Thursday, December 31, 2009

With an Assist from "A"


With an Assist from "A"
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: Brita filters
How long kept: about 6 months
Why: out of sight. I collect them from my work and recycle them @ Whole foods
Last used: just changed a filter last week
Destination "A" is going to Whole Foods and doing a drive by my house to pick them up! "A" gets partial credit for this one!!! Thanks A!
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Guest Posts -- Doubling Up: "CD Babies" and "yeah, yeah, yeah..."


CD Babies
Originally uploaded by heywattsky

More from "S":

"Mostly copies (multiple) of my "labors of love" --writing a book, as well as limericks that I custom-wrote, designed, and compiled in another relationship. (He was Irish-American, too). Plus a couple CDs for business scams I (almost) got involved in--and one new age compilation just to complete the set.

Kept since 2004. Off to a tech box that will end up at Greendisk, thanks, "A" for earlier info in a post."


And "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah..."

"1987, 1998, 2005...Ancient History.

Books to inspire and guide me thru the thing I hate having to do most about my chosen profession. (Find work!) Kept past their shelf life because I thought I could still use them as a source to then update thru the computer.

I did get a 2009 CWIM guide used on Amazon, a few months ago, tho I need to LinkIn to get the true skinny on who's where, because everyone lost their job last year.

Off to Goodwill you go--freeing up some shelf as well as head space."

Thanks, "S", for the two-fer.

Re-Giftbagging


What:  Gift-bag.
Origin:  A breast cancer benefit yoga class I attended.
How long kept:   Maybe 2 months?
Why kept:   It might be useful.
Destination:   Book club holiday book swap; contents:  biography of Abigail Adams.

Confession:  Yes, that's the floor of the NYC subway in the background.   I balanced the bag on my lap to take the photo on the way to the party. 

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

CocaCola cap (and other bottle caps) recycling

What: bottle caps from Diet Coke bottle tops and a few others
Why kept: coke tops have a code you can enter to get free stuff. Origin: Our other sister, "K" saves them for me and I also save them from my bottles
How long kept: some are from 2008
Why kept: They are worth something, they are sticky because they take some work to get rid of.
Last used: some of the lids were used and "entered" in the last week.
Destination: Aveda will accept and recycle any caps. (http://aveda.aveda.com/aboutaveda/caps.asp) "A" and I took them to their store today. The woman that helped us was very nice and asked that we mention Aveda in our blog post, which we would have done anyway! Save those caps and recycle them!!
Confession: my sister brought a ton more. Next time I will probably mail them to the store for recycling unless I'm coupling it with another trip in that area.

More Confession: You can get some pretty cool stuff from MyCokeRewards :-) Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.... I got a really cool cordless Black and Decker screwdriver for work.

Bonus: the ziplock bag was recycled from Christmas dinner. I washed it and reused it.

Now my next step is to keep on entering a few a day to get them done and out before the next shipment "K"

If I Didn't Recycle, This Rust Would Sleep -- With the Fishes!



What:   Cheap soap dispenser (as promised.)
Origin:  I believe I got this at Century 21, living the house beautification dream.
Usage:  A bit, until it became a maintenance problem:  it was rusting inside and out.  (WTH is this actually made of?   Definitely not pure aluminum.)   I cleaned it off a couple of times before exiling it to the back reaches of a bathroom cabinet.
How long kept:  (Scratches head) 2004?   I haven't used it in several years.
Why kept:   I might feel like cleaning it over and over again in some kind of special corner of home maintenance samsara.  Then, It Might be Useful.
Destination:  Pump portion, trash (it's mixed metal and plastic); container, recycling.   (Hopefully whatever's making it rust won't harm the recycled metal stream.)

Confession:   I think I have an identical soap pump.   Somewhere.    Aaaargh.

Bonus:   This was our 100th post!   Between "M", "S" and me, we're already starting out the New Year 100 things lighter!   (It's a lot easier one day at a time, as other more enlightened minds have noticed.)

I hope that the other 4 people following along at home are similarly lightened and enlightened.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Guest Post: "Candy decor no more"


Candy decor no more
Originally uploaded by heywattsky

"S", reporting from the chill, but scenic, Hudson Valley:

"I have a bottle cap woman candy dish (2 bowl- tiers) with relics of nostalgic and foreign souvenir candy, all going back 20 years at least. I picked thru it like a dental technician and pulled the following: Wax lips that used to be red, faded to this Fiesta shade of yellow; Necco & Bazooka that still is sold in baby boomer novelty-shops, so not-so-special; Atomic Fire Ball that has faded to a pathetic pink; some sweet-tarty thing that has goo on it; and a pack of gum from Beijing (souvenir from the 2008 Olympics) that is just plain old Wrigleys with Chinese writing. Already this unpalatable plate is in the garbage."

