I did not realize that I had been staring at my closet for the longest time until Diding finally called me out for lunch. What!?! A closet bulging at the seams with tons and tons of clothes, and yet, I have nothing to wear!?! Darn!
The time has really come for me to sit down and do something that will put some semblance of order into my existence. It’s a new year after all and are we not supposed to start it with a clean slate? So, with firm conviction on my face, I decided to get into my comfortable shorts and tees and begin what I would tag as “the painful journey to an organized life”.
With much sighing, I started taking out a dozen or so of my clothes and started organizing them into 1) piles of those that are currently fashionable; 2) those that no longer fit me; 3) those that still fit but that I no longer like; 4) those that were given to me as gifts but I no longer wear; and lastly 5) those that have sentimental value to me.
For a while, I considered putting piles 2 to 4 in boxes and putting them in storage. But then, the practical side of me convinced me into donating all that to people who may have use of said clothes right now.
Hallelujah! Now I can actually see the things that I want to wear. Never had my closet looked so smug and smart! From now on, I promise to only fill it with clothes that I would actually wear and not cram it with just about anything. That single act alone gave me the most exhilarating feeling of having achieved something next to impossible. I excitedly started going over all my other stuff as well.
I don’t exactly know if makeup products have expiration dates but anyway, I decided to toss away those that I haven’t used for some time now. Mind you, I have tons of makeup, most of them branded ones that I got as gifts from friends, who reside abroad.
Those are quite painful to throw away. But I have been told that using old makeup can result in acne or inflammation of, and overall damage to, your skin. So throw them away I did, as I didn’t want my old makeup harming anyone.
Shoes came next, then my handbags. I needed a lot of help here because these things do not come cheap. Shoes, sneakers, and sandals, no matter how expensive – especially if they no longer fit you – have to go or otherwise be given to relatives and friends. Will you not be happy to see them being enjoyed by someone else?
My totes, hand bags, and crossover bags, ahem, are getting a bit of a moratorium and will have to be tackled on my next purging session which could be anytime from one year or maybe, never! Speaking of bags, have you tried emptying the one you use daily? Do you see how many crumpled pieces of paper, receipts, tissues, gum, and candy wrappers are in there? The bigger our bag is, the more miscellaneous items we cram inside it. Perhaps your bag needs some decluttering as well.
And so, after much work, my room’s all done and it’s now time to move on to the living room. Here, I can be ruthless and toss away anything that does not fit my decorating style. Even those magazines and old newspapers that I have accumulated because they might come in handy at some later date are now ready for the recycling bin.
Maybe, I will try the minimalist way this time and eliminate most of the clutter. I can just move some of my plants from the garden to give the living room that refreshing feel. On second thought, I just might leave this territory to Boj, whose discerning eye is sure to please any stray visitor, who comes visiting the house.
Believe it or not, of all places, my kitchen needs the most re-do. Everything that is damaged and does not have lids or pairs has to go. What will I do with all the plastic containers that come with take outs? I have to sneak them past Diding so I could toss them out or maybe she would rather bring them home. Besides, she inspects the garbage that is being thrown out to make sure that nothing still usable is being thrown out by mistake. Ha ha! I need to remind you that the “just in case” mentality will not work here because too much throwable stuff can be readily replaced with items that are of even greater value.
Goodness! Even the fridge needs to be organized. No, not the kind where stuff is stacked from A to Z but at least organized in a way where leftovers are placed in proper containers to ensure that food that has been there for over a week is discarded. Better yet, make good use of masking tape and dating all containers so you will be reminded as to when you need to chuck them out.
Have you noticed how easily we throw in food stuff – remains of half-eaten sandwiches still in their original bags, opened soda or juices – inside the ref? Do you ever get to finish them off at all? Or do they stay there “forgotten”, picking up mold until garbage day comes?
Wow, can you believe that I have actually been on a roll? Now it’s time to settle down with a cup of iced coffee and give myself a pat on the back for being the productive and organized homebody I am. To be fair, this flurry of activities took place over a span of several days (and with the help of Diding). But, in the end, I was so proud of what I have finally accomplished that I wanted not only to share it with you but maybe, also inspire you to do your own home reorganization.
And also, just maybe, if we all establish a daily routine of decluttering, then we might also get into the habit of cleaning out the unnecessary items in our lives.
Let’s all shoo away stress and welcome pure chill-axing.
Oh, one last piece of good advice: Steer clear of bargain sales! (Because you know you are wont to buy what you don’t even need!) Take it from a self-proclaimed expert. – NWI
