Finding Me

IT IS DONE. Phew...that was so much hard work, especially since I had already decluttered SO MUCH before starting the challenge. As I was forced into harder and harder decisions, it really made me think about what I use and what is truly important. I'm nowhere near done - although my house is quite neat and tidy at this point, I still haven't reached that "click point" KonMari talks about and I know there's more I need to clear away. So first, the last 1000 Item Haul: Takeout Menu  - We have literally never ordered takeout from them and only ate there once years ago. Gas club card - never used Paper plate - Been out in the open in the basement for years - who'd want to eat off of THAT? Tank Top - Never fit right Fuel belt bottle - Sprung a leak yesterday 2 Barrettes - I'm not a barrette person Headband - Nor am I a headband person Photo Postcard Bike handlebar endcap Magazine article 5 MORE (yes more) Mardi Gras beads Hairbrush T-...

The clearout of large items continues - last night our neighbor snatched up the grill only half an hour after we put it outside. This morning I posted my old bike frame and boom - mailing it to a friend. The reaction as I give away these large items has been interesting - they're all going to good homes with people truly excited to own them (whereas they've been literally gathering dust and cobwebs here), yet everyone's like, "WHY AREN'T YOU TRYING TO SELL THEM?!?!" Seeing the happiness on people's faces is MORE than worth it, especially for items I haven't even been using. Anyway, here's the bike frame: And today's small-item haul: Bike kit (Counting this as two items - bibs and jersey) Stickers 3 MORE Mardi Gras beads Smoke alarm (been needing to fix the hallway one for years - wiring issue) Paper cups Tech running shirt Car sticker Ladder (not shown - I had THREE, which was ridiculous - a small step-ladder, a mid-...

A much smaller haul after yesterday's craziness of decluttering, but here we go.  Pretty tired today, so going to keep it short and simple. Card 3 MORE Mardi Gras beads Vacuum cleaner attachment Pen Pen Refills 4 Photos Thumbtack Decorative lantern Today's Total: 13 Items Overall Total: 968 Items. Should finally be able to wrap up this challenge this weekend. Yay!

Phew...getting so close! This has been a tough challenge and I admit that while I've enjoyed it, I'll also be happy to be done, LOL. The first half went really easily, especially considering how much I had already decluttered prior to starting it, but since hitting 500, boy the struggle is real! However, it's the last day of August and I pushed HARD HARD HARD. Found so many items, in fact, I had to break it into separate photos. On a positive follow-up, while I still have the little TV and the grill, the broken file cabinet has been broken into tiny pieces and put in the trash and a friend's son snatched up the sofa that very night! (This is especially exciting because I now have all kinds of room to expand the Pain Cave - just in time for indoor winter training!) Haul One: Hanger Paper Perfume Postcard 2 Pairs yoga pants Dress Shirt Sticker Pack of stickers Haul Two: ( Ignore the TV set from the other day - still need to dispose/donate it.) ...

I won't lie - that September 1st goal is looking less and less doable. However, got some BIG items today. They're not actually out of the house yet, but on the chopping block: Grill...I'm including the cover and the utensils it comes with in the count. Old sofa. TV/VCR Combo and remote Broken file cabinet from pre-paper decluttering days Vest T-shirt Plate (from old set - cracked in the microwave last night) Belt Hair elastic (SO MANY old stretched-out ones) Miscellaneous hardware Cat not included. Today's Total: 20 Items Overall Total: 897 Items

Had a lot of trouble finding unnecessary items this weekend. Admittedly a bit disappointed with this haul considering that I want to hit 1000 by the end of the month, but it's still more stuff out the door. T-shirt 2 Hairbands Ear plug.(Yes, one. God knows where the cats dug it out from.) Scarf 4 Photos Ironman flag (This one was a hard choice. STILL is killing me a little.) Slipcover for sofa (not shown) Today's Total: 11 Items Overall Total: 877 Items

Really cleared out some photos today. It's so funny - I have duplicates, ones that I can't even identify where they were taken, 12 photos of the same hour-long event, etc. (And no, I don't ever look at these.) I'll fully KonMari them in the future, but for now consolidating and thinning out the herd is really helping (and will make the Big Purge that much easier). 3 T-shirts (Yes, I am continuing to make the hard decisions in thinning out my wardrobe.) Clothes hanger (I don't even use pant hangers of this type anymore.) Folder ...And the big one - 9 photos. Today's Total: 14 items Overall Total: 866 items. Yikes - gonna have to hustle hard to find 134 more items in the next week to meet that September deadline!