Scrubbed


Scrubbed
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: surgical scrubs
Origin: The Hubby wore them during the delivery of The Kid
Last used: 2 months ago
Why kept: they might be useful, out of sight
Destination: recycle bin. The Hubby said they are made of paper.

While I understand they are great cover ups for painting and such, I just don't want to keep moving them around. Sorry sweetie, I had to blog them :).

We have a new phrase in our house... "Can I blog this?"

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Oxy-Clone, Not

What:  Faux (but brand name!) Oxy-clean, about 1/3 full.
Origin:  Desire for sparkly grout. 
How long kept:   It's got to be a number of years.   2005?
Why kept:  It might be useful...if only it worked.   I've dusted it multiple times.   Last night (see confession) I tried pouring it onto a wet bathroom surface, it didn't even bubble.   It wasn't even all that good as an abrasive cleaner.   My grout sure could use something...else.
Destination.   Trash.  (Sadly, in NYC we don't recycle number 2 plastic.)

Confession:  This is one of my pre-written vacation posts.   I really got rid of several things in one day back earlier in December.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Returned with interest


Returned with interest
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: a borrowed childrens book about pregnancy and two Magic Tree House books
Last used: borrowed book, last September. Magic Tree house books, last week
Origin: my friend lent me the book when I became pregnant. The MTH books were from a garage sale this summer
Destination. Returned the book to my friend and I'm sharing the other two with her.
Confession: my son received a box set of the Magic Tree House for Christmas. He loves them.

Note To Self: There Will Always Be More Books



Originally uploaded by Nufkin
used under Creative Commons license


Fun article about how to decide which books to shed in the New Year, via NY Times, "Books You Can Live Without".

Return To Lender

What: Mismatched Knitting Needles.
Origin: Mom.
How Long Kept: Possibly since the 80s.
Why Kept: Out of sight out of mind. Aaaaaargh.
Destination: Back to Mom.

Sorry, Mom, if any of your unfinished projects might be finished just for the want of these missing needles.

"M" says... this might be an infraction of the rules!!! It's going back to Mom's. hmmm We will have to have a meeting on this.

"A" points out:   Hmmm.  I think not, in this case.   There's a "founder's intention" argument here:  Mom arguably has two sets of useless knitting needles that can be made whole.   If the point of that rule is that we'll get it all back someday, would you rather get back putatively useful knitting needles?   (Someone Might Need Them, after all.)

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Roll with it


Roll with it
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: empty toilet paper rolls
Why? Why ? why?: we collected them for a clue for a road rally.
Origin: collected them from home and work in 2008
Last used: September 2008
Why kept: out of site. I found them in the deep dark recesses of the laundry room
Destination: recycle

Hopefully the photo will work today

Dry Goods, Gone

What:  Results of a cabinet purge.
Origin:  Various unrealized culinary ambitions.
How Long Kept:   Various.   (Two, count 'em, two, almost full containers of breadcrumbs.  I do label stuff when it goes into the cabinet, one of them was from 12/04.)
Why Kept:  Mostly Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Destination:   Tea and breadcrumbs, compost.   Oil and an exceedingly sedimented few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar created an unholy vinagrette down the drain (a baking soda and boiling water chaser saved the day there.)

Confession:  I saved the metal tin the tea came in.   (I see from the label on the bottom of the tin that I purchased it at a local coffee/tea shop that closed in the summer of 2001.   Aargh.)

Bonus:   I found 5 different types of vinegar in the back of the cabinet, all of more recent vintage.   (Who knew that there was such a thing as champagne vinegar, much less in my own cabinet!)

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Ah a very good year.... Like a fine bottle of wine

Ah it was a good year for baby food that year. So good that I kept the baby food jars.

What: Empty baby food jars
Why kept: Might need them for craft projects, out of sight
Last used: 2006-7 when I placed them in the drawer (along the same lines as storage bins are evil)
Destination: recycled

Again no photo. The recycle truck was coming and I needed to get them OUT OUT OUT

Confession: I might have kept them if I didn't have another baby with the knowledge of more baby food jars in my future!

