Purge First, Clean Later

Spin Cycle this week has to do with Spring Cleaning.  I think that the only way my house will be cleared  of all debris and elephant sized dust bunnies, is if we dynamite it.  But I do have some lofty goals and maybe, just maybe, I will accomplish a few things.

 

Purging, a goal I have longed thought about.  So many things to purge so little time.  How can I think about Spring Cleaning when there is so much stuff and no place to put it.  Seriously, I'm waiting for the ceiling to come down because of all the stuff we have stored in the attic.

Like the attic, the basement is brimming. The garage packed. The closets are overflowing.  They are full of plunder that we have collected over the years.  Good stuff.  New stuff still in the packages.  Stuff waiting for the call to become a functional piece in our lives.

How to Purge myself of this stuff?  Sometimes you can't look at it.  Some things are oh so sentimental and sweet.  Some were a fantastic deal.  Some still have tags on them. There is so much stuff buried in the back I don't even know or remember what we have stored there.

Junk Drawer - Get a garbage bag, close your eyes, and then dump the drawer over.  This is a JUNK drawer for goodness sake.  Don't look through it because you'll start picking out a myriad of useless bits and pieces.

Shoes - gross, I smelled them.  As we get older the our feet flatten out, so we need a wider shoe anyways, so you might as well get rid of those super pointy shoes.  Also I've determined from reading so many blogs that many folks are on meds, some really potent ones, so stability is an issue too. I think I want meds too? Wait, maybe not.

Me, I plan never to work in an office again, if I can help it. So out they all go.  Plus if I do, that just means I can buy cute NEW shoes. (Now, of course, since I said never...)

Business Suits - the same as above.  I don't want to work anywhere that requires a man's style power suit.   Since I worked at the bank, they are bankers suits, conservative and boring.  Eight suits, out.

Closets - Yes I have several outfits in there with tags on them.  They were such a great deal that I had to, I just had to buy them even if they were one size smaller. I vowed that I would get into one day.  Well that day never came.  Out, they go.

Functionality - None.  I'm beginning to look at my furniture.  I need pieces that work.  I need storage. Most of it is hand me down pieces thrown together and have no style and most disturbing no function.  Coffee table, going.  Coffee table books, going.  Four small, ugly, overloaded CD and DVD holders, going.

My problem is that QueenMaker and I are huge recyclers.  If we can find a second or third function for an object, or think we can, we keep it around.  If we want to get rid of it, it means extra time to sort and carry this stuff to the appropriate agency.

So much work to purge.  Should we ebay, or maybe send things to a consignment shop.  Should we take a ride to the recyclers, should I just put everything in a box with a big FREE sign on it. BUT, this adds so much more work to the whole purging process.  Maybe I'll just keep it all another year.

I need to be like Gathering. Dust, although her blog name describes perfectly my main problem when I do get around to spring cleaning.  She did a fantastic job and in only one week.

I need to be like Jen at Sprite's Keeper, because when she's bored or has a little extra time, the first thought that comes into that terrific mind of hers is, "What can I clean?"  WTF!  Mine is, "Do I have time for a nap?" or "I really should get around to doing that."

First, purge.  Then clean.  Then nap.   Got it.

And of course, stop cleaning for a second and visit the Spin Cycle. (I knew I'd find a distraction somewhere.)