Whelp, it was the last day to get shit together for the shelter's yard sale, so one last go through. (Obviously not all of this stuff is yard sale.) Pillow - Didn't work for my neck pain - boo. Being dropped off at the shelter in hopes it can be used as a cat/small dog bed. Jacket - Taking to the sports consignment shop. (Yes, we have such a thing. Gotta love Lake Placid!) Yoga pants - Also going to consignment since they're Oiselle and barely worn. 2 Postcards - Trashed, of course Dress pants - Yard sale 4 Photos - Trash T-shirt - Yard sale Book (not shown) - Yard sale Today's Total: 12 items Overall Total: 852  items

Sorry for the hiatus - the week before I went on vacation was crazy busy, and then I well, went on vacation. After three days of catching back up on Real Life, I'm ready to get back into this. (Actually, I really needed to as it is my last chance to donate stuff to the animal shelter for their annual tag sale on Saturday.) Starting with 10 items today to get back on track, although I'd love to finally close out this challenge by the end of the month. Chest protector (Haven't used it since I took Tae Kwon Do 11 years ago.) Photo Desk clock 3 pairs shorts (gym, pajama, and denim) Yoga pants T-shirt Long-sleeved t-shirt Hair band Today's Total: 10 items Overall Total: 841 items

More stuff out the door! I actually did a big clear-out of my clothes today  but am only giving final decision to three pieces for now. I'll revisit the rest after my trip. Long-sleeved shirt - Love the color, but fits TERRIBLY Pajama shorts - Once again, love how they look, but they're TOO short-waisted and ride up the crotch when trying to sleep. NOT comfortable.  Long-sleeved t-shirt - Was for layering under t-shirts a la Sheldon in Big Bang Theory but I don't do that anymore. Screw Hair elastic Broken spray bottle (WHY did I still have this? Anyone? Bueller?  Lip gloss - I had held onto this ancient pot because I loved the scent - apple cider. Opened it today and it's so old it started separating. YUCK. Empty travel-sized shampoo bottle (JUST used it up) Photo Martial arts belt (Two black belts across four schools - I had a LOT of the lower-rank belts, LOL.) Today's Total: 10 Items Overall Total: 831 Items

Ugh, today was definitely a struggle with finding stuff I no longer need. Took a while, but finally got it done. When I get back from my trip I'm going to really work on building a cohesive smaller (I won't call it "capsule") wardrobe, which will help. I'm realizing I'm having a large block on decluttering clothes because I haven't sat down and thought about what kind of look and clothes I want to keep. 4 Phtos Cat toy the cats no longer play with (which is now being played with enthusiastically by the Panther, OF COURSE.) Hair elastic Bag of screws (STILL finding random hardware) Picture hook with no finishing nail Miracle Gro (Yeah, I barely keep up on the weeding.) Hand wraps for boxing. Today's Total: 10 Items Overall Total: 821 Items

About to head off for a little riding and running (had to wait for the cold rain pour to stop), but before I do, a quick little haul for today: Folder Clothespin Sheet from photo album 2 Newspapers 6 Photos Today's Total: 11 items Overall Total: 811 items

Holy crap! Almost there. Unbelievable! The craziest thing (as I keep saying) is that you STILL can't tell that I've been decluttering. Maybe if you look inside my closets, drawers, and cabinets, but not just to look around. It just continues to beg the question: if I can get rid of this much stuff without it being noticeable, how much freaking stuff do I HAVE? Anyway, here's today's nice-sized haul to get us to 800: 3 Manila folders Race bib (usually keep them but this one got gel all over it and is also from a very unremarkable race.) Childhood drawing (yes I found another one) Wind vest Brush and sponge holder Expired packet of Advil 2 Screws Dishwasher rinse aid (don't use the stuff) Corn cushion Pants Laptop case (hysterically from my COLLEGE laptop. I graduated nearly twenty years ago, so current laptops have way too big a screen to fit in it.) Martial arts belt Postcard thingie Sticker Paperwork Perfume (just used it up today) Towel ...

