I hang onto old tennis shoes, even when I get a new pair. My reasoning is this: I’ll wear them at the beach. I’ll wear them doing yard work. I’ll wear them sometime.”
Guess what? It never happens. With daily walking I need new shoes every year. Sometimes twice a year, if they don’t hold up. A collection of worn out shoes with holes on the inside line my closet shoe shelf.
To ring in the New Year, I threw these old puppies out. I looked around my closet and found lots of shoes, dresses, and random clothing that I haven’t worn in years. Or ever. I will clear it out and deliver clothing to the Phoenix Dream Center that helps victims of sex trafficking. They have a clothing closet — which is a room with donated clothing that they can browse through and take whatever they want. The residents of the Dream Center, former sex trafficking victims, rotate working and organizing the inventory. I’ve written about the Phoenix Dream Center “Where Hope Lives” HERE.
The other clearing out I’ve done the last two days has to do with paperwork. Stacks of papers that I didn’t want to file in the moment, but squirreled away in a casita kitchen cabinet. “Out of sight, out of mind.” I don’t think my kids were impressed when they opened the cabinet. Most of it can be thrown out since everything is online these days.
Now that the paperwork is taken care of, I found another category of excess to toss. Cleaning products that I don’t need in Arizona. I moved a ton from Palm Springs, December 2020.
I think because we spend a fortune on these items, like cleaning products, tennis shoes and clothing, it’s hard to get rid of them.
It feels good to start the New Year fresh with the cobwebs of my life cleared out!
What do you you hold onto that you don’t need or use?
What are you doing to start the New Year fresh?
Happy New Year! It’s liberating to clean house (evaluate what is needed, etc.). January – Here’s to NEW BEGINNINGS!
Thank you! Yes here’s to new beginnings!
Unlike you, I do use old sneakers. When they’re no longer fit I transition them to lawn mowing and gardening shoes. When they’re not fit for that? It’s definitely time for the trash can. But I do tend to hang onto clothes that no longer fit, hoping I’ll lose weight.
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We have gravel in Arizona, so no mowing lawns for me. I tend to forget about the old shoes on the shelf. When I get dressed I put on the newer ones for a walk and they stay on all day. It’s hard to get rid of clothing.
Happy New Year! I wrote my blog about starting the New Year, also yesterday. I hold on to my old writings, letters, and poems. I was thinking the other day that I always try to be so fashion conscious even at work teaching. It is funny. At heart, I am a fashionista. When I retire, I look forward to getting rid of some work clothes! Happy 2025!
I also hold onto my old writings. I ran into files of it yesterday while clearing out papers. Happy 2025 to you too!
I’ve learned to give away stuff that I haven’t used in 2 years. Or when I get something new, I give away one already I have to keep the size of my closet the same.
Good for you to be so consistent. I think I will arrange a clothing donation drive for the Dream Center for our women’s group. It’s been two years since we had one.
Yes that’s a wonderful idea
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Wow. Great idea! Does this work for having kids too? I mean, get a new one, get rid of the old one?
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Daily walking is hard on shoes, I agree EA. I try to buy better shoes for support as I walk, but then as they begin to wear it’s really hard to anticipate just tossing or donating them given the price. Long ago I invested in good hikers that I only use for real hiking because they were so costly, even on sale! I’ve just had to resign myself that my feet/body need the support when I walk so I have to make the most of my investments. I also don’t like just tossing things into the trash but sometimes there’s nothing left of inexpensive shoes to be useful to anyone 🙂 I spent the last half of 2024 donating bags of things, mostly household items, but also some clothing.
I’m with you on the shoes. I need support and I hate to throw them out because of the expense. When my knees or back hurt, it’s time for new shoes. I also have hiking boots that I only use for hikes because they give me better traction on trails.
I once read that you should take all your hanging clothes on January 1 and rehang so all the hangers are the same direction, and then throughout the year, as you wear them, you should hang them the other way. On December 31, any clothes that are still hanging the original way need to be discarded or donated. If you have not used them in a year, then they are not clothes, they are clutter.
That is an excellent idea. Not sure I’ll do it, but thanks for the suggestion.
Happy New Year. I am in the middle of purging things I no longer need/want from both the house and my studio. It feels so good, doesn’t it? And then of course I have to rearrange things which makes space to buy new things!
Ha! Yes, it feels good, but I’m not planning on filling the space with new stuff.
Oh, I do that with shoes as well! I love this inspiration to do a bit of clearing out. Happy New Year, Elizabeth!
It feels so good to go through my stacks of papers. Happy New Year to you and your family!
This is the year that I’ll actually go through with a Swedish Death Cleansing, and get rid of the stuff I’ve been holding onto for years, that are junk, and will only have to be thrown out by my next of kin after my passing.
I’ve never heard that term before. Although I understand the concept.
I move my sneakers down the line as I buy new ones but it can be hard to let go of the ones that are at the end of their useful life (not sure why). I tend to purge when I switch from colder to warmer clothes and back (not that the temps change too much where I live… even less where you live).
That’s exactly how I am with my shoes. This is the first time I threw them out and have only one pair that I currently use. I went through my closet two years ago my women’s group donated clothing to The Dream Center, which is a residential facility for sex trafficked victims.
Good job on cleaning the closet!
I’m working on eliminating some unnecessary drama in my life.
Recommitting to some projects that have been way far on the back burner.
Happy New Year, EA!
Thanks! Yes, it’s a good time to recommit to projects. I got sidetracked in December. Happy New Year!
I am bad at keeping charging cords and keys. Can’t help but think they’re too hard to replace
Yes, those are things I hang onto too. Once in a while I clear out cords. But I hang onto keys.
It’s like I think I’m going to need it the second I get rid of it
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Love this! I just spent some time with my sister Lisa clearing out her old – but in good condition shoes and clothes – to donate to others in need. Especially extra coats and boots this time of year in our area. In need, for sure. Sending Happy New Year hugs to you, Elizabeth! 🥰
How sweet of you to help Lisa with that task. Happy New Year!
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It feels so good to clean out old things to make way for new. I did a huge clean out in September and had an enormous garage sale. Yesterday I reorganized my closet so the things I wear more frequently are the easiest to grab. It feels nice to have things organized.
I agree! I did a lot of cleaning guest room closets before my kids arrived for Christmas. I was using them to store things I moved from Palm Springs to here in boxes and hadn’t looked at yet!
Happy New Year!
I need to rid myself of some paperwork too, but it just seems so daunting that I keep putting it off.
Cleaning out our closets (proverbial or reality) is always a nice way to start the year!
I was embarrassed with my son and DIL staying in our casita and found the cabinet open where I had three shelves of paperwork stuffed in! It was a motivator. Normally it seems daunting, but I just made piles of what to throw out and piles of filing like healthcare, autos, etc.