Inspired by this piece here in the Washington Post, I am going to challenge myself to do a “trash dash” and see how many of these things in my home I can get rid of in less than half an hour:
- Expired food, including spices.
- Branded freebies and promotional items like plastic cups, water bottles, koozies, insulated tumblers.
- Takeout detritus including plastic utensils, takeout containers, sauce and spice packets, and paper menus.
- Food storage containers.
- Reusable bags.
- Plastic dry cleaning bags and unused wire hangers.
- Clothing that is torn, stained or stretched, including items in need of repair
- Promotional swag like T-shirts, tote bags and bandannas.
- Orphaned socks.
- Paper bags.
- Receipts and product manuals.
- Magazines or books you’ll never reread.
- Calendars and newspapers.
- Junk mail.
- Expired or barely used beauty and personal care products, including makeup, sunscreen and bug spray.
- Hotel toiletries.
- Dried-up markers and pens.
- DVDs and board games you don’t use.
- Completed coloring books, puzzles with missing pieces and other kid stuff that has run its course.
- Decorative items.
- Unused hobby gear.
Give it a try. And if even that seem too overwhelming for you, set a 5, 10 or 15 minute timer and see how much you can collect. I bet you’ll be surprised by how much you get rid of, and how inspired you are to do more.
Don’t make it hard by overthinking it: just grab any old garbage bag or old box and start throwing things in it. If you aren’t sure, toss it in the bag/box and reconsider it AFTER the challenge. The need here is for speed, not contemplation. Go fast, toss things in the bag, and move on.
Smart People I Know 