Hello hello hello! Been a little busy, but not too busy to find some more goodies to declutter. Didn't hit 800 items like I hoped, but still a pretty darn good haul if I do say so myself: T-shirt Plastic bag Pants Chapstick 4 Picture hooks 5 Photos Bag of random hardware Today's Total: 13 Items Overall Total: 380 Items - DEFINITELY hitting 800 tomorrow!

All right, another nice-sized haul after I continued cleaning out my office. Since it's where I spend the majority of my waking hours (I telecommute full-time), that's where I tend to revisit and edit mercilessly so I can be my most productive at work. I do still have a lot of toys (Funko addict, guilty), but re-fell in love with my office after a good clearing. 8 Pieces documentation 3 Cards Business Card Ticket 4 Picture hanger hooks (lost/used the nails they came with so they're useless) Button Dried bouquet - Once again, dried flowers not good when you have asthma and allergies. My boyfriend gave me them years and years ago and I was attached, but realized that not only have they literally lost all their color, I have another newer dried bouquet from him downstairs. (Yes, I've dried and kept almost all the flowers he's given me, LOL.) Clock (not pictured) Today's Total: 20 items Overall Total: 767 items. Perhaps hitting 800 next? Can I f...

Well, so much for doing a big decluttering this weekend. I spent most of it catching up on all of the household-type stuff that gets laid by the wayside during Ironman training. My garden still is nowhere near recovering despite removing approximately a metric shit-ton of weeds on Sunday. However, I did throw stuff in a pile as I found it and then got back to work today so I actually have quite an impressive haul: Nightie (You're welcome. Seriously though - I own three and maybe get one out for the Mister once or twice a year. Like, what?) Sleeveless hoodie - I'm just not a vest/sleeveless hoodie type, as much as I want to be. If it's cold enough for a warm layer, I want my arms covered. Skirt - One black skirt is enough for someone who almost never wears skirts. Gardening gloves (Wore out and am now using the spare pair my mother left behind) 2 Medicine cups Curtain Checkbook register (don't use them) 2 Mustache erasers. They make me smile but I have ...

The march continues on! Had to make some hard decisions to get to 10 items, but got 'er done! Some items not pictured since Dr. Z. grabbed them to haul off to the animal shelter for their yard sale before I could snap the pic. Cheeseboard (not pictured). SERIOUSLY?  I used to use it as a tiny cutting board when I lived in my shoebox of an apartment in Boston, but now I have a normal full-sized one and if I'm mowing down on some cheesy goodness, I sure ain't getting out some fancy board to eat it off of. Yoga pants (not pictured). One of my ridiculously neon obnoxious pairs that I used to love but just isn't my aesthetic anymore. Skirt (not pictured) Tri kit (counting as two) CD 2 Photos Running singlet Newspaper Today's Total: 10 Items Overall Total: 732 Items.  No training this weekend (I get back into swim/bike/run on Monday) - Can I really scour the house and make it to 800 in only two days? Wait and see!)

Today was Day One of the capsule wardrobe, so we'll see how that goes. Also, I just got my hands on "Everything That Remains" by The Minimalists, so I'll definitely be giving my thoughts on that after I read it. Anyway, continuing on with the 1000 Item Challenge: Tank top Bottle of wine (kept for the label) Photo Bead necklace (From the Saints Super Bowl game) Pen that ran out of ink Magazine clipping Book 2 Visors Today's Total:  10 Items Overall Total: 722 Items