Exceedingly Lazy Susan

What:   A lazy Susan
Origin:  Purchased from a big box store, probably in the early 90s.
Usage:  Used for easier changes in the viewing angle of a bulky TV.
How long kept:  I haven't used it since probably 2003, when I got rid of the bulky TV (the TV was from the early 80s -- it actually still had a great picture).   The lazy susan has been sitting in a basket on the floor of my closet with other electronic stuff I haven't been organized enough to shed responsibly.  (i.e. the monitor --  and stay tuned for other responsible e-waste disposal to come after the New Year.)
Why kept:   I don't know.   This one was sticky, I have made many trips to various places where I might donate it.   I Might Need It, I guess.
Destination:  Housing Works Thrift Store.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Ho, Ho the Mistletoe...and Plenty of Packing Material


What:  Clean packing material
Origin:   Mail order, baby
How long kept:   Uh, vintage 2009?
Why Kept:  It Might Be Useful.
Destination:  Mail Boxes Etc.  Or are they now called the UPS store?   Whichever, they're glad to take recycled packing materials.

Confession:   I've actually thought that someone could make a green business out of collecting this sort of stuff from corporations and reselling it...but that wouldn't prompt me to save this stuff too long...

Confession, part deux:  I'm not really doing this on Christmas Day!   "M" and I agreed that we could bank posts for vacation time.   Now is one of those times!

And one more confession:   A week or so after I took these in to MBE, I found that I had a string of the air poufs in an otherwise empty box in the top of my closet.   Aaaargh!!!

A gentle reminder that a lot of the stuff under the tree came with things that legitimately "might be useful".

Wrap it up!!

What: pretty wire ribbon
Last used: Christmas eve
How long kept: since this summer
Origin: I got a bagful of beautiful wire ribbons at a garage sale for $3. I only bought 1 bag of the three.
Why purchased: for presents and it might be worth something. I thought of selling them on E-bay. One roll was marked $36.99
Destination: gifts and the empty spools are getting recycled

More later and yesterday's post is stuck argh and ugh I lost the photo!!! I'll try to take another photo later

Confession: I still have a ton, but will use them throughout the year on gifts that I give.

Update: They went to the recycle bin. no photos. I'm having some serious photo issues

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Kale Kale Rock 'n' Roll

Oops forgot to send this yesterday (and it didn't get sent to the blog from my phone -- Blast you Mercury Retrograde!!)
What: kale
Origin: from a friend of a friend's bountiful garden
How long kept: 1 week, we were too busy to use it
Destination: composter pile outside
Kale rocks, sad to see it go!(Sadly, I lost this photo too. Mercury retrograde!!! Here is a link to a photo of kale)

Wrapping Paper: It Might Be Useful?


What:  A small shopping bag of tissue paper
Origin:  Various mail order, store wrappings, and dry cleaned items.
How Long Kept:   Uh, always?   I always have a cache of this stuff.
Why kept:  It might be useful, and AAAARGH!
Destination:  Recycling, little shopping bag and all.

Confession:  I kept a bit, mostly interesting colors of tissue paper.  It's neatly stashed in a formerly empty box, a box that held a portfolio I ordered from Levenger.   This box is so "nice" that I've kept it, empty, since early 2008 when I bought the portfolio, because it Might Be Useful.   Aaargh.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Guest Post: "Peruser, infuser, diffuser...all need a re-user!"

Thanks, "S", for this:

"An old rolodex from the 80s (but looks older--that bumpy metal houses little manila cards and looks like it should be flicked thru by the fingers of Katherine Hepburn in "Desk Set.") A really old sinus squirter, that I dumbly got rid of the original packaging for. Was "regifted" to me, and it sat on a window sill for a year, next to a glass Eiffel Tower (?) A blowdryer diffuser--like I ever bother to even use the dryer? From the 90s. And all heading out. Ebay or Goodwill...either way, hopefully a "Re-User" will give them a home."

Number Please


Number please
Originally uploaded by DeClutter

What: last year's phone books
How long kept: one year
Last used: last summer (coupons) really... When was the last time you used a phone book for a phone number and not the internet!
Why:  Might need it. Out of sight
Destination:  Recycle

I love the photo of the personal injury lawyer. I'll have the number now forever because it's part of the blog. He must be trustworthy...he's on the phone book.

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Stuff We All Got: Why?


What:  Swag
Origin:  Business women's conference, October 2009
Usage:   Not at all (see confessions)
Why Kept:  Out of sight, Out of Mind
Destination:  Housing Works Thrift Store (in a bag with a bunch of other stuff)

Comments:  I've got to swear off swag.   Or at least look in the bag and pick and choose what to take...inevitably it winds up being donated.   The whole intention of swag is to somehow develop a relationship between a corporation and the swag recipient.   Gold star to the large consulting firm that gave the touchingly analog gift of branded playing cards.   (I remember playing with similar cards  -- maybe a cigarette brand? -- at my grandparents' cabin in the olden days of childhood.  Nostalgia.)

