Today we will talk about deciding what to keep and what to get rid of. Sometimes it's hard to decide what needs to go. Sometimes we are emotionally attached to an item, even though we never use and and didn't really want it in the first place. So where do we start?
Some items are no-brainers. We all have sentimental things that we'll never get rid of. My mom made a quilt for my high school graduation gift using scraps of clothes that she had made me while I was growing up. It has been washed so many times it's falling apart and I'm afraid to use it anymore. But you can bet I'll never get rid of it!
But not everything has sentimental value. Some doesn't really have any value. How many spatulas and frying pans do we really need? How long are we going to hang on to our skinny clothes? How many medicines in our medicine cabinet are expired?
We need to address each item and ask ourselves: Do I love it? Do I use it? Do I need it? Does it mean something to me? Do I have something else that can do the same thing? How many of these will I realistically use at one time? Could someone else get more use out of it? Did I borrow this from someone else and forget to return it? lol!
As we answer these questions, it becomes much easier to sort down our items and decide what to keep. Now, here are a few tips and tricks I've heard (and often used) over the years.
1. Take all of your kitchen gadgets, spatulas, etc. and put them in a box. Over the next month, pull out each item as you need it and put it back in the drawer when it's clean. At the end of the month, pull out anything you only use once or twice a year (like a turkey baster or candy thermometer), and get rid of anything else left in the box. You don't need it!
2. If you're unsure about keeping something, put it in a box, seal it up, and date it for a year from now. At the end of the year, you probably won't even remember what's in the box. You can get rid of it! (Just don't peek, lol!)
3. At the end of each season, go through your closet & dresser, and get rid of anything seasonal you didn't wear this year. If you didn't wear it this year, you're not going to wear it next year, either.
4. Twice a year when you change your fire alarm batteries, go through your medicine cabinet and get rid of expired medications. While most of them aren't harmful, they do lose their potency over time and will not do you much good. Now, if you want to be really responsible, you can take them to your local pharmacy for safe disposal. But if you're lazy like me (and they're just OTC medications), just pitch them. :)
5. Only have 2 sets of sheets per bed: one on the bed, and one in the closet to replace them on laundry day. (I only have one set, actually. They are a lovely pale pink and match my bedspread. I wash them and put them right back on my bed when they're done.)
So, what do you with the things you're getting rid of? You will either toss it in the trash or donate it. I always have a Goodwill box going, and take it in once it's full. You can also donate household items, even used ones, to your local homeless shelter. When someone is starting from scratch, they're happy to have anything. In fact, the lady from the homeless shelter told us that people will often bring back their "starter" items for others to use when they are able to buy new things for themselves.
But some things are not worth donating. Broken electronics, ripped or stained clothing, opened cosmetics, smelly shoes, and so forth need to go straight in the trash. Only donate usable items!
(My sister once had a boyfriend who worked at Salvation Army. He said a lot of people used it as a dump for things they didn't want to pay to get rid of. He said SalvA had to pay to get rid of this trash! So put your trash in the trash!)
One final note: don't leave this stuff sitting around your house for the next 6 months! Get rid of it asap! Take out the trash on your very next trash day. (Or if you're lucky enough to have a dumpster, take out each bag or box as you fill it up.) And make it a goal to take your donations to the proper place within the next week. As a box or bag fills up, put it in your car.
So what do you do with the things you've decided to keep? There have been countless books written on organizing, and I'm sure you can find lots of them at your local library. But I will cover some basics with you tomorrow. See you then!
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