Declutter #10 - towels, toiletries, and candles

This was another week that felt as though more got ADDED to my household than I removed. Ah well, progress can feel like the proverbial "one step forward, two steps back" at times.

 

My sister-in-law Del gave me four large bags of things that SHE decluttered from her combining two homes (no small feat!). The towels were in one large bag. I went through and selected some hand towels for the lake. Next time we go, I'll remove some of the more worn and well-used hand towels to become household rags. I took some of the bigger bath towels to add to our bathroom cupboard and removed some that were in great shape, but in pale shades of pink, peach, and white to add to the huge bag. Next stop is to offer them to my daughter-in-law for their new place. Whatever she doesn't want will go to the thrift store. We don't need more towels!

 

The big bag of toiletries . . . some of it I've added to our stash of lotions, etc. Some of it will go to the Peace Center in New Prague. Whatever they don't want will go to a homeless shelter or the garbage. (Old hotel soaps, lotions, travel toothbrushes in original wrappers, teeth whitener packets, etc.) I hate throwing things in the garbage! But having just gone through my own bathroom stuff, I don't think I need to buy soaps or lotions for a long, long time.

 

I went through my candles and decided I have too many! Right now, I have put a few into a give away box (thrift store). I have a set of four gold tapers that are so beautiful, but I've had them for a long time and I don't do fancy dinner parties! I may offer to bring them (and the holders, which I want to keep) to my sister-in-law Viv's for Easter dinner. We'll see. I brought them to church today, but nobody that I asked wanted them. I have a lot more new ones I should probably donate.

 

It didn't feel as though I accomplished much this week in the declutter department, but part of it is the HABIT of thinking, "what can I get rid of that's just taking up space in my life?" Also, I'm enjoying the challenge of making do with less. I've been drinking tea that I don't love . . . and I've now decided that I can just get rid of it (give to my sister Ann or throw away?) and put the kind I DO like on a shopping list. Not really sure why I have tea that I didn't buy for myself . . . 

 

A new week. My next sort and organize room is the guest bedroom. I've already given away two cute little candles in Easter themed tins. We're not hosting this year and I have sooooo many candles! I hope to have a more productive blog entry next week!