November 15, 2020

Bit by bit. Piece by piece.

The random "Great Clear Out" is progressing.  Granted, it's only when the mood strikes - which ebbs and flows.

This afternoon the mood struck.  And when the mood strikes, I NEED to get to work.  Otherwise, I find that I can easily distract myself with something very unproductive.

Today, I began with the big dresser in my dressing room that I want to get rid of  to make room for a desk - Man-Child is the intended recipient of said dresser.  The "how" of getting it to him is up in the air.  He has a friend with a truck that would be willing to assist - but I don't want the friend in the house.  So, I am thinking over the "how" to move the dresser into the garage.  The options are limited as there is no way The Husband and I can move this behemoth on our own.

At any rate, this dresser has twelve drawers (I told you it was a behemoth!) - I had previously gone through six of the smaller drawers and set aside items for Goodwill.  Today I tackled the six large drawers.

Guess what I discovered?

For someone who RARELY wears socks (yes, even in the winter it's rare - but then look where I live), I had an inordinate amount of socks.  I was able to set aside many brand new pairs for donation.  Of the few that remained, I'm positive there are at least three pair that I hate for whatever reason.  I figure when I come across them at some point this winter they will be immediately tossed.

My tights collection was harder to cull through - even though we are now a "business casual" always company (let's not forget the fact that I'm not even going in anymore), I DO really adore fun tights for skirts and dresses.  I figure I will hold on to most of them for a little bit longer before they get tossed.

At any rate, I was able to cull a LOT from that dresser and a LOT from the dresser that will remain.  Enough so that I was able to fit everything from both dressers into the one six drawer dresser.

Heady with that success, I headed into the closet I have been dreading the most.  

The closet that holds the "craft supplies."  If you know me, I'm not really a "crafter" (despite my recent foray into embroidery).  I will take up a notion - try it for a while and set it aside.  So basically, I was venturing into the closet where all my crafting notions go to die.

What irritates the most about this closet?  That I have moved this crap from house to house.  Not just once...but MULTIPLE times - never mind the fact that I haven't looked at, used, or thought about any of it for years!

Why?  Because I "might" want to do that *insert craft here* again.  Today, I banished that ridiculous thought and packed it all way in boxes headed for Goodwill (I should note, I only packed away the things that could be used and treasured by actual crafters - the rest of it, *giving the side eye to the questionable craft paint* was set aside to be dropped off at the hazardous waste facility).

We will not EVEN think about how much wasted money was sitting in that closet.  No, we shall not!

After I had packed it all up, I tossed it in my car and drove it to Goodwill immediately - not giving myself time to re-think any of it.

Truthfully, that closet held much more than just crafting supplies.  What remains is Man-Child's.  Things he currently wants to keep...or more accurately, wants me to keep for him.  This will have to be dealt with eventually - but not today.

Now to figure out how to move that giant dresser.  Because between you and me?  I NEED that desk in that room with a door.  The Husband is off this coming week, while I will be trying to work from our dining room table in this "open concept" house.  It may not end well.

And this is what blogging has become in the COVID age - a blow by blow description of decluttering. *sigh*

9 comments:

  1. I am in no way in a "COVID" time... work is crazy and I barely have time to vacuum. I worked on Veteran's Day nd the only reason I didn't work today is because then I'd be working 11 days straight until my next day off. And yet, I too am cleaning out. Stuff I bought for youngest's foray into collage that we now know lasted two days... that was never unpacked, will be sold. Clothes are going by the bag full to the donation boxes. Christmas stuff that has never made it onto the tree, gone. Even the husband is trying... boxes of sports cards from the early 90's have been gone though for the first time in ten years.

    Course, this could all change if his COVID test comes back + tomorrow. Then the real progress will begin. I have a knitting project just waiting for the occasion.

    My crafting never really gets out of control, as I tend to donate or pitch things as crafts go by the way side for me. Youngest's recent foray into glass crafts has got me into alcohol ink... glass votives and ornaments are currently drying on the table.

    The boys both have totes in the basement of things they want me to keep for them (even though they still live here) I find that having them in labeled totes helps from getting 1) destroyed and 2) out of control. Plus it's easy to move them when the day comes and they need to put them in their own basement. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I enjoyed it !
    Every time I blog about something mundane about the house people like reading this sort of stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I hear you on the decluttering. We are over a week into our quarantine since Tank tested positive and I am very focused on organizing various rooms. So many projects to choose from that I am freaking out about whether or not I will get them all done before it is time to welcome the babies back into our house.

    My feet are always cold - hello, Chicago winters. Last year I bought a butt-load of smart wool socks. Heaven sent. I am now happy to eliminate anything that doesn't measure up. I seriously went overboard on the sock purchasing because I decided life is too short to wait for the favorite pair to come out of the laundry.

    Congrats on your progress and I hope you get that dresser moved so you can work without interruption.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oooh, I am here for your decluttering. It's just so satisfying! I think the key is you have to be in the right, ruthless kind of mood and just go for it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exactly! So very satisfying - if I can get myself into the right frame of mind.

      Delete
  5. I would go to my local hardware and rent a dolly. Of course, that means you need to go into the store and all that. I look forward to hearing how you actually did it, and hope nobody got hurt in the process.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a great idea! My neighbor has a dolly, I think. I will see if he would be willing to lend it (and his help).

      Delete
  6. You have no doubt already thought of this, but just in case? I always empty (duh) and remove the drawers from the dresser before attempting a relocation, perhaps this would lighten it up enough for a pushing and shoving-style move?

    I do enjoy your descriptions of experiences we are all seem to be sharing now, so thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Decluttering is such a satisfying activity. ;) But, you've made me wonder about the 43 bottles of acrylic paint that is probably 15 years old. I need to work on that.
    Best of luck with the BIG AZZ dresser!

    ReplyDelete