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[JudyL]

Today I went through my blushes.  I had way too many for one person.  Love makep and blush but.....  So, cut my blush collection by half.  All of the blushes I decluttered are in the beauty donation box.  Also went through my foundations and cut that collection by half also.  Those cannot be donated as they are used and aren't accepted by the charity. 

I feel good about what I have left and that what I have will be used and thats what I wanted. 

 During the holiday season I bought a set of 3 brushes.  Only wanted 1 of the brushes but it was't being sold on it's own anywhere.  Not even on the vendor's website.  So bought the set anyway.  Already have the other 2 brushes so have decided since they all came in their own box, I am going to donate the other two as I don't really need them.

[amyb]

Went through an old file folder in a cabinet in my office today filled with old tech stuff...discs, manuals, product boxes...from services and equipment I no longer have. Cleaned it out & tossed all old stuff, organized what was left.

Not sure I need all the cords still in there but they are small, 4 of them, neatly packed up in original plastic (that ought to tell me how badly I need them!), not taking up much space. When I'm certain what they're for, I'll probably toss them. I know I have others that look just like those in the cabinet of my tv stand...so all of these are probably interchangeable, and extra.

While in that cabinet, orgainized & neatened other things in there.

Got a lot of things packed up from the holiday, wrapping paper/bows/tags/gift boxes storage box, and my fall decor box that was still in my walk-in upstairs. All that got brought back up to outdoor storage.

The other boxes still inside upstairs are awaiting my "letting go" of my trees...yup, still up, still loving them. So because those other boxes hold my ornaments etc, they won't go to outdoor storage 'til trees are down but are neatly in walk-in.

Everywhere else in home, other than the trees, is not "Christmas", but now...seasonal/winter...a few cheerful snowmen I keep out through the season. This is always how I transition. It just looks pretty and seasonal and lit...in snowy, chilly CT I feel it doesn't feel so out of place to have twinkly evergreens still up in the house.

My tabletop tree by my fireplace I only put my heart ornament collection on this year, so if I want to keep it up through Valentine's Day it's already set. The big tree...is just a slim tree, in a window in the dining room, really not like having a full blown huge CHRISTMAS tree up...so maybe that's why it looks fine to me. Anyhoo that's me!

Here's me before Christmas: "THIS year I'm NOT in the mood to drag out Christmas...I'm taking down the tree after Jan 6, little Christmas, not keeping it up all January!"

Here's me AFTER Christmas:...."Well....maybe just one more week.....maybe just through dark, chilly January...what the heck, it feels cozy!"

Same routine everrrrrry year. 

Old dog. No new tricks on this one. 😂 🤷‍♀️ 

[amyb]

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@gidgetgh wrote:

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@magicmoodz wrote:

@gidgetgh 

Great idea to start the new year with new leggings. I've never owned J Jill leggings but will have to take a look. 

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@magicmoodz - they're really good. The only leggings I wear. 

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@gidgetgh I also am going to check them out...don't need any now but have tossed some old ones so I may down the road. I like the sound of Pima cotton leggings. Sound like some we used to carry at two different boutiques I worked for no longer in business, so maybe these will fit the bill. Tks for the tip.

[LavernLuvsShoes]

Tossed some apples, lemons and oranges from the Veggie Bin in the fridge...

Does that count? 

[gidgetgh]

Out of nowhere and very unlike me, I'm struggling with something I threw away today.

My parents had a bench in their home,with a cushion on it. Like in their entrance way. I've always loved the bench. When we sold their home, my sister took the bench to her house and it's been stored in her basement since 2016.

A few months ago, I mentioned replacing a bench in my entry way and she asked me if I wanted our parents bench. Yep.  So, Christmas Day, I brought it to my house. I got all choked up. It was like seeing an old friend or family member.

Ok, let me speed the story up a little. I had a new cushion made for it because the old one was faded and smelled somewhat musty because it's been in a basement.

