It’s that time of year, warm summer breezes, refreshing fruit popsicles, a bright blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds and a closet jammed with icky, broken stuff!
Wait, what?
Yep, that’s right. All that summer fun comes with stuff. Some stuff that needs to be tossed – today!
Here is my list of twelve things to toss today! See how many you need to toss. Then (and this is the MOST important part) actually toss them.
DO NOT gather them up and put them in a pile to toss later.
DO NOT make a toss bag and then leave it in the corner of your living room.
DO NOT plan to toss them later, you’ll get busy and forget.
1. Flip-flops/sandals
Do you have summer footwear that suffered damage? Is outgrown? Worn out? Last year I lost a pair of flip-flops to hot tar in a parking lot.
2. Sunscreen
Sunscreen expires. Plus, active ingredients can become less effective when the sunscreen gets hot. If you left it in your car or in a bag in the sun like by a pool or on the beach then it might be time to toss it.
3. Bronzer make-up
Make-up you were sure would be great, like bronzer, that really just made odd stripes across your checks; let it go.
4. Fad nail polish
That electric pink polish or sunshine yellow you thought would be a fun summer shade turned out to be not so unattractive. Didn’t buy a fad shade of polish? No worries, think of any other fad purchase you made that ended up not being right for you.
5. Beach and pool towels
The big question is how many beach towels do you need? If you can’t close your linen closet it might be time to rethink the number of outdoor towels you own.
If you bought new ones this season, picked up one or two as vacation souvenirs or ended up with promotional towels from a street fair it might be time to let some go. Start at the bottom of the pile with the ones that most likely haven’t been used in a few summers.
(Remember: pet shelters would like you to give them your linens.)
6. Beach bag
You know the one with a broken strap or a torn lining or is just too big or too small to be useful.
7. Pool/beach toys
The icky ones, the broken ones, the outgrown ones, these are the ones that need to go. No one needs a sand shovel without a handle.
8. Folding chairs
Somehow, I end up with more of these than I need and I don’t remember buying them. Not sure where they come from but the ones that are uncomfortable, dangerous or broken are not staying.
9. Patio umbrella/furniture
If your patio umbrella flipped inside out in a strong wind and now has broken spokes it might be time to toss it.
10. Coolers and ice packs
Coolers and ice packs that don’t stay cold are not useful so they can go. Only keep the things that do their job.
11. Bathing suit and cover ups
Outgrown bathing suits are obvious tosses. So are the ones that have faded beyond wear-ability. You may have different styles for different occasions just be sure you like the ones you keep.
12. Souvenirs
The now crumbling sand castle made from real beach sand. The empty wine bottle from the tour of the vineyard. You get the idea.
A good rule of thumb is toss anything you already replaced. I know it is tempting to keep the original and use the replacement. But there is a reason you replaced it so let the broken, unusable, icky one go.
Finally, now might be a great time to make a mini list of items you want or need to replace. That way when you see a good deal you can scoop them up.
Shopping from a list helps keep you from buying things you think you might need only to return home and realize you already had enough.
I can’t wait to hear what you are tossing!
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