I like the fix-it thread idea! It might motivate me to think about things that have been sitting around needing repair for YEARS.

TotsDad came over today and although I am sick, I went out in the garage and we worked for about a half hour. We got a LOT done really. I did not think to count items so I will post what I remember here. I never overestimate on my Tally as it is important to me to not count things I didn't get rid of. I tend to underestimate a bit when I forget to count.

We sorted boxes and here is what left my home, that I remember:

- my old pressure cooker that I learned how to can with back in 1990. Lots of good memories there! But I never intend to can again. It made me smile to handle it.
- 15+ books
- 8 brackets (the kind libraries used on book shelves)
- 20+ saved nicer magazines
- 8 containers of caulk, tiling stuff, bag of spacers, bag of shims
- electric inflater thing (I have a smaller one)
- box of old files
- 6+ kitchen utensils
- a bag of rods, dowels, metal things, boxes of nails (will count this as one item)

I can't remember what else but that totals at least 60 items, gone! Most donated (TotsDad put them in my car), some in the trash.

75/600

CM,

I'm not sure how many of us fix things. It might be a quiet thread. But you could try it. I still want to get back to your craft thread some day..l

You could add it to here if you wanted. Come tell us all the things you fix and keep a running tally and at the end of the year you would have a count of all the things you fixed - no goal numbers to intimidate you - just something to be proud of.

This thread is already getting quite a few posts on it - that's great! I'll no doubt be adding some of my own soon.

An idea has just occurred to me, and I'll toss it out and we can bat it around.

I'm a champion procrastinator, as I'm sure you know. But now that I've been experiencing a resurgence of energy and focus, I've several things in mind that have needed fixing for some time. I'm talking about straightforward wins - things that have passed the cost benefit analysis in terms of time and effort to repair, and usefulness once they are back in service.

Exhibit A: My jeans I recently bought at Goodwill 2-3 months ago that need hemming or pocket extensions. They fit, and now my sewing machine is working, and it won't take long to fix them.

So here's my idea - like we have this Daily Tally, what do you think of a thread called "There, I Fixed It!"? For those times when we accomplish a repair of a deserving item instead of procrastinating.

The disadvantage of course would be that it splits up the Daily Chat section, and perhaps it would be better to just do our brag posting about repairs on the main What Are You Doing Today thread.

Just curious about your thoughts, by all means I welcome feedback. I could go either way. But just in case it would help others who need to repair genuinely useful items and give immediate positive reinforcement for doing so. Let me know! 🙂

SubC, I love your accountability. Someone gave me a whole box of jeans that may or may not fit (probably some will) and when I try them on, I am not going to count anything I re-donate. I am not "netting" yet, but when people give me stuff like that (or there is a box of kids' books sitting here someone gave me), I feel like it would not be right for me to count them in the Tally if I re-gift them. Thanks for making me think about that!

I should try those jeans on so I don't have a box of jeans in my bedroom right?? omg Son just came upstairs and told me he caught a mouse in his bedroom!!! omg omg. His room is downstairs and mine is upstairs but omg. That darn cat is not doing his job!!

My daughter had a good time shopping for me at the thrift store.

I am up three pairs of jeans (she took a picture of the tag in my laundry), a really nice warm shirt, a book, and a game.

Net 19/366

One children's flashlight that I was having trouble getting to work right, one shirt that I loved that was super comfortable but getting so raggedy I could not wear it out of the house and a huge hole that was getting ridiculous, into the trash. And one shirt that fit but I didn't like, into the donate bin.

15/600

16 candles
One decorative item

25/366

One old dog toy that was still okay but got dented in, so instead of fixing it I threw it out. I've had it a long time and have too many.

12/600

Yay Lila!

I student who was out the last week of school brought me a present. It's a chicken statue. It's funny and I will keep it at least for now. So, one in.

Net 8/366

hi Hope 🙂

SubC, steps are steps! I agree, don't be concerned with size right now. Think about items. Because you're right... they take up the same amount of brain space no matter if they're big or small!

I took a homemade, very nicely done, dog training item over to an old friend's house and gave it to her. She is still training dogs and I am not, so she will get good use out of it! It was mocking me in the garage for many years. I'm happy it is being used now, and I have one square foot of space that is free! And I don't have to look at it every time I go in there and feel sad.

11/600

oops posted that in the wrong thread, moving it over

Hello All

SubC - Thanks for checking in. Sorry to hear that you were having a bad day yesterday. Sounds like today may be a better day. Hope you enjoy your friends visit and I may take a page out of your book and try to get out for a walk.

Embarrassed to say that I didn't get my goals done. I'll try again today. I spent the entire day looking for a job. I got a few rejections on being overqualified and spiraled. I did cook dinner last night but not really what I planned. I basically survived the day and spent the evening encouraging a friend (though I was extremely emotionally drained)

CM - ditto on SubC congrats on getting your mojo back and being productive. also, thanks for taking the time to post. I find it hard to focus to write these posts as well.

Lila and Tatoulia, I am thinking of you both and hope that all is going well with you.

Accordion file coupon holder and piece of dollhouse furniture.

9/366

I may be doing some serial posting here today.

I smashed three bad/damaged pots in the bridge fill.
I added two pairs of christmas earrings I haven't worn in a long time (I have three others) one plastic pencil case, and two decorative objects to the donate box.

I have some concern about items I am removing being smaller than items I am keeping, but otoh, each thing I see as an "item" takes up the same amount of energy. I will save space concerns for another time.

Net 7/366

Yesterday I took a small roll of tar paper I'd been saving to a person who has a use for it.

I also picked up three pottery pieces from the city studio.

So, now I am at -1/366. Or 0/367. As in, I have net added one thing. I'm not sure how to write that. This is not going to be easy. But maybe it will help me focus.

Adding - I gave away a big thick foam pad that was in the garage for many years.

10/600

SubC, what a good idea counting net! Because sometimes I might get rid of clothes but also buy something. I am trying to minimize buying this year and will think about what my net is. But am counting gross items gone for now, like I did last year. I think we are doing great!

I just threw out a box of tea I was saving since 2016. How odd, since it was a tea I drank when ex was being very unkind to me, and every time I see the box it reminds me of that, but I never threw it out. Gone forever.

9/600

Yay Lila! Good start! At that rate you'll be done in three months 😉

I'm going to count things as "out" when they go in the trash, recycling, or donate pile - not wait until I transport the trash, recycling, or donations.

I will also count things that are given to people who will not return them, but since my classroom tends to have some ebb and flow and my dd1 brings outgrown items back to store for my other grandson, things taken to school or given to bean won't count.

Also, I am not going to count obvious short term trash and recycling like packaging, but I will count things like worn out clothing, because at least some of that needs to be replaced.

I will not count things as "in" that are short term consumables.

I will not count paper as in or out unless it is bound (like magazines, or notebooks, but not catalogs)

My goal is a net reduction of 366 items this year. Today I found a set of 12 days of Christmas cookie cutters I can part with. I'm going to count that as one item.

Nothing came in, so net 1/366