume , airtight? I don’t like sprays, as sunlight turns the skin down my neck into a different color.
The larger the bottle the less money it costs but the more oxygen is in the bottle the more I empty it which causes changes of scent as well.
Nail Polish is good to put in fridge too, so it doesn't get too thick
Thanks for the morning chuckle. I feel the uncertainty of getting rid of the cords. I tossed the cord to an electric blanket, thinking it was a cord to a heating pad. Regrettable. Love the label idea.
I got these little plastic boxes from Amazon. I think they’re 4“ x 4“ and 1 inch deep they came in a set, and I put all my little charging cords in there and have them all labeled standing up in a basket in my hall closet. I have some motion sensor lights that take a different kind of plug rather than a USB-C and I keep one ethernet cable just in case my printer won’t connect wirelessly. You never know, also my router has an ethernet cable but most of the things I have now use a USB-C. I do have an old iPad that uses a lightning cable. I wish all the makers of electronic devices that need charging would just settle on one type of connection.
Omg, 😂I do the wire and bands as well. But ive used an old ziploc snack bag carton to hold wires and a cup type thing for bands in a kitchen drawer. Once full no more saving till pile goes down.
Shoes! I rarely need "dress" shoes anymore, so while looking at my shoe organizer recently, some of them were so old that when I flexed the sole, it literally cracked.🤔😂 Out to the trash bin. basically I'm left with sport shoes and one pair of sandals. This from someone who once had a shoe fetish.😆 No more high heels or anything with a narrow toe box. Getting older means comfort. May not be as cute but my toes thank me.
That's how we roll now! 😉
I did the same when I retired and found old disintegrated shoes😮. I only keep 2 pairs of sneakers, 2 pairs of sandals and boots now. 😂🎉🎉🎉
Morning Jen!
Just having coffee and watched your video. The av cables are a big problem, I agree. We organized our kitchen junk draw with transparent drawer organizers (Dollarama) and now finding twist ties or elastics is a breeze. I hate searching for things.
Keep purging and have a great week!
Every time I hear “wire hangers” Mommy Dearest comes to mind. 😁
🤣
Ahh, the infamous "junk drawer" where all our miscellaneous stuff ends up. I'm guessing nearly every kitchen has one! I too save strips of wire that come in packaging and reuse it in various ways. I also took to putting identifiers on every cable in the house. It really helps to know which ones to recycle and which to keep. Thanks for sharing your ideas. I enjoy your vlog.
Good morning. This year I'm purging anything that might be of some value. That way, when I pass, it all won't end up in a dumpster.
Sounds like the Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. Great little book and love the concept. Good luck, I too am trying to do this, slowly but surely.
I would like to give it all away. 🙃 Great video
I still have my old flip phones like the pink Motorola Razr. I know they can't be used again, but miss the days before smart phones so I keep them around. I keep a coffee can full of rubber bands from my produce! They do fix everything. If you can't open a jar, put a wide rubberband around it for friction. Got a cap that won't stay on whatever, wrap the whatever with a rubberband and put the cap on. Voila! Cap doesn't fall off anymore! 🙂
Such a great idea. I love your videos. My assignment for this long weekend :))
Hey Jen, you are not alone! My dirty little secret is keeping plastic bread clips. I know they are bad for the environment but I keep them and just keep using them so I feel I am doing my part lol. As for your cords you can drop them off at the customer service desk at any Best Buy store. However, Best Buy mobile store, kiosks and express stores do not accept them. I hope that helps with your spring cleaning😁
I also live in the US, last time (several years ago) I recycled a laptop that stopped working, I took it to our local Staples....I would imagine they still will accept them and any cords
@@sewgirl1247 The Staples near me takes old cell phones, electric cables and even recycles batteries.
Thank you so much Ms. Jen you're something we all need to be doing. We're looking at it right now 🙄maybe tomorrow! I recently started my YT channel and wanted to share with the community I'm serving as your
E-Reader KJV bible all is welcome. Thank you, Ms. Jen, for your channel I've truly learned a lot.
