Still tossing -- here are items 21-30:
I've enjoyed this exercise so much that I've also got my own blog going with more organizational tips: http://solutions4living.blogspot.com/2010/06/items-21-30.html
21. This one stumps me. How is it that I end up with zillions of random pens from places I swear I've never been (like the Best Western in Hot Springs, Arkansas)? I don't have sticky fingers, I don't steal them from people or the bank. I actually only like one particular kind of pen (Sharpie Fine Points) so I'm even more likely to not pick up strange pens. And yet, they multiply... I'm beginning to think that the sock-eating dryer monster replaces the missing socks with pens. Who knows, but in any case I gathered them up and took them to work. Seriously - I think I'm the only person who actually takes extra office supplies to work instead of stealing them.
22. Catalogs -- I have tried, in vain, to extricate myself from the catalog vortex of death for years. I have signed up with http://www.the-dma.org/index.php, Catalog Choice http://www.catalogchoice.org/, and any other service advertised with the purpose of cutting down on the inflow. It makes no difference. I feel like Kramer in Seinfeld trying to quit the mail. There is some dastardly conspiracy out there to ensure I get a Miles Kimball, Vermont Country Store, Lillian Vernon, Gold Violin, or Lands End catalog EVERY DAY! Because in order to keep the economy from imminent collapse I must buy something EVERY DAY! I actually started calling the catalogs and asking to be removed from their mailing lists. This has been quite funny... last week a call to Newport News landed me with a gentleman who was completely stumped by that request. We played the "let me check one more screen" game for a while, and I was put on hold twice. I finally hung up and just figured that it was my destiny to receive and recycle these catalogs - maybe this is my calling in life.
23. Speaking of paper inflow, I decided to take a hard look at my magazine subscriptions. Mind you that I really like magazines. They are glossy and pretty, and hold the promise of life's solutions along with juicy tidbits (Bachelor Jake dumps Vienna!!!). And then you open them and find that they are all ads with only one mildly interesting article that you forget by the time you finish reading it. Plus, anything remotely reference-related can be found, for free, on the internet. So, as much as it pains me (have I mentioned I read a lot and very fast too, so it is super easy to justify many many subscriptions?), I have cancelled some magazines and vow NOT to be seduced by the covers, no matter how shiny/life-altering/ass-slimming they try to be.
24. I've mentioned my various glass collections before, but I had several pieces ofMiss America pink depression glass inherited from my former (ex) grandmother-in-law. I do like some depression glass but this was pink. I told myself that since it was from Mamaw that I should like it and display it. But really, I still preferred clear glass and wasn't crazy about this particular pattern. For years I dusted around it, but finally it hit me that the people who would LOVE this stuff are my former in-laws. So, I boxed it up and mailed it to them last week. I can only imagine their faces in getting a giant box from me (evil villian). Let's hope they opened it and didn't have it blown up by a bomb squad.
25. I love "playing closet". Really, it is one of my favorite things to do, and my closet is such a happy happy place. All of my stuff is hung by season, color, and sleeve length. I have all wooden hangers that face the same direction. I have labeled dividers. People have actually come over to see it. That said, all closets have a finite amount of space (even Oprah cleaned out hers!) and styles do come and go (along with my weight). In addition to the time-honored Goodwill donation process, I also started culling my vintage CAbi clothing and reselling it. This is a home-based clothing line that I absolutely love, and I host twice-yearly parties. My CAbi consultant Jackie (http://www.jackiek.cabionline.com/Spring2010/lookbook.html) was kind enough to start offering a discount rack of vintage items at these parties and people love it - they can get items they might have missed for a big discount. I make a little cash and make some room in the closet - WIN WIN!
26. A big part of clearing the clutter is letting go of unrealistic expectations orprojects that you just don't want to do. You know those things that started out with great intentions and then 10 years later are still in the store bag in the back room closet? Last year my mom and I started a scrapbook project where you take a photo everyday. You put the pictures in chronological order in a special album and decorate it all up. It took a ton of work and was cute, but I must say that it was a pain in the butt and I was happy to see the end of year. And then, Mom wanted to do it again for 2010! I tried, I really tried, but I just can't muster up another year of creativity. When all of your pictures start showcasing the same fascinating things (look everyone, Ty's at the grocery store again!) you just have to say no. Sorry Mom, but I'm going to let this one go.
