It wasn't going well.
It started OK, I reorganised the cat food shelf and a food shelf. I found a half bag of dry kibble that we won't be using, so I advertised it on our local freebies FB page. That was snapped up quickly and I slipped in a box of expensive cat food pouches as well.
I also advertised a few other bits that I'd got out of the loft a few days ago, and they've all been taken (subject to collection).
I then reached The Shelf I Actually Wanted to Clear. I was expecting a box of yellowing, unappealing, Tupperware type stuff. It wasn't quite that.
Firstly, I found the egg carriers in there. They are such lovely things, I think they are aimed at campers or caravanners. I haven't used them at all, so there was no reason why they should be kept. Except... well they are just lovely. I could imagine putting hard boiled ggs in there for a picnic. Or putting wggs in them when we go boating.
I put them on the "I'll look at you again in moment" pile.
Then there was the Massala Dabba tin, which I had actively gone out to get (rather than buying it on impulse. I've never used it. I reminded myself of this fact as I opened it. I've never used it, so I could give it away (or sell it). But it's not just a tin with useful mini tins in. It also has a little inside lid. It's so cute. It's the sort of thing I could use if I was weighing out ingredients and prepping for a curry, instead of using the (stack of) little dishes in my cupboard.
I put it in the "I'll look at you again in moment" pile.
I started writing this post, as I could see this wasn't going to go well. You can see from the title how it was going. Writing this, helped strengthen my resolve, and so I decided to try writing as I went.
Next out was a (once expensive) shaker bottle thing. Looking at the "I'll look at you again..." pile, I hardened my heart and put it in the "Disposal" pile. And a round "Lock n Lock" bowl with lid. Once part of a set of 3, no idea where the others are. That went int the disposal pile.
Then there was a strainer thing, which I knew must have a tub to surround it. I found one tub, two more insides. It occurred to me that this might work well for Kefir, assuming Keffir could be kept in plastic. It would be so easy to just lift up the little strainer basket. I rummaged looking for the lid. No lid. I went and looked in my actual airtight container storage drawer (ATCSD), and I could not find a lid. I did find a complete container though, which made me realise it was a KlipIt container, and the ones of those I've had haven't been great. One of the strainers can go in there, and I'll add the other two strainers to my disposal pile.
Next out, was an Oxo Good Grips square container. This was not a cheap item, but it's an awkward-to-hold size. I hardened my heart, and put it on the disposal pile.
A selection of lids. I looked at them, and I knew that some of them belonged to some really useful glass bowls, but I couldn't recall where and when I'd last seen said bowls. Broken probably. Others - well, I've no idea what they were for, I didn't recognise them at all. DIsposal - probably bin pile.
A large, rectangular, Lock and Lock tub. Too big for my ATCSD, a stupid shape for storing almost anything. It might be an OK size for envelopey type things... so I used it to store some of the dry food stuff in the utility room.
Some small square containers, the sort used for a couple of tablespoons of baby food. Infinitely useful tubs for stationery and all sorts of things. These were only in here because I had a huge heap of them in the ATCSD. I tried to fit them in the drawer, and found one which was from a different set. I reunited the orphan with one of the lids, and put it in the disposal pile.
Next up, a pile of stacking, lidded, puree pots, which we used to use when making cheese. I think we stored some of the cultures in them. I looked at the stack and it reminded me.... I was remembering seeing....a brand new set, complete with tray and box, in a drawer somewhere. In fact, it turned out that there were two unused sets. The unused sets are now sitting in the Disposal pile.
Writing this post has really helped, it's given me the deterination to get rid. I've advertised on our local freebie group as I've been going along, and several of the items have already been collected. All (that I've advertised) are now spoken for.
I haven't decided about the egg things. nor the spice tin.
I guess I should change the post title really. Win Win, And Not in the Bin, perhaps?
I hadn't planned to spend all this time doing this today I'd hoped to do some sewing while DH was out. Still, I might as well carry on for a bit. I'm going to move on to seeing what empty jars are on the other jar shelf. That shouldn't take too long, as it's mostly going to be a case of labelling boxes rather than disposing of anything.
Thank you for reading.