Thank you…….great winter project ideas
As i am planning to move abroad in 2 years i am starting the major task of getting rid of everything I don’t intend to take with me. I started with my shoe closet thinking it would be easy. It seems i was a shoe hoarder… any way, i started looking for advice and found a YT vid or podcast from Dana K. White. (I quickly got overwhelmed and felt like there had to be a better approach.) She talks about the difference between decluttering and organizing. I can’t recommend it enough. One tip was if you are a collector of certain things (like wire and rubber bands ;-) ) designate one container (not a drawer) like a glass sauce jar and limit your collection to what fits in that container. You then know you have what you need for little tasks and where you keep it. The book is Decluttering at the speed of life. For the charging cables, i made sure it wasn’t a one off specialty and threw the rest in a donation box or the trash (decade old ipad cable ). I still have a couple of each (a set for upstairs and one for living room. The places i charge my stuff.
Great tips, thank you! I cut up old towels and use them for cleaning rags, my old sheets I put in storage box in the garage and use for any painting projects, along with shower curtain liners I’m replacing for new . I do donate to Salvation Army and animal shelters those items that are still good but I just want to rid.
💙💙 I have a junk drawer that I unpack to throw stuf away, but pack it all back again.
Pictures! I've been going thru a big box of historical pictures that we've had 50 years!! Today I mailed off several manila envelopes with some of these pictures to their new homes....relatives of my husband. If they are a direct Grandparent of my husband I will keep, but those shirttail ones need to go.
For your wire pieces i would collect from different corners of the house + put in one specific drawer.
I only keep the really good long twist ties. I don’t keep the little short green ones from the produce section at the store. Those are too small. I keep them in the drawer where I keep all my baggies and foil and plastic wrap, and all that sort of thing. I have the green twist ties that come on a roll in the garage. You just cut off the length you need for gardening purposes.
That made me chuckle! I have drawers that look very similar to yours, including a rubber band collection! 😅 Also, years ago I worked in a pharmacy. People responsibly brought in their old and out of date medication to be discarded. We flushed it down the toilet.... Hopefully things have changed these days! Xx
Every year in January I go through my kitchen cabinets, dust them out, get rid of dishes, pots and pans, etc. that I am not using. I have done this enough years that my cabinets are quite efficient. Now I am shifting into a new season, a senior with decreasing health, that will translate into less cooking/baking, so I should get rid of even more things. I actually enjoy sorting and decluttering, the cleaning part of the project not so much. 🙂 Thanks!
When we moved into our house (2003) I asked my handy husband to build full extension shelves for all my base cabinets, it was the best thing we did in anticipation of getting older. I don't have to get on my hands and knees at 75 to dig out what's at the back of any cabinet I just pull out the drawer and everything is easily accessible.
Cables and why I hoard them. I had a cordless Kitchen Aid hand blender. It had a battery which needed to be charged with a cable. I purged all random cables one day. The Kitchen Aid could no longer be charged. I haven't thrown away cables since that day. This was more than a decade ago. I am gonna get rid of cables tomorrow. thanks for the timely video
Cables can be recycled, at least in the U.S. as e-waste. I usually take mine to Best Buy.
I didn't know that. I too live in the US and near a Best Buy. Thanks for the info. 🙂
@PaulaBallard-r2w i have given them so much stuff. Lol. You have to do a few things at a time but they never blink with cords.
So wonderful to hear you !
Why not give your old dark tops to California?
Have you helped our neighbours down south????
BUZZ..,........
