Week of Purge

Week of Purge? What the heck is that?!

I made it up.

I am sick of being surrounded by clutter and junk I don't need! Clothes that don't fit, soaps and lotions I don't use, rough sheets I bought a decade ago, jewelry I don't wear, books I don't read, expired medications, old bills, dried out pens and broken pencils, notepads, address labels, seasonal decorations... it goes on and on. My space is being taken up with junk. Now don't get me wrong, lots of the stuff is nice --which is why I hold on to it, but why? Because it might come back in style? Or because I paid good money for it? Or because I think I can sell it and make some money or give it as a gift. But the problem is, I haven't. The stuff just sits. And frankly it's getting on my nerves.

Hence: Week of Purge.

This week I will be donating, giving away, or throwing out stuff that I haven't used this year. And if it's something that I like and really must have then I will put it in its proper place so I'll know where it is and it will in fact get some use. No sense in keeping great stuff hidden in the back of a closet.

I may make some money, I may not. But my life will be richer. Richer in space. Richer in peace. Zen-rich. I will feel so much better and others will be benefiting at the same time.

In addition, I am going to rid my cabinets of excess food. I hate when I buy produce that goes bad before I eat it or things that expire sitting on the shelf. How does this happen when I live alone and only shop for one? Well, I don't shop for one and I have a weird relationship with food.

For example:

• I must eat something sweet after something salty and something salty after something sweet... Sometimes I overdue the sweet-salty-sweet-salty thing until I'm totally stuffed! So there is often something sweet and something salty on hand for this indulgence.
  

Here's another one:

• I want to eat what I want to eat when I want to eat it.
  

Yes, totally spoiled. I don't know how I got like this. It certainly wasn't how I was raised. My parents served baked chicken, rice and salad three nights a week when I was growing up. My friends used to tease me about it but, hey, I can't blame them. It was tasty, healthy and economical. I have heard of parents cooking what their child(ren!) ask for each night like they are short order cooks in a restaurant. That was not happening in my house. I had no say. Maybe that's why I want what I want when I want it now?

Well, problem is it's not economical (in fact, it's down right self-indulgent) and it's not practical to continue with a child around --from the cost to the message it conveys. My cabinets are stuffed with food, my freezer is crammed; yet I want none of it. I want sushi or pizza or a Greek salad and if none of that is available in my house I'll go buy it and I'm happy. But my wallet is not. I need to break the habit. I want to become the mom who can create a whole meal by whipping together things that are already in the kitchen. I want to spend money on other things.

So, next week, except for perishable items, I will not buy anything new. No diet sodas out of the machine at work. No Starbucks on the way to work. No drinks after work with friends. I will not spend one dime on food or snacks of any type until June. I will save some money, I will eat up the food I have and I will appreciate the fact that I do have a lot of food right here and be grateful. (I got the idea from Christie's blog --though she did it for a whole month and she didn't spend on anything at all--no snacks, no groceries, no magazines, no trips to CVS or Target, no nothing!! I'm not quite at that level yet. Maybe over the summer?)

So, it's on! I am going to purge myself of excess junk and use up the massive amounts of food in my cabinets and on my counters. (Yes, there is so much food that it doesn't all fit and some things have to sit on the counter. What kind of sense does that make? I know, none.) I'm starting tomorrow morning and will go to the end of May. Purge my home of excess junk and no stopping for anything else edible.

I hope to learn how easy it is to use the foods that are already in the house and to gain a sense of calm and order as things are picked up, donated and sold. Hopefully it will translate into better habits and some savings.

I am looking forward to it! I'll post during the week of any successes I have. Feel free to join in on Purge Week or simply wish me luck! Cause from a self-proclaimed pack rat and food snob I am going to need it!