5 a Day for December

[frugalone]

So, now we're into a new month, and I enjoyed Danna's 5 a Day for November so much, I thought I would jump in and start a new one for December.

Today I recycled two Chinese food containers with matching lids, and I'm taking (yet another) bag o' books to the public library.

This has been a tremendous eye-opener as to how many books I own, and how few I've read or want to reread. Yesterday I finished rereading one and I know I don't want to reread it yet again. Plus it is Annie Proulx and easily available in a library.

Feel free to jump in!

[JaneV2.0]

I'm in the process of filling up the car for another delivery to the thrift store. Then I'll begin again.

[Teacher Terry]

Cleaned out my office and a closet and 2 garbage bags went to the thrift store today. About 2 years ago I cleaned out my office closet and threw everything away. I don't think I kept a thing. Now it is at least full of stuff I actually use. Sometimes a good friend of mine will get something from her Mom that she might only use 1x/year but wants. So if it is something I would use too then I take it home and we pass it back and forth. I have more room then her even though my house is smaller because she stores things for her daughter that lives in tiny apartment with 2 kids.

[Teacher Terry]

Books can really accumulate. A move finally cured me of keeping books. Now I probably have only about 20 in total.

[frugalone]

A couple more plastic food containers, plus I shredded a lot of papers and recycled more. I was saving letters from nearly 20 years ago saying that my student loans were paid off. I realized I had never had an issue with anyone saying they weren't. Plus I had several unofficial transcripts of my grades. Why keep that, when I can pay $5 or whatever and get official transcripts should I ever need them?

Also took more books off the shelves and added them to the giveaway box.

[frugalone]

Oh, I forgot to mention: I crushed a couple of small cardboard boxes for recycling.

[Chicken lady]

Ok, I can't commit to 5 items a day, but I can commit to 5 minutes a day.

so, I am going to spend at least 5 minutes every day working on a problem area, with the goal being to continue until I find something to get rid of or finish cleaning out/organizing the area, whichever comes first. (It's possible I could clean out and organize an area without discarding anything if, for example, many of the items are moved to new homes.)

today i I threw out some socks, but that didn't take 5 minutes, so I will do the 5 minutes in my pottery studio where I can definitely organize for more than 5 minutes!

[frugalone]

More books, plus I threw out some old file folders and recycled papers from the folders.

On a side note: I have those green hanging file folders with the metal bars that hold them on a track in the drawer. Has anyone else noticed that these break really easily? The glue deteriorates and then the bar slides from side to side, allowing the folder to collapse into the drawer and become a big mess. Maybe I have overloaded my folders and broken them?

[Chicken lady]

In my 5 (7) minutes I partly cleared out a corner and found some more packaging I can take in to my classroom tomorrow.

next week the kids are taking home all the Christmas gifts they made and the packaging supply is going on shrink like snow on a griddle.

i think the glue on the green folders does give out with age and changes in temp and humidity, but extra weight doesn't help. I just re-glue them.

[frugalone]

Chicken lady, the folders are in a desk in a room in which the temp and humidity swing according to season. So that might explain it!

Today: More books!

[Chicken lady]

I worked on my pantry before I left for work this morning. Found a baking mix from way back when dh started an elimination diet that was not a hit - to the chickens it goes.

[frugalone]

I'm pretty sure I have hot chocolate mix from the mid 1990s. :help:

I worked on my pantry before I left for work this morning. Found a baking mix from way back when dh started an elimination diet that was not a hit - to the chickens it goes.

[frugalone]

More books.

I have to admit: I'm getting a little discouraged. I am taking these books piece meal to the library b/c I don't drive to work and can put them in my tote bag. The last time I tried to take a box when Spouse dropped me off at work, he offered to take it for me. Silly me. I found the box and several of the books in the basement weeks later. He has a hard time parting with things. If *I* am driving somewhere, he doesn't get in the way of my donating, but I can't trust him to do it.

I just feel like I'm not making a lot of progress. But then, I haven't been in a great mood for the last several days.

[Chicken lady]

Sorry frugalone. :(.

I worked on on the studio again this morning. My corner is a little better - just a plastic bag to recycle on the out, but it was something.

[19Sandy]

I'm pretty sure I have hot chocolate mix from the mid 1990s. :help:

Not safe to drink - nausea, vomiting and diarrhea - toss it in the trash.

[frugalone]

Thanks, Chicken lady. I will be OK.
My back is bothering me so I won't be carrying any books today! Instead, I put a few small things in the box to go to the Salvation Army. Also I found several sports bras in my "unmentionables" drawer. I can't imagine anyone wanting to buy a used bra, and I have not worn them since 2008. I guess they should really go, despite that little voice in my head saying "but you might start working out again!" Yeah, and the elastic will probably have deteriorated by now (or then).

[Chicken lady]

If the elastic is good, goodwill will take the bras and people will buy them. Not me, but people do. They also buy used swim suits.

today I worked in my filing cabinet for my 5 minutes (actually I unburied my filing cabinet and searched it for something) but while I was in there I found a handful of ten y.o. book order forms to recycle.

[frugalone]

Thanks, Chicken lady. I never understand why people buy well-worn shoes, but I guess they will buy anything! (ebay is proof of that)

For Friday: 2 dusty decorations, 1 small handbag that time had ravaged, 3 cardboard packages from buying hosiery, 2 pairs tights, 2 burnt candles. Also put in a box to go to the Salvation Army: 2 sachet bags and 1 keychain. Also shredded papers going back to 2003 or older.

For today: An old Dick Blick catalog, a catalog from a photography show we attended in 2004, and a lot of old papers to the recycle bin. There was one more thing I tossed but it escapes me now what it was.

[frugalone]

Threw out a couple of old lipsticks, put a bracelet in the pile for the Army, tossed a couple of tags from products purchased at least a year ago.

[Chicken lady]

I fell off the wagon, but I'm back on track today having worked in my studio and thrown away some more saved yogurt cups. I'm starting to develop a vision for the studio.

[frugalone]

I didn't do anything yesterday, but today I took five more books to the library.

[frugalone]

I threw some things in the trash, including a very worn pair of sandals, an old flashlight, a lid from a candle holder, an old shopping bag. Also put a small pouch I got with a piece of jewelry in the Salvation Army pile.

[Tybee]

Two pairs of earring that bother my ears, a giant remote that my dh dislikes, a book, and a cotton spring shirt that annoys me as too flowy.

[danna]

Good morning all and Happy New Year!

I have been decluttering a little this past month but, not keeping track but, all
gun ho and ready to start again tomorrow.

Did sell 4 old cans of paint and 2 large elevated garden beds I bought but, realized this is not
something I would use. So that helped the garage. My goal needs to be to buy less...
At least Christmas did not bring to much into the house I received mostly Gift cards...
And, have made the decision Christmas will be an even smaller affair next year 2017.