I have a good story (to me anyway) about electronic device cables. Last week I needed to scan something that was too much to scan from my iphone, so I got my scanner off the shelf to use. When I went to plug it into my computer's USB hub, all of the ports were used. My kneejerk reaction was to go on Amazon and look for a USB hub that had more ports. But then I thought "Silly rabbit, just check what doesn't need to be plugged into the port." It turned out that I only needed to have two. The other cables were for devices I use once in a blue moon. In particular, when I was teleworking, I used an external webcam. - I did do a massive electronics cable and power supply purge a couple of years ago, but I'm due for another. My goal would be to have all my devices as USB-C as most of them are now. But I a couple of devices that I'm not parting with any time soon that still have the old USB styles. So, I keep two each for the different USB and lightning connectors. - The funny thing about those old rubber bands is that they deteriorate. The last two I tried to use, that were gosh knows how old they were, snapped. I actually looked at buying some new ones from the Target store. But I could only buy a huge bag of them, and I couldn't think of anyone who would want them if I just kept a few, so I didn't buy. Have to say that a rubber band does come in handy once in a while. -
I agree with the rubber bands. I used to get the newspaper, but I haven’t subscribed in 10 years, so I was out of the rubber bands that came around the newspaper and I needed some, but I got a little package at the Dollar Tree.
Maybe regular size or child size hair ties from the $ store (or similar type store) where you get 5 or 8, they are fairly durable, and sturdy 👍🏼 hope this helps
My husband and I do the same things when we're out regarding the reading glasses. I have several pairs of reading glasses around my house so I don't have to constantly hunt them down. :)
Once I organized my kitchen junk drawer, including all the rubber bands (I actually bought a bag of them) and wire twist ties, I am so pleased with myself every time I opened it 😂. I really need to tackle under my sink now 🫣.
I feel that! I always feel so much better after decluttering a space!
Every year I do spring cleaning, one room at a time. That takes most of the year, because I …
Wash the walls
Touch up wall paint and wood trim
Steam clean the carpets
Refinish furniture (if needed)
Make new curtains (if needed)
Go through every drawer and closet
Donate clothes if not worn
Replace windows if seals are broken
This year I get to make a new doorstop. 😂
It’s a huge process but it makes the inside very nice and comfortable.
Hi Jenn. I too save stuff "just in case". You reminded me to purge old medications. I'll check with my pharmacy to find out how. And, yep I've got a couple of junk drawers that desparately need purging. 🥴 I chuckled a few times through your video. I love your sense of humor. 😂 I am also a serial procrastinator. 😕 But, I recently fell and broke my wrist. 😨 I now look at all the suff I should have taken care of before this. Now I can't for several weeks and it's on my last nerve when I look around. So, this experience has motivated me to stay more on top of things once my cast comes off. Thanks so much for another thoughtful, insightful and entertaining chat. Look forward to our visit next week. 😁 --Paula in Ohio USA 🙋
Hi Jen. Loved your pre-spring cleaning tips! I agree wires are very useful. I gather and twist them onto a wire shelf in the garage.💡Always ready to go. And I use one wire to keep all my elastic bands together 💡As for electronic/charging cables....honestly....why are there not universal cables that fit devices. Think of the waste these cables amount to world wide. I too have put a label on each cord 💡 I love organizing and had itchy hands when I saw your drawers 🤣
Good morning. I can relate to all the electronic cords. I too label when I purchase something new. Most cords are available online if you come up with a gadget and no cord. Ebay is a wealth of them. I thought I was the only one who saved the wire wraps. LOL Blessings to you from Texas.
Hi Jen! OOOOh yes the rubber bands and pieces of wire they are useful indeed! Will not purge those, Now, the electronic chargers oh boy! drawer full, of course they were left behind when folks moved out and I kept them in case they needed them lol. My sons keep saying MOM!!!!! we don't want them! Yup, my garage needs purging!
For now, it is too cold in there and will have to wait until it gets a bit warmer.... lol.
Thanks for your video. Absolutely love them! Cheers
The drawers might need some sorting out.🤔🇨🇦I LOVED this video!
