July 06

This is a Bagster. It is an eight foot by four foot by 2.5 foot container designed for refuse. Basically, with a few exceptions, if you can fit it in there, the Bagster people will take it away.

Boyfriend and I spent the entire weekend cleaning and decluttering. While our goal wasn't explicitly to fill the Bagster, it was nice not having to worry about how much stuff we carried out. As you can see, we did fill the thing -- starting off with the 80s-styled dresser that was my first furniture purchase on my own. Beating it to bits with a hammer was spectacularly cathartic.

We made a dent in the household clutter and will hopefully make more progress now that we have some momentum. Meanwhile, I'm pretty proud that we've let go of so much crap.

187/365 -

June 29

It's the start of a long week, one that will lead up to Independence Day on Saturday. We're doing a deep, deep housecleaning this weekend, something I'm looking very forward to. Planning something on this scale requires -- as almost any project I'm involved with -- lists.

The good news is that the lists are coming along fine. We're labeling stuff to donate and the rest will be thrown out. My intention is to fill our bagster to the brim, leaving our house emptier and hopefully, more habitable.

I'm looking very forward to this project. It's going to feel awfully good to get things in order!

180/365 -

June 28

This is a bagster.

Boyfriend and I, when we moved in together, brought two households worth of stuff into one household. Then we added stuff. Clutter, as it is wont to do, has accumulated and multiplied and otherwise overwhelmed us in our own home.

Next weekend, while we're both off, Boyfriend and I are cleaning house. I think I said it best earlier when I told a friend that we're "getting rid of shit." That which we can't give away or donate will be tossed into the bagster in the driveway, to be taken away by a big truck the following Monday.

Independence Day is taking on a whole new meaning in our house next weekend.

179/365 -