Unbirthday Declutter

I had a wonderful time visiting two dear friends on our sleepover Unbirthday weekend--- a celebration about seeing one another instead of getting presents.

I also had an opportunity late that Saturday night (between fabulous dinner at the Cafe Brio and a Lara Croft action film) to put some seldom-used items up for grabs. If my friends wanted anything, they were welcome to it.

I brought hair clips, bath oils, herbal teas, a stainless steel soap dispender still in its packaging, kerchiefs, hairbands, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and silky little bags which are lovely but I never use them.

There was one bracelet which was a bit of an internal struggle to part with. It was made of beautiful luminous green beads and I bought it at a craft fair only a year ago as part of a set. I wear the earrings almost daily. But the bracelet? Gorgeous, but I think I wore it twice.

I was glad of my decision when I saw how pretty it looked on my friend Pol...

I also gave Pol my old glass coffee bodum as promised. I love the metal one I have and I'm quite sure it will be enough. :)

Hurray for friends to pass things on to!

(I must say that my dear friends often pass things the other way too---trading among ourselves has become a time-honoured tradition. I've received many clothes, shoes, and fabulous books over the years. It's like shopping for FREE!)

42 more things passed on. A tootal of 3383 things gone.

To the Restore! (and More)

So, luckily for us, Jeff's mom will lend us the truck now and then. About a month ago we made one trip to the Restore, that blessed Habitat for Humanity place that accepts old household building cast-offs instead of letting them go into the landfill. It doesn't matter if the items are dated, as long as they are in good condition.

To the Restore there went: two folding closet doors, two interior wooden doors within frames, an old bedroom light fixture from before renovations, and 14 green cupboard knobs. (19 items)

Alas, the old broom, a big broken tile, and a broom far past functioning were just garbage and have been languishing in a dark corner of the garage. No more.

Three sets of broken Christmas lights went too, and a clunky old television antenna from where-I-don't-know.

I also turfed two rotten garden hoses (I was storing them for a friend who has to live in an apartment but there are limits to the time I'm keeping them when they are useless to anyone--that's two years apparently.) (8 items)

To the Friends of the Library Donation bin travelled sixty (!) more magazines and a few children's books.

So sixty plus nineteen plus eight.....

Hmmm...this brings the new Decluttering total to: 3342 .