Eliminate. Expunge. Eradicate. Extinguish. Expel. I don't know about you, but I don't have any more time to do any more stuff. My dance card is FULL! And yet, more stuff comes along and I squeeze it in. But that means something else has been eliminated. This leads to Efficiency. With tight schedules, we have to set priorities, and eliminate the unnecessary. Decide what really deserves your time!Another form of Elimination is getting rid of useless items. Purge the clutter! (One man's junk... ) Here are some TIPS:
- Clothes - I go thru closets in the Spring and Fall and make piles - Donate / Hand me Down / Toss - this goes for mom's closet too! Haven't worn it in two years? Give it up.
- Toys & Misc - Same deal. When we switch out bins of winter toys and summer toys in the garage, it's a perfect time to purge what we don't use or is broken. (Bonus, my hub built some sturdy shelves above our garage door to store out of season stuff - very handy!)
- Kitchen and the rest of the house - Not as often, but we all need more storage room. Especially in the kitchen. (Curious - anyone still have a wedding gift > ten years? I do, but not much)
- And so many charitable organizations will pick up your stuff from your porch! (Mama J reminded me to add that valuable lazy tip!)
(repetititve? yes, it is! I need it repeated!)
Ellipses... - in the sentence, three. end of the sentence, three and one to end on.... Use sparingly!
Em Dash-- double dash with no spaces before or aft. Shows interruption. I usually use commas, which are also acceptable.
commonly confused "E" words:
earth (dirt, ground; or used in idiom) / Earth (the planet)
elusive (adj. tending to avoid or escape) / illusive (adj. unreal or misleading)
Find more A to Z posts here, LOTS more!
Whenever I used to sort through my clothes, I never quite got round to taking them to the charity shop. But now we have a big charity clothes bank around the corner so I have no excuse not to take them. It's been fantastic for my overstuffed wardrobe and drawers.
ReplyDeleteI always feel better and work better when I decrease the clutter. Freat tips!
ReplyDeleteI have a pile of clothing destined for GoodWill, just as soon as I remember to put it in the car and take it there. This is proving to be harder than I thought it would.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the em dash.
It is always an amazing feeling to get rid of extra things!
ReplyDeleteI always feel a sense of relief when I've gone through and gotten rid of stuff I don't use anymore. Problem is I end up filling it with new stuff!
ReplyDeleteThis is where I am now! After moving house about two weeks ago, a funeral that had me out of service for 3 days, and trying to figure out the best time to leave to/from work (if I leave too close, my 1 hour commute can turn into 3 hours...), I'm now at a point where I need to figure out how to find time to finish unpacking and catch up on some projects... Time management!!
ReplyDeletei am afraid to see what hides under some of the piles... that lurk in the corners of the junk room.
ReplyDeleteJeremy [Retro]
AtoZ Challenge Co-Host
Oh No, Let's Go... Crazy
Good tips! Want to come here and help me get rid of some stuff? ;)
ReplyDeleteI enjoy cleaning out the old stuff. And yes, I have an iced tea maker that was a wedding gift. It's over 20 years old and still works.
ReplyDeleteI have just a little bit of the hoarder instinct in me, in that I get attached to things I'll never use again. Brushed up against a friend who assesses his possessions every six months and sells anything he won't use so that he'll never hold onto things. We're totally different.
ReplyDeleteWell, almost totally. I am putting together a package of clothes for Goodwill this week.
Best feeling in the world is clearing out a bunch of junk!
ReplyDeleteOh man, it seems like I'm always, always de-cluttering around here, but really I mostly manage it in fits and starts (which is why it feels never ending) so I can fully appreciate the tips you're sharing here.
ReplyDelete~ Rhonda Parrish
Hi Tara .. clearing out is such a great idea .. I'm working my way through.
ReplyDeleteEllipses I love! Dangling Doppelangers .. such a great name .. (oh! are they modifiers?!?!)!
Cheers Hilary
Definitely guilty of earth vs. Earth. Eliminate and Efficiency are definitely great things to master and use effectively. I'm more a comma girl so the double dash is on the back burner for me. I think this post my fave by you of the week Tara.
ReplyDeleteYes, I do still have some of the wedding gifts, though it's only been five years. And they were video games. Our friends know and love us (Fable II limited edition! Squee!).
ReplyDeleteWhat's scary though is there are still some gifts from the previous marriage... Yeah, I'd say they should go, but when am I ever going to buy a silver platter? Right, never. So if that one goes, it's the last of it's kind.
