Doing something out of the ordinary last night gave me the impetus to continue my journey toward light....not the light at the end of the tunnel, but much closer to my goal of 1,000 things to get rid of!
I awoke energized and determined to throw out stuff....and where better to start than the books in my headboard/bookcase....I managed to let go of three this morning----and a magazine! Wow, off to a good start, since I even managed to get away from the other forty or so books without being drawn into a "quick chapter" that could have lasted for hours of reading....focus, focus, focus.....
Brought the books and magazine down to the computer, stacked them on the rest of the literature that is going to the library donation box on Monday and then turned on the computer before I lost my nerve and let go of 8 Jamble ladder games (sort of like Scrabble) and my membership to this site is up in two weeks, so I am not going to join again....(does that count?)...
Ever onward, I make my way into the kitchen and after a quick yogurt and cereal breakfast, I tackle the closet over the toaster....I've been saving this one for a weekend, because I know there's lots to get rid of and I wanted to be sure to do a through job of it......103 things went into the trash! Old mixes of spice dips, old teabags (is there still a Grand Union supermarket someplace? I had tea bags from there and also from several Chinese restaurants that don't exist anymore!!) After that major cleanup and one plastic trash bag later, I opened a drawer and found five more things I could live without.
I feel lighter already! And guess what? I went from 803 things left to get rid of all the way down to 682! I blew right by 700 and didn't even realize it....Just wait til I get my second wind and turn out the utensil drawer!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
The Pen Dilemma
I do believe I have more things to write, mark and highlight with than Staples on 611 has for sale! The day before yesterday, I went through a container of pens that were next to my bed and got rid of several that were dry.....I actually threw them out instead of my usual practice of taking them to the pottery studio for signing in clay, where ink is unnecessary!
Last night I went into my jewelry craft room and to get the container of pens and markers from there to check for "dry" ones that I could throw out....I managed to find three that didn't write, threw those out but am still left with 17 that do (and a dark cherry wood stain repair stick).
Now there's one more container in the sewing room, another hanging in the kitchen on the wall next to where the phone used to be, two under the computer table on the bottom-most shelf and another near where the phone is in the TV room! And I would dare say, there are pens in lots of other places that I can't recall at the moment...
What, say you, do I have all these pens for? Especially when, if I need to jot something down, I can never find one? I just love them. I love to write, always have, but now most of my writing is done on the computer---no pen needed. I guess they are a reminder of simpler days: doodling on paper; penmanship awards in school; outlines and term papers; writing love letters that hardly ever got sent; then writing sad, tearful poems when those loves didn't work out; applying for college; cards and greetings to friends and family by snail mail; trying to balance a check book that defied balancing; taking orders when waitressing to make ends meet in that darn checkbook! ... all the things that went into making my life what it is now.
I won't get rid of the pens that are left until they, too, dry up and run out. But I will put them in a more accessible place and try to take some time to doodle again.
Oh, the count! 53 things from the studio glaze table, 5 pens that were dry, 8 things from the medicine chest, and one more book! 803 more things left! I feel 700's in the air.
Last night I went into my jewelry craft room and to get the container of pens and markers from there to check for "dry" ones that I could throw out....I managed to find three that didn't write, threw those out but am still left with 17 that do (and a dark cherry wood stain repair stick).
Now there's one more container in the sewing room, another hanging in the kitchen on the wall next to where the phone used to be, two under the computer table on the bottom-most shelf and another near where the phone is in the TV room! And I would dare say, there are pens in lots of other places that I can't recall at the moment...
What, say you, do I have all these pens for? Especially when, if I need to jot something down, I can never find one? I just love them. I love to write, always have, but now most of my writing is done on the computer---no pen needed. I guess they are a reminder of simpler days: doodling on paper; penmanship awards in school; outlines and term papers; writing love letters that hardly ever got sent; then writing sad, tearful poems when those loves didn't work out; applying for college; cards and greetings to friends and family by snail mail; trying to balance a check book that defied balancing; taking orders when waitressing to make ends meet in that darn checkbook! ... all the things that went into making my life what it is now.
I won't get rid of the pens that are left until they, too, dry up and run out. But I will put them in a more accessible place and try to take some time to doodle again.
Oh, the count! 53 things from the studio glaze table, 5 pens that were dry, 8 things from the medicine chest, and one more book! 803 more things left! I feel 700's in the air.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Making Room
In attempting to clear out the clutter, I find that I am making room .... little pockets of nothingness in a wild landscape of "stuff"! The trick will be not to fill those small places with new things that will be the new clutter in the old places.
