Hall Closet - Day One

Today I summoned the nerve to begin the hall closet purge. This is the "stuff" just on the floor of the closet:

• Vacuum cleaner - KEEP
• Vacuum cleaner bags – KEEP
• A purple and pink plastic tote box full of scrapbook supplies – KEEP
• A teal and green plastic tote box full of stamping supplies – KEEP
• A navy blue suitcase/roller bag (carry-on size) with an incomplete scrapbook project in it – KEEP (and hopefully finish one day when I get my house cleaned and can enjoy craft projects)
• A plastic wrapping paper storage/organizer system that is so full I can’t get the lid on it – KEEP
• A step stool – KEEP (I am going to need this when I get to the top shelves)
• The bunny ears to Muffy’s bunny costume that I found two days ago – KEEP – put in Daughter #2’s closet with the rest of the Muffy Vanderbear stuff
• An empty bottle of silver metallic paint - TRASH
• A Hefty-bag full of “soft” Christmas decorations (throw pillows, tree skirt, fabric wall hanging, etc) – KEEP – try to store it on the top shelf with the other holiday decorations
• A really great storage box designed to hold a portable c.d. player and c.d.s, belonged to Daughter #2 - GARAGE SALE
• A set of 3 nesting hat boxes – USE – surely with all of the stuff I have I can find a use for these
• A portable sewing machine – KEEP – my daddy bought this for me when I was in Junior High School – it still comes in handy for small repair projects
• Leftover fabric from bathroom curtains and shower curtain – KEEP – I may want to make something else for the bathroom (a toilet tank cover perhaps – please know I am just kidding!)
• A pretty piece of Indian cotton fabric I bought at a garage sale and thought I would do something with – KEEP (it is really pretty)
• Navy blue star fabric with white stars – GARAGE SALE
• 14 boxes taped closed with bold black marker proclaiming DO NOT UNPACK – these boxes contain china, crystal, a milk glass punchbowl and cups, and various and sundry items which once belonged to my mother and to my mother-in-law – KEEP (my daughters can deal with these after I am gone)
• A stand holding a set of wooden TV trays – KEEP
• A very small suitcase containing really great fabric remnants I bought at a Garage Sale – KEEP – I swear I am going to do something with them someday
• A bag containing a half finished crochet scarf – KEEP – I swear I am going to finish it someday
• A tool kit – KEEP – It is mine, I put it together so I wouldn’t think about divorcing my husband when I couldn’t find his tools
• A very large sack containing very large Christmas ornaments I use to decorate outside – KEEP
• A box fan – KEEP
• A rectangular-shaped board of flat corrugated material with an improved edge structure - Document Type and Number: United States Patent 3859161 – Pretty sad when I don’t even know what to call this item and I had to look it up by its patent number. This is one of those folding cardboard things you can cut out sewing patterns on – KEEP (this is great to put on the bed or on the floor to wrap Christmas presents on)
• A Joske’s Department Store box (I think a wedding gift came in 30 years ago) containing an assortment of nails, picture hanging supplies, kite string, wallpaper glue, magnets, etc. – KEEP – I’ve had it for 30 years, if I get rid of it now I’m sure to need something
• A violin – yes, a violin – DONATE – if it is okay with Daughter #2, I’d like to donate it a school for a child who can’t afford a musical instrument
• 2 never used, still folded packing boxes – KEEP
• A large shopping bag full of more large shopping bags – KEEP – I always need/use a large shopping bag
• A large Zip-lock bag containing crochet and knitting needles and a knitting project that looks like a beginner’s piece – KEEP until they look at it and tell me I can throw away
• A wooden Dr. Pepper Bottling Co. crate from the 1970s – this was in my first dorm room – KEEP – I don’t know why?
• A bunch of shiny adhesive stars all over the floor – a box must have spilled – TRASH – they have all been sucked up by the vacuum cleaner

Wow, that was a lot of “stuff”. I realize I kept most of it but it is no longer piled precariously, waiting to topple on me when I open the door. Next blog I will move up to one of the shelves. Sometimes the excitement in my life amazes me.