Apologies

Sorry for the quiet tone here. It's been a stressful week, because Dorothy has had a cast and after it was removed, her knee was even worse. We've been back and forth to the doctor more than I care to think about.

I have been decluttering, I just haven't been able to post it. So, it won't count toward my total. :( Too bad, really, because I bet I'd be close to 200 by now.

Catching up

Saturday, Dancing Queen and I cleaned out the car. Two grocery bags of trash. Ick.
Sunday, nothing.
Monday.... nothing. *sigh*
Today! Nothing yet. :-P Unless you count the garbage, but it goes out every week.

I was under strict orders to take a nap this afternoon (rough night), so I'm a bit behind schedule. It's getting harder to find something because I have to sort through a box or drawer or something. Granted, I should be doing that anyway, but... oh, well.

Color my world

Today's take-out is a stack of coloring books. We still have plenty, but this will pare down the collection quite nicely.

I just counted- TWELVE coloring books! Amazing. I'm thinking these would be nice for a children's ward, but I'll have to research where the closest one is located. For now, they go in the Arc box, where they will be donated if I don't find a better place.

Slow day

I went through a small box in the bedroom today. Honestly, I picked up the box contents from the floor because the Tree Fairy dumped it all out the other day. *ahem*

Anyway, there was some minor things in there that needed to be thrown away. I also snipped the tags off of clothes that I bought last month. They're all for next fall, so I'll put them away and wash them next season.

100 PLUS!

YAY! The sidebar says I've cleared the house of 114 items. I can't wait to hit 200. :)

As I said, last night I told my husband about this project. Also, because we are a very open couple with each other, I showed him every last item going out to the curb tomorrow. We had a good discussion about the things I'm giving away, and why we don't need them. I wasn't surprised, he wanted to keep a few of the things I had put away.

Now, I know this goes against flylady ideals. We're not supposed to look again, we're supposed to get rid of things quickly. I just can't do that. My marriage to Digital is such that we are 100% supportive to each other in everything. Yet, he has a clutter problem, too. For me, this seems to be the best way to achieve my goal and respect his needs as well.

Anyway, he did talk me into keeping one thing. It's a little one-piece suit that my beloved grandmother bought for my first daughter. Honestly, it's quite boyish, and I never wanted to put it on my girls. But, I've hoped that we'd have a boy, and if we do, I want to honor my grandmother's memory by putting on him.

All that typed out, it sounds silly. It may end up in the ARC box eventually. Maybe even tomorrow.

Second wind

You know that extra energy you get when you've been up too late? Last night, I inventoried the things I'm giving to ARC, and then went searching for non-perishables to also give to the VOA. ARC is picking up for both of them.

Well, looking through my pantry gave me some inspiration to clean out my spice cabinet. Let me tell you, the spice cabinet is almost as big as the medicine cabinet. I have a LOT.

Well, quite a bit less after last night. I found a bunch of expired stuff. Now, flylady had assigned this last week, and I blew it off. HA! I use my spices SO often, I'm sure I don't have anything that's expired.

Right.

I threw away:
three gravy/spice packets
six packets of parmasean cheese (like, from the pizza delivery box)
a whole, unopened box of pectin
2 containers of ground mustard
a cream of tartar bottle
powdered butter, which is about three years old
a bottle of nutmeg
and a hot salt sample, which we will never use

I also found a bunch of items that VOA will be happy to pass onto someone else. I didn't inventory those, but I should. There were nine items, including frosting and asian salad dressing.

I went 'public' with this goal last night- more about that later.

Just a bit

There's not much interesting to report today, just a few more socks I found as I do some laundry. I did empty out the other laundry basket, which produced a few of them. Some were matched up and put away, the others were thrown out (maybe five of them).

Now I have a pile of out-grown clothes that need to be boxed up into sizes. I hate that job. Fortunately for you, that's not the topic of the blog. ;)

Kitchen finds

While cleaning up today, I put two baby feeders in the arc box, and threw away a lid that's supposed to fit a travel mug, but doesn't. I also rinsed out a soap bottle at the kitchen sink that's empty, but hasn't found it's own way out the door.

Yesterday, I rescued an empty bottle from the shower and pulled another one out because I don't care for it.

So, I have some trash, some things for arc, some recycling, AND a few things to give to the homeless program when it comes back to my church. That's called Interfaith Hospitality Network, aka IHN for those of you following tags.

Keep moving!

