Wait. What?
You’re offended?
Wha . . . ?
Oh. When I said “Do you know where you can stuff all your great ideas?” . . . you thought I meant . . . ?
Well, I’m just shocked. Shocked, I tell ya. I simply am asking a logical question about whether you have storage space for your great ideas.
OK. Not really.
That IS what I’m asking, but I did come up with the title because it makes me giggle at its pseudo-offensiveness! I can’t seem to stop giggling about it.
Anyway, it’s a real question I have to ask myself:
DO I know where I can stuff all my great ideas?
Because I have ’em. Lots of ’em. Great ideas, I mean.
I’m the Queen of Seeing Value Where Others See Trash. And really, that’s noble.
But too many times I’ve seen value without stopping to consider whether I had any room for that value in my home. Or any need for it.
Like that sock. That mateless sock. The one I’m I’m pretty sure I’ve needlessly washed time and again after it fell, unworn, out of a sock drawer while my boys searched for a paired set.
As I decided this sock had seen its last wash, I realized it would make a great dusting sock! Repurposing to the rescue!! I stuck it in my almost-overly-full cleaning rag “contain”er on top of the dryer. Go me! I’m saving a sock! And the earth!
And then, as I continued pulling whites out of the dryer, I came across another mateless sock. And then one with a hole in it. And another one whose ankle-elastic had seen better days.
And I thought, “Hmmmm. So . . . should I go buy another ‘contain’er so I can store all these new dusting devices?”
Except that I already have dusting cloths I like. And while a single white sock might be a nice addition to my dusting tools, four dusting socks would spill over the top of the container and end up back on the floor, then back in the wash, then back as the subject of an angst-filled, oversocked Slob Blogger’s post.
So I pitched the others. I kept one (because it fit in the container) and said goodbye to the others.
I didn’t have a place to stuff my great idea.
Besides, it’s not like I dust often enough that I’m desperate for clean dusting cloths.
As a side note, I’ve used both the really large tube socks and old pillow cases to dust my ceiling fan. Put blade in opening, pull dust off, repeat for other blades, throw directly in washing machine. No muss, no fuss 🙂 but you still only need one! Lol
I take our holey and mateless socks and stuff ’em in the dog pillow. With a 70-lb dog, it could always use some plumping. 🙂
Oh, I had a great idea today. I was going to save this folio thing that came with a package and contained my receipt. It was so unique, sturdy and said ‘Thank you’ on it. It even had stitching around it. Yea, right, like I’m going to remember to ever use that!! It went in the recycling can.
Love the title and your creativity!
I LOVED the last line, that it’s not like you dust often enough… I can so relate with that one. 🙂
I am now going to sock all my kids hands and have them go at it. They’ll think it’s funny and fun…and I’ll think it’s productive.
This will work for all of five minutes, before things get out of hand (hehe) and chaos ensues. And then the socks go to the “I’m having a campfire this weekend” pile.
I literally am having a fire this weekend; snow, sunshine, I don’t care…it’s happening!
I love this post! Here is what happens every few days on Dana’s blog.
Dana: I’m so happy I decluttered junk I don’t need!
random comment: Oh no! That was useful. You should do something crafty with it.
random comment 2: You’re killing the planet. You should do something green with it.
random comment 3: I would never get rid of that. I’m more organized than you.
FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!! Dana is just one woman. You are just one woman (or man). No one woman (or man) can do everything. Sometimes we just need to quietly pass the item along with no guilt. Sometimes we just need to toss it in the donate box or the recycle bin or (gasp) the garbage without fearing that someone out there will judge us. I judge myself everyday for the junk pile that I call my house. Let me get rid of it in peace!
Thank you Amanda for your “random comment 4”. I totally agree.
Thank you,Amanda! My thoughts exactly. Not everyone is at the same place on our journey. 🙂
Oh my stars Amanda thank you for saying that! LOL! There is little more that makes me cringe than a Pin or meme starting with the words “don’t throw out…”
Because I’m going to throw it out. There are all kinds of things that I COULD do, with all kinds of things that I’m going to throw out. I’m not going to do even one of those things. Ever.
And yes, I do recycle anything that is allowed in the recycle bin. I also have an area set up next to my furnace with grocery bags waiting for things to donate. Everything else goes in the trash. If someone has the mental and physical stamina to create something useful with every item that crosses their path, that’s wonderful and I wish them joy in it. I have yet to meet anyone that does that succesfully.
I have thought this many times! And I will fully admit every time I see a comment stating I would never thow that away, or I could find a use for it I want to post, “Awesome! what is your address so I can send it to you?”
hahaha!!!
This is why I love this blog. Thank you! 🙂
If you ever do want to get rid of clothing or shoes in a “Green” way, don’t forget that those metal bins in the parking lots that say, “CLOTHES AND SHOES” are often fabric recycling bins. A good place to dump stuff not good enough for Goodwill.
I keep a small basket in my laundry room for “lost socks”, the ones where just one somehow comes out of the dryer. Every couple months I go through the basket and match up the mates that eventually end up there. Anything that is still mate-less goes in the trash.
You know that brilliant concept you have about identifying where an item belongs and taking it there right that second? I’ve taken your idea and loosely applied that to the lone sock and dusting. It works like this: (1) find a solo sock (2) decide I will not keep it (3) dust the first surface that I see nearby that could use some spiffing up ** note – no dust polish or elaborate cleaning – just a cursory swipe with the lone sock (4) immediately throw sad and lonely dust covered sock in trash. Yeah, that’s how I roll.
Love your blog 🙂
Great idea.
Yep, mine get used for a final farewell dusting on their way to the trash. Especially useful for extra dirty things I wouldn’t want to use a “normal-perfectly-good-rag” for and have to wash afterwards, like the window track 🙂
Our lonely socks get a knot tied in the middle and are then given to the dogs. They always love their new chew/ tug toy, and by the time they are finished with them, they’re truly ready for the bin.
My family has accepted that if two socks are clean, they’re a pair. We never Jane marks socks! 😉
While my daughters have embraced this (even buying those fancy packages of mismatched socks) my teenage son isn’t quite so fashionable. Heel wear a white tube sock with a black no show…WITH SHORTS! Ah well, every system has its flaws.