“Hi, my name is Renee, and I love kitchen gadgets.” There, I’ve admitted it. I’ve got my favorites and I’ll bet you do as well, but there’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to find that favorite tool immediately because it’s buried under last year’s miracle slicer/dicer/chopper/whangdoodle/deelymabobber. In less than time than it takes to make a cup of coffee, you can look through your gadget collection and throw out the tired, the broken, the homeless, the tempest tossed….(sorry, I got carried away.) Even if everything is in pristine condition, is it possible you have too many of the same item? Bless someone else with your duplicates or start a stash for a young adult about to leave home.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
New Year, New Start: Day 15
Junk food, junk science, junk yard, junk… how about junk mail? If someone showed up at your doorstep and offered to dump a load of garbage in your foyer, would you invite them in with open arms? Yet how much unsolicited paper comes our way each day and we think we “owe” it the time of day. I’m all for etiquette and good manners, but not when it comes to paper-invasion. When you pick up your mail today, stand next to your trash can and get used to sending the uninvited guests right back outside.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
New Year, New Start: Day 14
Today’s task won’t take long, I promise. Walk into your closet and find one item of clothing that no longer fits. Let it go. Throw it out. You are too wonderful to let a pair of pants beat you up and hold you hostage because “you might fit into them someday.” Who’s in charge here anyway? Does that free t-shirt from 20 years ago reflect who you are now and who you are becoming? Think about it: This is the place where you begin your day. Why start your morning by feeling like even your clothes are out to get you? If you need permission, here it is!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
New Year, New Start: Day 13
Quilting, scrapbooking, photography, cake-decorating, jewelry-making, t-shirt painting…. If you own craft supplies that date back to the days of Martha Stewart before she went to prison, it’s time lob that hobby right into the garbage can. Trust me, puffy fabric paints have come and gone. Seriously – if you really do plan on picking that hobby up again some day, the technology has changed and you owe it to yourself to make sure your materials are safe and usable.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
New Year, New Start: Day 12
Promises, promises. That miracle cleaning product didn’t measure up. It’s ok – we’ve all fallen victim of the siren song of “as seen on tv.” We’ve all bought that magic potion that promised to rid our lives of grease, scum, spots, and stains. Why are you letting that impulse buy hang around, taking up valuable cabinet space? Throw the imposter out and leave room for your tried and true. (In case this doesn’t apply to you, there just might be a half-empty bottle of dried out mystery-whatever under that sink. Out it goes.)
Monday, January 11, 2010
New Year, New Start: Day 11
I like to call this task Frigidaire-ors. You know, that little jar of gourmet mustard that you bought to go on the gourmet sandwiches that you never made? Or how about the chocolate-chipotle-caramel-dessert sauce that never saw the light of day, much less your ice cream? Yeah, and that fruit jam that was going to make your scones the envy of Queen Elizabeth herself, but ended up tasting like an old stick of juicy fruit? Out it goes….