Well, here we are, a week later and it is time to put my moxy. skills to the test. Remember last week when we made a plan to clean out the big kids' toy cupboard?
I arrived Thursday, and we arrived at the house and assessed the situation. We agreed that there were things to be culled, tossed, donated, and dusted. Conveniently, we know someone who is having a book sale this weekend, so we decided to start by going through the cookbooks first. When you are a big foodie, you find that you accumulate a lot of books, gadgets, goo-gags, and unnecessaries from family and friends. It takes a strong woman to know when to let that stuff go. Fortunately, I am working with that woman... we formed a solid plan, and reconvened Friday to get down to business.
I arrived Thursday, and we arrived at the house and assessed the situation. We agreed that there were things to be culled, tossed, donated, and dusted. Conveniently, we know someone who is having a book sale this weekend, so we decided to start by going through the cookbooks first. When you are a big foodie, you find that you accumulate a lot of books, gadgets, goo-gags, and unnecessaries from family and friends. It takes a strong woman to know when to let that stuff go. Fortunately, I am working with that woman... we formed a solid plan, and reconvened Friday to get down to business.
Looking at the task before us, we quickly decided what needed to be done, and got to it. Looking at the cupboards, cookbooks on the top shelf went first, followed by the cookbooks in the cupboard below. She headed to the pantry (for more cookbooks) while I began pulling everything out of the cupboards. It may seem like a daunting task, but it actually goes along quite smoothly as long as the person you are working with is willing to field a million questions as to what goes and what stays, etc.
After that, it is just a game of memory... like things go with like things, eyeballs with eyeballs; puffy paints and regular paints with paintbrushes; glue sticks with tacky glue... you get the idea (occasionally the job will get confusing -- feathers with beads? ribbon with string? Just ask yourself how you typically use these items, and group them accordingly). Everything came out, the shelves got wiped down, and the rearranging was underway!
The labeled containers she mentioned last week were a tremendous help. Almost everything that didn't go into the "donate" pile fit into the containers perfectly. Papers, foam sheets, and felt pages stacked neatly on the top shelf, as well as spray cans, and blank greeting cards and envelopes. You get the idea...
In about 3 hours, we were done! Everything cleaned, cleared, culled... decluttered! And back in it's place. Donations are in the back of the truck, ready to go. This can be done! Living proof, you just need to take the time, make the plan, make the deadline... and now, we celebrate! Pasta for dinner (pasta "and stuff", according to my niece, who is doing the cooking). Family, good music, good food. It doesn't get better than this! Which makes me hungry for the next bagua...
Next week: 9. MEDIA: Audio cassettes, CDs, DVDs, Video cassettes!
After that, it is just a game of memory... like things go with like things, eyeballs with eyeballs; puffy paints and regular paints with paintbrushes; glue sticks with tacky glue... you get the idea (occasionally the job will get confusing -- feathers with beads? ribbon with string? Just ask yourself how you typically use these items, and group them accordingly). Everything came out, the shelves got wiped down, and the rearranging was underway!
The labeled containers she mentioned last week were a tremendous help. Almost everything that didn't go into the "donate" pile fit into the containers perfectly. Papers, foam sheets, and felt pages stacked neatly on the top shelf, as well as spray cans, and blank greeting cards and envelopes. You get the idea...
In about 3 hours, we were done! Everything cleaned, cleared, culled... decluttered! And back in it's place. Donations are in the back of the truck, ready to go. This can be done! Living proof, you just need to take the time, make the plan, make the deadline... and now, we celebrate! Pasta for dinner (pasta "and stuff", according to my niece, who is doing the cooking). Family, good music, good food. It doesn't get better than this! Which makes me hungry for the next bagua...
Next week: 9. MEDIA: Audio cassettes, CDs, DVDs, Video cassettes!
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