In an earlier entry I mentioned that I wanted to try a capsule wardrobe and see how it went. I did one this winter that went well in terms of having enough clothing to wear but I hated it because it was all grey and black. (I chose all my grey and black clothes because it was both the perfect percentage of clothing and easily interchangeable.) I decided to try again with a still-muted wardrobe, but a bit more color than before. I feel the pinks, blues, and purples will be a nice compromise that gives me a little color and pop. So I decided to go with 50 items. This includes pajamas, shirts (sweatshirts through tank tops, and yes you need sweatshirts in the summer here - it can get down to the low 40s at night), pants, capris (including my beloved yoga pants),shorts, skirts, and dresses. It does not include shoes, underclothes, socks, jackets or accessories. I know that capsule wardrobes can be half that, but it seemed like a good place to start. So here's the breakdown: ...

Hello! The past two weeks were too crazy to do more than just throw the occasional item in the "get rid of" pile. Not only was I getting ready for Ironman, I had two huge projects thrown on my plate at work,  I had to take a day trip to Boston, AND I had to spend a weekend sherpa-ing my boyfriend through a race of his own. Phew! So glad I'm going on vacation in a couple weeks - I need it! Anyway, back to the grind, at least until I leave for Seattle. This is so much a "haul from today" as catching up on stuff I piled up. This week I'm hoping to get back into the groove with decluttering and create that capsule wardrobe. Pajama shorts Running singlet Running dress Mason jar Contacts case 2 Paint stirrers 2 Pieces of paperwork Running hat 2 Screws Today's Total: 12 items Overall Total: 712 items

Actually have a pretty big haul today, mostly due to clearing out more photos. It's so funny - the more I consolidate them (putting loose ones in my albums as I free up space in said albums), the more I realize I have blurry photos, or duplicate ones, or a bunch of the same night that are extremely similar. Still having trouble getting rid of more clothes, but did find a shirt. I do have an idea for a capsule wardrobe aesthetic that I want to try out after Ironman. (Mainly because the capsule wardrobe will be placed temporarily in the guest closet during the experiment and I have friends staying with me during the race.) Haul One: Curtain tie-backs Shirt 7 Photos Hair elastic 2 Pairs of earrings CD Coupon VHS tape (Yes, remember those? #Old) Protest sign (Trying to keep it NOT political, but it IS an item.) I was just about to post, when I realized I was only three items away from 700 (I thought it was a lot more for some reason), so quickly found some more st...

Trying to keep this going as close to Race Day as possible. Between traveling this weekend, again Monday, and then Race Week, next week is going to be SPARSE, if any blogging at all. So here's Today's Ten. Keeping hoping for a day with a larger haul than that self-imposed minimum but I've long culled the low-hanging fruit. Paperwork 2 Sets of streamers Playbill 3 Christmas plates 2 Epi-Pen cards (just found out yesterday that they're both expired) Book Today's Total: 10 Items Overall Total: 681 items. You know what this means - trying to hit 700 tomorrow.

Disappeared again to finish up a big weekend of final Ironman training. Whew! Definitely feeling it today, but managed to scrounge up (and I do mean scrounge - damn is this getting difficult) ten items: 3 Magazine pages 2 Screws 2 Candles Lip balm Dead battery Tank top Today's Total: 10 Items Overall Total: 671 Items

Ugh, sorry for the disappearance. This is my last, biggest week of training before starting taper for Ironman, so it's been crazy around here. (And when I HAVE had a free moment, I've used it to REST rather than scour the house for unnecessary items.) Anyway, going to be one last huge weekend of training so not sure if I'll be able to post, but did (after MUCH looking around) find another ten items. Paperwork T-shirt Vinyl bag 2 Screws 2 Photos Running shorts Bath bomb (Not pictured since I used it) Newspaper clipping - One of those cases where it had the wrong "home." It's a newspaper photo of my cousin sitting on my uncle's shoulders while watching the Memorial Day parade when she was very young. She flipped when I posted it and I'm mailing it to her, where it will be cherished. LOVE! Today's Total: 10 Items Overall Total: 661 Items

