Finding Me

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 ...