Toss Ten Tuesdays...

I am getting an early start on a New Years resolution and want to bring y'all along on the ride with me! I am newly addicted to the TV show Hoarders and knowing that I grew up around a similar influence I battle the urge to keep stuff "just because". I thought that I was doing OK. I mean, I donated so much stuff to the Goodwill while packing that I was able to take a $900 deduction! But when we had to rent a trailer to pull behind the 27' moving van to haul all my stuff up here I came to the conclusion that maybe I wasn't doing such a good job at it! I have a few tricks that I've been using since the urge to purge has taken over that are working. Like the something in/something out idea. If I buy a new Halloween decoration, I must get rid of an old one. So far so good. Also, I have a basket in my closet with red yarn lengths. If I go to put something on and decide not to wear that because it doesn't fit, doesn't flatter, doesn't match anything...I tie a red string to the clothes hanger. If I find an item with three red strings on it, off it goes to the Goodwill. (Did I mention that when packing for the move I found clothes with dust on them? Dust!?) So in the spirit of confessing hoarding sins, the other day I made a yummy looking pie from a can of pie filling that was still good according to the can's expiration date. First, I purchased this pie filling at Big Lots. Second, I packed it up here from Tampa. Third, it had dust on the top of it when I opened it. WTH? But I used it anyway... The next morning Charlie and I were both complaining about tummy upset. I poisoned us! With a can of nearly expired pie filling! Yikes!

In thinking back to conversations with friends and family I think that I might not be the only one who battles with clutter and junk. After my realizations I think I came up with another helpful trick that I'd like to get some folks on board with me. I'm calling it "Toss Ten Tuesday". The way it works is that the first Tuesday of each month we're gonna find ten things to toss out. Yep! 10! Ten is not a lot for an entire month. Multiplied by 12 months we are gonna be ridding ourselves of 120 unwanted, unused, old, broken, ill-fitting, expired, out-of-date, ugly, useless, dusty, moldy, cob-web covered stuff! Imagine how liberated we'll all feel!

Now I'm not gonna stop you if you want to get rid of more or Toss Ten every other Tuesday or (gasp!) every Tuesday! I'm just committing myself to ten things a month.

Also, if you are a P365'er (or Project Life'er) this will be a perfect photo op for 1 day a month. Here's to dove-tailing projects!

If you want to start this too, there are no rules to participate. You just do it. On your own, share your success, give us tips on creative things to purge, ask for encouragement, or lurk. However you want. I'll be posting here the first Tuesday of each month with my ten items and my de-clutter process! Stay tuned...