27. A look at my kitchen would have you thinking that it is pretty organized (I must say it is and I'm quite proud of it too). But look deeper and we all have things lurking under the surface... you know the things that you stop seeing? I was cooking the other day and needed a pot holder. For some reason, my pot holders are ratty and stained. They are clean, but no amount of Biz seems to put a dent in the burn marks, spaghetti sauce stains, and dried on cheese bits. They don't make me feel good when I see them. I think "why don't I get some new pretty pot holders or one of those cool Ove Gloves?" and then put the ratty ones back in the drawer. Well no more! Ratty pot holders are a thing of the past. These were so bad that they went straight into the trash, as not even Goodwill would want these things.
28. Another thing that made the circular file was nail polish that turned some funky separated color. Weird, I thought it was soft pink when I bought it but now it is separated into some orange goo. Then I wondered why I'm hanging onto any nail polish at all because I started having my nails done last year by the fabulous Ann at Deluxe Nails. I've decided that I will give up toothpaste before I cut nails out of my budget. Hmmm, now I'm thinking about dumping the entire box of nail stuff. Buh bye!
29. Four years ago I took a work assignment in Shanghai, China. Thinking I was moving to the moon with absolutely no way of purchasing anything for a year, I loaded up on medicines guaranteed to cure any number of ailments. First, I learned that the Chinese actually know a thing or two about medicine and further that anything under the sun can be purchased in Shanghai (and delivered right to your door by a lovely gentleman on a scooter, day or night). The end result was that I came home from that assignment with approximately the exact same amount of random meds that I took over. That box, lovingly organized of course, has sat in my bathroom linen closet for four years. It occurred to me the other day that I should probably take a look at the expiration dates... well what do you know - everything was expired! And not by a little bit either... I pitched it all. Environmental note - we are now being told NOT to flush any kind of pills down the toilet (the time honored way of disposing of all sorts of things). Apparently now our drinking water is loaded with Prozac (an idea I've had for a long time and think would do this country some good) and Viagra (no comment). Many pharmacies will accept expired prescription and OTC items and will properly dispose of them for you.
30. The last item in this batch of goodies is old Jenny Craig food. Where to begin? Last year I was lured by the siren song of Valerie Bertinelli and in a spurt of incredible foolishness signed up for the platinum-level program. That is code for they take a lot of your money and give you extremely expensive pre-packaged foods in return. The first month I was encouraged to not be picky and take the pre-planned menu items. Again, because I had lost my brain that day, said ok even though I am a hugely picky eater. End result was the only thing lighter was my pocketbook and I was left with a lot of food that I will NEVER eat. And not to be snarky, as I'm sure Jenny is lovely and I still like Valerie, but those Anytime bars? Those bars taste like ass and everyone knows it. Yuck. I feel much lighter letting that crud go, and getting back to real food and what works (calories in < calories expended = weight loss).
22. Catalogs -- I have tried, in vain, to extricate myself from the catalog vortex of death for years. I have signed up with http://www.the-dma.org/index.php, Catalog Choice http://www.catalogchoice.org/, and any other service advertised with the purpose of cutting down on the inflow. It makes no difference. I feel like Kramer in Seinfeld trying to quit the mail. There is some dastardly conspiracy out there to ensure I get a Miles Kimball, Vermont Country Store, Lillian Vernon, Gold Violin, or Lands End catalog EVERY DAY! Because in order to keep the economy from imminent collapse I must buy something EVERY DAY! I actually started calling the catalogs and asking to be removed from their mailing lists. This has been quite funny... last week a call to Newport News landed me with a gentleman who was completely stumped by that request. We played the "let me check one more screen" game for a while, and I was put on hold twice. I finally hung up and just figured that it was my destiny to receive and recycle these catalogs - maybe this is my calling in life.
23. Speaking of paper inflow, I decided to take a hard look at my magazine subscriptions. Mind you that I really like magazines. They are glossy and pretty, and hold the promise of life's solutions along with juicy tidbits (Bachelor Jake dumps Vienna!!!). And then you open them and find that they are all ads with only one mildly interesting article that you forget by the time you finish reading it. Plus, anything remotely reference-related can be found, for free, on the internet. So, as much as it pains me (have I mentioned I read a lot and very fast too, so it is super easy to justify many many subscriptions?), I have cancelled some magazines and vow NOT to be seduced by the covers, no matter how shiny/life-altering/ass-slimming they try to be.
24. I've mentioned my various glass collections before, but I had several pieces ofMiss America pink depression glass inherited from my former (ex) grandmother-in-law. I do like some depression glass but this was pink. I told myself that since it was from Mamaw that I should like it and display it. But really, I still preferred clear glass and wasn't crazy about this particular pattern. For years I dusted around it, but finally it hit me that the people who would LOVE this stuff are my former in-laws. So, I boxed it up and mailed it to them last week. I can only imagine their faces in getting a giant box from me (evil villian). Let's hope they opened it and didn't have it blown up by a bomb squad.