Today, in just fifteen minutes, I cleared out a closet and removed 42 things, then they went from the tabletop into the trash....42 things in fifteen minutes! I can move mountains, I thought....then I looked at the empty shelf and felt I should be putting something there, you know, to take up the space....I forced myself to turn away, leave the room and breathe. The empty shelf is still there, waiting. I am going to ignore the call for today, like an itch almost....and try to confront the feeling of "empty" and see where that brings me.
In the meantime, counting helps. Forty two less items brings me to only 870 more things to go....I am in the 800's, I am unstoppable!!!
Now to go unload the kiln and fill that back up with more pottery.....At least there, I can refill the empty space without guilt!
Today, in just fifteen minutes, I cleared out a closet and removed 42 things, then they went from the tabletop into the trash....42 things in fifteen minutes! I can move mountains, I thought....then I looked at the empty shelf and felt I should be putting something there, you know, to take up the space....I forced myself to turn away, leave the room and breathe. The empty shelf is still there, waiting. I am going to ignore the call for today, like an itch almost....and try to confront the feeling of "empty" and see where that brings me.
In the meantime, counting helps. Forty two less items brings me to only 870 more things to go....I am in the 800's, I am unstoppable!!!
Now to go unload the kiln and fill that back up with more pottery.....At least there, I can refill the empty space without guilt!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Jump or Wade?
In going through my many emails early this morning, I came across one from a favorite craft sight that stopped me in my tracks.....it merely asked, when it came to new ideas, was I a jumper or a wader? It took me completely by surprise, because I never knew one could wade into anything! New tool, new craft? I'm there, buying stuff before I even know what I really need to complete the project!
So, this "throw out 1,000 things" is even more difficult when it comes to any of my craft rooms....(you read that right, I have several craft rooms). Each thing that I pick up has to not only be weighed and considered for it's original intended use, but looked at from a "will I need this for a new idea next week"! And, really, how would I know? I don't know what new book will be out about collage or jewelry making or sewing that will need exactly what is in my hand, trash today=treasure tomorrow! But I still have this need to throw out 1,000 things!!! What a dilema.
Finally, I stopped thinking about it, put off crafty clean up for another day and decided to inspect my pencil and pen container in my bedroom. Bonanza! 6 mechanical pencils (given to Emily and Ethan), five pens sans ink (a no brainer), a couple of pins that I don't wear (obviously or they wouldn't be in the pencil/pen container)......the list goes on but the count for this morning's trash is 22! Bringing my need-to-trash down to 912.....I can feel 800 something in my bones by the weekend! Wish me luck!
So, this "throw out 1,000 things" is even more difficult when it comes to any of my craft rooms....(you read that right, I have several craft rooms). Each thing that I pick up has to not only be weighed and considered for it's original intended use, but looked at from a "will I need this for a new idea next week"! And, really, how would I know? I don't know what new book will be out about collage or jewelry making or sewing that will need exactly what is in my hand, trash today=treasure tomorrow! But I still have this need to throw out 1,000 things!!! What a dilema.
Finally, I stopped thinking about it, put off crafty clean up for another day and decided to inspect my pencil and pen container in my bedroom. Bonanza! 6 mechanical pencils (given to Emily and Ethan), five pens sans ink (a no brainer), a couple of pins that I don't wear (obviously or they wouldn't be in the pencil/pen container)......the list goes on but the count for this morning's trash is 22! Bringing my need-to-trash down to 912.....I can feel 800 something in my bones by the weekend! Wish me luck!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Lucky 13!
Sunday I took the day off from pottery, blogging, and trashing things to go to Philadelphia to meet with some friends and customers....Monday was spent catching up on pottery and I also managed to throw out thirteen more things....mostly from the studio---a combination of books tiles and an old calendar.
Now it's early (very early) Tuesday morning and I just want to confirm that I've got only 934 more to go! The quest for the un-necessary continues. But if I don't go get some sleep, someone will be putting me out for "trash" tomorrow!
Now it's early (very early) Tuesday morning and I just want to confirm that I've got only 934 more to go! The quest for the un-necessary continues. But if I don't go get some sleep, someone will be putting me out for "trash" tomorrow!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Shedding, still!
So I am not the list maker, that's for sure....but I do want to go on record with the continued number of items that are either now in the trash or photographed for eBay and Amazon.
While getting ready for my big day in Philadelphia, I took five minutes to clear out all my "war paint" (make-up). I can't even remember the last time I used any of this stuff, but there it was, almost filling up one drawer in my bathroom....so I am happy to report twenty more items hit the trash! Which brings me down to 947 more things just waiting to be discovered for the trash bin.
