Inventory

I’ve been in the closet last few days.

The bedroom closet that is, decluttering.

After clearing out two large clear storage bins, two medium sized storage bins, three small bins and three shoeboxes stuffed with stuff, I can now actually walk into the walk-in closet.

Turns out the clutter was the result of the same thing I discovered when I decluttered under the sink back in March — too much of the same thing. However, though I found two, sometimes three of the same product under the sink — because the clutter/disorganization made it difficult to see what I had, resulting in purchasing what I already had again, the bedroom closet was much worse.

As I emptied out and sorted through the various containers and boxes, I found I’d amassed a pharmacy.

Cortizon 10 — 2 Tubes

Arthritis Hot — 3

Icy Hot — 2

Biofreeze — 2, one spray/one gel

I’m always trying products, as promoted on TV, supposedly the be all/end all in relieving hand cramps — which I do experience hand cramps ... a lot; and, because I’d store those products not out in the open but in a clear container to be retrieved as needed, eventually the containers became filled with other products, I couldn't see I already had this that the other, and would go out and purchase again.

Now that I'm currently trying out Voltaren and like it, I no longer even need all that I've amassed above.

Dental Floss — 7

Toothpaste (8.5 ounce) — 8

In defense of myself, the dental floss and toothpaste were accumulated through dental appointments. The hygienist would send me home with floss, toothpaste and a new brush.

Orajel — 3

Band Aids — 5 Boxes

I dunno why so many band aids, especially since I can only remember having used a band aid once, maybe twice, in the last two years.

Neosporin — 3

Baby Powder — 4

6oz bottles Calamine Lotion — 3

4.1 oz cans Calamine Spray — 3

My excuse for so much Calamine is that, when I used up a bottle, couldn’t find another bottle in the clutter, I must have bought another.

Then, at the height of the pandemic, looked to be running out, didn't see I already had a backup, I headed out for more, but found spray cans were all that was available. I must have panicked a little and stocked up with three cans.

After trying the spray, deciding I did not care much for it, when lotion came back to shelves, I panicked a little and stocked up with more than I need ... just in case.

32oz bottles Hydrogen Peroxide — 3

This again was a panic buy because, at the height of the pandemic, when I was low on Hydrogen Peroxide, there was none available in the market or drugstore. So, when I later saw bottles back on shelves, I stocked up with more than I need ... just in case.

Chapsticks — 5

Some I bought, not realizing I had others which had been included in 5K swag bags.

As to what I’m going to do with all this extra product — brand new unopened items are bagged up, ready to be placed on the counter in the Community Room with a note for residents to help themselves. The stuff that looked like some had been used — it's wasteful I know but, inasmuch as I only need one, want the clutter gone, those extras went straight into the trash.

Now that the duplicates, triplicates, quadruplicates have been tamed, what remains fits nicely on a corner of a shelf, out-in-the-open, no container, so I can easily access, inventory, stop wasting money with needless repurchases.

Next on my list is the outdoor storage area — more books (Thanks PamJ: donating books to prisons sounds like a great idea), craft materials and cosplay costumes.

Thanks to the pandemic and the variant, it looks like I'll be adulting next few years — no more running around in tutu’s and superhero gear, so I'm ready to clear out those containers while I'm in this decluttering mode.

The goal is ... If I ever decide to relocate, I don’t want to have to deal with boxing up a lot of junk and/or when I pass away, I don’t want to leave a lot of junk behind for others to have to deal with.