Five pair of shoes to Arc. My own, although I'd like to pitch a pair of Digital's, too. We talked about it on Saturday, I think he'll throw them out soon, himself.
There are some baby shoes I *should* add to the pile, but it's so hard! If I can figure out how to decide what to keep and what to throw away, I'll do it. Any suggestions?

How much? This much.

Folks (all two of you), how much do I need this project? I can't find the camera. heh. It's lost somewhere, either in the house or the car. Easy, isn't it? ;)

So, um... if I had the camera, I'd take a picture of the socks Digital and I sorted last night. Once upon a time, we were newly pregnant with the Dancing Queen. Some friends of ours were done having kids, and they gave us a few boxes of stuff. Blankets, clothes, even a car seat (these were the days before there were expiration dates and we didn't know any better.) There were a bunch of socks. Being the fabulous housekeeper I am (SHUT UP), I used them until they fell apart.

NOT. I used them, lost them, bought more for myself. Lost those. Bought more. Now we're drowning in socks.

I had a box of matched socks, a box of unmatched socks, and a sock mixer. No really. I had the first two boxes, plus a basket that was half full of socks, plus random clothes that were mostly "keep here until I reorganize the sizes."

So, we matched. Digital and I were surprised at the number of matches that were made. We ended up with only a couple of handfuls of unmatched socks. Of those that I didn't like, I threw away (ten, I'd say). The ones that I knew had matches (in the laundry, for instance) got set aside. I WILL work those out or throw them away, I promise.

The matches socks were sorted into "useful" and "so strange I've never used them." The last group (about twenty pair) is going to Arc, which I DO feel bad about- but I think there's got to be someone out there who really needs them, no matter how weird or ugly.

But, that was yesterday! I have to find something else today. Man, this is not easy.

Progress, not perfection

*hangs head in shame* I did not throw anything away yesterday. I have been finding things as I wander around the house, and yesterday, I just didn't notice anything specific.

But, there's a phrase to help me out. "Progress, not perfection." It is a reminder that the whole project is not a failure if I've dropped a day. It's the project as a whole that matters, and this will NOT get me down!

Today is another day. I pick up, start again, and keep going. A year from now, I will still be better off, and that's what matters.

So, today's items are fabulous. I cleaned out the fridge. You DO NOT want to know what was in there. We won't be counting them in my handy-dandy counter over there.

I poked around in the pantry and found... a diaper wipe lid. Oooh, now I remember why I was keeping it- I have medicines in the container a few shelves higher. No matter, I'm sure it will be functional without the lid.

I also found a set of candles that weren't being displayed. I set them up on a bookshelf (usefulness, SCORE!) and THREW AWAY THE BOX.

Yes, you too can free yourself. You will survive if you don't have the specialized wrapping for your doodads. (Now, granted, I keep the ones that are highly specialized.) Your doodads will survive without their boxes. I hear newspaper works well. (Just don't keep the newspaper for wrapping EITHER.)

Not to mention, you have to find a place to store it! Who wants to do that? Then, if you happen to find a good place (admit it, it's thrown in a corner somewhere), you still have to LOOK at it, and it's taking up *empty space*. You could be enjoying that space! You could use it for something that NEEDS to be saved.

Give it a hug... take a picture if you must, and THROW IT OUT.

Randomly...

I've been tagged by my friend Suz at 365 Days of Decluttering. Here are the rules for this tag.

1. Link to the person that tagged you and leave a comment on their blog, so that their readers can visit yours. (Her name is linked above).
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share 7 Random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 random people at the bottom of your post, linking to their blog. Let each person know by leaving a comment on their blog.

Alright, you get just the random facts:
1. I have never had a cast. Dorothy got one yesterday. :(
2. I performed as a clown in college. After seven years vacation, I'll be reappearing at church on Sunday.
3. I didn't think I liked steak. I didn't know there was a good way to make it. Now I grill/broil it, and love it!
4. My favorite cookie is oatmeal butterscotch.
5. I've participated in a deaf theater production of West Side Story.
6. I haven't bought a new dress in three years. (skirts, yes. dresses, no)
7. I collect antiques. That seems strange, given the purpose of this blog!

Coincidence!

Today, I got a call from my favorite thrift store, Arc, asking if they could *pick up* my donations!

I've never been called by them before, I hadn't given them my information. Thanks to the 365 day challenge, I could answer with a resounding YES!

Now here's the trick. They aren't coming until the 17th, and I told them I wouldn't have more than 21 boxes. I have 13 days left, and already a few boxes. What to do?!

