OK my little “Hints from Heloise” self is chiming in again here (I used to read that column in the paper voraciously as an elementary school kid. That is so odd when I think of the big picture of developing me. Hints from Heloise was the precursor to blogs giving you nifty penny saving ideas and happy help for the home.) to update you on the progress over here.
Day 4: bag of old coats I never wear found in basement closet: Salvation Army bound
Day 5: umbrella stroller, kid pack, trainer potty: colleague bound
Day 6: Broke down some heavy duty boxes that were in the basement room of doom: recycled.
Day 7: Bag of out grown Marcel clothes: to two colleagues with little guys
Day 8: giant pile of newspapers being saved for what?: recycle bin
Day 9: WE DID IT! Pile of toys from pile #3 (Toys we never play with-and we mean never! The idea of three piles-One are Toys we always play with. Pile #2 Toys we sometimes..This idea came from this post at Pragmatic Mom on How to Get Kids to Help with Spring Cleaning)
Nine bags equals almost a car load of space in this house. And after nine days we already feel the difference.
Day 10: That’s today. And it’s Friday, so who knows.
Anyone been inspired? Thinking about it? One bag a day… that’s all it takes.
ok– I’m having a kind of breakdown here– of the good outcome variety I’m sure but still– I’m throwing the issue of good, inspiring writing (mine) out the window here, I’m not even thinking interesting thoughts about parenting conundrums here. Just thinking about what a pack rat I can be and how much I long to, dream of throwing tons away. I want your help, Heloise. The problem? It’s this. We live in an apartment, don’t really have that kind of basement staging area where you can pull all the crap out and survey it then choose what survives the purge and what leaves– a little at a time without having a hallway or a room completely full of crap. So I can’t quite do a bag a day– I have to tear apart a whole closet to clean out and then I have to fill several bags all at once, then pick it all up again — or else I have all of it all over the floor in some room we really use– for a week. Or more. How to do this bit by bit, little at a time, when you have to tear an entire closet or room apart in order to do it? Your advice is wanted. Welcome. Your packrat mama, with the soul of a zen monk,
Laura
I think “packrat mama with the soul of a zen monk” should be the title of a blog devoted to all of this btw.
As far as your situation–I would still argue that you try for a bag. Just one. You open said closet, and just fill one bag with things that can go to the thrift shop today. That’s it. Another day, you and the girl go into her room, and agree to fill up one bag with clothes to give to a younger friend, or donate to the school nurse. I am still a fan of one bag. Otherwise, you get a few orange cones and agree as a family that a room is off limits until cleared. Thoughts?!?
That is awesome! And I have done absolutely nothing 🙁 The pile of coats that I have been meaning to take down the street to the thrift store – still in the corner on the box they’ve come out of. After your “car sized” progress, I’m making it a point to get the coats INTO THE CAR so that I have no choice but to drop them off at the site I PASS EVERY DAY, lol.