The real question is, why?   All of the effort around the stuff and its movement, storage and manipulation:  someone orders it, sends it, receives it, packs it into the gift bags, and then several hundred women shlep the stuff into our various homes and offices...and at some point, it's gonna be tossed or donated.  

Confession:   I feel piqued about the personal hygiene theme (it was a women's conference, sigh).   And I'm keeping the toothbrush, toothpaste, and little notebook.  (They might be useful.)

Coming soon:   Dramatic donation of the large number of tote bags that have come with the swag from benefits and conferences.   Sigh.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Cancer federation pick-up


Cancer federation pick-up
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: misc. Clothes and housewares (some items previously blogged about)
How long kept: some 4 years a few only about a month
Destination: Cancer federation
Why kept: mostly might be useful and out of sight out of mind
Last time used: some of the stuff over 3 years ago. The misc clothing was mostly hand-me-downs that won't fit the boys or we won't use.
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Guest Post from "S", Part Deux: "We had faces then!"


We had faces then!
Originally uploaded by heywattsky

Eyeliner pencils kept in fridge for easier sharpening. Lipstick not used on a regular basis kept in a cracked Fiesta bowl on the top of the toilet tank. Yes, Norma Desmond lives here. For over 3 years, a still life and a chilled life. As of now--garbage and metal to recycling.

Ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille.

"S" Weighs in: "I still love NY..."


I still love NY...
Originally uploaded by heywattsky

...NYC mugs bought in early 80s at South Street Seaport (because I "knew" they'd be collectors' items one day--Milton Glaser design, etc.) Had no idea how iconic (and ubiquitous) they would actually become. And worthless. A ping of sadness for all things faded about my love affair with NYC. As for loving Las Vegas? No dice. Bought on a trip in 1996 with one FDNY non-souvenir shopper, who humored me greatly.  Destination--garbage.

Not Exactly Christmas Stockings

What:  Pair of new-looking grey outdoorsman/woman socks.
Origin:   Someone who knows that I'm the Queen Aunt of sock puppets.
How long kept:  Probably about 6 weeks.
Why kept:   I might make them into sock puppets.  (They might be useful.)
Destination:   I gave the grey socks to a homeless man at the corner of 77th and Lexington.   The patterned black socks went to a man I often see in my lower Manhattan neighborhood.

Confession:   These socks were perfectly good, the grey pair looked brand new, actually.   I got them, along with the patterned black/navy pair (left), either from "M" or a yoga friend.   When I pulled them out to look at them, thought they were too good to be made into a toy.   Having noted that they don't sell socks at thrift stores (this, after checking out the stores in NY, Chicagoland, and Northern Minnesota for candidate materials for sock puppets) I decided that these would have a higher use, and started carrying them with me.   When the nice man at 77th and Lex asked me if I would help him, I asked if the socks would be helpful.  He said that they would be, and accepted them.

Win win, I guess...to the extent that it is at all okay that we have people sitting on corners asking for help.  (These went on two different days:  one blisteringly cold day, the black pair went to my lower Manhattan neighbor who routinely sits outside of a Starbucks.  As I left the Starbucks, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald were singing "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm."  Sigh.)

Monday, December 21, 2009

Burn Out


Burn out
Originally uploaded by DeClutter

What: candles some burned some not
How long kept: some since 1990!
Why: might need them and out of sight
Destination: those pictured - freecycle. Others that I forgot to photograph, I regifted to the women in my office :)
Last time used: maybe last Christmas. "A" attempted to get me to clean out the candle dept in 2000. The Colonial candles in particular, haven't moved since! Argh!

"A" says, you did clean out the candle department in 2000, "M"!     You just didn't clean these candles out.   I view our various epic Stuff Purges of the early part of this century as some of the failed attempts  I mean learning experiences that led us to where we are today...at least 25 items lighter, each, than we were when we started this in November.  (And I don't want to speak for "S" on the quantity front, but I know that she's got it going on, too.)

Extremely Secret Santa


What: Santa Photo Frame.
Origin: I have no flipping idea.
Usage: Never.
How long kept: Also no flipping idea. I'm thinking that I might have gotten this in a Secret Santa at work? Stocking stuffer?
Why kept: It Might Be Useful? Also, a thought that It Might Have Been A Gift From Mom. Also, Out of Sight, Out of Mind...found this in the box of Christmas stuff.
Destination: Housing Works Thrift Shop, along with a gigantor bag of Perfectly Good housewares.  (See below.)

Confession: In the housewares category, I found that I own an elegant pine rolling pin. This Would Have Been Useful a couple of months ago when I was experimenting with a very nice spelt focaccia flatbread.  Back then, I tried using a sterilized and then oiled wine bottle as a rolling pin...maybe it would have worked for Martha Stewart.   At any rate, now I know.

