Day 304 - Metal Stamps

Today I found a couple of metal stamps in one of my desk drawers. One is of a train, the other of a ship. Since I have never used them in the twenty plus years that I've had them, I have decided it is time to let them go. 

Today's quote: If you live by your priorities, you can experience true contentment. – Vicki Norris

Day 303 - Walkman

I don't play cassette tapes anymore so today I'm getting rid of a Sony Walkman.

Quote of the day: “The secret to success is to start from scratch and keep on scratching.”- Dennis Green

Day 302 - Hen Collectible

I collect roosters, but this collectible is a hen. I decided to let it go today.

Quote for today: "Preventive Maintenance: Don't start today by doing yesterday's work." ~ Deniece Schofield

Day 301 - Charms

Today I have three little gold charms that I'm donating to the Salvation Army.... a sewing machine, a pair of scissors, and a hanger.

Today's quote: “In our rich consumers' civilization we spin cocoons around ourselves and get possessed by our possessions.” - Max Lerner 

Day 300 - Shirts

I am letting go of a stack of clothes this evening, mostly shirts. Included is a henley, a t-shirt, a pair of leggings, and two tank tops.

Quote for today: "To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing." Eva Young


Wow! It's day 300... only 65 days to go! Woot!

Day 299 - Paper Clutter

I went through a desk drawer this evening and found a stash of old bills and other old papers that were no longer needed. They will be shredded and put into the recycle bin.

Quote for today:  "A year from now you will wish you had started today." ~ Karen Lamb

Day 298 - CDs

I'm putting some CDs into the donation box today. 

Quote for today: “Your attitude, not your aptitude, determines your altitude.”- Zig Ziglar

Day 297 - T-Shirt

Today I rescued a t-shirt from the dredges of my deep dark closet and it will get a nice new loving home where someone will cherish it and actually wear it.

Quote for today: "He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else." ~ Benjamin Franklin

Day 296 - Shoes

Why in the world would someone keep a pair of shoes not worn in over twelve years? Time to pitch 'em!

Today's quote:  "None of us have enough time, yet we all have the same amount. It is time that we quit whining about this and accept that we can't get it all done and just do what we can." ~ Flylady

Day 295 - Basket of Pine Cones

Anything that easily collects dust is a pain to keep. Today I decided to no longer keep this basket full of big ol' pine cones. I mean, how does a person dust pine cones?

Quote for today: “Amidst all the clutter, beyond all the obstacles, aside from all the static, are the goals set. Put your head down, do the best job possible, let the flak pass, and work towards those goals.”  ~ Donald Rumsfeld

Day 294 - Puzzle

What puzzles me is why I have been keeping this "Shape Shape" game for so long. It's just another example of something taking up space when it could be enjoyed by someone else. I put it into the donation box today.

Quote for today: “It is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly.” - Bertrand Russel

Day 293 - Patterns and Sewing Magazines

Today I donated some sewing patterns and magazines that I will never use. They have been occupying precious space in my closet and I want that space back. So off they go to somewhere and someone that will use them.

Quote for today: "Spring cleaning is all about personal satisfaction. It is the time of year that triggers homeowners to revive their home and renew their lives." Peter Walsh

... I would think this goes for any major seasonal cleaning. I find that doing this in the fall as the holidays approach works well.

Day 292 - Just Junk

Today I'm just getting rid of some junk from a drawer. 

Quote for today: "Even an organized person has days that aren't efficient and well-managed." ~ Deniece Schofield

Day 291 - DVD

Another DVD movie has been cleared out of my movie collection and is going to charity. 

Quote for the day: "The trouble with organizing a thing is that pretty soon folks get to paying more attention to the organization than to what they're organized for." - Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little Town on the Prairie)

Day 290 - Tops

Today I am getting rid of a couple of tops out of my daughter's closet. She gave them to me to add to the donation box. 

Today's quote: "If time be of all things the most precious, wasting time must be the greatest prodigality." ~ Benjamin Franklin

Day 289 - More Books

It is not easy to decide which books to clear from my shelves. It comes down to the question "Will I ever read this (again)? I settled on these two, which are going into the donation box.

Quote for the day: "It's choice - not chance - that determines your destiny."- Jean Nidetch

Day 288 - Movies on DVD

There are too many movies in my collection, many I don't care for or that I will not watch again, so I'm whittling it down beginning with these two movies on DVD.

Today's quote: "If dying and going to be with Christ is really “better by far,” as Paul says why are so many Christians afraid to die? I think the answer is that we have stored up our treasures here on Earth. Jesus said, “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” Earthly treasures won’t last, Heavens will. Storing up treasures on Earth isn’t just wrong, it’s stupid. Storing up treasures in Heaven isn’t just right, it’s smart." ~ Randy Alcorn, from his book 50 Days of Heaven

Day 287 - Rooster Painting

I collect roosters for my kitchen, but I have become bored with this rooster painting. Shall I donate it to charity? I think I will.

Quote for today: "Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has the more one wants." ~ Benjamin Franklin

I think the word "stuff" could be inserted into that sentence where the word "money" is and mean pretty close to the same thing. I know all my "stuff" hasn't made me happy... and the more of it I have the more UN-happy I become. It's clutter, it's in the way, and I'm getting rid of it!

