Toss Ten Tuesday

Toss Ten Tuesday is here again! Yeah! This month not only did I have a great time throwing away some stuff, I also had a great time finding some old memorabilia just sitting around in the wrong place. I was able to put it where it goes and share some of it with an old friend who will get a kick out of seeing himself 20 years
ago! This was a great TT Month! Hope all of y'all are still enjoying yourselves.


AU REVOIR BAG OF PANTYHOSE. WHEN DO YOU SUPPOSE WAS THE LAST TIME I HAD ON A PAIR OF YOU GUYS? YEARS AGO, I AM SURE. MOST OF YOU HAVE RUNNERS OR YOUR ELASTIC IS SHOT SO I COULDN'T WEAR YOU EVEN IF I WAS SO INCLINED. YA'LL WILL GO RIGHT INTO THE BURNING BARREL, I DOUBT ANYONE WOULD WANT MY OLD HOSE!

AU REVOIR OLD CAKE AND CANDY MAKING SUPPLIES. I DO LOVE TO DECORATE CAKES AND KEEP JUST THE BASICS, BUT Y'ALL WERE EITHER EXPIRED OR DOUBLES. GO FROST SOMEONE ELSE'S CAKES.

AU REVOIR CDS. I HAVE BEEN ORGANIZING ALL MY CDS AND DVDS AND SOMEHOW I FOUND A PILE THAT I HAD MISSED. YOU GUYS DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT. (IF YOU NOTICE THE N'SNYC CD IN THE PILE DON'T FRET-THEY DID MAKE THE CUT, TWICE. THIS WAS A DUPLICATE!)

AU REVOIR SHIRTS. YOU TWO SHIRTS FELL VICTIM TO THE RED YARN TEST. IF I GO TO PUT A PIECE OF CLOTHES ON AND I DECIDE NOT TO WEAR IT, I WILL TIE A RED STRING ON THE HANGER. IF I FIND THREE PIECES OF RED YARN, THEN I DONATE IT TO GOODWILL. THREE STRIKES AND YA'LL ARE GONE!

AU REVOIR UGLY BUNNIES. I THINK I BOUGHT YOU ON CLEARANCE WHEN I WAS WORKING AT MICHAEL'S. #1-YOU GUYS WERE ON CLEARANCE, NOT A GOOD SIGN. #2-THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR I'VE PUT YOU OUT 'CAUSE I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU WERE UGLY. WHY, OH, WHY DID I BUY YOU?

AU REVOIR BRASS DISH. I'M SURE YOU WERE GREAT WHEN YOU WERE BRIGHT AND SHINY. I DO NOT WANT TO POLISH YOU, SO YOU SIT IN A DRAWER TAKING UP SPACE. MAYBE THE FOLKS IN YOUR NEW HOME WILL POLISH YOU.

AU REVOIR MISCELLANEOUS PAPERWORK. I HAVE BEEN PRETTY GOOD ABOUT FILING AND KEEPING TRACK OF ALL THE PAPERWORK FROM EVERYDAY LIFE. Y'ALL HAVE BEEN HIDING OUT AT THE BOTTOM OF A JUNK DRAWER AND NOW THAT IT IS GETTING CLEANED OUT YOU ARE GETTING PITCHED.

AU REVOIR GOLD EARRINGS AND PIN FROM THE 80'S. I LOOKED GREAT WHEN I WORE THESE....IN THE EIGHTIES!! EVEN IF THEY WERE TO BE FASHIONABLE AGAIN, I DON'T REALLY WEAR ANYTHING BUT SILVER, SO AU REVOIR!

AU REVIOR ROMANCE BOOKS. I USED TO READ YOU AND THEN SAVE YOU. DO NOT ASK ME WHY I WOULD SAVE YOU. THINKING THAT I LOOKED SMART WITH A BUNCH OF ROMANCE BOOKS ON MY SHELF? THINKING I WOULD RE-READ YOU SOME DAY? AARRGG! TO BOTH OF THOSE THOUGHTS. LET SOME OTHER WOMAN WHO IS A SLIGHTLY-CLOSETED ROMANCE LOVER ENJOY YOU.

