This post is really one for me more then anything else…trying to be very thorough this year in the clean out.  If you too are doing spring cleaning it may be very helpful, in addition to having a list of places to bring your old junk, to create a master list of goals you want to accomplish this season.  (If I write about it here I feel more obligated to actually follow through…like you guys might secretly be spying on me…right now…this very minute… and see my piles of untended to clutter and just shake your heads in disbelief.)

So the following is my dreaded list of clean outs and respective junk recipients…

1. Pull out summer clothes, put up fall/winter clothes, pass on things that don’t fit or have too many of, make list of summer needs. (We have a favorite neighbor baby that gets all of our kid hand-me-downs, dress clothes go to Dress for Success .) Check

2. Clean out boys’ closets and pass on the forgotten toys. (Neighbor baby and a local church that runs a charity thrift shop.) CHECK

3. Clean out art supplies…you have no idea how much we have.  This is a great one to enlist some free labor…the miniature people.  My boys love testing markers…and it keeps them very busy while I check off some of the other things on the list.  (Unfortunately dead art supplies go in the trash.)  In Progress

4. Steam clean rugs and couches and vacuum/wash all drapes.  I have a small steam cleaner that I use really hot water in and a touch of Dr. Bronner’s…which has so far not damaged any of the color on anything.  For my washable curtains I use the 7th…although it does not thrill me for deeper cleaning needs.   CHECK

5. Clean out desks and unnecessary paperwork and see if any additional bills can be paid online.  Our paper trail has been greatly reduced over the years by following a few simple steps …so worth the time if you haven’t done so already.  Tossed paper will either be turned into art supplies or simply be recycled.  Don’t think anyone wants my old student loan bills.   Haven’t Touched

6. Clear out unwanted/watched media..books & movies. These will be going to the charity sale …and leftovers donated to a church that sells books to raise money for habitat for humanity. In Progress

7.  Dust Mite Patrol and bedding & stuffed animal clear out…cook pillows, animals and blankets in high temp dryer, wash what can be washed, pack up unneeded blankets for summer.  Pass unwanted blankets and pillows on to the ASPCA .  Sadly…unwanted stuffed animals have no almost no chance at a second life…keep it in mind when choosing gifts for kids.  In Progress

8. Clean out bathroom cabinets…cleaning supplies, cosmetics, and medical supplies.  Toss expired junk…recycling what I can of course.  Check cosmetics for the toxic goodies.  Make a list and order any emergency meds necessary.  Haven’t Touched

9. Go through educational supplies and plan summer projects, make list of possible reuse applications…like seedlings in paper egg carton.  In Progress

10. Finish painting.  Yes…sad but true…I never finished painting the trim in my hall.  Plus I have a whole big ol’ living room/dining room/nook to paint.  I did finally pick a color…which has been the majority of the hold up. I will be using Aura this time because Benjamin can make the color I want whereas Freshaire is limited to their stock. In Progress

11. Clean kitchen shelves and stock pantry. And while I was stocking the pantry I realized 3 things:

A) The freezer had way too may UFOs…unidentifiable frozen objects.

B) Oats should never smell like feet.

C) Rubber nipples are no longer required in my home…at least not in the kitchen.  Snicker snicker.

Which means this step now includes cleaning out the old food, the freezer and the cabinets.  In Progress

The point of being organized is that it will hopefully mean a lot less waste…a lot less headed to the landfill. It is just too easy to end up tossing things in the garbage out of frustration when too much piles up without a destination. Now this is just MY list.  You actually need to go make your own.  Right now.  I’m waiting….and watching.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 28th, 2009 at 7:44 am and is filed under green cleaning, recycling, reuse. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.