25. I love "playing closet". Really, it is one of my favorite things to do, and my closet is such a happy happy place. All of my stuff is hung by season, color, and sleeve length. I have all wooden hangers that face the same direction. I have labeled dividers. People have actually come over to see it. That said, all closets have a finite amount of space (even Oprah cleaned out hers!) and styles do come and go (along with my weight). In addition to the time-honored Goodwill donation process, I also started culling my vintage CAbi clothing and reselling it. This is a home-based clothing line that I absolutely love, and I host twice-yearly parties. My CAbi consultant Jackie (http://www.jackiek.cabionline.com/Spring2010/lookbook.html) was kind enough to start offering a discount rack of vintage items at these parties and people love it - they can get items they might have missed for a big discount. I make a little cash and make some room in the closet - WIN WIN!
26. A big part of clearing the clutter is letting go of unrealistic expectations orprojects that you just don't want to do. You know those things that started out with great intentions and then 10 years later are still in the store bag in the back room closet? Last year my mom and I started a scrapbook project where you take a photo everyday. You put the pictures in chronological order in a special album and decorate it all up. It took a ton of work and was cute, but I must say that it was a pain in the butt and I was happy to see the end of year. And then, Mom wanted to do it again for 2010! I tried, I really tried, but I just can't muster up another year of creativity. When all of your pictures start showcasing the same fascinating things (look everyone, Ty's at the grocery store again!) you just have to say no. Sorry Mom, but I'm going to let this one go.
27. A look at my kitchen would have you thinking that it is pretty organized (I must say it is and I'm quite proud of it too). But look deeper and we all have things lurking under the surface... you know the things that you stop seeing? I was cooking the other day and needed a pot holder. For some reason, my pot holders are ratty and stained. They are clean, but no amount of Biz seems to put a dent in the burn marks, spaghetti sauce stains, and dried on cheese bits. They don't make me feel good when I see them. I think "why don't I get some new pretty pot holders or one of those cool Ove Gloves?" and then put the ratty ones back in the drawer. Well no more! Ratty pot holders are a thing of the past. These were so bad that they went straight into the trash, as not even Goodwill would want these things.
28. Another thing that made the circular file was nail polish that turned some funky separated color. Weird, I thought it was soft pink when I bought it but now it is separated into some orange goo. Then I wondered why I'm hanging onto any nail polish at all because I started having my nails done last year by the fabulous Ann at Deluxe Nails. I've decided that I will give up toothpaste before I cut nails out of my budget. Hmmm, now I'm thinking about dumping the entire box of nail stuff. Buh bye!
29. Four years ago I took a work assignment in Shanghai, China. Thinking I was moving to the moon with absolutely no way of purchasing anything for a year, I loaded up on medicines guaranteed to cure any number of ailments. First, I learned that the Chinese actually know a thing or two about medicine and further that anything under the sun can be purchased in Shanghai (and delivered right to your door by a lovely gentleman on a scooter, day or night). The end result was that I came home from that assignment with approximately the exact same amount of random meds that I took over. That box, lovingly organized of course, has sat in my bathroom linen closet for four years. It occurred to me the other day that I should probably take a look at the expiration dates... well what do you know - everything was expired! And not by a little bit either... I pitched it all. Environmental note - we are now being told NOT to flush any kind of pills down the toilet (the time honored way of disposing of all sorts of things). Apparently now our drinking water is loaded with Prozac (an idea I've had for a long time and think would do this country some good) and Viagra (no comment). Many pharmacies will accept expired prescription and OTC items and will properly dispose of them for you.
30. The last item in this batch of goodies is old Jenny Craig food. Where to begin? Last year I was lured by the siren song of Valerie Bertinelli and in a spurt of incredible foolishness signed up for the platinum-level program. That is code for they take a lot of your money and give you extremely expensive pre-packaged foods in return. The first month I was encouraged to not be picky and take the pre-planned menu items. Again, because I had lost my brain that day, said ok even though I am a hugely picky eater. End result was the only thing lighter was my pocketbook and I was left with a lot of food that I will NEVER eat. And not to be snarky, as I'm sure Jenny is lovely and I still like Valerie, but those Anytime bars? Those bars taste like ass and everyone knows it. Yuck. I feel much lighter letting that crud go, and getting back to real food and what works (calories in < calories expended = weight loss).
Views: 23
Comment
© 2012 Created by Gail Blanke.
Powered by
You need to be a member of Throw Out Fifty Things to add comments!
Join Throw Out Fifty Things