Five minutes here, twenty items there....it will all work out! I just need to avoid re-filling all these little spaces I am creating. My new mantra is "out, out, out"! I am sure that some of you are taking bets on how long this will last, but I am determined. And since I've made this purge public, I feel I will continue....and you all know that me getting rid of merely 1,000 things is just the tip of my iceberg!
While getting ready for my big day in Philadelphia, I took five minutes to clear out all my "war paint" (make-up). I can't even remember the last time I used any of this stuff, but there it was, almost filling up one drawer in my bathroom....so I am happy to report twenty more items hit the trash! Which brings me down to 947 more things just waiting to be discovered for the trash bin.
Five minutes here, twenty items there....it will all work out! I just need to avoid re-filling all these little spaces I am creating. My new mantra is "out, out, out"! I am sure that some of you are taking bets on how long this will last, but I am determined. And since I've made this purge public, I feel I will continue....and you all know that me getting rid of merely 1,000 things is just the tip of my iceberg!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Never Say "Never"
Okay, okay....I said I'd never start a blog, and of course here I am getting ready to post my thoughts, ideas and opinions for the world to see on a blog! I guess I could make an entire list of things here I said I'd never do, and ended up doing at some point in time and that's the beauty of being able to change my mind, and still be okay with it.
I am hoping that this will be therapeutic for me as well as entertaining for any that may perchance read it. In fact, it may inspire you to do one of your "never" things, too!
In addition to posting a blog for the first time, I am following a post of my daughter's; a challenge to get rid of 1,000 things. At first, I thought, simple! I can do this! Just go to my desk area and there must be at least 100 old, rusty paper clips and some not-so-stretchy rubber bands and the first few hundred things will be a breeze......then I thought about it and figured that's not exactly what the excercise was about....panic started to overtake me, so I took a few deep breaths and decided to start with somewhere simple but a little more challenging than paperclips and rubberbands.
Books, I have tons of books. There must be a book or six I can live without, right? I went to my book case in the TV room (I have bookcases, shelves and boxes of books in all the rooms, even the kitchen). My first two to hit the Amazon resale site are two old craft books...one about sculpting foam and the other about stencilling....neither craft was ever attempted by me and God knows why I've held onto these for so long. Into the computer room, list them on Amazon and hope for a buyer. Next was the nightstand in my bedroom with a stack of books that I had acquired from who knows where. Three hard-back novels ready to be donated to the library! Wow, I'm up to five items and I haven't even broken a sweat yet.....Next, the kitchen...cookbooks are going to be harder. I don't necessarily like or want to cook on a regular basis, but I love to read cookbooks. But to my delight, I found two (of the forty) that I can bear to part with: Holidays: Menus and Music (never even opened the CD) and The Weekend Cook.....maybe someone on Amazon wants those, too!
Okay...that's seven things going out the door....enough for one day. This may take a year or two, but I am determined....the real trick will be not to bring in a 1,000 NEW things while I am in the process....but I did get a nice ceramic magazine today....(sigh)
I am hoping that this will be therapeutic for me as well as entertaining for any that may perchance read it. In fact, it may inspire you to do one of your "never" things, too!
In addition to posting a blog for the first time, I am following a post of my daughter's; a challenge to get rid of 1,000 things. At first, I thought, simple! I can do this! Just go to my desk area and there must be at least 100 old, rusty paper clips and some not-so-stretchy rubber bands and the first few hundred things will be a breeze......then I thought about it and figured that's not exactly what the excercise was about....panic started to overtake me, so I took a few deep breaths and decided to start with somewhere simple but a little more challenging than paperclips and rubberbands.
Books, I have tons of books. There must be a book or six I can live without, right? I went to my book case in the TV room (I have bookcases, shelves and boxes of books in all the rooms, even the kitchen). My first two to hit the Amazon resale site are two old craft books...one about sculpting foam and the other about stencilling....neither craft was ever attempted by me and God knows why I've held onto these for so long. Into the computer room, list them on Amazon and hope for a buyer. Next was the nightstand in my bedroom with a stack of books that I had acquired from who knows where. Three hard-back novels ready to be donated to the library! Wow, I'm up to five items and I haven't even broken a sweat yet.....Next, the kitchen...cookbooks are going to be harder. I don't necessarily like or want to cook on a regular basis, but I love to read cookbooks. But to my delight, I found two (of the forty) that I can bear to part with: Holidays: Menus and Music (never even opened the CD) and The Weekend Cook.....maybe someone on Amazon wants those, too!
Okay...that's seven things going out the door....enough for one day. This may take a year or two, but I am determined....the real trick will be not to bring in a 1,000 NEW things while I am in the process....but I did get a nice ceramic magazine today....(sigh)
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