Germs welcome.

Not much today, just a bottle of Bactin that expired last year. This is another thing I will have to replace, though.

I think I should start another tag for this. "Replace me" sounds good.

Monday

Candy! There is so much uneaten candy in this house, there is NO excuse for the shape of my thighs.
On Monday, I threw out a handful of mini milky ways, a box of peanut brittle from... (two Christmases ago!) and a bag of candy apples. Probably from the Halloween before that.

Good grief.

bathtime clutter

Six bath toy animals. A frog, a turtle, a starfish, and fish. I should say, I've replaced them with three new ones. These are going in the trash because they're gross.

That was yesterday's stuff. Today is yet undecided, but the day isn't over yet!

More baby stuff

Don't even say it. ;)

There was more clutter on the changing table, so it's going out tonight.

I have two expired bottles of meds- infant tylenol and infant tylenol cold/cough.
A cracker. :-P
three dried out markers
A half of the ball and the rattle for a cat toy.
a string
a puffy care bear sticker
a pen
a beaded necklace that I used for a nursing necklace. It broke, at some point.
a receipt
a twist tie


Also going out tonight is a paperback Pooh book that's finally bit the dust. It had a missing page and a missing cover, but now it's in half.

I think I'll keep the pen, probably give the necklace to arc, and throw away the rest.

Cup Chaos

This is crazy. After three kids, we've collected a good amount of sippy cups. I have found brands I prefer as well as brands that ALWAYS leak!
So, I got down the box where I stash spare cups and sorted them out. There were bonus snack cups, too. I kept three snack cups, got rid of the sippies with valves I hated, bottles I haven't *ever* used, etc. I still had a few left, but I'm okay with that, for now.

Off to Goodwill!

changes, and a 'thing'

I added a link to Suz's blog, whose efforts at a forum I visit started the whole movement. Yes, there are more people that are committed to this challenge. I'm not sure how many, though.

Today's declutter item is a "thing." I can't quite define it more than that. It was a flower-picture-frame-bear-stand. This thing came into my house when the Tree Fairy was born (update: I remember that there was a bag of candy on the bottom, too!). I've never put a picture in it, it just sits on her changing table and does nothing. NOT ANYMORE!
I have taken a picture, and I'll post it when I find the cord. (Digital, I need a card reader!)

I admit, the tree fairy wanted the bear, so I cut it out, as much as I could. It (not HE, it doesn't have feelings!) was stuck to one of the posts. She played with it for all of ten seconds, and dropped it. Just now, I stuck it in my lap to throw it away, and she came looking for it! Aaaahhhh. It will all go in the trash, very soon.

Cassette tapes

Today I'm going to get rid of the cassette tapes I have left and get rid of the ones I wouldn't buy on iTunes. I'm fairly picky about what I buy, so I figure if it wouldn't be worth the 99 cents to have a digital version, it's not worth keeping.

I'll be back later to update which tapes I culled.

Update:
One totally BLANK tape!
Two tapes with the "One Fine Day" soundtrack on them???
Mariah Carey, Music Box
Carmen, The Standard
Steve Camp, Taking Heaven by Storm
Steve Green, Where Mercy Begins
and last, but not least,
an autographed copy of an album by Grant Goodeve.

I'll admit to the Mariah Carey and Carmen tapes. The two Steves came from a Christmas when I put "Steven Curtis Chapman" on my wish list, and these guys were close enough, I guess.
I saw Grant Goodeve in concert as a teenager, and I think the excitement of going to a concert overwhelmed me. ;)

It's going out to the give away box in the garage (I do keep a running collection, but it's officially daily, now). The box goes to the local ARC.

Robin's egg party favor

The first official day was April first. So, yesterday I threw out a party favor from a baby shower in 2006! It was a lovely blue robin's egg, in a 'nest' and wrapped up in a bag of tulle. It really was pretty, but it had no use or place in my home. Out it went!

Welcome!

This is my house take-out. Like take-out food, but in reverse. I have joined a 365-day declutter challenge, and I wanted to record it somewhere.
Hopefully every day, for the next year, I will be throwing or giving something away, making my house a happier haven for myself and my family. With any luck, you'll get some pictures, too.

Speaking of my family, I have a wonderful husband, Digital (for his love of all things computer-related), and three children: Dancing Queen (5- always moving), Dorothy of Oz (3- she's going to be Dorothy when she grows up), and Tree Fairy (16mo- who loves the outdoors and will climb anything she finds).