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Thursday, July 3, 2008

Day 18 - Becoming Friends With Goodwill

I know that some of you out there have way more purses/shoes/jeans/etc. than you actually use. As a woman, I understand the need for these things, however, they create the great nemesis: laundry! (Well, maybe not the shoes and purses, but I think you get my drift).

In an effort to reduce our curse load, I am creating NATIONAL GOODWILL DAY! (Okay, so it's not exactly official, but whatev). Today go through your drawers, closets, and any other random spaces that your clothes/shoes/purses hideout and pull out anything that you realistically do not use and will not use for that one day you just know will come when you need that particular white purse with the silver chain (sorry, I digress...). And if you're saving those too tight jeans for the day "when I'll wear them again," just give them up my friend. In the event that you do lose those "last 10 pounds," celebrate by buying a new pair! In the meantime, PURGE BABY, PURGE! For some of you, this will be very hard, like letting go of some good friends, but sometimes, you've just got to let go. Remember, you don't have to do it alone - we're here for you, we support you, and we really can't wait to pick up your once dear friends on a sale rack next week for $1.00. (Thanks in advance).

Now go! And please tell me what you're chucking!

31 Days to Clean

13 comments:

Unsinkable Kristen said...

Awesome! My David and I actually just did this a week or two ago. We went through all of our clothes (every last pair of underwear) and took out every thing that didn't fit or look good (and we tried almost everything on, too) and by the end of it we had four HUGE trash bags full of stuff. Then we boxed up all our winter clothes and put them in the attic. I have to tell you, my closet is so nice and neat now!

Now, if I could only get around to washing all the rest of my clothes...

Kat said...

I constatnly keep a Goodwill pile going. Even my children know to put stuff in it. It seems as much as we put in that pile that we still wouldn't have so much still left that we could still purge!!

A couple of years ago, we cleaned out our attic. It was the first time The Bob and I had done it in our 13 years of marriage. We had a truck load of stuff. When the truck was loaded, I told The Bob that we were going to look like The Beverly Hillbillies going down the road and that all we needed was Granny and her rocking chair sitting of the top of the truck.

Kimba said...

I generally don't have a problem purging. I'm constantly dropping of a bag or two at goodwill. My problem is that while I'm there I generally find more stuff to bring home and spraypaint. :-)

Cassandra said...

You must have had some vision of my to-do list! I worked really hard yesterday on other projects (like shampooing carpet and such) and so today I had already planned to declutter the closets and send stuff to goodwill this evening. So I am siked knowing someone else will be doing the same....except in my case I will likely lose 50lbs of stuff. But less stuff....less leaning. amen sister. AMEN!

Unknown said...

The Goodwill is my friend. Not only to I donate regularly, but I buy lots of gently used clothes from there.

I didn't finish my laundry room yesterday, so it's back to cleaning that room when I get home from work!

Janell said...

GREAT Idea!!! I also heard somewhere that if you need to get rid of something but don't have the heart...take a piture! That way you can always look back on it but it isn't cluttering up your closet! LOVE your posts!!!

Unknown said...

I did this a couple weeks ago. Our neighborhood association had a yard sale and we signed up. I went through all closets and cupboards, pulling out junk. We put it all out in the yard sale (not much sold - it was 105 degrees that day!) and then boxed the rest up and took it to Good Will.

We take stuff to Good Will regularly, so my husband was amazed that I had pulled out that much stuff (and you know there's more). I got rid of lots of clothes and shoes, which is good.

I really am trying to think about getting rid of more things - less stuff = less to clean!

The Peacock Pearl said...

a few of the ladies from church get together and we do a clothing and accessory exchange. we purge our closets, meet at someone's house, put it all into piles, then we "shop" and then all the rest goes to goodwill. it's a great fun way get rid of those too small jeans and trade for one size up and not spend money. if you're disciplined you will end up bringing home only outfits you really love and not bags and bags of more "someday" clothes. then we eat and hang out. :)

"Intentionally Katie" said...

My mom gifted me with 2 hours with a professional organizer once. Her advice was amazing and one of the smallest ideas she had (yet one I use constantly) was to keep a garbage bag on the floor, in the corner out of the way, of your closet. Whenever something doesn't fit right or you just decide you're sick of it, stick it in the bag.

Periodically, Big Brothers/Big Sisters sends a flyer in the mail that they're coming by on XX/XX date to collect donations. When I get that, I bring my bag to the garage and get it ready for the pick up, replacing it with a new garbage bag on the floor. Then once a year or so, I go through to make sure I comb through the other neglected "stuff" to purge, but I know my clothes are pretty sifted through. It's been an organizational dream! Just wanted to share.

Debbie said...

I love purging! I purge all the time because I can't stand clutter and junk. And it feels sooooo good when I drop it off....I just want to yell, BUH BYE!

Diane said...

Eek. I'm not doing the clothes, but I am going through the house and pulling things for a rummage for next Saturday. As I've done in the past, anything that doesn't sell goes to Goodwill.

I am amazed (and appalled) at the amount of "stuff" I have, as a single woman.

Better go clear out the purse pile too...

Anonymous said...

Sarah,

Congratulations on your new little one!!! I am putting you blog on my bloglines account right now! I just started with bloglines because I was not getting to all this important information in a timely manner. I guess that's my own fault, but that will help. I am very excited for you and will keep you in my prayers.

Goodwill... I have been donating things to Goodwill or just our local rescue mission for years. Most of the things that I donate came from there or rummages, so all of our little treasures are on a continual cycle. On our once or twice a year trip to a big mall out of town, we will stop at Goodwill first and get loaded up with inexpensive items and then have fun window shopping at the big mall with no pressure to buy because we have a pile of "new" clothes in the car already.

Love,
Robin

Anonymous said...

Yeah! I'm so happy that I acted on your post! I took 4 bags of clothes that were sitting in my bedroom to a used clothing collection site! I feel freed of some clutter! Yippee. Thanks for the inspiration.