Friday, November 21, 2008

Cleaning

Question is: Why do I let things get so messy that I can't find anything? This is the bottom of our Hoosier cabinet that is in our kitchen. Right side, left side and the mess on the floor after I pulled everything out.


I'm on a mission to reduce the paper/junk/clutter in this house. This is the after picture:
It does not tell the full story. A lot of this mess was cookbooks/recipes and greeting cards. Every year we buy our Christmas cards from NWF (National Wildlife Federation). Every year I buy 4 boxes because Bill keeps up with a lot of old friends. Every year our card list goes down (emphasis on OLD friends!). But I keep buying 4 boxes. The ones I ordered this year are in the green boxes on the top right shelf. The four boxes underneath them are leftovers from previous years -- I have enough in there to send this year without buying anymore. Now that I have cleaned out this mess and actually see what I have in there -- hopefully I'll remember not to buy any Christmas cards next year. I also have stacks and stacks of greeting cards that need to be sorted and/or tossed. And on the bottom right, I discovered tons of wire-bound notebooks that I didn't know I had -- will never need to buy them again either!

So that was my project this morning.

5 comments :

Paula, the quilter said...

I have reams and reams of unlined paper in lots of colors. How did that happen? I've been using it in the printer. Except, of course, for official business docs. Hobby Lobby thought it was funny to get an online coupon printed on goldenrod paper. *smile*

StitchinByTheLake said...

I need to do this. Maybe you'll inspire me! blessings, marlene

Melanie said...

Hey! we have twin shelves!!! I always kick myself, because after I straighten it-- I love it and don't know why I didn't do it sooner.

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

It's a good thing you did this project before it was time to order those Christmas cards. The way it works in my house, I do the ordering first, then find out that I have several years worth.

Anonymous said...

If you want/need to get rid of spiral notebooks, colored printer paper, notebooks, etc--- check with a local teacher. I had a collection of partial spiral notebooks that my kids had used for high school and college. A local fifth grade teacher took them to do brainstorming and other writing. Saves school or parents some money and the extra paper isn't wasted. I also found a teacher who needed magazines and fabric- through freecycle.com
Sue- sue.quilts at verizon.net