With end-of-school-year-madness already beginning, I’ve been so very good about putting things into the calendar on my phone AND setting reminders to appear the day before and hour before.
Really, that kind of brain-saving technology was made for me.
But I hadn’t remembered to put Monday’s donation pick-up on my calendar, so I was excited that I remembered BEFORE the 8 a.m. designated set-it-outside time.
(I’ve missed the last few months . . . )
But when I went into my room to grab my current donate-able Donate Box (complete with swooshy pants), I was disappointed to find it wasn’t full.
It just didn’t seem right to donate an un-full box from the home of a Slob Blogger.
Don’t worry! I told myself how idiotic I was being. Then, I happened to look up and see the pile of empty, waiting-to-be-a-Donate-Box boxes . . . in my Master Bedroom.
As I was hauling the overly-long box out of my room, I walked by the Laundry Room.
The Very Scary Laundry Room.
And I saw that pile o’ clothing on top of the dryer.
I’ve been piling out-of-season and outgrown stuff there for . . . ummmm . . . a while now.
In just a few minutes (probably less than four), I pulled out the donations and my box was full!
I’m glad I did that, but even if I hadn’t . . . it’s essential to follow the Slob Law:
Never pass up an opportunity to declutter, no matter how small the pile o’ stuff that’s leaving your home.
(That’s not a real law. I just made it up.)
Oh. You’re noticing the random socks and such on the floor? It was Laundry Day and that’s my sorting spot!
--Nony
Nice job! I like to get rid of full boxes and bags of trash and donations when I do it too. I don’t take the trash out until it’s full (unless is the stinky kitchen variety) and I don’t take my donate box to the thrift store until it’s full (we don’t have salvation army or goodwill here in my small hometown). I think it’s a rule that it has to be full to be gotten rid of…
I sure wish I had a regular pick up from a charity at our home. We have had them in previous cities and it was a lifesaver when we had little children and thing were outgrown quickly. I hope you put the next pick up date on your phone calendar!
I live in the uk, we have lots of charity shops there’s five just in the little town I live in, one is all of five minutes from my front door and I try and donate there as often as possible and I’ll take just a couple of bits down. Sometimes I’ll fill up the boot of the car!
Great reminder!!! I sometimes get paralyzed by perfectionism…my box isn’t perfectly full…perfectly sorted, etc…Thank you! I love your site and your FB posts! 🙂
Oops. Reading this article today, I remembered a 30 gallon trash bag of clothes I’d gotten ready to donate to the Hospice store a month or so ago. The 30 gallon trash bag that’s no longer in my house – and that I have not taken to Hospice. Clearly, my son thought it was a bag of trash and it’s now taking up space in a landfill. I need to either come up with a better system for donations, or have him run the filled bags out to my van immediately. 🙁
But good job, Dana! You filled the box…and freed more space in your home.
Kristy, I would definitely vote for running those donation bags strait to the car!
I agree, Carrie. It’s better than realizing that perfectly nice clothes wound up being hauled away by the trash company a few Mondays ago. :/
I usually have a clear plastic recycling bag that I add my donation clothes into; easy to see what’s inside and the perfect size. I used to put them in black or white bag … can we say total recipe for disaster.
I love you. Really. You make me feel just a bit more sane. Thank you.
I’m right there with you on the idea that the box has to be full before donating. I’ve just recently changed my mind and behavior on this week – with great results. Now I either just drop off the small bag of items on my way to work or I run around looking to fill the big box. So, really I’m just doing both kinds of decluttering depending on what strikes my fancy. My husband thinks I’m crazy for driving a Walmart plastic bag of stuff through the Goodwill drop off but hey every bit counts is what I say!
That’s amazing that you have donation pick up weekly. I think I’m jealous. We have to beg to get a pick up. Not really beg but we have to call and schedule it. Because of that one little extra step it always gets pushed aside.
Not weekly! Monthly. But my mother does have SOMEone call to schedule a pickup at least weekly where she lives. I’d love that!
I don’t know what I have been procrastinating about, but I am going to schedule a pick up!