The Art of Getting Rid of Junk

It all started when I decided to take a walk by the lakefront this morning. With coffee in hand, I more or less walked at a brisk pace, stopping now and then to admire the ducks, sunshine, and solitude.

When I got back to my apartment, I got the "cleaning bug." I attacked the bathroom first - lots of scrubbing, one sponge, 1/2 a bottle of Drano, and 3 kinds of shower spray (couldn't figure out which kind worked best) later, our shower was mostly mold- and mildew-free.

While I felt accomplished, it wasn't enough. I had the time, I decided, so my room would be next. Out came all of the tubs under my bed and the boxes in my closet, out and into either a trash bag or a bag for donations. What an accumulation of junk! (Well, it wasn't all junk, but I certainly wasn't going to look at some of that stuff again...) I think I went through 5 trash bags and filled 2 bags for donations. Phew.

I did feel a lot better after that. A purge of stuff is good and makes one think about becoming less dependent on material things. (Though, it's probably better to purge more often and in smaller amounts.) After that I went to the donation center and then ran a few errands before coming back home, talking to a dear friend on the phone, making dinner (oh, the ease of frozen pizza), and reading my (for fun!) book.

I'm not sure what's on the docket for tomorrow - let the "chronicles of Kelly's boredom before grad school starts up" continue!

A Good Cleaning...and a Reminder...

What started out as a normal laundry day on Saturday quickly spiraled into an organization marathon - first clothes (after putting them through the washer and dryer, of course) and then books, boxes, shoes, etc. It was actually quite fun - almost Mary Poppins-esque, as I folded and sorted here and then, all the while watching a series of movies of varying genres (Oklahoma!, Harry Potter #4, and, finally, Pride and Prejudice).

And this was after much of the organization!

What else is a girl to do when her roommates are out of town?

My spring and summer attire replaced their winter counterparts on my shelves and in my clothing crates (slash makeshift dressers). Old papers were recycled, and handmade cards brought back fond memories (and found new homes among other papers and files). Books found new places on shelves.

Heck, I even sorted out my summer books. (See below - well, there are some on my Nook as well.)

Great mix of recreational reading, young adult books, and interesting new reads...

Phew! What an exhausting (but necessary) day. Because, let's face it, sometimes things just need a good cleaning and organizing.

Honestly, I feel so much better. :)

My floor is now visible again. Things are as they should be. All's well. Amen.

P.S. Don't forget to sign up and vote (daily, if you're able) for my photos on the National Wildlife Federation website - the vote count just restarted for the week: http://www.nwf.org/PhotoContest/PhotoContestHome.aspx?perma=kfoyle11@gmail.com