UNLOADING X 2

The first 'unloading' resulted in some amazing changes to my living room and bathroom. I found things I thought had been lost forever and found things I forgot I even had. It was amazing how many things were donated (let's be honest, how many bottles of unopened sunscreen does one person need?) And things that got tossed - old check copies from as far back 1998 (probably don't need those and it cleared out a whole drawer in one fell swoop!), enough rubber bands for 5 years worth of daily Sacramento Bee deliveries, and piles and piles of bills that had been paid years ago.  I also broke down and tossed the birth control (ah, such fond memories) that expired in 1997. Sigh.

Although there were light moments, there were also some difficult ones - sorting through greeting cards from and photos of loved ones is always difficult, especially if they are from people that have died. I have this weird feeling that I'm dishonoring a dead person if I do that. I don't believe in Heaven..... but then again, what if I'm wrong and they're up there watching me toss that card they so lovingly signed right in the recycling bin? Or put them through a shredder?? So, some tears were shed, a memory box was started and piles were made. Piles were sorted and resorted. And eventually shrank. 

I had to buy a few items to keep my new world organized.  A new end-table that's actually big enough to hold a glass, a box of Kleenex and a cat who may decide to sashay on through. And a shelf underneath to hold stuff so it's not on the floor. A laptop tray that I can move away from me when I'm not using it, rather than putting the computer on the floor (a safety issue for me and the computer).

Today we tackled the kitchen. I didn't realize I had so much in there that would be happier at the Goodwill home! Someone who makes mostly smoothies and canned soup doesn't need 15 pot holders, 6 bent Marie Callendar pie tins, and 4 roasting pans.  I donated at least 5 gigantic vases (like the kind you get from a florist), and tons of mismatched salt & pepper shakers.

Then we came to the dreaded "Cupboard" that holds the washer and dryer, and whatever else I can throw in there that won't fall out before the door shuts. On the shelf were two boxes that had been sitting there since the day I'd move in in 1994. One labeled "JUNK DRAWER" and one "COOK BOOKS".  The junk drawer contents were just that - junk: old phone cords, adapters, cables, all that kind of stuff just perfect for the donation box. The cookbooks were not quite as easy - lots of memories there: several of Granny's little kitchen books that came with her pressure cooker (which I still have), etc. Adam's Home Ec. folder with homework, recipes, etc. (memory box bound!) and old Weight Watcher Recipes from back in the olden days when I stuck to the program and it worked for me. Those things I kept. The other cookbooks were donated. Let someone else fatten up on those 101 Best Desserts of All Time!   That cupboard is now amazing - everything has a place, you can see what's there, it's organized, accessible and it makes me smile :)

Believe it or not, I have a 3rd appointment with her. Hopefully the last. I haven't decided what the next space will be - bedroom maybe.  She wants to work on the garage. I think it may have to wait til cooler weather, though. She's "disturbed" by the "randomness" of my garage (which I thought was one of my more organized spaces, but clearly, I'm not a good judge of this concept. Maybe I will be by the time we're done....