uncluttering one day and one thing at a time

OUT: 21 books!

I think that squares me up for the new books I bought.

In one of those rare moments when procrastination pays off, I checked our local landfill schedule to see the fees for electronic waste, only to discover that they've been re-cateogorized as "e-waste recyclables" and drop off is free of charge.

So we loaded a moniter, hard drive, imac and television into the car and took an afternoon drive to the dump! And now I have much more floor space in my back sunroom. We also did some sorting of the craft drawers, and picking up on the floor; and snagged a bagfull of various odds and ends for the garbage.

The downside - I'm pretty sure "e-waste recycling" is code for shipping my toxic unwanted electronics to somewhere like China where someone will break them apart with their bare hands, at the cost of their health and living environment.*  So maybe I should look for an overseas charity when I get paid at the end of the week.


*If you ever have a chance to see Edward Burtynsky's documentary Manufactured Landscapes, I HIGHLY recommend it; a visually stunning journey into the shaping of landscape through rampant industrialization. It includes a trip to a village in China where people are taking apart electronics by hand to reclaim metals.

last week's shopping therapy
IN: 3 new dresses
OUT: stack of clothes culled from my closets

books on depression and eating disorders (yes, it's been that kind of month in our family) 
IN: 15

this morning's project - sorting through the huge pile of "I'll deal with it later" papers
OUT: recycling bin full of paper
FOUND: tax papers, $180 cheque, $25 grocery gift card

My bedroom decluttering continues in bits and pieces.  Saturday was pretty much devoted to outside yardwork, as we've had our first truly warm days over the weekend. Today I took two big bags of garbage, and more than two bins of recycling to the curb for pickup. Finally gone are: the box/packing from the new (3 months ago) TV; the 2 stacks of empty plastic plant pots (last summer's), half a dozen (or so) magazines. 

And a big sentimental item: my stuffed unicorn from when I was a child. It was so incredibly special to me; but is now 30 years old and not wearing the age particularly well. I had been wondering if I'd already binned it; and then found it. I didn't think, just stuffed it in the bag and kept going. 

IN: a gift bag won at my curling supper, with tweezers and hair product; a new ring (sparkly!). One of the topics at supper? Getting rid of costume jewelry.

Both Saturday and Sunday nights I went up to bed and realized I hadn't done any decluttering. So Saturday I took a few minutes to throw out some papers (kids' art, receipts, misc whatever) from my dresser top. Sunday I ditched about four pieces of costume jewellry; and an entire box of costume jewelry I'd saved from my daughter's big room cleaning a few weeks ago. I didn't open the box, just threw it away sight unseen.

Voices I had to stifle

7 IN (birthday shopping on the weekend): clothing, assorted, awesome green sandals, blue heart rock, tote bag (they just gave it to me! put my clothing in it and gave it to me, I swear!)

22 OUT: assorted clothes, linens

When I went looking for things to go out today, as well as tackling the pillowcase drawer (which, really, I hardly made a dent in, but it's a start) --- I tried looking for equivalent items to get me started. So... bought a new belt, got rid of an old belt, new funky patterned shirt, got rid of old patterned shirt, new dress, old dresses. It helps me let go of things I might otherwise want to keep, because I've got proof that I don't need to hold onto it, just in case. 
 

IN: a new (to me) coat from ebay
OUT: 5 coats  - 2 kids raincoats that are now too small and 3 of my coats 

So I got my new coat this morning. (Parcels in the morning! So exciting!) And after I got the boy shooed off to school checked to make sure the internet was still here, I went to look for coats I could release. Because: coats. I have lots. I like coats. And jackets And wraps. And big bulky sweaters. And live where we have lots of weather.

The first one went into the bin, with some regret - a classic denim jacket I've had since high school (more than 20 years ago!) - all hand embroidered by me with early 90's feminist slogans and characters/symbols from fantasy novels. Let's be serious. I am never, ever, ever going to wear that again. No one is, especially with the half-finished dragon on the back. 

The other two were differently hard - because they're Still Good. One is too short, in a way that is just unflattering for someone with my cup size, and the other is a perfectly good aubergine coloured full length wool coat. That was a hand me down. That I never wear, because I prefer my black coats. And there's this voice in my head saying: "But! What if you need it someday?" I'm not sure what full length coat emergency I'm supposed to be waiting for, voice in my head. 

ETA: 
Also out! 9 cookbooks!
Given to my daughter, who is mostly living in the city these days. 

 IN: dvd, tote bag
(the dvd is for work, and the tote bag was cute! on sale! helped qualify me for free shipping! Yes, it's a sickness)

OUT: little fern I received for Christmas, and subsequently killed through neglect
overly large shipping box for above tote bag/dvd and attendant packaging
lego box from kid's most recent project (Fallingwater House, so cool)

PICKED UP: all the other tote bags that had fallen on the floor in the front hall.

REALIZATION: I have too many bags of the purse/tote variety. And none of them are in the car, where they'd be most useful.

Helped my daughter clean her room today - She's been mostly moved out since September, and home in between trips.

OUT: 2 garbage bags (of garbage) 6 bags of clothes

IN: Nothing!!
 

OUT: Me! To NYC for most of the past week.

IN: Fashion Week samples and goodies 
5 assorted makeup samples
MAC Wonder Woman glitter
3 makeup/gift bags
1 set of hairdressing combs (I think I'll give those to my stylist)
5 skeins of Habu yarn
ballet flats
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