If you are new to 52 Weeks of Organizing, catch up here!
How’s your week been? Last week as I was cruising the links I nearly spewed my smoothie all over the computer screen when I saw the “beautiful” treasure Iris dug out of the depths of her closet. Prepare yourself for……
MOM JEANS!
Oh my word….and these aren’t just any old mom jeans but mom jeans with COWS on them! Wow, there are no words for those bad boys…lol. Iris, Iris, Iris, what were those jeans still doing in your closet girl! My goodness did I ever have a good laugh, those are priceless! This lady is so funny, you really have to go on over and read her post (and blog!) but make sure you aren’t drinking anything if you do. Don’t say I didn’t warn you 🙂
Okay I want a show of hands from you gals…how many of you can go to your closet right now and compete with that? Come on, be honest? Maybe it’s been so long since you cleaned out your closet that you really aren’t sure and are a wee bit afraid to look. Well it’s time to take a deep breath and get in there. And if you find yourself some mom jeans you come right on back here and stick your hands out because I’m going to give them a whack…believe me those will not come back into style ever. Well okay never say never I know but regardless….GET RID OF THEM! Whew I feel better now after that little rant of mine 🙂
Where do I go from there I wondered? Oh yes medicine cabinets! I love to purge and one of my favorite 5 minute tackles is the medicine cabinet because I can always find something expired in there to throw out. Yipee! Seems like Jenn had the same idea and goodness look what she found:
Medication dated 1999, yikes!
Oh a purging we will go, a purging we will go. Hi-ho, the merry oh, a purging we will go!!
Be sure to check out the containers she found to store her meds in an awkward corner cabinet. Brilliant! Also she talks about how to safely dispose of meds as well.
Now one last thing I want to touch on, is something my friend Rachel Anne mentioned in one of her posts last week. This is what she wrote:
Do you ever set something somewhere “just for now” and then, like five weeks later, notice that the item is still there?
No, yeah. Me neither.HAHAHAHA! Who am I kidding? You know I’m the queen of Base Camps and Rat Piles!
But I’ve decided something. Since some of the things have taken up permanent residence in their temporary locations, I oughta just figure out a way to make them feel more at home. Kinda like, giving them a housewarming party since they’ve already moved in.
You can read her full post with examples here. It really does make sense. If you are constantly putting something down in one place yet have another home for it somewhere else, just consider moving it permanently. Don’t fight it…your stuff will tell you where it wants to live by the habits you have when using it. Do what makes sense for YOU.
Questions to Ponder:
- Tell me one thing from your purge pile this week that you just can’t believe you were hanging on to. You do have a purge pile don’t you? 🙂
- Do you have medication in your cabinet older than 1999? Anyone? Anyone?
- What is on your organizing list for this week?
Please feel free to share your organizing journey and encourage one another in the comments. You are also invited to link up to the linky below with any posts related to your 52 weeks of organizing participation or to any post of an organizing nature that you feel will inspire and encourage others in their quest to get organized. Please remember to link back to here though so we can reach out to as many people as possible in need of some inspiration.
One other thing to consider: by including your link below you, you are giving me permission to use parts of your post including pictures as a spotlight in future 52 Weeks of Organizing posts. Proper credit and links will of course be provided. If you are not okay with this please do not link up. Thanks!
Ginny Ingram says
I recently pulled some expired meds out of the cabinet. The problem with them is that we can’t just throw them away or flush them anymore, so they collect in shoe boxes in my closet. There are occasional collections in our area, but never at convenient times. Oh, well, at least they aren’t in the bathroom!
Jocelyne Baxter says
In our area, you can return them to pharmacies for proper disposal. Worth checking out.
Laura says
Jenn actually talks about how to safely dispose medications in her post. It’s awesome!
Jenn says
Hopefully no one will be able to beat my 1999 record! Can’t compete with those mom jeans though! Thanks for the shout out and all of your fabulous organizing tips. Have a great weekend!
Angel says
Was just inspired – and found one from 97. Eek! It was a generic sleepy cold medicine. Thanks for the tips on proper disposal because I have a lot of “leftover” scripts that need to be gotten rid of as well.
Amy @ FitMommas says
Just found your site this past week. Love it! And those Mom Jeans take the cake, man. I have nothing that comes close to that in my closet. I hope…
Linda Stoll says
OK … let’s say goodbye to anything and everything with cows on it … mugs, towels, wall hangings, decorative hoo-ha-s, and any and all articles of clothing!!
Laura says
LOL!
Megan says
I didn’t find old medicine this week, but I found some old spice with an expiration date in ’07.
Megan says
I didn’t find old medicine this week, but I found some old spice with an expiration date in ’07.
Laura says
Did you throw it out? 🙂
The Bearded Iris says
Well now it’s my turn to spit out my smoothie! HOLY COW (jeans). I’m so pleased you enjoyed my post and my mom jeans. Thank you for your unwavering support and constant inspiration, Laura. I can’t imagine my life without you!
Laura says
I LOVE your attitude and enthusiasm!!
Shana says
I recently did my med’s . I have some numbing stuff with a date of 2-89. Kept it too!
If you don’t have a place to take out-dated med’s, if you have a litter box, sprinkle them in it to throw them away. Nobody will want to go through that mess for drugs.
As for purging, I’m working on my laundry/craft/sewing room because I want to put in shelving & thought I’d better paint the room first. It will take me a month to purge & organize enough to paint!! Baby steps….