AU REVIOR OLD SCRAPBOOK. I STARTED YOU TO HOLD ALL MY STAGE MEMORABILIA. ONLY A FEW PAGES WERE FULL AND COMPARED TO WHAT I DO THESE DAYS, LOOK VERY CHEESY. SO OUT CAME THE PAGES, I STORED YOU WITH THE REST OF MY MEMORABILIA AND AM SENDING CRAIG A FEW TIDBITS TO ENJOY! HOPEFULLY SOME TEENAGE GIRL WILL FILL YOU WITH THE COOL STUFF OF HER LIFE!

Toss Ten Tuesday

Three months into this project and happily I am running out of things to toss "topside". "Topside". That's funny to me! Being raised in Florida we only got to see basements when we visited some friends in New Jersey, so I'm not comfortable quite yet with the vernacular. What I know of top vs. bottom in a living arrangement sort of way, is boat lingo. My dad was a fisherman all his life and we grew up on and around boats, so in our new northern home I call the upper, living floor "topside" and the basement "below" or "below deck". Charles thinks I'm a kook with I ask, "Can you light the pellet stove below deck for me?" or "I need to take these boxes topside." So next month I'll be headed below to maybe find some things in my scrap space (gulp!) or in the storage boxes to toss.

Still feeling great about this project. It helps to watch an episode of Hoarders right before you pick stuff to toss!



CIAO TO WHITE, PLASTIC FLIP FLOPS! YOU ALWAYS LOOK DIRTY. I REALLY DO NOT WANT A PAIR OF CHEAP SHOES THAT I HAVE TO CLEAN BEFORE I WEAR THEM.

CIAO TO A BROKEN MOP. I HATE TO MOP AND THAT COMES FROM MY KNACK FOR PICKING THE MOST PERFECTLY WRONG MOPS. I HAVE NEVER FOUND A MOP THAT I LIKE. YOU LOOKED PROMISING, BUT I BROKE YOU ON MAYBE YOUR SECOND ATTEMPT. I'VE KEPT YOU HANGING IN THE CLOSET IN THE HOPES THAT YOU WOULD MAGICALLY FIX YOURSELF. YOU HAVE NOT, SO CIAO!

CIAO TO SOME UNUSED CARD GAMES. I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW WHY I KEEP SO MANY BOARD GAMES, MY HUSBAND REFUSES TO PLAY THEM WITH ME. (WHICH BREAKS MY HEART!) I AM HOPING TO FIND A GROUP OF BOARD GAME PLAYERS TO JUSTIFY MY STASH, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, SOME OF THE LEAST FAVORITES WILL START TO GO. I WILL MISS YOU MOST OF ALL...

CIAO TO CHRISTMAS RIBBON. I KEEP THE RIBBON FOR A SECOND OR THIRD USE, BUT YOU GUYS WERE SO CREASED THAT I COULDN'T DO THAT.

CIAO TO SOME OLD KEY CHAINS THAT JUST ENDED UP IN MY JUNK DRAWER. HOW YOU THINGS JUST MIGRATE TO MY HOUSE I WILL NEVER KNOW, BUT I DO KNOW THAT I'LL NEVER USE YOU SO OFF YOU GO TO ANOTHER HOME.

CIAO TO THE HOT PINK SNAKE THAT CHARLES WON AT THE FABULOUS 1890'S FESTIVAL. HE WON YOU FROM A NICE SANTA-ESQUE GENTLEMAN AT THE POP-A-BALLOON BOOTH. I WARNED THAT BRINGING HOME ANY TOY WAS A BAD IDEA. THEY WERE ALL JUNKY. WE HAVE NO USE FOR TOYS. HE THOUGHT SOMEHOW THAT OUR 8 POUND CHIHUAHUA WOULD CARRY YOU AROUND AND PLAY WITH YOU. YOU ARE TOO HUGE FOR THAT AND YOU JUST SCARE HER. MAYBE A NICE GERMAN SHEPPARD WILL FIND YOU AND LOVE YOU.

CIAO TO SOME BED HEAD PRODUCT THAT HAS NEVER WORKED ON MY HAIR. YOU MAKE MY HAIR LOOK GREASY JUST OUT OF THE SHOWER. NOT GOOD. I'VE GIVEN YOU FAR TOO MANY CHANCES. I'VE EVEN TRIED SNEAKING YOU INTO CHARLES' PRODUCT AREA IN THE HOPES THAT HE'LL USE YOU. HE JUST PUT YOU BACK WITH MY STUFF SO, SORRY TO SAY, NEITHER OF US LIKE YOU.

