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. 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.
2. What do you call an old swimsuit missing one underwire? Junk, that's what you call it.
3. 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.
4. Also in the toss column was a peg toy we inherited, but it's missing pegs.
5. Next in the toss column was a set of giant pipe cleaners that P never really grew fond of.
6. And, to round out the toss pile were a random Halloween themed cup and five empty boxes.
7. For my sister? two booster seats
8. a cooking for baby book
9. some baby toys: a computer
10. a baby animal puzzle
11. toy: bird house with four plush birds
12. toy: Mega Blocks table and blocks
13. junk: 4 planters, 1 watering can
14. useful, just not for us: 1 hose reel, 2 hoses
15. useful, just not for us: P's toddler pool
16. junk: 2 rusty lounge chairs, 1 stool
17. junk: 4 solar lights that no longer light
18. junk: a bucket and a lid
19. useful, just not for us: a basket
20. books: Gone with the Wind, Brave New World
21. toy: Mr. Potato Head MLB edition
22. baby gear: the Boppy
23. odds and ends: new drawer used for kitchen towels
24. odds and ends: guest bathroom counter
25. useful, just not for us: crock pot
26. useful, just not for us: hurricane with almond candle
27. junk: old bath salts and perfumes
28. baby gear: foam roll
29. baby gear: 256 2 oz breast milk storage containers
30. toy: truck (combo riding and push toy)
31. toy: dog security blanket
32. toy: battery-operated toy train
33. toy: stacking pyramids
34. toy: hammer and eight nails
35. useful, just not for us: cane

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


Cheers!
mouse