Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Heap of Change, Week 2


Welcome back (or for the first time) to the Heap of Change Challenge!  How are your heaps doing?  Are they getting smaller?  Are you purging and being tough on yourself?

Last week I showed you my spare bedroom in all of its junky glory.  SEE DETAILS HERE.
I worked on the bed and the pile of suitcases.

This week I emptied the old TV cabinet that got stuck in there when we got a flat screen.
Initially I kept the part where the TV would go open for guests to put their suitcases.  But, then...the empty space started collecting things: fabric, pillow forms, paperwork, old sweaters and t-shirts for crafting, doilies, and picture frames.
This week I emptied it.  I touched every item in there and made a decision about it:--keep (the keepers need to now find a home in the closet--next week's project), toss, or donate.  I found a few things I had been looking for and several things I had forgotten about that I had not thought about for a year or more--I got rid of those.
And in the end I threw out 2 kitchen garbage bags full of treasures I no longer needed, collected one garbage bag full of donations, and have a small pile of things that need a new home.
What am I going to do with the empty cabinet?  It will be moving out of the spare room.  I may paint it, add a new back to it and a shelf and sell it as an armoire or it may become a kid's kitchen or it may get donated as is.  

What learned from working on this week's heap?
1.  If I haven't thought about it in the past year and didn't know it was missing, get rid of it.

2.  If it is something you want to keep, like, might need put it away in a logical place where it belongs.  If it doesn't have a place, make one that works.  A place where a pile comes cascading out every time you try to get to it is NOT a good place.

3.  Do not buy things you do not have a use for or you do not know what you will be using it for.  There will always be more treasures and junk.  Don't buy it for "someday".

4. It is best to tackle your heap when you are feeling relentless--brutal.  There were things in there that I liked, that I might possibly use in the future, that I spent money on, BUT OUT it went!!  Won't miss it, glad to have less.

5. An empty space probably won't stay that way for long and an old TV cabinet can hold heaps and heaps of junk!

See last week's TIPS HERE!
See other bloggers' hints and tips:

Now, time to tackle your heap. I loved seeing your posts last week! Link up your heap or the progress you have made HERE: 


6 comments:

  1. This is the one time I love an empty space... when the bad junk is gone! Good for you Becky! I just came from the dump today... boy that felt good!

    Can't wait to see what you tackle next!

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  2. Well done, Becky! I have a dresser that is just as full of junk, but I haven't tackled that project yet. I hope I make as much progress as you did!

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  3. Great job, how about giving the armoire to Brieda for storage in her kitchen!!

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  4. HA! Only if she paints it and makes it fancy!
    Good work, Becky - aren't you just LOVING this challenge??
    -breida

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  5. This is such a great challenge. I'm starting on my spare room, one area at a time!

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  6. I am busy working on my storage cupboards and closets. So much to clear out and let go of but I am ready for that great feeling of everything in place and not too much of everything.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, I really appreciate your kind words!