I want to get rid of at least 100 items before moving day by donating, selling, or giving them away through platforms like Craigslist, eBay, Freecycle, and similar services. The number sounds large, but I’m confident there are at least 100 things in our house we don’t use, don’t need, or shouldn’t bother moving. I also plan to track progress the old-fashioned way—writing each item down on a piece of paper. Call it quirky, but it helps me stay accountable.
To get started, I tackled my shoe collection. Surprisingly, I discovered I hadn’t worn many pairs since leaving New York City and moving to Richmond more than four years ago. That was a wake-up call.
After sorting, I set aside ten pairs of shoes for donation, resale, or disposal. Not bad, considering I kept 18 pairs that I still wear regularly. With my favorite Puma sneakers counted among the keepers, that brings the total in active rotation to 19. In short, I’m ready to say “hasta la vista” (in my best Schwarzenegger voice) to more than a third of the shoes I own.
Sidenote: The blue-gray bedroom wall reads greener in the photo—clearly I still have some learning to do with the new camera.
Although those ten pairs represent 20 individual shoes, I’m counting the purge as ten items so the tally remains fair and simple. That leaves 90 more items to identify and remove before moving day. Wish me luck, and expect updates as I chip away at this goal.
Are you also decluttering or minimizing your possessions? I’d love to hear how others are slicing the excess and simplifying their homes—let’s commiserate and share tips.