CIAO BROKEN HAIR DRYER. CHARLES USED YOU TO DRY OUT SOME SNOW BOOTS AND BURNED OUT YOUR MOTOR. HE ACTUALLY TRIED TO PUT YOU BACK IN MY BATHROOM SUPPLIES AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED, BUT I FIGURED IT ALL OUT AND HAD TO REPLACE YOU.

CIAO GREY AND PURPLE SWEATER. YOU WERE VERY COOL IN THE EARLY 90'S, BUT I CANNOT WAIT ANY LONGER FOR YOU TO COME BACK IN STYLE. I FINALLY NEED SWEATERS AND YOU JUST ARE NOT FASHIONABLE.

CIAO AND A BIG SNIFF TO MY BELOVED SPONGEBOB SQUARE PANTS SOCKS. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND I GUESS THAT I'VE WORN YOU TOO MANY TIMES BECAUSE YOUR ELASTIC IS SHOT. SOB. YOU DO NOT STAY UP AND END UP BUNCHED AROUND MY ANKLES. SNIFF.SNIFF. I HAVE TO HOLD YOU TO THE SAME STANDARDS THAT I HOLD ALL OTHER SOCKS IN THIS HOUSE TO-ONCE YOUR ELASTIC IS SHOT, YOU GO. BOO-HOO!! I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A PAIR OF REPLACEMENT SBSP SOCKS, SO I AM GONNA BE REALLY, REALLY SAD TO SEE YOU GO....THANK YOU FOR THE MANY YEARS OF SERVICE, DEAR FRIENDS...

Toss Ten Tuesday

Ok..ok...I know that I am REALLY late on getting this post up! I had all my stuff pulled, my photo taken, the stuff put in boxes or trash. As I was working a full week in Lunch Lady Land, I got a cold which put me down. I was scheduled to leave for a full 2 weeks in Tampa and I was miserable from a blasted cold the whole time that I was there! I tried to get Charles to email me my photo so I could post from down there, but he could never find it. So, once again, I'm sorry, but I hope that lots of you got your stuff tossed this month!




ADIOS-ONE LONELY, FREEZER-BURNED WAFFLE. I LOVED ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS, BUT SOMEHOW YOU'VE GONE UNNOTICED AT THE BACK OF THE FREEZER FOR FAR TOO LONG.

ADIOS-STACK OF OLD CHRISTMAS CARDS. I DO SAVE SOME OF YOU, BUT I HAVE LIMITED THE AMOUNT THAT I CAN KEEP AND SINCE THAT WAS FULL, SOME OF YOU HAD TO MOVE ON. SADLY, IT'S THE BURN BARREL FOR YOU.

ADIOS-LOCAL PAPERS. I LOVE READING YOU, BUT I'VE BEEN CLIPPING THE "FUN THINGS TO DO" THAT I WANT TO SAVE, AND DON'T SEE A REASON TO KEEP THE WHOLE PAPER.

ADIOS-BOX OF SUGAR FREE CREAMSICLES. SUGAR FREE? YOU ARE HONESTLY GROSS AND I'VE TRIED TO LIKE YOU A FEW TIMES, BUT I JUST DON'T. DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY, BUT I LIKE MY POPCICLES WITH SUGAR.

ADIOS-BOOK OF MORMON. DON'T KNOW HOW I GOT YOU. DON'T THINK I'LL BE READING YOU SOON. MIGHT BE A PA LDS THAT NEEDS YOU, SO OFF TO THE GOODWILL YOU GO.

ADIOS-OLD CHRISTMAS BOWS. I USED TO STUFF YOUR LOOPS WITH PAPER TOWELS TO KEEP YOU PERKY, BUT I STOPPED THAT A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO AND YOU HAVE STARTED TO DROOP. SORRY. I GOT SOME REALLY GREAT CLEARANCE RIBBON THAT WILL TAKE YOUR PLACE NEXT YEAR.

ADIOS-HELLO KITTY TAGS. YOU ARE NOT MINE. I DO NOT FEEL COMPELLED TO HOLD ON TO YOU. I'M SURE YOU WILL GO ON TO BRIGHTEN SOME LITTLE GIRL'S DAY.