It burns Precious, it buuuuuurns! Just kidding, did have to scrounge around once again, but no real hard decisions made today. Dried rose from Valentine's a few years back. I have several dried bouquets from my partner, which as much as I like them really aren't a great idea for someone with allergies and asthma. Newspaper 2 lotions from Origins. Gift from a friend almost twenty freaking years ago. Time to let them go. Worn out hair elastic Jar Paperwork Eye cream (I still have two others despite the fact that I never use the stuff. Although I should.) Photo Bubble bar (Not pictured because I used it all up.) Today's Total: 10 Items Overall Total: 651 Items

You KNOW it's getting serious when I start digging into the Obnoxious Yoga Pants collection, but in all truth it's not really my aesthetic anymore anyways - I've gone Basic White Bitch white, power blue, and light pink (and rose gold, OF COURSE). Newspaper (Yes, I kept all the ones from 9/11 but have decided that not only am I not going to ever reread them, talk about keeping negativity around.) 2 CDs - Still love U2 but have everything in the Cloud Nalgene bottle - don't need two, even if I ever do go backpacking/camping again. Photo Yoga pants - they're not my vibe anymore and are a little too small anyways. Screw (Every time I think the junk drawer has nothing more to give...) Barrette 2 Theater fliers Today's Total: 10 Items Overall Total:   641 Items

Oh man, things are getting REAL. Hard decisions being MADE. Watering can 3 Photos Sticker Screw Phone cord CD Cardigan Stylus (The CD and cardigan were the tough ones but time to let them go.) Today's Total: 10 Items Overall Total: 631 Items

Chug chug chugging along. Another day where I really had to look around to find ten items, but hopefully that means another day where I have a huge haul is in the near future. (At least that seems to be the pattern.) Sheet Can of paint Screw Essential oil 3 Photos 3 Newspapers/paperwork Today's Total: 10 Items Overall Total: 621 Items

Sorry for the delay - had a big race weekend - prep, racing, and then recovering meant several days away from the decluttering effort. Anyway, we're back: Old tea Magazine 2 pieces paperwork CD Insole to old bike shoe 4 photos Nail polish Today's Total: 11 Items Overall Total: 611 Items

Well, we did it! Some scrounging around and BOOM - 25 items decluttered to hit that 600 item mark! It's pretty amazing - you STILL, yes STILL, can't really see the difference just looking around the house. Now, if you start looking in drawers and closets, that's where the difference is. I've always been able to keep the "showing" parts of the house pretty neat and decluttered, but hid everything in closets and drawers. My guest room and especially office closet are way, way emptier than they were. My kitchen cabinet for pots, pans, and small appliances is also much neater than it was (and I can actually close the doors easily!). 2 Hello Kitty tsum-tsums (Sending these to my niece who loves tsum-tsums as part of her birthday gift) Another DC Metrocard (it was my backup). Fish tank brush part Punch card to comic shop Hair band Essential oil sampler 2 Pieces paperwork Martial arts belt 2 Photos Organizational drawer I now no longer need (Yay!) ...

Actually got a fairly decent haul today. Yay! T-shirt - Yes, managed to discard a piece of clothing. Broken Christmas tree ribbon 2 Photos 2 Stickers 4 Credit/store cards Bag balm Underwear that wore through  (Not pictured. You're welcome.) Today's Total: 12 items Overall Total: 575 items. Can I find 25 items to hit 600 tomorrow? Let's find out!

Wow, about six weeks into this thing. Another tough day of scrounging around for ten items. I really need to start tackling the large items (grill, bike frame, small TV, etc.) that I want to get rid of. I also am having a hard time getting rid of any clothes, even ones I never wear. In all fairness, I did KonMari them twice in the past year, but I still own an awful lot. 2 Pieces of paperwork (that I hysterically photographed right side up the first time, exposing tons of personal data #InfoSecFail) 2 Photos Broken Christmas tree ribbon Bag balm Screw Filter for the litter box (never use them) Magazine article Essential oil sampler Today's Total: 10 Items Overall Total: 563 Items