You are right, drawers are always a chore! 😉
I really hate wire hangers but I kept two that our sons decorated with pipe cleaners for a Father’s Day gift. Ya, I’m sentimental, even with hangers. 😄 I’ve decluttered clothing that requires hangers down to the bare minimum! Great idea for labelling cords. We need to go through a drawer full. That’s my next project! ☕️🇨🇦☕️
10:42 "OOH, I have a big long one - that's a good one!" LOL! That could've been me! They ARE useful...I need to commit to keeping them in one drawer/area... maybe sorted by size 😁
Every time I look at my husband’s box of old cables, I think “craft materials!” If I get enough I can crochet a very durable shoe mat for outside the garage door, so he can wipe the muck off his shoes BEFORE he comes in the house!
Papers!! For once and for all… I’m going to finally get rid of paperwork!!! My NEMESIS!!!
I shred old papers every January.
I've made numerous attempts to reduce, organize. I've tried more than a few tricks/hacks, none work 100% for me. But I keep trying and chip away a bit at a time. Closets! Yikes, I need to clean my closet AGAIN!
Old towels usually end up in the garage... Cables, I do purge these at least once a year. I have plenty for almost every reason. And frequently, I don't have the right one!!!
Zenni eyewear, I have a phobia of being without glasses, always have at least 2 spare within reach. Zenni is cheap and I donate old glasses as I get new prescriptions.
Right there with you on the drawers full of miscellaneous stuff. Yes, particularly little wire bits. 😂
Hey Jen, in B.C. electronics and or cords for devices can be taken to Return-it depot for recycling. I realize not everywhere has this option but in B.C. we recycle a lot more stuff than most Canadian provinces. I love pens and recently went thru them and have a bag full of pens and markers and highlighters to take to Staples for recycling. Again not sure if all Staples stores do this but B.C. does.
You are so easy to like. Your face is precious!
Thank you so much 😀
I have three fun boxes of arty stuff for when I'm feeling a bit creative. But tidying them a while ago I discovered I had accumulated 10 rulers, all different colours and lengths! Why? Just why? 😂
Hi Jen, thank you for that. Great video, it is a good time of year to perge and I have done that.
Clothing that is not needed or clothing that I have too much of, like you organizing of electrical gadgets, labelling wires excellent idea, great idea of putting little wires and rubber bands in Ziploc bags so I know where they are. Thank you for your video. Have a wonderful day looking forward to your next video .
the cable you held up not knowing what it was looked like my kindle charger
Thanks for your blog
My pleasure 😊
I have a few of these ‘magic drawers’. Drawers that have those wire ties, charger cables, charger bricks, screws, and such like. But you can never find the thing in those graders when you need it. Amazing. I thought mine was unique.
I do the cable thing to.I recycle mine where they recycle electronics.🙂
I've long thought about labeling every electric cord that comes into my house so I'm hoping your video will propel me to action! 😂
I use small zip lock type bags for elastic bands and wires, oh and a couple of charging plugs in another bag, all in 'that' kitchen draw. I go through them sporadically and cut up the bands that are starting to perish before binning them (so animals can't get stuck in them). Old mobile phones I find difficult to let go of. I've factory reset them but I'm still a bit paranoid there might be info left on them 🙄🙂
My husband saves rubber bands and twist ties all the time and it drives me crazy 😜 😂 I’m always making them disappear 😂
I use rubber bands to close food to help keep fresh. I buy them. If they have been in the freezer too long, or I try to close something too big they break and end up in the trash. I buy also the elastic bands for hair, and then they just seem to disappear so I buy more
Command hooks. I have EVERY shape color and size, yet, I can't ever find them. 😂😂😂
I am doing a purge now. I am hoping I get a job in Texas. I live in Arizona now and don’t want to move all the stuff I need to purge with me.
This winter, I vow to purge my food pantry of all old spices, seasonings and expired boxed foods I bought on sale and never used. That includes crackers, cookies, cereal, nuts, baking ingredients, dried fruit and more. I can't donate it because it's past the expiration date so the next best thing is to dump it in the alley out back (I don't have a yard) for animals to feast on...but I also don't want to attract rats and other "undesirable" critters!
