Cleaning Out the Closet

Lately I feel like I have been a regular donor at the DI. I watch shows like Clean House or Oprah that have these horrible pack rats and it some how motivates me to get rid of stuff. So last week on my days off I organized under my bathroom sinks, my Tupperware, and the big one...my closet.

I laughed when I read Nicole's blog and she said if she finds something she likes, she buys two of it. I am the same way. But, if I am at the store and I remember I need things like tooth paste, or Windex, I will buy two so I don't have to buy it for awhile. Or I'll buy a cleaner, forget I have it, and buy more. Or I'll go to Costco and get 6 of them, because it is Costco and so you know your getting a good deal and you'll eventually use them. Anyway, So when I cleaned beneath my bathroom sinks I found about 5 cans of Comet (three were open) which is my favorite choice of cleaner (I have white counter tops unfortunately). I also found two bottles of Windex, Two bottles of toilet bowl cleaner (I also have the Clorox disposable toilet bowl brushes so it isn't necessary to have cleaner too), two bottles of general bathroom cleaner, a bottle of Lysol cleaner, two cans of Lysol spray, 3 containers of Lysol wipes, and my "miracle" everything cleaner that is supposed to replace all general cleaners in the house that I got suckered into buying. That is when I realized.... I am a cleaning product pack rat. It was ridiculous. I couldn't believe that under 3 of the 4 sinks I have was filled with cleaning products. So I got rid of most of it, keeping my Comet, because I know I will use that eventually.

Next was my Tupperware drawer. I laughed because my mom has always just had a bucket in her cupboard for Tupperware. I have a whole cupboard of Tupperware. So I decided to go through it and get rid of anything that was either A. gross looking B. melted from the bottom of the dishwasher or C. Did not have a lid to go with it. I was shocked to throw away about half of it because it fell into one of those three catagories. Especially the whole lid thing. It falls into the same categorie as socks. But instead of the dryer eating the other pair, I guess the cupboard or the dishwasher does. I had lids that didn't have a container to go with it and vice versa. I was also grateful because when they are paired up together and all the lids are in one place, it takes about 1/4 the space of the cupboard. I don't really think I am a Tupperware pack rat. I just got lazy and let it get out of hand.

Then there was the closet. So also like Nicole, I shamefully have a wish list of things I would love to buy. It seems to get longer because I try to refrain from giving in to every whim. One of them is one of those expensive closet maid, or easy closet organizers with all the shelves, drawers, shoe organizers, and bars of varying heights. When we lived in our apartment we had a walk-in closet. But now we have a regular closet with sliding doors (It is hard to adjust). It is double bar, so you can fit more things, but is a challenge because the long shoe organizers you hang on the higher bar get interrupted and pushed out by the lower bar. And the system Chris and I had was I had the Higher bar and he had the lower bar. Which was my decision when we moved in and not really fair to him because he is 6'3". I decided it was not working so I decided to take the left half and he could have the right. As I moved my side over I was amazed at the things I found. I have already gone through and gotten rid of at least 6 bags of my clothes since we moved in, but I still found skirts I hadn't worn for a year because I still need to buy a slip, dress pants that I never bought the right shirt for, and shirts I haven't seen or worn in more than 6 months. You always think...well maybe I'll wear it, or I'll buy a slip, or a shirt to go with it. But yet, it never happens. So I got rid of them.

Then as I moved Chris's things to the right side, I organized his T-shirts, dress shirts, pants, shorts, and ... sweaters? I have know Chris for over 5 years and I have never seen him wear a sweater. He always accuses me of trying to get rid of his stuff. Like when he moved into my apartment after we were married he brought a big garbage bag full of shoes and put it in our storage closet. 6 months later when we bought our Condo and moved... along came the garbage bag of shoes that had never been opened. So I made him get rid of it (again, I had never seen him wear any of those shoes either). So he teases me that I just want to get rid of his stuff. Granted I have more stuff than him, but I have been getting rid of a lot of my stuff lately. So I showed him his sweaters and stated my case and he easily said that I could get rid of them. I was grateful he has realized he dosen't need to keep things that he hasn't worn and will never wear. And he didn't even give me a hard time about it.

After everything was organized, donated, or thrown away I felt a lot better. Something about when everything is clean and in the right place that you feel better. And I think I can live without my expensive Closet Maid/Easy Closet.........for now.