52 Things Will Leave the Mouse Pad (Round 2) Update

Dear Friends and Family,

It's a new year. And, I'm beginning another round of my clutter diet. The goal? I am going to try and have 52 things meaningfully leave the mouse pad this year. It's a purposeful decision to remove something that has found a home in our home. I'm evicting unwanted tenants.

There's different questions different people use to gauge what should stay and what should go. There's do I still love it, does it serve a purpose, when did I last use it, etc. My guiding light question will be knowing what I know today, would I buy this today?

The List (most recent departures listed first):

1. Mr. mouse is going on a business trip that brings him within a short drive of my sister so we're doing another scrub of the basement for stuff that P is done with. The biggest and bulkiest would be the five baby gates that my sister needs that P is done with. We took the last ones down late last year so I'll be glad when they're out of the house. Three made it on the flight. Five was too bulky.
2. There's five books that P never really took a liking too. Two have licensed characters. Two we got as gifts, but P had moved beyond those books before we got them. And, one, kinda got lost in the basement. Apparently Mr. mouse took down more than five books. No definite number, just more than five.
3. There's three noise makers. P got them for her first Christmas. He took down two.
4. There's Mr. Potato Head. My friend at work got it for P. It was a life saver on our first trip with it when I had P with me in a middle seat. We played with it for hours. She's since outgrown it. Apparently she hasn't outgrown Mr. Potato Head. She was very sad to hear about it and pointed out that Mr. mouse had seen her playing with it last night. So, Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders went down instead.
5. There's a pull toy elephant that my best friend gave us. The one time P got attached to it was when we put it out during her second birthday party and Little Miss I Haven't Learned to Share Yet lost it and started crying about the elephant. The elephant went.
6. There's a peg puzzle with farm animals. P liked it, but she's outgrown it. The puzzle went.
7. Last, but not least, there's a bag of blocks. I think P might at some point develop a greater interest in blocks. But, I'm hoping the five bags of blocks we have will be plenty to build to her heart's desire. One more box of blocks went for a total of two sets of blocks. So, ultimately, some changes in what went, but I'll keep the tally the same.
8. We have four plants in the house. We are not plant people. Three were gifts, one is a basil plant gone wild. They don't bother me. But, given what I know now, would I buy them today? And, the answer is no, outside of the basil. So, I'm giving one of them a home with a friend. I told her not to tell me if the plant dies. Somehow that would make me sad. It's hard letting go of things. But, I feel like I need to be brave or be okay with a house full of stuff that makes me feel like I have no control of my life. I will be brave.
9. My colleague at work wants an exercise ball. I have an exercise ball that needs a home. I still love the concept of an exercise ball, even if I haven't used this one ever and I've had it for close to five years now. If at some point in the future I become enamored again with the concept of an exercise ball, I will buy a new one. The going rate is $25. One down. 51 to go.

The tally from 2012?

1. junk: 15
2. useful, just not for us: 14
3. toys: 11
4. baby gear: 7
5. odds and ends: 3
6. books: 2

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


Cheers!
mouse