Confession part deux: I know that I said I wasn't leaving the house yesterday; because I was traveling today, it turned out that I had to go out for some last minute items...also, another project (don't ask) caused me to empty out a kitchen cabinet and recycle, toss, and generally get rid of (or find) lots of stuff.  (And, augmenting "The Rules",  "M" and I have agreed that we can prepost when we're going out of town.) 

So I had left the house with the aforementioned bag of housewares.   After picking my way across about a block of barely shoveled sidewalks, d'oh, I realized that this photo frame was back at home.   

At the dead drop, I snapped a photo of something else I was releasing, and went home and called "M".   She asked, what does the frame look like?   It might be useful for a Christmas photo of the boys!   (aaargh!)   

So I popped it into a box that I dropped at the PO at an unearthly hour this morning.   (Note to "M", this might not get here by Christmas day.  New destination:  "M"'s house.  (I'll make a note to report back on usage next Christmas.)

Happy holidays!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Hubby's addition: Can we finally get rid of the wedding cake top?

Is it for freezer fodder? Well, not anymore in our freezer. This is the Hubby's addition. He said to me, I have something to blog. Can we finally get rid of the top of the wedding cake in the freezer?" D'oh. So I said, "While we are on that same topic.... what about our unity candle?"











While it feels almost sacrilegious to get rid of the candle, it's gone. We don't burn candles with little ones around very often. We have once again declared our love for each other (awwww) and said.. out with the candle, out with the cake!

What: The top to our wedding cake and unity candle
Where kept: Freezer and laundry room
How long kept: Since Spring 2004
Destination: Garbage and Freecycle (pick up by 4 PM CST)
Why kept: Mostly nostalgia, but it was out of sight

M's confession: We got a new freezer in 2008 and I made the Hubby transfer it from the broken freezer to the new one. AARRGGHH

Bonus: more room in the freezer!!!

This is how I prefer to remember the top of the wedding cake (we have rights to use this photo)

Slipping away


Slipping away
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
Okay, today there may be several blog entries... I'm on a roll and I don't want to "save" them for tomorrow or a rainy day. Plus this was large enough to warrant an additional post. No, it's not the dog!!

What: old old slip cover
Origin: this came with my brother's two cats in December of 1999. I gave them a home when his allergies got bad. After the 2nd cat died in December of 2005, we kept it for the Wonderdog. She has her own bed but (ugh) chooses the couch. I digress
Where it was found: the laundry room floor. That was where I put it after the last time I washed it
Destination: garbage. Sadly there is no convenient place to recycle it. I would have to send it to "A" in NY


I'm Not Leaving The House Today

What: Software Packaging.
Origin: Office for Mac, purchased with computer.
Usage: Other than it's original intention, not at all.
How Long Kept: Since January, 2008.
Why kept: It Might Be Useful. It's meant to be disposable, or probably recyclable -- though in NYC we barely recycle any plastics. It's so well constructed that I thought I might store some of my craft stuff in it. Not so much.

Besides, Storage Boxes are Evil.

Destination:  Garbage.

Even when snowed in, I can still get rid of something!

I love freecycle


I love freecycle
Originally uploaded by DeClutter

What: childrens book
How long kept: various -- less than three years
Origin: garage/book sales, friends book purging
Why: out of sight, sorta. We might need them
Destination: freecycle

But The Hubby and The Boy went through all the shelves to make room for puzzles and board games he has stashed, well... Everywhere :). In hindsight, I wish I would have kept one book (the one with the tiger on it) I liked that board book. They did a good job and if my 4 year old could let it go, I have to work on my "purging" remorse. It's the first time it has happened in years. I think I'll be okay. I'll always have this photo. The box weighed about 10 lbs. Woot!
Confession: These were picked up very quickly. Usually, I post something on freecycle and the next day the items is picked up. These books were picked up withing two hours of posting them. They are gone but I'm using it for today. I'm still sure I'll get rid of plenty more stuff on Sunday.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Junk drawer cleaning


Junk drawer cleaning
Originally uploaded by DeClutter

What: Pens that don't works, OLD floppies (some single sided), a plastic checkbook cover and a current checkbook register
How long kept: the floppies are for an OLD mac that used to be in the garage (nostalgia, out of sight, might be fun to play with)
Blistex - I don't think they make it in this form anymore. I have no idea how old it is. (out of sight)
The pens are probably 3-4 years old. (out of sight, might be useful --not if they don't write)
Checkbook & and register - just came in two weeks ago. I was going to try freecycle with this but decided no one was going to want it. (Might be useful to someone else)
Destination: garbage and recycle

Confession: I have a pen problem. I love pens and paper. I did go through all the pens to make sure they worked. The pens that work, I couldn't bear to part with just yet. They are the freebie type pens you get @ conferences. I know I know. I am going to put a rubber band around them with a date and a note to mark a date if you pull a pen from the stash.

