House diet 250

Here it is, January 1st, and I am commencing House Diet 250, wherein I will eliminate 250 lbs of stuff in our house by the end of the month. Here's how:

Phase I: file cabinet...this seems like an easy place to get rid of stuff. Maybe I can squeeze 10-20 lbs out of it?

Phase II: clothes closet...I bet I can get another 10-20 out here, if I include shoes.

Phase III: linens and bathroom...another 20-30 perhaps?

Phase IV: bookshelves...if I enlist Ray's help, maybe we can get 40-50 lbs.

Phase V: baby room...baby, what baby? This here girl is a toddler, and she doesn't need 10-20 lbs of baby stuff still stacked in her room.

Phase VI: kitchen...if we really suck it up, I bet we can get 20-30 out of here.

Okay, I wouldn't be surprised if I've wildly over- or under-estimated the poundage potential for each phase, but a girl's gotta start somewhere. Given these estimates, I've got 110-170 towards my 250 lbs goal. Hmmm. At this rate the garage will have to be included in the diet, but that will surely put me over the top.

Phase VII: garage...where I'll have to call in house diet enemas (Goodwill/Craig's List/the dump) and guess the weight of outgoing items...at least 200 lbs all by itself.

I am deciding in the next 4 minutes whether or not I want to start on Phase I. It's sitting right here, just 3 feet away from me. It's small, black, but boy is it a mess of "should-I-shred-this?" goodies. Ugh.

Ray's contribution: "We could drink all the alcohol and get rid of the wine rack...that would save a few pounds."
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Update 1/1/09, 10:41:56 pm

HD250-P1 COMPLETE
Yield: 17 lbs.