This is not a test- it's a lifestyle! We need to keep practicing in order to make a habit stick!
Here's a quick 20 minute drill to get your decluttering muscles pumping! Grab a garbage bin + donation bag + start tossing, recycling, or donating these items: *Sweatband optional.
1. Any article of clothing that is no longer flattering. (If you would be embarrassed to be seen by your high school boyfriend in it....it goes. (DONATE DONATE DONATE.)
2. Any piece of clothing that is stained or stretched out and un-donate-able, including undergarments. (Upgrade your life from stained nickers! (Cut up and use as rags- if you don't like to waste.)
3. Wire hangers. (recycle or return to dry cleaners)
4. Wonky hangers that are broken or have lost their shape. (The ones you never ever want to use, you have never been my friend- pokey mark makers!)
5. Plastic bags from the dry cleaner. (Dry-cleaning bags are made with low-density polyethylene (or LDPE, which corresponds to the recycling #4)- so easy to toss in with your "film" recycling like plastic bags at many big box stores. Think Target, Home Depot + Marianos. AND If they don't offer this- ask them to start- good for you and the world!
6. Random one-off socks. (Unless quirky is your brand... you aren't wearing unmatched socks, it’s okay to repurpose them as rags or create 42 sock puppets.)
7. Anything with a layer of dust on it. (Tough talk, if it's collecting dust- it doesn't mean what you think it means to you. Donate to someone who really will love it!)
8. Chargers from gadgets you no longer own. (Donate- did you know IT classes are taught using old electronics? Many Vets use these to develop and hone new skills... DONATE! Just ask any search engine- where these can go in your area!)
9. Half-used, long forgotten candles. (I hope you have romantic dinners with tapered candles... but are you? Will you really use that red half burnt Christmas candle again?)
10. Duplicates: you don’t need 8 spatulas or 4 can openers. (But guess who does... someone else- donate! Feel free and good about giving to others + freeing up your drawers)
11. Promotional plastic cups and related free-bees. (Sorry shot glass from Mardi Gras, you made me sick then + you make me sick now!)
12. Mismatched fill in the blank (tea cups, spoons random utensils you don't use (please recycle- people need + will use what is taking up space in your drawers and cabinets).
13. Food that has lived in your freezer since "geez, when did I buy this?". (Make it, bake it or take it to the trash.)
14. The goodie bag candy / last years Halloween candy. (It was junk coming in... it's junk going out!)
15. Takeout menus. (you already have them from the google!)
16. Expired medicine. (Walgreens will gladly accept non used medicine. DO NOT FLUSH)
17. Expired sunscreen. (Old gunk is junk- 8 months max for sunscreen experts say)
18. Pens/markers without caps – and caps without markers/pens. (it's called a junk drawer for a reason)
19. Completed crossword/ suduko + coloring books. (Congrats, now it's in the recycle bin)
20. You know that thing/ article of clothing / non working gadget/ thing you are keeping because it cost too much at the time or was really on sale but you don't use or need? Anything that you wouldn't regift because it's just augh..... PITCH IT! PITCH IT REAL GOOD! (sung ala salt-n-pepa)
AND REMEMBER THE A.H.HOME rule... Touch it once. Don't pick something up and just moved it to another area. When you are handling an item- it needs to go to it's final destination the first time. Take the bags of donation to the facility and the trash to the curb. One and Done!
And as always, Pick up as you go!