My friend Jenny over at her blog Words on Wendhurst has started a fantastic January initiative. She emailed me last week, inviting me to participate in a month of purging. The idea is to get rid of 111 things in January of 2011.
At first I hemmed and hawed. But then I thought about it. 111 things in a month is only about 30 per week. I already knew there were some pairs of shoes that could go asap, but had been hanging around causing trouble and taking up space. And suddenly, the fire was lit. I started zipping like a whirlwind through my house piling up stuff to get rid of.
Within half an hour, I had a pile of 30 things.
There were things to pass on to Goodwill such as this cruet. I kept it because I grew up in Spain, where everyone and their mother has a cruet. Keeping the olive oil and vinegar handy is 100% necessary to the daily salad.
However, I rarely serve salad, so I just hung on to it for about 6 years. Enough is enough, I say! Out with the salad! Out with the idea that my Spanish heritage is tied into the objects I own!
Then there was hair paraphenalia that I hadn’t worn in years. A plastic measuring cup (we switched to glass). A hideous bowl from my college days that used to house pounds upon pounds of Ramen noodles and Easy Mac.
I could never get those hair sticks to actually stay in my hair anyway. Good riddance!
This velvet hat was just too tight on my head. The purple sunglasses are fun . . . but the last time I wore them was Wild West Days 2003.
As I piled the stuff into a bag, I realized I was looking forward to zipping through the house the following week, scrounging up another 30 things.
I wondered if I was cheating because I wasn’t getting rid of ‘big’ things. But then I realized that it’s not the big things that tend to clutter things up–it’s the little things. Like old make up in my make up bag that I just can’t part with. Jewelry from high school that is no longer my style. This little ceramic bowl bestowed on me by a bed and breakfast in Mexico.
It’s especially important for me to establish myself as firm ruler of the clutter monster, because my Mom’s side of the family has passed on a series of genes that make me particularly prone to saving things I don’t need. We spent the money, so we might as well hang onto it in case we need it in the future. Or It may not fit quite right now, but who knows, maybe it will later. Hah! Do I expect my feet to change shape magically to better fit those shoes? Do I really think one day I’ll resurrect that old mangled and yellowed bra? Lies, all lies!
I will dominate my clutter. I hereby proclaim it.
So cheers to January and Jenny’s intiative! If any of you want to participate, by all means let me know in the comments!
I can’t wait until next week.
I just have to ask myself if I have the strength to get rid of my old college coursework papers . . .
View Comments (48)
what a great idea! you're so right about the little stuff piling up. My boyfriend is really good about getting on me to get rid of clutter; he hates it.
I've just thrown out three garbage bags of stuff (don't know how big your municipal bags are, but ours are huge) and I feel totally liberated. Well done Jenna.
Over the break I cleaned out my storage locker, and ended up throwing away a ton of stuff, mostly flower pots…I used to have a huge balcony, and I used to have a gorgeous container garden, but now I live in a unit that doesn’t have a balcony, so I have no use for any of it, pots, chemicals (that had started eating their way through the bottles) all of it is gone, except the pots that might be used for house plants. It really did feel good to lighten the load, and the added benefit is that some of my other things that I can’t get rid of, but may need on occasion (the dog’s crate) can now be stored in the locker. The added bonus is that the pots got a new lease on life, I left them beside the bin, and within a few days every single pot had been claimed by one of my neighbors.
I hadn’t thought about doing it as a challenge, but it is appealing to think about 30 useless items leaving your home every week, and since I also have a tendency to "pack ratism," I think I will join you and your friend. Thanks for the ideas, I am now flush with ideas about where my clutter is hiding.
I'm totally doing this! This year, I'm going to purge like it's never been done before. Grrrr. (That's my purge chant.) I definitely got rid of more than 30 things last weekend, so, I'm right on track, and am already gearing up for this weekend: a trip to IKEA for some organization tools, and then home to the closets, basement and attic!
I love this idea. I'm going to get started right now. :)
Fantastic work. I love your line about your heritage not being tied to what you own. SO smart!
Thanks Emily! It's funny how I really do connect objects to my heritage--l feel like if I get rid of them I'm 'betraying' someone or something. I really need to change that mentality and shake myself free!
Jenna, what an awesome idea! And I have the perfect solution. Move house! Husband and I just moved...and I think we met or exceeded our 111 things quota :) So liberating to find things a new home in the Goodwill bag or the Dumpster or the recycling bin. Happy New Year!
I totally know what you mean--moving always results in highly satisfying amounts of purging! We moved about a year and a half ago, and got rid of a bunch of stuff. It felt awesome.
Oh, Jenna, I'm with you in the fight to get rid of college papers. I worked so hard on them, and I cherish the comments from professors (one of whom died recently). If you have any moments of clarity, feel free to pass them on.
I'll definitely let you know--I'm kind of secretely hoping I can avoid that bin of paper . . . I keep telling myself I may use it if I teach in the future, or something. But that's just silly--it's been 6 years and I haven't looked at that stuff a single time!
Well done! See how easy it is? next week I am tackling Christmas decorations and the office - I'm thinking there will be at least 111 right there! :-)
this is a great idea, i love throwing out crap, its so theraputic and great when clothes n' stuff can go 2 a worthwhile cause. x