December 9 - Clear Out!

I've lost baby Jesus. More literally in this moment, but sometimes figuratively during this season too. With various home projects and room rearranging for Christmas, our basement has become a catch all and it's getting a little out of control.

Baby Jesus is somewhere in my basement. Tucked away in his manger in a nice cardboard box, he's waiting for me to find him. But which cardboard box?!? Which closet? Which shelf? Where do I begin?

Sometimes it's just easier to watch TV.

As much as I try to stay on top of giving away items we don't use, I know there are plenty of things in our house that are sitting unused. They are taking up space and blocking my view of the useful, important items.

Let's clear out today. Choose 5 things you can part with, pack them up in a paper bag, and drop them off at a second-hand store near you. This task is especially good right now because many people who have had a particularly hard financial year this year will be hitting up thrift stores for their Christmas shopping. We have the chance to add more goodies to those thrift store shelves so that they can find the perfect gifts for their loved ones.

As always, let me know how it goes! I hope to post a picture of my thrift-store load later!

Later...
Here's what I found around the house - and may I add that it was surprisingly hard for me to part with some items! I hunted around for quite a bit, and found these things:

Single Bed Sheets. Two sets. We've never used them, I don't know where they came from, and I was surprised to discover them in the bottom of an overstuffed drawer. Now I can breathe easier as I try to close that drawer.

Loved this purse but stopped using it when I got another one a year ago. Have not touched it since. I found some goodies still in there when I cleaned it out - that was a nice surprise!

This container is just begging for gumdrops. We have so many wonderful containers I thought I could part with this one.

The egg-carton foam mattress. I think I got this on team from a nice family after I lost my REI air mattress at UCLA. I haven't used it since team. That was 7 years ago!!! It's time for it to go and be loved by someone else!!

Hope you can breathe a little easier now!

And no, I still have not located the baby Jesus.