Thankfulness Challenge - Day 22

It’s been a while since I cleaned, like really cleaned, I’m talking dusting, I’m talking scrubbing, I’m talking full on cleaning fit. I’ve had a few weekends where I’ve not been home, and during the week it’s all I can do to hang up the towel in my bathroom. So basically it was time to get dusty, dirty and clean up the hovel I call my home.

I’m not a packrat, but I guess I can turn into one. What keeps me from full on packrat status is that eventually I can and will let something go. Today was one of those days. One that Golden would call “Shits Gotta Go day!” That’s not to say I’m wasteful, however there are times where I look at something and think why in the world did I need that … or who in the world gave me that. There are other times where I pick something up and take a minute to think of who gave it to me, dust it off and put back on the shelf.

When I’m in this kind of cleaning fit I keep a basket on the bed and if I come across an item that still has some life to it I throw it in the basket. My church has a room that they treat like a boutique that allows people to go in and get whatever they need. There’s what I call play clothes, items you’d wear bumming around the house, and more dress clothes that someone would wear to work or church. We have a group of homeless ladies that come and are allowed to pick what they need. So any clothing that I find that still has some wear in it will go there.

Our office does a toy drive every year, and coloring books, or kids toys that haven’t some life in them will go there. As a woman who is forever a kid at heart I have more toys in my room than a woman my age likely should. I’d like to say it’s because I have nephews but no … it’s not. I have a job, back off reader I buy what I want, and often what I want is dictated by my need to be forever 10-years old.

There are times where I would hold on to something then the next “Shit’s Gotta Go Day” will quickly let it go. There’s really no rhyme or reason for this I just get sick of moving it around or see that it really doesn’t have a “home” or a place and thus it’s time for it to go to someone else. For items that don’t fit into the two categories above or if say it’s July and no where near our toy drive I’ll take it to our local salvation army box and leave these items there.

The bottom line is that while I’m not using it someone else might be able to and sadly there are plenty of people out there in need. I’m thankful that I have the means to acquire items but also that I have the ability and mind to know when those items need to be let go. I just wish I didn’t wait until I had spend an entire weekend cleaning to “catch up.” Maybe mom is right a few minutes a day is a better way to go …. Ahhhh … that sounds like a lot of effort. Ok back to my cleaning fit …

--marcy