One of the greatest parts of the Cure is the outbox. A waystation of sorts - the place where those THINGS we don't really need, want or love can rest before leaving our homes forever. In our current outbox there is: two bags of clothes, a box of 100 (!) cookie cutters, lots of cds (all our music is digital now), two small rugs, a box...
...of books, a wooden stool and 8 mismatched glasses of varying sizes. This treasure trove of items will be delivered to the White Elephant soon. As we added the glasses to it this morning it got us wondering what kind of goodies that other Cure participants have in their outboxes this week...let us know in the comments and look forward to the sweet sound of goodbye when you finally let them go!
(And, just for the record, regardless of the image we chose for this post, we've never cried about anything we've gotten rid of via the outbox method.)
Image: X-Men #37 via Blink Picture Gallery
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Damn! 100 cookie cutters?? I WANT those ;-)
I'm not doing the cure so much as a really deep spring clean, but I have 4 bags of clothes, a couple of sets of sheets that I've grown bored of (and am tired of cramming into my linen closet despite rarely using them) and some misc. housewares.
I also did a GIANT purge two months ago to Hour Children. It feels good to have no more clutter/stuff in storage!
Mine is quite small as I moved not too long ago and drastically got rid of stuff. It has 2 prs of jeans, one pair black trousers, a few t-shirts, a sony walkman (tape and am/fm) with speakers. Might be more in it by end of this weekend. I have never missed anything that I have got rid of either (material stuff anyway).
In my outbox currently (after a massive purge last week) is a breadmaker that is missing an essential part, tons of books, unused dishes and bath and make-up supplies that I will never, ever use. It's only Wed! My outbox is turning into an 'out corner' of my house!
***LOL, i LOVE that image!!! that is SOOO ME!!!***
ok, i've photographed a number of items (pair of vintage silver dress shoes, carved and painted gourd, military medals, cds) i'm planning to list on ebay but something is holding me back from actually creating the listings. hate that. (refer to post image)
other larger items (like two black steel folding chairs) will go up on craigslist.
i did a massive purge last week. i got rid of 2 trash bags full of clothes, a trashbag full of bed linens for the local animal shelter and several boxes full of miscellaneous stuff. i felt so good after getting all the clutter out of my closets. it really set me in motion; i can't wait to declutter the rest of my house!
Right now there are two grocery bags of clothes, a double boiler, a not so great blender that we never use because I always overheat it by putting too much in there, a fruit bowl that was my mom's (that may come out), a box of books, 2 boxes of cds, and a couple bags of old towels and sheets to go to the animal rescue. A chock full recycle bin went out this morning with all the glass left after cleaning out the refrigerator and pantry, too. Oddly, I don't really feel like I've done much yet, but I guess that's not such a bad start!
CDs, boxes of books, bedding set, beginnings of a clothes pile, coffeemaker my mom gave me when she moved, forgetting I had my own already, dishes from college. More will be going in as I tackle the 2 boxes of clothes I've got left...
4 or 5 bags of clothes/bags/shoes (ever-growing as I come to terms with parting with clothing I don't wear) and a giant bag of plastic bags that I'm trying to recycle. Oh and a box of cell phones and cell phone accessories to recycle.
i'm pretty new to the site and although i'm not officially a part of the cure, i've been inspired to start my own outbox. i know that i have tons of stuff i can get rid of. i will be moving to a new apt soon, so no time like the present, right? i'm going to get started today after work.
Clothes, toiletries from cleaning out my bathroom, candlesticks, a small TV, two extra yoga mats, a tambourine, some toys, and more. I've just discovered that my local domestic abuse shelter will take clothes and toiletries, so I'm headed to their office tomorrow.
Wow. I actually know which comic book character that is.
Anyway, my outbox is a LOT of books, a growing pile of clothes, including my high school prom dress (!!), a peg board dart board I've been lugging around for years, some free weights that got too light for my use, a basketball (which makes me kinda sad, but I never play anymore), some towels, some organizational knick knacks that turned into things I had to organize space for, and a bunch of DVDs. I asked some friends who came over for lunch on Sunday to take whatever they wanted, and they decimated the piles of books and DVDs! Oh yeah, and milk crates that I've had in college. They form the bones of the outbox(es).
Luggage and duffle bags, a panini maker we've never used, mismatched wine and martini glasses, sweaters I swore I would donate if they weren't worn this winter, old running shoes, bedding, books, CD's, dish towels and placemats. MAN IT FEELS GOOD TO TYPE THIS!
We are in the process of moving to a different apartment - a smaller one, at that. Every time I move, I use the opportunity to go through things and 'edit, edit, edit'! This time is no different, and, in fact, I'm being much more aggressive. I'm really looking at things, and asking whether I really love it or need it, or if I'm just hanging onto it because either it was a lame gift (the kind you know didn't take much thought or effort), or because 'I've just always had it'.
Waiting for a trip to The Arc is: many vases of varying sizes and colors; many dishes (I tend to 'collect' plates); a vintage jacket, as well as a BUNCH of clothes; lots of 'knick-knacky' stuff; bed linens (does one couple with a queen-size bed REALLY need 2 full sets as well as 6 queen sets of sheets?!). Not to mention the PLETHORA of electronic/gaming/geek stuff the husband-to-be is getting rid of!
Feels good to purge!!!
so far I have taken 3 (big) bags of clothing to the womens shelter- mostly suits and dress clothes from when I worked. I took a bunch of bags of other clothes to the local thrift store here in town. But my downstairs storage room is filled to the brim of boxes to be sold at my june garage sale-
two small bags of pretentious design magazines and an ugly tweed baseball hat my roommate bought me. I bring bags of stuff to Goodwill about once a month so I never have too much piling up.
I'm at work, so here's my "Mental Outbox" list for when I get home: Button ups, Aunt Donna's plates, Discover mug, Time Travelers Wife, Reusable bags, Dresses not worn, Skirts too big, Lakefront growlers, Wooden tools, Plastic containers from under sink, Grolsch bottles, extra V8.
Quite the hodge podge I guess
Well so far, there is a mini crock pot (got a new huge one for Christmas), a pasta bowl we never use, and some old expired medications i have been meaning to take to the drug store for destruction. I am using my kitchen table and I know there will be a lot more stuff i wanna get rid of. I LOVE PURGING!
An old set of speakers, a tea kettle, plastic cups I never use, a kid sized cup, two novelty lights, and some old skirts that haven't made it into the pile yet (but will when I'm home this weekend).