A says: Princess, check Greendisk.com -- I just found this early this am ordered a box for a stash of floppies and aaargh more audio tapes. (The Village should think about doing this!)

"M" Rocks!

"M" is the experienced E-bay-er who posted my CPUs and monitor. The monitor did get picked up, although not without some of the drama we've come to expect from Freecycle: the buyer wanted to pay cash (we agreed on an echeck, which -- if it clears, we'll receive on Monday); the guy wanted my doorman's phone number (huh? want fries with that, too?) and was just generally too high maintenance to be believed for the $9.99 sales price.

(At least we're not married to, or dating, him.)

And that's why the CPUs aren't going via Freecycle. (More on ewaste disposal forthcoming; they can't go to Housing Works.) I just don't have the fortitude, or time, to navigate the shoals of community on this one

That said, the monitor is off the premises entirely. Woot.

Thanks, "M"!

You are welcome, "A"! I didn't feel there was that much drama. I just told him no.

The "drama" is not really drama, but friction.   On some things, I definitely want a friction free transaction, where everyone follows the rules and there's no need for discussion.  Even what I call Freecycle Drama is the same thing, people who are just behaving like we do in communities.   Sometimes it bugs me:   you want the monitor, I want to get rid of it, here's how the transaction works. In the words of a key American film "No shoes, no shirt, no service...Read 'em, Learn 'em, Live 'em."

Dates With Destiny


Dates With Destiny
Originally uploaded by 365 Things

What: 2 half packages of organic dates
Origin: From time to time, I love a date and almond shake.
How long kept: Hmmm. The two packages were of different vintage, but I didn't label them. I'd imagine that the newer of the 2 had been in my cabinet (in a storage box) since at least 2007.
Why Kept: Out of Sight Out of Mind/Storage Boxes are Evil.
Destination: Community Compost Bin at Union Square Market.

Confession: Clearly, I bought the second package because the first one was OOSOM.

Confession (continued): I'm pretty sure that the dried dates could have been safely reconstituted. I'm alternately regretful (they might have been Perfectly Good) and triumphant that I let them go.

Update, got a comment from"S", aka miro-gal, which I accidentally rejected...sorry about that!
"Oh, my...perfectly good dates. Clearly you don't want to peek in my freezer--green chili powder from 1994's trip to New Mexico. Paprika from my first trip to Budapest, 1997. I sniffed today--both made me almost sneeze--but I am sure in 3 months I'll have them posted. Just wasnt feeling very spicy today...I was attacking kitchen surfaces with ammonia. And took a pic or 2 to post, maybe later tonite. (Why do you try and make 2007 sound like such a long time ago? :)"

Friday, December 18, 2009

I wish I wish with all my might

What: a turkey wishbone
Why kept: it might be useful? (For a fun activity), out of site
How long? Um, too many months (blushes)
Where: hanging to dry in the kitchen -- it's hard to explain why it was out of site even though it was behind my sink.
Destination: first, wished upon and then the garbage. My hubby got the bigger half. I hope his dream comes true :)

Monitoring My Closet Space


What:   Flat Screen Monitor
Origin:   Small business I used to run in lower Manhattan.   We closed in 2004, and had 2 desktops left over.
Usage:   After 2004, the computers and stuff sat in my clost.  At one point, my laptop died and I dragged one of the desktops out of the closet, used it for a bit or so until I got a new laptop. Last used in 2007?
How long kept:  Since 2004.
Why kept:   Might Need It.   More to the point, some of the data.  Almost a year ago, I went into the computer for the first time in quite some time, got what I needed and I tagged it with a date.   Figured I'd get rid of it at some point. 

Inertia was also an issue -- I had to wipe the data off the hard drive, and the stuff was OOSOOM in my closet (albeit taking up a lot of real estate).

In the end, it took me a year, plus about 40 minutes, to release this stuff.   (I'm not sure that I'll get to count the CPUs as a separate thing!   See The Rules.)   One year to procrastinate and imagine that I Might Need It, and 40 minutes to download software to wipe the hard drives, and actually do it.

Sigh.

