Fourteen Garbage Bags

[insidevoice]

I found a flea on my dog today. Having a deep-seated HATRED of fleas, I might have over reacted a touch. 

In about three hours I decluttered 14 big black garbage bags full of stuff- mostly clothes and some stuffed animals. Our closets and dressers are SO much happier. A lot of that stuff was stuff I've been holding on to for some reason I can't even articulate- clothes that are 'nice' but I never actually wore, things the kids don't find comfortable- again, they are nice enough, but my kids like comfort over style. I was hanging on to so much guilt about getting rid of them that I was paralyzed to actually DO anything about them. 

I have also vacuumed every surface in my house, shampooed the carpets, and gone on an animal-washing frenzy. Yes, because of a single flea. 

[Olma]

Good job, for whatever reason !

[elluin]

Impressive! Our house could use a decluttering of that size. I'm similarly motivated when something sets me off - glad you were able to make good of that flea!

[insidevoice]

It was so nice to wake up to that project done today!  Now I'm kicking myself for not having done it sooner. 

[PoetryLover]

Congrats! I bet you feel so weightless now. I know I do after a major purge.

[clutterwarrior]

Hate fleas too...because I am allergic to fleabites!

It's great you were able to use your animosity to good purpose.

[tree_hugger]

Well done! :)

[insidevoice]

So far so good, no more flea sightings and I'm vacuuming constantly to make sure it stays that way. 

It does feel like a HUGE weight has been lifted though.  I couldn't believe how much stuff had been stored in there for so long.  Now that it's gone it just feels so much more functional!

Now I need to do the same thing to the closet near the front door (I don't think that will be nearly as much stuff though.)  It never looked messy really, or anything else- it just looked like storage.  I just didn't realize that in storing it because WE MIGHT MISS IT!  I was giving more power to the stuff then I was to the needs of my family to have that space clear and accessible.