Ha! I have a baggie full of twisty ties and wires, some 35 years old. I jokingly tell my 2 kids to equally split when I'm gone. They say, ok Mom, but will rush to see who can be the first one to throw them away!
I’ve got too many “good” cardboard boxes (think Apple)
I LOVE boxes. Really hard for me to toss a good box.
I, too, have a box issue. It is so hard to give up a really nice, perfectly good box. I moved 2 years ago and I had about 25 little boxes in the garage that my pets meds were delivered in. I recycled them but it was painful.
Like Amelia i also do closet cleaning in Jan.
In place of mascara I just curl my lashes with a lash curler when I have some sort of event to attend.
Mascara dilema. Shopper's Drug Mart has the best gift box at Christmas. It contains 8 to 10 sample size mascaras of good name brands. If the samples are not opened and used, they keep for a long time. After you decide on a brand that you like you can use the coupon in the gift box for a full size mascara. Also speaking from recent experience, organizing and purging is so uplifting. So much "stuff" weighs us down.
MacGyver!
Why do we do this wire/rubber band thing? I bundle mine. 3 bundles and then I start tossing them. I do save the long ones tho.. hehe.
Too many dark colored tops? HERESY!! Burn the witch! 😂
Absolutely loved this one ❤
There is a good way to replace mascara : eyelashes can be dyed by a professional . If I do it I can see when it’s time to make an appointment at the beauty salon and combine this visit with other things in this area.
I don’t want all black( the older you get the more stark and scary all black one looks. Ask what color matches( blueish, brown).
Isn’t necessary to do this as often as hair dying.
Lipstick I love as it covers freckles just at the edge of my lips .In winter I use a colour pencil fitting to my skin tone.
If I add lipstick I do so to protect my lips from the sun( I had dark brown hair, so everyone was sure I didn’t need sun protection .)
Wrong: my granddad had a red beard, but brown hair. The sensitivity to sunlight passed over to me. I wouldn’t like a surgical procedure to protect me from melanoma, too delicate a place.
I've considered braiding the old cables and selling them at a market 😂
This made me laugh. Lol
At the end of the video, you ask "where do they all go?" Well, you would know where they go if you kept them all in 1 place...as you probably realize, it takes no more than 30 seconds to walk from end to end in your house, so what's your excuse for not keeping those small things in 1 designated place each & every time you find 1, then, when you need it, you will know exactly where it will be! A place for everything & everything returned to its place... 😉 A good way to get your steps in everyday too! 🤣
As the saying goes “ God sees everything, neighbors see more” it bothers me to get rid of paper, advertising ones and the rest.
I shouldn’t be bothered what I shovel into my waste but I know I am. So sometimes it piles up.
In my community there is a picking up three times a year for old color cans, dangerous left over stuff and I must admit old vegetable oils which aren’t tasty any longer.This truck stops for only ten minutes to reach the next place.So you have to be there in time.
I put a garbage bin into every ! room to make me put any waste in there instead of an edge or corner the waste will never leave .
I’m grateful though as I live alone on the first floor and asked my neighbors to ring the doorbell should I not pull up the shadow…( don’t know the word) and I still shy away from getting an emergency button for an ambulance. That’s what will be my next task.
❤❤❤
If you only wear mascara and other cosmetics periodically, why not buy travel or trial sizes instead of full size? You might save some money and it takes up less space. If you don't see smaller sizes in store, ask the clerk if they have any samples. Specialty stores such as Sephora and Ulta usually have smaller sizes for promotions.
Hehehehe me tooo❤😂
Funny, no one saves those stupid little bread tie plastic clips, just the wires. Rubberbands? I bought a huge bag of them a couple years ago but couldn't locate them later when I needed just one. Finally found them a couple weeks ago. So I put several in one of my kitchen drawers.
Never flush any medication into the toilet‼️
Please don’t throw meds in the toilet!! 😮
Have your eyelashes dyed and there is no need for mascara !!!