Confessions of An Organizer - Closet Clean Out

Ok.  I am about to open up myself to you, just like many of you do with me.  

I am going to show you my closet.....in a minute.  

I hope my closet says several things about me when you look at it:

1.  I am not a perfectionist, even though I am an organizer.
2.  I live in real life, like all of you, and my closet can become a mess, just like yours.
3.  I had to schedule time, just like you, to attack the closet clutter.
4.  I know I have too many shoes :) 
5.  I have several things in my closet that do not belong there.
6.  My husband and I share a closet, so not everything in here is mine. 
7.  I want my closet to be neat and functional, but it does NOT have to look like a magazine. 

What I found in my closet:

1.  Clothes that are adorable, but have passed their time with me.
2.  Clothes I paid good money for that I don't like anymore.
3.  Shoes needing to go in the trash or donate
4.  Clothes, good for one occasion, I will NEVER wear again
5.  Tags - why can't I just go throw the tag in the trash when I tear it off? (note to self - put a small trash can in your closet - pronto)
6.  Thread - I had a whole Ziploc baggie of thread.......I don't sew!
7.  Dust.  Yep, dust on the runners of the drawers, behind the drawers and on the baseboards behind the clothes.
8.  Memories - some good, some not so good.
9.  Hangers.  I hate hangers.  They become a tangled up mess!
10.A dowel rod with a magnet.  Yeah, not sure, but I am sure it had something to do with my two boys!

Things I was reminded of or learned in my closet:

1.  I like a lot of my clothes.
2.  I have aged out of many of my clothes.
3.  I had a lot more to get rid of than I thought.  I thought I de-cluttered my clothes pretty regularly, but apparently I was not ruthless enough.
4.  I didn't have to think really hard about getting rid of most things.  I had a gut feeling about an item and if I really stopped and paid attention to my gut, I knew what I wanted to do with it. 
5.  When I was putting the clothes back in the closet, I was able to get rid of a few more things.
6.  When I was organizing the clothes to take to donate, I took two things out of the donate pile and put back in my closet.....2 out of about 100 is not so bad.   
7.  I had too many dadgum socks.
8.  I make a BIG mess when I organize - nothing new, but I think it threw my husband for a loop. 
9.  I loved getting rid of stuff that no longer served me.
10.I am thankful to have a closet, clothes and shoes to wear and the ability and time to get it cleared out.  

Through the next several blog posts, I am going to walk you through the process I went through to de-clutter and organize my closet.  Please comment below, if you have any questions......I would love to hear how it is going for you. 

So here is the beginning picture of my closet - 

Here is a link to my Closet Clean Out Process and my Closet Clean Out Final Results

Where Can I Recycle/Donate My Old Cell Phones?

                        (photo courtesy of zirconicusso/freedigitalphotos.net)


Cell phones are one of the easiest things in our lives to recycle/donate or trade. Check out all the ways you recycle/donate or trade responsibly along with possibly even helping others at the same time.


1. Staples will take all old electronics (computers, monitors, cell phones, calculators, etc) at no extra charge. Check out their website to see the list of approved items they will take-Staples.com. Several other companies will do the same, such as Best Buy, Office Max, Radio Shack and Office Depot.

2. Donate your gently used cell phone to Cell Phones for Soldiers. This organization is dedicated to providing cost-free communication services to active-duty military members and veterans.

3. Most cell phone providers offer a drop box at their locations for cell phone recycle.

4. Many local Domestic Abuse Centers will accept donations of gently used cell phones to be given to victims of domestic abuse. Check with your local women's shelters.

5. American Cell Phone Drive is an organization devoted to the socially responsible reuse of retired cellular telephones and cell phone components, AmericanCellPhoneDrive.org raises funds for charitable organizations which provide scholarships for American children who have lost a parent to enemy or terrorist acts, feed malnourished children in Asia, build low- income housing, donate prepaid calling cards to military personnel, sponsor missionaries in China and support a host of other good works. Simply enter your zip code into their search box and find a drop box close to you.

6. Sell your phone on Craigslist or Ebay.

7. Greendisk.com takes all types of technotrash and recycles or refurbishes it.

So, look around your house today and clean out all those unused cell phones, donate them or recycle them.  You will be less cluttered and you will keep more out of the landfills. 

How to Donate/Recycle Old VHS Tapes

                        (photo courtesy of anankkml/freedigitalphotos.net)

VHS tapes, like all electronics are going the way of the dinosaur. What is the best way to donate/recycle these dinosaurs? Here are several ideas that might help you.

1. Some Thrift stores are still taking VHS tapes.....most libraries are not.

2. Use an e-recycler, like GREEN DISK, who does recycling of all kinds of techno trash.

3. Ask a teacher or daycare provider if they would like them.

4. Post the tapes on FREECYCLE.ORG and see if there is someone else that wants them.

5. Send your tapes to ACTSERVICES.ORG. This program provides services to individuals with disabilities.

6. Check out my Pinterest page for creative ways to recycle VHS tapes. Here are just two examples.....these people are way more creative than I am!

So, declutter and be creative in getting rid of the VHS tapes you no longer use.