I’ve had it up to here, (you’ll have to picture my hand right up to top of my forehead), and I am not going to take it anymore! No, I am not talking to my 3 and 4 year old little ones. I exclaimed this while staring into the corners of my bedroom.
The corners of this room have started to grow with a pile of things to do, call it a to-do storage, TDS for short. I’m still working on the official name for this growing pile.
More specifically, a pile of stuff to be listed on Craigslist or eBay for the whole sell so much stuff the kids think they are next phase. I’ll spare you multiple pictures of my stuffed corners but trust me, something has to be done. This unfinished task pile is a drain on my psyche. Even if you don’t acknowledge your clutter everyday, it can still drain your energy. This is not the first thing I want to see when I wake up in the morning, or the last thing when I turn off the light.
When I actually stop and get honest with myself, I realize I am not going to get around to listing these items on a sale site. I had a good run with a few of the quality things. It is time to accept my new decision and stop the nagging within my head to take care of that pile. Time for a Goodwill run!
I am giving myself 10 minutes to clean out my corners while I keep the following in mind:
- If it hasn’t been posted on Craigslist yet, it is not going to happen.
- Donate what I find today, within the 10 minute time limit! Do not postpone donating until every nook n’ cranny is searched and sorted for more items to donate.
- Stay focused on simplifying life by maintaining a less cluttered home.
- Release myself from the pressure to list these items for sale.
It took me all of 7 minutes to collect a sizable pile in the living room. I snapped a picture on the go.
But what happened next is a pure example of what just 10 minutes can do to get the ball rolling. My husband went through his own closet, without me even asking him to!
The momentum we gathered spurred us on as we continued into the garage! A bike and an old TV cabinet made its way into the back of the truck headed to Goodwill along with a full bag of my husband’s old clothes. The whole garage was not scoured but I was pleased as a peach with the small amount of clutter clearing taking place all because of a mission to have free corners again!
Yes, I am about to show pictures of my bedroom corners! I am that proud.
Oh, the story doesn’t end there! In a twist of fate, the location we went to make the donation didn’t accept large furniture. They directed us to another place not too far away that would accept the donation. As we were heading out to the next location, my husband saw the couple next to us eyeing the cabinet in the back of the truck. At the next stoplight he asked them if they wanted it and they where overjoyed. After a quick transfer into the back of their truck, the deal was done and everyone was happy.
Now it is definitely one thing to donate your unwanted items to a good cause, but there is a whole different feeling when you actually see the individuals you give them to. It made their day and ours!
If I had any foresight at all I would have snapped a picture of the thankful couple and their free find. But this will have to do.
Do you have a pile of things to-do in stacked in a corner? Can you spare 10 minutes to make a dent in your pile? You never know how much difference 10 minutes can make.
My living room and dining room are full of things that my husband needs to sort thru and either put on ebay or donate somewhere. My garage is full of things that are either going to my church’s garage sale or the Vietnam Vets. We cleaned out the basement (13 years of STUFF) so we could finish it and now it’s all over.
It’s driving me MAD!!!!
I can totally relate. That stuff was sitting in our bedroom fooorever! But the freedom I feel from getting rid of the stuff is worth whatever extra money I would have made from selling them. So worth it! Good luck with that last step.
That last picture was hilarious. Love that story! I have *so* many piles of stuff I want to/hope to sell and they are just driving me crazy. Thanks for the inspiration and showing what just 10 minutes can do, Autumn!