Clean Me

Every day I am going to do something -- no matter how small -- to improve my standard of living at home.

Tonight I went through the boxes of presents I have tucked away in the closet. Since my sister decided that we weren't exchanging gifts anymore, I winnowed through what I already had for her and her husband. Since my mom and brother-in-law are close, I'm handing off the four new shirts I bought for him to her. They're nice shirts, still with tags attached, and giving them to my mom will save her the time and expense of shopping for him. Best of all, it will get them out of my home.

The health/beauty items I bought for my sister will either be regifted or, in the case of the smaller or unbreakable bottles, will be sent to Operation Shoebox. I like thinking that female soldiers in Afghanistan or Iraq will enjoy the vanilla-scented body lotions and shower gels. These days I appreciate them far more than I do my sister. And, once again, it will get stuff out of my home.

I also discovered that I have so many gifts for my oldest friend that I may not have to buy anything for her until 2015. And while I still can't find handmade denim wine bottle tote for my friend Barb's birthday, I found a picture frame I forgot I'd purchased for her in Key West last year. So it all works out.

That's how this started, you see. Whenever I come upon the perfect birthday or Christmas gift for a friend -- ideal either because it's unique or because it's at an unbelievable price -- I pick it up … put it in one of the boxes in the closet and then promptly forget about it and buy something else, thereby adding to the congestion in my closet. I realize that it's that last part of my plan that I have to work on.