Skip to main content

Goodwill

I spent a good part of this morning in the attic sorting through junk and throwing out old papers. Then I threw all the contents of the sweater boxes down the attic ladder so I could sort them in the AC. I went through one layer of my bookshelf and a crate of files from USC. All of this getting rid of stuff is going to make it easier to move - less stuff to haul around, cleaning up old baggage ... you know the drill. But sometimes, getting rid of things you've had forever can be difficult.

I have been approximately the same clothes size since the 8th grade. I have been the same shoe size since the 7th. So, when it comes to getting rid of clothes it is not usually a case of not fitting. Also, since I lack a certain element of apparel known as fashion, I don't usually chuck stuff because it is out of style. I'm not walking around in leg warmers or anything (though they sadly seem to be coming back) I just usually buy generic clothes that are a more classic look.

Anyway, today I am trying to fill one of those giant yard trash can black bags with clothes. I have one 3/4 full in the garage already, so now it is just a few outfits more until my goal. I have found that the biggest thing that helps me be okay with getting rid of things I seem to be sentimental about is knowing they are going to people who need them - or at least to someplace where the proceeds earned will benefit them.

My sister and I recently spoke about putting me on "What Not to Wear" as a method of eliminating the stuff I shouldn't have in there anymore, but I don't think I want that kind of a transition happening on national television. Instead, I am just going to weed through it one outfit at a time and hand it on to needier citizens. I have so many blessings ... and how many pairs of winter pajamas does a girl really need anyway?

(See, and here comes the sad part. I have so many winter pajamas because every Christmas I get a new pair on Christmas Eve as part of a family tradition. Who wants to get rid of traditional things???)

Getting rid of books is equally difficult. However, it must be done. They are just getting too heavy. Plus, there is always the library!

I'm sure this is pretty boring to most of you, but for you other pack rat or sentimental fools like me, I just had to document the difficulty of all of this. No one else will believe us, but at least you understand. Off to finish sorting - Goodwill is in for a treat this weekend! Love always, ~Heather

Comments

discipleassisi said…
heather - a word to the wise, from the dumb. if you've sorted everything through once. go back through everything and reduce it again by at least a third. i know it sounds drastic and terribly traumatic, but you will thank me. if it helps, you can curse my name while you relinquish control of your favorite stack of handouts from 9th grade (are you getting a mental image of my sorting issues?) the thing that made me laugh the most though, was on the day the boxes were actually leaving my apt in cola. alex, who was helping me pack the annoying little crap that one's bedroom seems to prefer more than any other room, said "what the hell is this? a bag of bags?" it was, in fact, a bag of bags. in my defense though, they were perfectly fine zip-locks, had been used only a couple times and were designated for controlling shampoo bottles on trans-pacific flights. why should i get rid of them? thank God he was there to take them from me and put them in the trashbag.