Day 286 - Children's Books

When one of my sons was little, he loved trains! He didn't think about anything else. He played with them, talked about them, drew pictures of them, dreamed about them, wished for them, and of course, he read books about them. Talk about a one "track" mind! Ha! He wanted to be a train conductor when he grew up. Well, he's all grown up now and he is a computer programmer.  That did take some "training", but other than that, he doesn't think about being a conductor anymore. So today, as sad as it is, I'm letting go of these children's books all about trains.

Quote for today: "We are not the sum of our possessions.” ~ GEORGE H. W. BUSH

Day 285 - Hardbound Books

I love books. I like the feel of them, the smell of them, the look of them. I like the whole idea of them. Sorry, but the Kindle and the Nook will never replace real hardbound or paperback books as far as I'm concerned. (Should I say "in my book"?) But I have to admit that I don't read nearly as much as I would like. I know I will never read all the books I've collected, so I made the tough decision to cull a few from my shelves. Today I'm letting go of two old hardbound books by Catherine Marshall.

Today's quote:  “In almost every case, a reduction in clutter leads to greater peace of mind, less stress, better relationships, an improved reputation, greater productivity, more time, more energy, a more comfortable living environment, more creativity, more ability to focus, and a more positive outlook on life.” – Betsy Fein, President of Clutterbusters!!

 

Day 284 - Refrigerator Magnets

Today I have decided to clear off my cluttered refrigerator and get rid of several magnets. Please note that some of these were not actually on the refrigerator, but in a box on top of it.

Quote for today: "Decluttering tip: Ask yourself do I need this? How long has it been since I used this? Do I need so many?" ~ Deniece Schofield

Day 283 - Little Red Riding Hood Costume

I made this Little Red Riding Hood costume for the little girl I used to babysit. She was 4 years old then, and now she is 25! Where has the time gone? My two girls (now 22 and 20) got some use out of the costume as well, but I think it has overstayed its welcome just a wee bit too long. I'm going to pass it along to my little great-niece who will enjoy wearing it.

Quote for the day: "Through the years I have found it wonderful to acquire, but it is also wonderful to divest. It's rather like exhaling." - Helen Hayes

Day 282 - Video Camera

Today is the day I decided I will remove this video camera from my home. It has been hanging around since the mid 1980s and I must say, it was used quite frequently. We got our money's worth for it, that's for sure. But of course, as is the usual story, technology has left it in the dust... literally! Now it is time to dust it off and let it go.

Quote for today: “Anything you cannot relinquish when it has outlived its usefulness possesses you, and in this materialistic age a great many of us are possessed by our possessions.” - Peace Pilgrim 

Day 281 - Sweat Outfit

Today I am choosing to let go of a sweat outfit that belonged to my mother. I like it but it simply does not fit me. Why keep something that I can't wear?

Today's quote: “Relationships, not achievements or the acquisition of things, are what matters most in life.”- Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

Day 280 - Eyeglass Case

Today my "declutter item" is an eyeglass case. I only have one pair of glasses so I don't need more than one case. This one is out, out, out!

Quote for the day: “The physics of clutter is that it will come into your office without your assistance, but will not go away without your assistance." ~ Julie Mahan 


(Not just the office... that goes for the home, too!)

Day 279 - Sweater

Since the temperatures cooled down this week, I went through my sweaters to find something warm to wear. I came across this sweater that I decided is a bit outdated. I think I can do without it now, so I'm letting it go.

Quote for today: “Clutter is stuck energy. The word “clutter” derives from the Middle English word “clotter”, which means to coagulate – and that’s about as stuck as you can get.” – Karen Kingston

Day 278 - Cloth Napkins

I have quite a few cloth napkins in different colors and fabrics. These particular napkins are faded and stained. I don't need that many anyway, so I'm paring down, and removing these from my home. 

Today's quote: "It is the eye of other people that ruin us. If I were blind I would want, neither fine clothes, fine houses or fine furniture." ~ Benjamin Franklin

Day 277 - Belt

Today I'm getting rid of a belt.

I scheduled a Salvation Army pick up for today. They took 5 boxes, a bag, and some miscellaneous items. Now to start a new box/bag.

Quote for today: "The key to routines is you don't clean when things are dirty, but you clean by routines and things stay clean and don't GET dirty." ~ Marla Cilley, Flylady

Day 276 - Snow Globe

Today I put a Pegasus snow globe into the donation box. My daughter has outgrown it. Bye-bye little Pegasus!

Quote for the day: "There are only two times in life: now and too late." - Terry Hawkins

Day 275 - Hangers

These crocheted-yarn covered hangers have been hanging around here too long. They are good and functional, but if all of the hangers on the rods are similar, it helps to make my closets more streamlined, which is my goal. These are only half of what I'm donating.

Quote for today: “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.” ~ - Hellen Keller

Day 274 - Top

This top hasn't seen the outside of my closet for quite some time. I would like to allow someone else to wear it, so I'm donating it to charity.

Today's quote: "Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they’ve got a second. Give your dreams all you’ve got and you’ll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you." ~ William James