Throw Out 50 Things

I recently read "Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life" by Gail Blanke and really enjoyed it (really, it's good stuff - read the first pages from link!).  I'm not saying that this book helped me find my life, but it definitely helped me toss a bunch of stuff out.  My goal is that each time we move we have fewer boxes of "stuff." 

I really like the author's "Rules of Dis-engagement" for throwing things out.  If it (the shoes, photo, book, etc) weighs you down, makes you feel bad about yourself, just takes up space, or is not contributing anything positive, out it goes.  It doesn't matter if it is expensive or if someone important gave it to you or if it is still functional, just throw it out.  If you can't decide if you want to keep it or toss it, then toss it. 

Throwing out 50 things is harder than you think because 5 pairs of shoes = 1 item.  20 old magazines = 1 item.  It took me just over a month to finish this book, mostly because I didn't read the next chapter until I had finished throwing out stuff from the previous chapter (this is definitely the way to read this book).  I was not so much into this book toward the end when it started talking about clearing the mental clutter because I wanted to get rid of stuff NOW and mental clutter takes a while.

Keeping track of what / how many things I tossed really motivated me to toss out more (for the record I didn't toss anything that belongs to T).  So here's my list of things I tossed or donated to Goodwill.

1	5 pairs of shoes	25	7 books
2	4 pairs of pants / shorts / capris	26	5 textbooks
3	2 belts	27	1 jacket
4	4 bags	28	3 pillows
5	6 tank tops	29	1 dress and veil
6	5 bracelets	30	3 bowls
7	1 watch	31	1 combination lock
8	1 shrug	32	17 dead pens
9	1 bra	33	old school papers
10	9 shirts	34	photos
11	3 cooking items	35	paint samples
12	1 set of curlers	36	craft paper scraps
13	1 mascara	37	3 craft supplies
14	1 make-up brush	38	fabric scraps
15	18 hair ties	39	old ideas about who I wanted to be career wise
16	2 eyeshadow sets	40	old records (bank and car)
17	2 hair products	41	12 magazines
18	1 lotion	42	2 plaque awards
19	7 make-up samples	43	2 games
20	1 body spray	44	the fear that I peaked in high school
21	1 giant water bottle	45	letting one thing ruin my day
22	twisties and rubberbands	46	high need for security
23	ugly green RIT dye	47	comparisons to others my age
24	1 serving dish

I didn't quite make 50 things, but 47 (with 114 individual items!) isn't too shabby.  Getting rid of stuff is such a good feeling! 

Anybody else doing a purge?  What are you getting rid of?