ADIOS-YUCKY CHRISTMAS CANDLES. WHY DO I HOLD ON TO YOU YEAR AFTER YEAR WHEN I THINK YOU ARE TOO YUCKY TO PUT OUT? THERE IS NO MORE ROOM IN THE TUB FOR Y'ALL.

ADIOS-CLAY CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS. WHEN I GOT YOU AS A GIFT YOU WERE JUST A BIT TOO CREEPY FOR ME....SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR HAIR...GO CREEP OUT SOMEONE ELSE'S TREE!

ADIOS-PINK-LIDDED BOX OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES. I HAVE TONS OF LIDDED BOXES. TONS OF OFFICE SUPPLIES. YOU WERE LEFT BEHIND AND I THINK SOME KID WILL USE YOU. I DO NOT NEED TO ADD A LAYER OF DUST TO YOU BEFORE I GET WISE TO THAT IDEA!

I must tell y'all once again, that I am committed to this mission to rid my household of unused, unnecessary, broken and expired junk. Coming face to face with a hoarding situation has just brought home the fact that I cannot let a moment pass to toss out or donate anything in my house that will cause clutter and chaos. Keeping so much stuff that it causes another family member to live uncomfortably or for people to pity you for the state your house is in, for me, is unimaginable. I promised myself that I would never, ever let that happen to my house. I have been guilty of being lazy, depressed, disorganized and very close to embracing a hoarding mentality so I know what a slippery slope it can be. I grant anyone reading this that may see my house one day getting out of hand, permission to take me to task. I realize that alone I might not be able to do it, but with "a village" behind me, I can! Thanks for being part of my "Toss Ten Village"!

Much love!!

Toss Ten Tuesday!

Today is the first day to toss your ten items. No one can be more excited than me, but I think some of y'all have really embraced the idea. I have heard reports of whole closets and pantries being cleaned out! In the process of finding ten items much more is being found to say "good bye" to. Very great news! I know it feels good. Keep it up y'all!

For me I had a few items that I knew were going today and a few I had to hunt for. With the in-laws leaving today and having to do a good "after company" clean, I didn't have the will to empty out any closets! But that's cool for me since I moved in a few months ago and my closets have not had a chance to get out of control.

What did I find to say good bye to....?


GOOD BYE TO A STACK OF MAGAZINES, I LOVE YOU WHEN YOU ARE NEW AND SHINY BUT YOU ARE MY BIGGEST ENEMY! (Notice that the one on top is about organization?)

GOOD BYE LEARN-TO-PAINT BOOK THAT I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE YOU CAME FROM!

GOOD BYE BAG OF COOL-LOOKING PASTA WITH BUGS ON THE BOTTOM!

GOOD BYE HANDMADE PAPER MACHE REINDEER WHO HAVE SAT IN THE CHRISTMAS TUB FOR THE LAST 4 CHRISTMAS BECAUSE 5 CHRISTMASES AGO THE CATS CHEWED OFF YOUR ANTLERS!

GOOD BYE TELEPHONE BOOKS FROM 2008 AND 2009, THE NEW ONE CAME AND FOR SOME REASON Y'ALL WANTED TO STAY!

GOOD BYE BAGGIE FULL OF TAGS MADE OF FUN FOAM. I PLANNED ON USING YOU TO HELP LABEL THE TUBS IN THE CLOSET, BUT YOU DECIDED NOT TO BE FOUND WHEN I NEEDED YOU SO YOU WERE REPLACED AND I DO NOT NEED YOU ANYMORE!

GOOD BYE CHEAP LIP PENCIL THAT NEVER WORKED!

GOOD BYE PLASTIC LEGS TO A SHELF THAT HAS LONG SINCE LEFT US!

GOOD BYE THREE STRANDS OF PUFFY HEART CHRISTMAS GARLAND. I USED YOU ON MY CHRISTMAS TREE WHEN I WAS MRS. SOMEBODY-ELSE AND YOU DO NOT MATCH MY CURRENT DECORATIONS. I'M SAD TO SAY YOU JUST CANNOT HANG AROUND IN THE HOPES I MIGHT LIKE YOU AGAIN!

AND GOOD BYE CAN OF MUSSLEMAN'S LEMON PIE FILLING THAT COST $1 AT BIG LOTS, HAS DUST ON THE TOP AND WHOSE BROTHER CAN POISONED CHARLES AND I!




If you want to share your progress, feel free to share! Love hearing from everyone!

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...