Results of June Decluttering

 Today is the last day of June, and the end of the declutter challenge I did with two of my girls. I did it! I decluttered at least the number of items of the date each day! Several days I was way over that. DH didn't think I'd make it through the month, because I do declutter on a regular basis, but this challenge made me rethink some things I had been keeping. I also found a few things I thought I had already purged. 

For example, I thought I had given away all the extra curtains I had. When DH was in the Army, I always hung onto extra curtains, because we moved so frequently, I never knew what size the windows would be in the next place. When I went through a linen closet that didn't have a lot in, I actually found two sets of curtains and a couple of satin table runners we used for a party years ago. 

Mr Z, my oldest grandson, just asked me to make him a black cape. The last time I made him a cape he was little, and now he's taller than I am! I thought I only had black quilting cotton in the house...until I came across the old curtains.

These black curtains can easily be turned into a cape, and those red table runners will make a great lining for it! Suffice it to say, I didn't donate these, but brought them down to the sewing room instead. Still, they won't stay in the house long.

This was the other set of curtains I found. I made these from some cotton I found and when we were in a different bedroom, these were on the windows. It is rare I find a floral print I like, I'm just not into florals, but I did like this fabric. I think I'm going to cut off all the seams and rod pockets, and piece together all the fabric left, and I should have a decent amount for a quilt backing. Since that's my plan I brought these down to the sewing room as well. They aren't curtains in my head anymore, just fabric. 

None of those counted for the declutter challenge, since I kept them, but here's my pile for donation.

No chance of me digging anything back out either, since we already brought it to the thrift shop. I also disposed of a couple bags of trash, and I gave a few items away as well. 

Some areas I decluttered more than once. I went through our en suite bathroom vanity early in the month, and got rid of several things, but yesterday I went back to it, completely emptied it, washed all of the dividers and bins in it, then reorganized it. I couldn't believe how much stuff I was willing to toss once I saw it all out. 

The one thing I'm getting rid of that I haven't gotten out of the house yet is some fiction books a friend sent me. I only read fiction at night in bed, and my Kindle Paperwhite is much easier to manage than a paper book and a book light. I found the books she lent me on kindle, downloaded them, and I'm going to mailing the books back to her. I already told her next time just give me the title of a really good book, I just don't read paper fiction anymore. The built in light on my kindle doesn't bother DH near as much as me using booklights did, and I prefer just tapping the screen to go to the next page rather than juggling a paper book. Non-fiction like cookbooks and quilting books I want in paper format, fiction I'll take on my e-reader. I still love the smell of a used book store, and I like looking at real books. I am just at a point in my life where I don't want to store hundreds of fiction books, when my e-reader can hold 1,000 books in the space of one. My first kindle I wasn't a fan of, but when they came out with the paperwhite, I was sold. 

I purged about 50% of my jewelry, and probably 75% of my hair accessories. I think my side of the closet is reduced by about 25%. 

I haven't done much in the way of sewing in the last week, since decluttering took a lot of my time and I haven't been feeling terrific, but I did finish the blocks for the king sized wedding quilt, and I sliver trimmed them all since some were a little off. I hate sliver trimming and I'm normally pretty accurate, but something was off a little, probably just me!

I also got a few blocks of my fun project sewn.

It's all reds and creams and should be a pretty quilt when finished.