2-A-Day

Consider this idea one of the easiest prescriptions you’ll ever get.  This is where things get personal ~ you choose two items to get rid of every day.  If this medicine is hard to swallow, do it quickly.  You know what they say about a teaspoon of sugar, so reward yourself.  Just not with more stuff.  Actually, a clearer spot in your home will be reward enough.  If you just can’t rush today, remove one item in the morning and one in the afternoon.  Take a siesta in-between if you need to.  

Here are some ideas to get you started:

2 old towels (if they aren’t too bad, donate to an animal shelter)

2 duplicate kitchen utensils

2 pie plates (do you really make pies anymore? If so, I’ll be right over)

2 pairs of socks (too thick, too tall, too short, too bright)

2 chipped plates or glass storage containers

2 mugs (or the whole collection)

2 sets of sheets (keep one for each season, just wash and put back on)

2 belts

2 stretched out unmentionables

2 cracked laundry or wastebaskets 

2 old throws (shelter)

2 Fall or Christmas decor items (ornaments, wreaths, etc ~ more on this later)

2 shoes (recycle or donate if without holes)

2 CDs or DVDs (if you still own them)

2 garden tools you don’t use

2 craft items (even if partially done – I once had nearly completed a quilt, but my granddaughter had grown and I donated it to a church group that sewed quilts for new moms)

2 lamps (drop off to a nearby college dorm)

2 cookbooks

2 magazines 

2 Tupperware (recycle if at all worn)

2 non-stick skillets (especially if scratched)

2 spices you haven’t used in years

2 shopping bags filled with donations

2 placemats or tablecloths 

2 throw pillows (again, a dorm or housing project if still good)

2 puzzles (retirement home)

2 swimsuits (if you don’t swim or have more than one ~ YMCA)

2 nick-knacks (spoons, bells, figurines – anything that wasn’t yours, you’ve tired of, is chipped, or requires extensive cleaning or dusting)

2 storage bins (especially if you don’t know what’s inside – take them out to the garage or shed and start collecting donation)

2 baskets

2 hand lotions or hand sanitizers (drop off to low-income housing or women’s shelters)

2 magnets (especially if you haven’t been there)

2 yarn skeins (retirement homes or churches that make blankets or scarves)

If you decide to sell some items, list them right away and put them in a designated storage area.  Decide how long you’ll keep them before donating.  I have sturdy plastic shelving in my shed (Link Sterilite shelves 4 and 5) which are super handy.  Maybe you want one in a spare bedroom for thing you are selling, gifts bought ahead and items you are passing along.

This list of 33 I’ve come up with should get you started (Link project 33).  That’s well over 700 items a year.  You may not notice right away (unless it’s that old recliner or coffee table), but you’ll feel better immediately and over time everyone will notice.  

Health Tip

Eat a big salad today; add as many colorful veggies as you can, along with beans like garbanzos or kidneys.  Skip the cheese (saturated fat).