Becky L. says
some pharmacies will take old meds, ask yours!
Aimee says
I got rid of a whole basket full of medications. I think one was label 1997 – when I graduated high school! I think it is a good reminder not to just throw medications away. In my city we are advised to take them to a local police station with a medication drop box or place the pills in a dirty diaper. I chose the first. 🙂
Laura says
That’s a nice service the police offer, never heard of that one.
Living the Balanced Life says
LOL! I did get rid of the MOM clothes in general a few years ago after watching a marathon of “What Not to Wear”! So no cows or Christmas trees in my closet, thank goodess!
Hmm, may need to go dig in the medicine cabinet though, way in the back…
Bernice
Two totally different parenting stories
Laura says
LOL…I want to know what you find back there 🙂
Brandi M says
Sorry to sound so ignorant, but what exactly are ‘Mom jeans’ ? Aside from the cows, I didn’t see anything wrong with those pants. Then again, I am far from a up-to-date with fashion.
Laura says
No worries Brandi, you must go over and read Iris’ post. It’s hilarious and might help explain some things 🙂
Enjoy Birth says
Do you have medication in your cabinet older than 1999? Anyone? Anyone?
I thought I was bad with something from 2005!
What is on your organizing list for this week?
I did my junk drawers, but I may also tackle the front porch this weekend too!
Mrs. Wilson says
I just did a de-cluttering of my pantry and medicine cabinet last week. I filled a small kitchen-sized garbage bag with expired condiments, non-perishable items, and medications. Yikes!
Sara says
I love how the FOOD is non perishable, but eventually, the tins will corrode! I’ve found many such tins, cleaning out my parents’ pantry for them!
goingoffthegrocerygrid says
I hate to say that I had to go in my closet and purge clothes that were too small! So did the husband! YIKES! My kids did say “that’s okay Mommy you just outgrew your clothes like, us.” I guess that is why I’m on this natural/real food journey, to see how it helps my health! But still, next time I go through my closet I hope it’s because my clothes are too big! I’m off to do my medicine cabinets now!
Jeanne B. says
Not linking up, just saying thank you for directing me to The Bearded Iris. I read several of her posts and she’s so funny I wet myself. She’s in my permanent blogroll now. 🙂
Laura says
Isn’t she hilarious, such a great attitude!
Marsha says
Hi! We’ve recently finished renovating the upstairs of our home, and I have to tell you that your blog, among others that you have featured, have been great inspiration for keeping a clean and organized home! Being as we were essentially starting fresh, it was easy to implement and maintain some of the fantastic ideas you share…thank you so much!
In response to this post:
1. Yes, we still have a purge pile, even though we purged before the renos! The 1 item I can’t believe I was hanging on to is of course clothing! Not as horrible as the mom jeans for sure, but the old PJ pants should have been thrown out years ago!
2. Nope, no expired meds (again, purged before the renos…go ahead, call me a cheater!)
3. On the organization list this week is the downstairs bathroom. We lived in our basement for the renos and I haven’t visited that room since the very moment we were given access to the new bath upstairs! Who knows, maybe I will end up finding more expired meds!
Handy Man, Crafty Woman says
those cow jeans are hilarious!!! 🙂
julie says
I read a line the other day: “Friends don’t let friends wear crocs”. Same is true with cow jeans.
Brittany says
I just found you website and I must say LOVE it. Cow jeans, hmmmm interesting, but I really need all the organization help I can get so I am going to have to go to week one and start from there lol. Thanks so much!
Jill Wait says
I don’t know if this will count because it was my Grandmother’s medicine that we were cleaning out . . . . My Grandmother reached a point where she could no longer say in her house so we have to move her to a nursing home and in the process had to sell her house. She grew up in the depression and saved everything! While cleaning out her bathroom there were several old bottles of foot meds – stuff for bunions, warts, etc. I asked my mom about it because I never knew that Grandma had foot problems. She didn’t! My Grandfather did – but he passed away over 25 years ago. She had saved them for that long! On one hand sad – on the other kinda sweet.
Sara says
I’ve just started the 52 week challenge, and have so far filled in 27 weeks of projects on my print-out. I’m sure I’ll think of more for the other 25 weeks eventually.
I’m very excited at the moment, as I’ve just been given the go-ahead to eBay all the various crockery sets that we’ve been looking after for my mother, who has now decided that she doesn’t want them. Yay! I can finally make room for MY dinnerware. =D
Sinea says
Expired medications? I’ve been recently known to USE them. I have had bronchitis, but didn’t know it had gone that far at the time. So I pulled some old Vicks 44 out of the cupboard to at least try to calm the cough. It worked pretty well so I sent my husband to the store with the empty bottle to buy more. The guy at the pharmacy took a look at it and said. “They haven’t made this style in a while. No wonder. The bottle says it expired in 2006!” Yikes! Must be REALLY good stuff. It still helped me. 🙂
Becky L. says
Well, mine’s not as bad as cow jeans, which are interesting, to say the least. If they fit, you could use them when you are cleaning out the garage or doing yard work? Ha! I have a button down poncho with an Indian design on it. I’ve had it for years and love it. Not worn it yet, need to wash it. I had it when I was pregnant with my daughter 32 years ago. So it’s old! Last century. I suppose that’s bad. I might part with it yet! But still wearable. May use it in my old age! :0)
Heather B says
This really makes me feel so much better since I threw out some ’08 and ’09 meds the other day.