Still casting off…

In January, I wrote several times about my ambition to try and get rid of, to cast off, something for every day of the year… things I no longer use/like/need/want/don’t fit/never fitted/are broken…

I have to confess, that although I have continued to do my best, I haven’t necessarily on each single day picked out a particular thing – although on have on many days. So here are twenty-nine things which have gone to someone else, to a charity shop, into the recycling or in the last resource, into the bin!

1. a pair of black, leather, heeled ankle boots – they are almost identical to another pair I have and they are not as comfortable
2. my MA thesis
3. a long-sleeved pink top… love the colour but it is really too tight
4. books… various
5. CDs…. ditto
6. DVD… the extra two copies I still have of ‘Hot Fuzz’… it might be my favourite film but I don’t need three copies of it
7. kitchen stuff, including two casserole dishes, some large serving dishes and some tools (I tried to get rid of a large ceramic fruit bowl but my husband rescued it
8. a very favourite black coat with a broken zip
9. some scarves – I have been so lucky to have been given some lovely new ones recently, so some of the old drab ones can go
10. old make-up… maybe I will treat myself to some new stuff… but maybe not until next month
11. this may seem silly, but those who know me in real life will understand this – two anonymous very old and sticky stock cubes… I didn’t know what they were…
12. ditto some spice mix which had stuck to the bottom of the jar
13. a pair of ‘smart’ navy trousers which don’t actually fit, I don’t like and I’ve never worn
14. a very large grey jug, very, very large
15. an insulated screw topped plastic container to take for lunch (it was actually quite expensive, but we’ve only used it once)
16. a coffee jug – cafetiere sort
17. more old cutlery
18. a large metal sieve
19. a set of serving dishes for chutney
20. sssssh… old underwear
21. more old stories which are really of not interest and are frankly embarrassing
22. recipe cards from supermarkets
23. I don’t know if this counts as casting off… but I’m going to count it as casting off… I’m working my way through the lentils, dried beans, dried peas that are in the plastic box in the kitchen cupboard. I am the only one in the family who likes them, and when I see packets of them in the shops looking so enticing I can’t resist buying them… so i am using up the beans/pulses/peas etc. It’s taking a while because I’m the only one who likes them
24. stuff in the freezer… anonymous stuff… peculiar bags of goo… Savoury goo I’ve made into soup – and all that I’ve made has been delicious, although the one which had the beetroot purée in it was an alarming colour; fruity goo has been mixed with yoghurt, put into cakes, and generally consumed
25. pictures stored here on the computer… so many are not very good, and there are lots of doubles
26. old physical photographs; particularly those I have inherited from an aunty – I’m scanning all the ones of any interest (and I’m being generous in my decision on how interesting ‘any interest’ can be) so they will be saved – and I am thinking of starting a private family Facebook group so others can share and see
27. old lessons and activities… they might come in useful… No, they won’t come in useful
28. games with bits missing
29. gift bags… when people give wine or spirits as a gift, sometimes they very kindly put it into a lovely gift bag… so thoughtful… but I have over twenty gift bags (does this say something about me?) They are all in perfect condition, so they are going to a charity shop

I must try through March to keep a better record of my ‘cast-off’s…