My mother is a fanatic about elimination. She's not really sentimental, and so has gotten rid of things that other people have seen no reason to get rid of, like negatives for old pictures in case the pictures are destroyed or wear out.
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling; my dance card is so full, I'm writing on the back. Love your tips. My greatest problem is with my study, particularly my desk top. I call it "dynamic organization." Sigh! NO pictures for you (or anyone else).
ReplyDeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
Bears Noting
Excellent post--I shared it! Also a firm believer in being efficient, not lazy ;o) My E post was about exercise. Have a good day!
ReplyDeleteMy husband is kind of a clean freak. It's pushed me to be better though :)
ReplyDeleteOh we switch out the toys too. I can't believe how many we have.
ReplyDeleteIf only I could eliminate...
ReplyDeleteI have so many piles and at the end of the day, I feel like all should stay except one or two. I just can't part with stuff :(
Oh this post hits the heart of my personality! I'm so not a clutter bug, whether it be time demands or household stuff. It makes me... nervous, actually. The downside is I tend to get rid of things too easily and sometimes regret it-- especially with some of my kids' childhood stuff.
ReplyDeleteyes! I'm in the mood for a spring clean and it feels sooo good to get rid of the stuff that is not used any more.
ReplyDeletehere from a-z.
Great tips--I go through closets and dressers to organize and sort clothes at least twice a year. Toys aren't as frequent, which is probably why my kids' closet is overflowing. ;)
ReplyDeleteEliminating clutter and efficiency are two important words in my life. I especially enjoyed the punctuation and word usage tips. Best wishes as you continue the A to Z Blogging Challenge.
ReplyDeleteGetting rid of clutter always makes me feel better.
ReplyDeleteIt's twice as nice to Eliminate Extras.
Barbara
E is for Evidence Found in A to Z
The Daille-y News
Tara, I'm loving these tips and I find anything having to do with organization interesting.
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
Excellent post. I feel inspired to sort my cupboard.
ReplyDeleteWhen I'm having trouble getting rid of things, I ask myself this question: If the house burn down and everything was lost, would I run right out and replace this? No? Well, if I wouldn't need it then, I don't need it now.
ReplyDeleteI find myself watching that show Hoarders sometimes to make myself feel better about my house. It works, but I know I still have to get rid of a bunch of crap! Loved this post Tara! Reminds me of what I SHOULD be doing this weekend ;-). - Jen (www.redstreake.com)
ReplyDeleteI de-cluttered one of the BOYS toy piles just yesterday. I could see the floor again! It was wonderful, until he got home.
ReplyDelete:)
Great info!
Heather
I'm amassing a pile for my son's school's rummage sale coming up. I have no idea how we accumulate so much stuff. It's weird!
ReplyDeleteYour E-tips have me Ecstatic to Engage some of them and put them into action.
ReplyDeleteI'm great at the bringing stuff in bit ... but not so good at the making room for it part of the equation.
ReplyDeleteI love the way it feels to clean out the clutter and get reorganized and perhaps even make room for some new things. Life is a journey and it is fun to change it up a bit at least once a year. Thanks for the great tips.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds an awful lot like spring cleaning which I'm not ready for one bit. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's always good to have these things repeated for those of us, like me, who then say 'oh yeah, I need to clean my closet' :)
ReplyDeleteI've been bitten by the spring cleaning bug...this is right up my alley! :)
ReplyDeleteWe go thru a spring purge every year. In fact, its about time right now! :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like good advice but for me it's the same story. I know what I should do, but I don't.
ReplyDeletehttp://joycelansky.blogspot.com
I took a lot to Goodwill after my first year in college. I had SO MUCH clothes that I just didn't need.
ReplyDeleteIt's always a good idea to eliminate what's not necessary :)
We try to purge at least twice a year. It amazes me how much stuff we can accumulate in a short 6 month period. Our rule is that if we have not used it in the last six months then we either donate it or trash it!
ReplyDeleteYou sure described my life lately, seems busier everyday. Eliminate would be a great idea, if I just had time to do it :)
ReplyDeleteRhonda @Laugh-Quotes.com
AtoZ #42
Bleh, I have so much I should throw out and/or donate. Maybe this week I can go through and set stuff apart. Not a hoarder, but definitely a pack rat :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me to hit the gym!
Every one of you is excellent!
ReplyDeleteAnd I am so glad I am not the only one who has trouble getting rid of unnecessities!
Thanks for stopping by!
I sometimes get overly sentimental (i.e. attached) to my stuff. Then I watch an episode of Hoarders and i'm ready to toss 90% of what I own for the sake of my sanity!
ReplyDelete