I picked out new fabric and had a new cushion made.  New foam also,  I picked it up today. Love it.

I put the old cushion in the trash tonight. Pickup is early tomorrow morning.  All of a sudden, I really don't want to throw that cushion out,  but seriously, what am I going to do with it?  It just has a slight musty odor and the material is faded.  Obviously I have nothing to use it for in my house. So, what would I do with it?  Only thing I can think of is bring it in the garage and either put it on top of a workbench I have which is ridiculous or bring it in the garage and throw it away another day. 

I took a picture of it when I brought the bench home on Christmas, but the picture just doesn't seem to be doing it for me,  

And it's 8 PM and I need to make a decision.  Pulling it out of the trash is really very very unlike me.  What a dilemma.  I feel like I had just seen it again after all those years and then immediately got rid of it,  I feel bad for the cushion. How absolutely bizarre is that?

[Fifi1]

@gidgetgh Keep it for now!

i truly understand and one  time retreived something from my trash can!

im struggling with some Christmas items my dh and I put in donate box...

remembering when son was little, but these items haven't been out in probably 20 years now, and someone will love them....

[JudyL]

@gidgetgh  - This isn't quite the same but when I go through my makeup or clothes or other things that I am putting in the "donation" pile, I let them sit for 30 days.  If after 30 days, I don't grab them out of the pile, I donate them.  I know these things don't have the sentimental value that your cushion does, but take it out of the trash and give yourself 30 days to decide whether to keep it or not.  

[Twins Mom]

@gidgetgh 

I wonder if you hold onto the old cushion for a bit longer (maybe in the garage), to settle your mind.  As you look at the renewed cushion, maybe it will bring good memories to your mind.

[gidgetgh]

I pulled it out of the trash right after I posted.  It's freezing cold out and dark and we are expecting snow and ice on Friday and I'm all out of sorts about that and getting rid of the cushion tonight was just too much for me. It was seriously like I felt the cushion has feelings or something. Like I haven't seen it in over 8 years. Bring it home and immediately discard it. Again, I felt bad for the cushion which is strange.  

I am a world class de-clutterer. I declutter very easily. But not tonight. I know I will part with it eventually as I have no need for it and it's worn out. Will give it another week or two and see how I feel when it's sunny out and not so cold and we aren't expecting bad weather. 

[amyb]

@gidgetgh I'm so glad you went and rescued your old pillow...your post was "screaming" out that that is what, for reasons unknown and curious to you, subconscious, no doubt...that you needed to. Just keep it wherever for now...I get it. It IS a mystery, why we feel certain ways, so strongly attached to a thing. Part of all our journeys here. Normal. 

Yes, a lot of what we do here is basic tossing of "just stuff"...but then there are the things emotions, memories, feelings are attached to. I find it so fascinating. I get why you are perplexed, as you make it so clear what a "master declutterer" you are, and not one to feel this way, yet somehow you even felt as if the old faded pillow itself is feeling bad to be discarded. Interesting our subconscious emotions...memories. Who knows why, but I'm so glad you honored your feelings and instincts to grab it back....just for now...giving you time to sort it out, or maybe the feeling just goes away in time.

Two things came to mind...I watched a video once on Facebook, with Kevin Cronin, of the 80's band REO Speedwagon, during covid, when so many artists were doing performances and videos from their homes. Long story short, during it he pointed to this guitar, a beat up one, but with sentimental value, he no longer played so much as kept in the corner of his music room as what he called (I forget the whole term but I wish I could find that video again, as I loved the term)...a "spirit .....something" like a "talisman" of sorts. The way he said it...it meant something to him. Like a "spirit animal" but it was a better term than that..

Anyway....all to say....isn't it interesting the feelings some things can evoke for us?

So glad you reached out to everyone here and honored your feelings last night. Last, I went to a talk once at my library, by a lady who wrote a book about "emotional decluttering"...the stuff that's "hardest to declutter"...I'll dig it out later today and post what it was.