Usually, I get rid of things during the course of re-organizing or cleaning. It is just part of what I do. This exercise is quite different though. I go to bed mentally reviewing shelves and drawers and cabinets. I wake up and count and recount objects I've found--and then start scouring the house for more to make the day's count. I have been working ahead, because we plan to take a vacation at the end of the month--so I am often working on several days at once.
It's a bit all-consuming.
But I am not complaining! In fact, it has been forcing me to confront a few facts:
1) I've made decisions for certain items to leave a long time ago--but they're still here. Items I want to sell are like barnacles on the dock: they are impossible to get rid of. Either I've listed them for sale and they haven't sold, or I've forgotten to list them. Worse are the items I actually have to schlep to a shop to sell. I've forgotten about many, many things.
2) Jars are evil. Seriously.
3) I am finding things I forgot we had--like books on tape (yes, cassette tape), and craft supplies. (That would have been handy a few weeks ago!)
4) It is utterly amazing how much crap hides in the forgotten corners--and it's amazing how many forgotten corners there are.
So, without any further fuss:
Day 20
a puzzle, a couple of pairs of pillowcases, more books from my daughter's great purge, dominos, a wallet (the first gift my husband ever gave me), a cross the kids made in Sunday school, a doodah with tulips, shoe inserts.
Day 21
Day 22
Left: an over the door pocket hanging thingy (still in its original packaging with price tag,) a travel case, four napkins, spools of ribbon. Right: a clock, an old book bag, a bowl, a dollar store trophy (not personalized. It's funny, when my daughter came home with it, I knew it would be tossed some day--and so it has been), a plate.
Day 23
workboots, 9 bottles of pancake mix my daughter was supposed to sell, a pair of candlesticks. A case for something, no one knew what, some doodahs. an internet cable, a lap top cooler (with cord! I found it somewhere else, of course), a candle and candle holder, another plate, a bag of clock parts (that's what the bag said!)
Day 24:
top to bottom: a couple of blankets, four placemats, a jacket too small for the smallest person in the house, a warm air mist humidifier, a jar, a mustard jar, a chair, and a final box of things from my daughter's room (mostly activity books like Klutz and so on).
Day 25:
the evil jars, and fabric. I was talking to Mom on the phone when she mentioned she needed blue and white fabric for an upholstery project. I was so pleased I could give these to her!
Day 26:
A "tea set" which belonged to the mother of my mother's third ex-husband. (Yes, the woman we got our couch from.) She had some nice things--but most of which no one wanted. This is another one of those things: really pretty, really nice, but kind of useless. I am hoping I can sell it, but there are no markings at all, so it's probably more attractive than valuable.
And so there we have it. This may be it--I don't know how I am going to pull together Days 27 thru 31 while also preparing for our trip.
It's been a great experience, though. I am glad I did it.
If you're interested, here's a list of all the posts so far in the Minimalist March series.
2 comments :
Love the idea of purging daily for a month. I might need to try that one.
A suggestion for your unsold items? Donate them to charity and write it off on your taxes. I don't know how that works out in Canada, but for me in the states I tend to get more than I would if selling. The only time we sell on craigslist is if the item is so big we want someone else to haul it away.
Amazing how much stuff we all have that we don't want/need.
Thanks, Rita. We do not have the ability to write off our donations here. I've an appointment tomorrow with a funky second hand shop. We'll see how that goes. :)
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