Goal: 52 Things Will Leave the Mouse Pad Update

Dear Friends and Family,

I am going to try and have 52 things meaningfully leave the mouse pad this year. What do I mean by meaningfully? No, it doesn't mean I'm giving away things loaded with meaning. It means it's purposeful decisions to remove something that has found a home in our home. In other words, clearing out old bananas doesn't count, they never found a home. Clearing out old toys counts since they would linger in the basement given no active actions on our parts.

The List (most recent departures listed first):

1. I don't even know where to begin. It started this morning, when I went upstairs to put the floss away and I realized the area under our sink was a disaster. First, there were the seven plastic bins, packed with stuff, piled up to the top of the cabinet, three on one side of the sink and four on the other side of the sink. Then, there was stuff wedged on top of the bins and piled all around the bins. I can't count each individually or this list would grow well beyond the 52 goal, but it seems like it should count for more than one entry. I know, I'll count it by the bagful of junk I threw out. The first bag was filled with expired stuff like sunscreen and eye drops.
2. The second bag was filled with stuff we don't use anymore like (expired) rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.
3. The third bag was junk junk like plastic bags, leaking mouthwash, empty containers. And, what's left looks so much better. Three plastic bins on the left (from bottom to top): teeth, first aid, travel. And, on the right hand side: bathroom supplies, more unopened supplies, and more unopened supplies. In the middle? One open bin with the remaining partially used, not expired, still useful supplies, like sunscreen and bug spray and lotion.
4. burp cloths... Ask me why it was so difficult letting these go and I will not be able to give you a good answer. They were piled on P's dresser. I internally debated giving them to my sister. I kept them in March. This time, I bit the bullet and put them in the bag for my sister. I kept 4. I gave her 8.
5. diaper bag... This one is comical because my sister gave me the diaper bag when we were expecting P. Now that P is potty trained, we've been using a smaller bag. And, even if it was from my sister, I put it in the bag for her.
6. random pile of stuff on the stairs to the deck: put the gardening tools and extension cord back in the garage, put the slippers with the other slippers, brought down an anonymous faucet head for Mr. mouse to assess, left the flashlight, and last but not least, threw out a pair of old shoes and a bag of rusty nails.
7. What do you call an old swimsuit missing one underwire? Junk, that's what you call it.
8. We've got friends coming over in a couple of weeks. Nothing like company to motivate a little clean up - especially of the basement where they'll be sleeping. It was also a good time to do a sweep of the basement for stuff for my sister. Looking at the baby stuff, I started sorting it into three piles... one small pile to keep, one small pile to give to my sister, and one large pile to throw away. In the toss column: 2 old breast pumps and one box.
9. Also in the toss column was a peg toy we inherited, but it's missing pegs.
10. Next in the toss column was a set of giant pipe cleaners that P never really grew fond of.
11. junk: Halloween themed cup and five empty boxes
12. baby gear: two booster seats
13. book: Cooking for Baby
14. toy: toy computer
15. toy: baby animal puzzle
16. toy: bird house with four plush birds
17. toy: Mega Blocks table and blocks
18. junk: 4 planters, 1 watering can
19. useful, just not for us: 1 hose reel, 2 hoses
20. useful, just not for us: P's toddler pool
21. junk: 2 rusty lounge chairs, 1 stool
22. junk: 4 solar lights that no longer light
23. junk: a bucket and a lid
24. useful, just not for us: a basket
25. books: Gone with the Wind, Brave New World
26. toy: Mr. Potato Head MLB edition
27. baby gear: the Boppy
28. odds and ends: new drawer used for kitchen towels
29. odds and ends: guest bathroom counter
30. useful, just not for us: crock pot
31. useful, just not for us: hurricane with almond candle
32. junk: old bath salts and perfumes
33. baby gear: foam roll
34. baby gear: 256 2 oz breast milk storage containers
35. toy: truck (combo riding and push toy)
36. toy: dog security blanket
37. toy: battery-operated toy train
38. toy: stacking pyramids
39. toy: hammer and eight nails
40. useful, just not for us: cane

We'll see if I can get to 52 this year. I'm cautiously optimistic.


Cheers!
mouse