I want to get rid of at least 100 items before moving day — through donations, Craigslist, eBay, Freecycle, or similar channels. The number sounds high, but I’m confident there are at least 100 things in our house that we never use, don’t need, or shouldn’t bother moving. I’ll keep a written list of every item as I go. Call it quirky, but tracking progress helps me stay motivated.
To get started I sorted through my shoes. Surprisingly, many pairs haven’t seen the light of day since we left NYC and moved to Richmond more than four years ago. That was an eye-opener.
In the end I pulled ten pairs to donate or sell. I’m keeping 18 pairs, plus one pair of Puma sneakers that are definitely staying — which makes 19 total in the keep pile. That means I’m ready to say “hasta la vista” (in my best Schwarzenegger voice) to more than a third of the shoes I own.
Sidenote: The blue-gray bedroom wall looks oddly green in this photo — clearly I still have a lot to learn about the new camera.
Technically I’m removing 20 individual shoes, but I’m counting the purge as ten items since they’re pairs. That still leaves 90 more things to find and let go of. Wish me luck — I’ll report back on my progress and whether I hit this oddly specific target.
Are any of you doing a major declutter before a move or at any other time? I’d love to hear how you’re trimming down and what strategies are working for you.