Today was actually a bit easier with finding things to declutter, which was nice. The struggle has been REAL lately. 3 Pieces paperwork Box and accessories from old cable modem 2 Magazine articles Visor to my aero helmet (never use it - makes me claustrophobic #BadCyclist) Stretched out hairband Old CBR I never use Brush for the dehumidifier (once again never use it) 2 Photos Old insert for an Achilles issue I had years and years ago Today's Total: 13 Items Overall Total: 553 Items  

Ugh, super-stressful day - the Monday-est of Mondays - so here is yet another quick ten: 3 Photos D.C. Metrocard  Telephone piece Paperwork (10 year old LT bike test - pretty sure THAT'S out of date, LOL!) Shoe bag Magazine article Notebook Gunky guest soap (used it up, so no picture) Today's Total:  10 Items Overall Total: 540 Items

Another big "All day in the saddle" day, but here's your quick and dirty ten items. Next week is race week, so I'll have more time to find stuff. 2 Magazine articles Navel ring that doesn't fit Single earring missing its partner for years Random hook Piece to an old vacuum cleaner CD 2 Pieces of paperwork Newspaper Today's Total: 10 Items Overall Total: 530 Items

Another day scrounging around for that ten-item minimum, but got it done.: Race bib (I usually keep these but I actually won an award and already have the plaque on the wall.) Newspaper (Yes, it was cool to keep the paper from the Sox's first World Series win in over 80 years, but...I never even look at it. Maybe this makes me a bad Bostonian, but out it goes.) 3 Photos 2 Screws (Really scrounging the bottom of that formerly overflowing Junk Drawer that was stuffed with hardware.) Jewelry...bag, I guess you'd call it? Hoodie Pendant Today's Total: 10 items Overall Total: 520 items

After yesterday's huge push to get to 500 items, I don't feel too guilty about just doing a quick and dirty ten today: Rice cooker - Was excited to receive it as a give from my mother, but I think it was a lemon - all the water would steam out long before the rice was cooked, even when I put in 3 times the recommended amount. Fish tank cleaner - I have better brushes to use 2 Pieces of paperwork 2 Photos Newspaper Card Broken bike pedals Car polish Today's Total: 10 Items Overall Total: 510 Items

Whelp, it wasn't easy but I did it: 500 items. We'll ignore the fact that there's 500 more to go, LOL. I am so happy I managed to find enough items to make it today! Wasn't sure I would, LOL. (Yes, yet ANOTHER blurry picture. Sorry!) *Takes a deep breath* So, the ginormous haul: Newspaper article Card Pair of socks Holder for sheet set Post It Notes booklet 2 Pieces of paperwork 3 Photos Magazine clipping Grout cleaner Bracelet Race bib (Usually keep them in a scrapbook, never scrapbooked this one, and have NO IDEA what race it was.) 5 Pieces of hardware Tape dispenser Running skirt Earrings 2 CDs Pocket watch Sticker Battery Coffee mug (not shown) Today's Total: 28 Items Overall Total: FIVE HUNDRED ITEMS! WOOHOO!

Definitely slowing down here, although I have several large items that either need to be sold or taken away, so obviously those are kind of on hold for now. Another quick and dirty haul. I promise this blog and its writing will be much more interesting post-Ironman, so bear with me: Screw 2 Photos 7 Pieces paperwork (I counted it based on documents, not separate pages, just FYI.) It's amazing how little paperwork you really need to keep! I'm basically down to very little outside of all my mortgage documents (Original with second mortgage and TWO refis, so it's a LOT) and tax documents (also a lot because I itemize so I keep my receipts). Today's Total: 10 Items Overall Total: 472 Items. I am really, really hoping to scrounge hard and hit that 500 mark tomorrow. Would be great to be halfway!

...have I mentioned this is getting hard? LOL. Seriously guys, it's going to be coming down to some super-hard decisions soon. This challenge would have been MUCH easier if I had done it at the START of decluttering rather than after two partial rounds of KonMari. Anyway, here you go: Splenda (We don't use it anymore Playbill 2 Photos 2 Pieces hardware Yet another Allen wrench. Evidently I had a bunch that were all the same size. 2 CDs Piece of paperwork Today's Total: 10 Items Overall Total: 462 Items