Destination:   A guy from Brooklyn bought it from us via Ebay, and is coming to pick it up.   I'm counting it as gone because it's with the doorman and out of my apartment.   If the guy blows the pickup or payment, it's not coming back...I'm taking it to Housing Works.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Breaking Up With Mark


Breaking Up With Mark
Originally uploaded by 365 Things

What: A poster of a beautiful Mark Rothko painting.
Origin: At some point, I decided I wanted more orange in my life. I saw a photo of this poster in a magazine, and ordered it from some online poster store.
Usage: Unless you count moving the rolled up poster around and keeping it from getting trashed in various storage spots as "usage", never.
How Long Kept: 2004? Maybe even '03.
Why Kept: It Might Be Useful. If I ever framed it and hung it up. Something about that felt a little too college-y...
Destination: Housing Works Thrift store.

Confession: It feels like cheating, it's so easy to bring stuff to Housing Works, now that they've opened a store in my hood. I do feel pressure to only bring them only good stuff. (No holey clothing...when that happens, that goes to the textile recycling folks at Union Square Greenmarket.) 
"M" says: It's out of the house, right? Several years ago, I gave away a Pub Door poster from our trip to Scotland. I loved the poster, but I moved it around so much. Some person was happy to get it on Freecycle.

"A":  way gone, took it to Housing Works when I ran out at lunchtime.   (I barely had a second to breathe today, but I still got rid of something.   Woot.)  (You gave away that Pub Door poster?  It was perfectly good!   Heh heh.)

Recycling is the spice of life


Recycling is the spice of life
Originally uploaded by DeClutter

What: empty glass spice bottle
Origin: hmm not sure, but we've been moving this empty bottle around the kitchen for months
Why kept: I can fix it (get the gooey stuff from the label off) and it might be useful
Destination: recycle
Confession: we have plenty of other empty, non-gooey bottles that we can use. Buh bye!

"A" says:  a)  Last night, I washed an empty spice jar!  and b) I've been lamenting the stick-to-it-ivness of labels, which these days seem non-removable, even with lighter fluid and a blow torch.   It really cuts back on the ability to re-use a lot of things that are Perfectly Good....without blowing through an unsustainable amount of water and time, that is.   I wonder if The Steamer would be useful in label removal?

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Sarah, We Know You Thought It Might Be Useful!



Sarah Palin, "M" and I feel you.   We know that there are as many uses for a Sharpie as there are for duct tape...and we might have held onto that McCain visor, too.  

It's brand new, right?  It's Perfectly Good!

"A" probably would have foregone the Sharpie and gone straight to fabric paint, or maybe machine applique, to obliterate the McCain logo on that visor.

(But I don't have 5 kids and a grandchild, and a book tour, so I'm a bit less pressed for time.)

Photo:  Fame Pictures, via the NY Daily News.

Green Trifecta


Green Trifecta
Originally uploaded by 365 Things

What: 3 recyclable toothbrushes.
How Long Kept: Probably no more than a year.
Why kept: I'm not entirely sure. You only see two of the brushes in the photo because the third was used to scrub grout -- unsuccessfully, I might add, my grout does not sparkle -- and it looks unappetizing. Some Out of Sight, Out of Mind, and also Aaargh.
Destination: Manufacturer take back program, via my friendly corner mailbox.

Confession: This is one of those things that is easy, but seems difficult. For some reason, I have been thinking that I need to go to the PO to mail this, but that's not the case. If less than 13 ounces, it can go in a mailbox. You download the mailing label from their website. Easy peasy, as my friend "N" would say.

Bonus: I reused a piece of scrap paper for the mailing label, and a mailer that recently arrived, containing a book.

Pantry raid


Pantry raid
Originally uploaded by DeClutter

Not to be confused with a panty raid. I'll save that for another post
What: two boxes of crackers
Where found: the deep dark recesses of the pantry
How long: hmmm I don't have to answer that, but they were not as old as the vitamins from yesterday
Why: out of site out of mind
Destination: recycle and garbage. I didn't know if I should put 2 almost full boxes of crackers in the composter. I love my composter!

I love this blog!!! I'm still walking around the house saying, "you're next!" To things :)

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Sayonara, Space Eater!

What: Brand new kid's bento box.
Origin: Bought it in 2006 when I worked for a company with a great "sustainability" program; was trying to get them to replace plastic and styrofoam clamshells in the caf with something reusable.
Why kept: The company imploded due to an improbable merger the year before the financial crisis. I thought that It Might Be Useful for one of my nephews, and put it in a box, where it was Out Of Sight, Out of Mind.
Destination:  None of the sibs wanted it for their kids.  A book club friend has a little guy going off to kindergarten next year; book club is tonight. Score.

Bonus: The box it was in? Recycling it!

