It is time to....

It is time to de-clutter because for some reason, I feel de-cluttering vibes in the air. 

Whenever a space is overflowing with stuff, be it a drawer, or a closet, we know, it is time to de-clutter. Today, I was thinking why wait? Why not get rid of something that we notice right away?

Each time I open one of my kitchen drawers, I see this huge bowl which I never use. It just sits there holding pantry staples making it hard to see the items and it also restricts the space. I do not remember why I bought it.

There is a 6 piece set of shish (for kebap making) which came with my oven. It has been seven years and they have not been used once. They just take up space.

I have this wonderfully made, real top quality leather briefcase since 1997. I loved it when I bought it but, since it weighs a ton, I haven't used it in years. 

Brand new skis. Never been used. Every year I promise myself, I will get rid of them but, never do. Of course there are also the clothing items with tags still on. They make me cringe with guilt. 

There is this toaster gifted to me that sits in one of my kitchen drawers just taking up space. I have a toaster oven which I love and use almost every day.

I decided that mindful purchasing and constant de-cluttering is the way to go. When you have to take the whole closet down to de-clutter, it becomes such an overwhelming chore that, I almost always avoid it for as long as possible.

So, with this mindset, today I took out the bowl, the leather bag, the shish set, a few clothing items I have not worn in more than a year and piled them up by the door. I found a lot of hangers that I do not need. Set aside 5 extra hangers and I am parting with the rest. I will offer the toaster to the guys who work for the apartment complex. I know they have an area where they have meals and breaks during the day and the toaster may be useful for them.

I have taken the skis out and took a few pictures of them. As I type this, they are listed on Facebook Marketplace.

Thinking back, I think I am in a great place in terms of de-cluttering as opposed to last year but, I know I can do even more. I will be tackling one space or two every day and get rid of unnecessary stuff. Tomorrow I will be targeting my medicine drawer. It has been a while I went through that and I am sure there are expired meds. 

I found a bunch of old and unopened tennis balls. I will offer them to the people who play tennis right by me when I go out. If they are not good, they can toss them away.

Severing sentimental attachments is the worst. It makes me feel guilty getting rid of something I associate with my mom for instance but then, I tell myself it is the time I spent with her and the good memories that count. Stuff is meaningless. Even she is gone, so why hold on to things. With that said, I still cling to several things and am not ready to part with them just yet.

Today, as I was making my bed, I noticed a few drops of blood on my bed sheet and pillow. Don't know if my nose bled or if I had a cut or something. All I could think was LAUNDRY! Again? Just ot rid of it. Instead of dumping them in the hamper, I threw them in the washer. 

Now, I gotta go and fix dinner. Pumpking soup and salad are on the menu tonight.