OTC aaarrgghhh


OTC aaarrgghhh
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: vitamins and cold medicines
Where: the frig
How long kept: thus the aarrgghh most expired before 2003!
Why: out of site out of mind
Destination: the liquids aren't accepted @ my local health dept but the pill form OTC meds are... Liquids trash, other to be properly disposed of.

Additional bonus: I tossed out some take out condiments from take out. We haven't ordered chinese since probably January!
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Monday, December 14, 2009

Lotion purge


Lotion purge
Originally uploaded by DeClutter

What: Partially used lotions and stretch mark oil
How long kept: some were from my first pregnancy. The cuke melon one is older. Probably from 2001. Eewww
Why: they might be useful and out of site out of mind
Destination: garbage. I didn't know how to empty them efficiently
Bonus: more room in the bathroom shelves.
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Shred-a-rama


Shred-a-rama
Originally uploaded by 365 Things

What: 3-ish inch stack of index cards
Origin: When I first started my business, I used them to track my contacts.
Why Kept: The process became unwieldy pretty quickly, and I found other ways to manage it pretty well. (Well, better, at least. Not perfectly.)  Closest reason is Out of Sight, Out of Mind.
How long kept: Spring, 2008.
Destination: Shredder, then recycling

Confession: Embarrassingly, the stack of cards wasn't really out of sight. I must have moved it around in my desk area a few times a month, if only to dust.   I completely forgot what these were until I decided I wanted to use some index cards to organize a project I'm working on.

Confession -- addendum:  I probably purchased some of these index cards in the 1980s:  Vintage!  (Some of the plain white ones seem like they are a little yellow around the edges, maybe just in my mind.)  Good thing I held on to 'em, ack!  (It can't be a full-on aargh, since I actually did use them.)

Bonus: I had a head crushingly terrible headache this morning that I thought I'd gut through. As soon as I found these, I snapped the photo and shredded them, despite the headache. (And since I had a meeting move today, I was able to take an advil and short nap, which helped.   Or did getting rid of something even in the face of this minor snafu in my day actually make a difference?  Either way, buh-bye headache...in more ways than one!?!)

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Gone daddy gone


Gone daddy gone
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
The TVs gone awaaaaay. Sung to the Violent Femmes

Good bye TV


This TV served us well but it was HUGE. It took up a lot of real estate in our family room
What: 50" TV. Actually was about 4' tall and 2' deep
How long kept: I think it came into the house in 2003. It's been unplugged since Black Friday when we got an LCD tv.
Destination: to a friend's daughter. It's getting tied down on the truck as I type :) WOOT!!!!!

Wow we just gained about 12 sq feet in out family room. Now we have a place for our Christmas tree!! :)

"A" says, Princess, you ROCK.

Guest Post: I'm keeping the yellow ones!


I'm keeping the yellow ones!
Originally uploaded by heywattsky

From "S", via Flickr...

"All 100% nylon and have danced to the Go-Go's "We Got the Beat" (in the privacy of a living room, of course) more times than, well, more times than it takes to wear out the soles, evidently (the 4 fluorescents on the right are Norma Kamali, who seems to have staying power on her own). Still perfectly good for that next Big-80s party, but it gets scary when I resort to them due to laziness in doing laundry, or--worse--laziness in buying more socks. The cat stays, the sox whose elastic still works go to Good Will.

I know--they'd make cute catnip toys--but, NO! they Go-Go!"

Nope, They Won't Be Useful



What:  Handful of stray plain envelopes.
Origin:  Various...probably mostly boxes of cards that came with extra envelopes.
Usage:  Almost never.
How long kept:  Ack, some probably "forever" (see "confession").
Why kept:  Might Be Useful, Out of Sight Out of Mind.
Destination:  Various:
  • Envelope addressed to my mom (huh? probably in the 90s!) which I'm going to use today. 
  • A couple of never given cards and mis-addressed envelopes:  shredder (and ultimately, recycling). 
  • The envelopes in this photo:  recycling.
Confession: I love paper and sending real notes to people, and have a very pretty box for my stationery. 

This prompts new category: Storage Boxes Are Evil. The inevitable trap of neatly ordered storage boxes?   Stuff I don't want to keep, now falsely organized and Out of Sight Out Of Mind.

Confession part deux:  I saved a couple of stray postcards and some airmail envelopes.  If you're old enough, you know what I mean: those vintage-y looking blue envelopes that were once used for international airmail.   (I don't think I've used these since a friend was at Oxford in the 80s; I guess that this makes them more "vintage", and not "vintage-y looking".)  I might take an online class offered by Mary Ann Moss.   If I do, it looks like they might be useful.   (Sigh, they're now in a storage box with my craft stuff.)