Spring Cleaning | #AdultingWithAbigail

Hello, hello!

So exciting news! I’m moving into my very first big girl house next year! We haven’t found a place just yet, but we’ve decided (we as in me and my roommate for next year) that we’re going to live in a house instead of an apartment. Houses are a way more affordable option AND you get a whole place to yourself. No noisy neighbors, no loud upstairs noises, and no commotion in the hallways late at night.

That means I get to decorate, buy new adult things like a vacuum and dishes, and I no longer have to live in a 250 square foot room!

I wanted to share my excitement with you by sharing exactly what I’m doing to prepare myself for this move. Because I can’t possibly cover this entire moving process in just one post, I’m introducing yet another series on the blog. Say hello to #AdultingWithAbigail.

Cleaning and Purging

Okay so I’ve never actually read the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, but I did get on a YouTube binge of watching people declutter and get rid of items they no longer need.

It’s literal magic. And it’s addicting.

So the basic idea is that you go through every aspect of your life from your kitchen to your closet. You take every item in that category, ask yourself if it brings you joy, and if it does, you keep it. If it doesn’t, you donate it or throw it out.

There’s a lot more to the whole thing, but that’s the simplified version of it.

I’ve been doing this process since about the beginning of April, and it’s amazing how much stuff I carry around with me that I don’t use or need at all. I’ve broken down all the sections of my room that I’ve slowly been going through, and these are the questions I ask myself and some of the items I’m keeping vs getting rid of.

Clothes

Oooh girl we all know how each and every one of us holds onto those pieces of clothing that we bought thinking “oh I’ll get around to wearing that one day.”

If I haven’t worn the item in the past year, I’m saying goodbye.

That dress I’ve had since 7th grade? Goodbye. All those t-shirts I’ve collected over my three years in college that I never ever wear? I’m keeping a solid 5 or 6, and the rest are going goodbye. That skirt I bought in high school thinking I was going to be a skirt girl and I’ve never actually worn? Goodbye.

This is all of the clothing that I’ve managed to part with. It’s crazy. And to think I’ve been dragging that stuff to and from Knoxville for the past 3 years is even more ridiculous.

Bathroom

When it comes to purging things from my bathroom, I thought to myself “Alright Abigail, when was the last time you actually used this product, is this product expired, and do you ever plan on finishing this product?”

If I answered yes to any of those, I cleaned out the container and threw it in the recycling bin.

I know we all have that collection of old Bath & Body Works lotions that we never use…. Well, see if your friend wants them, or if you’ve just had it with that product, say goodbye to it.

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Kitchen

Everything plastic is going out of my life. No more plastic plates, no more plastic cups, no more plastic bowls. Goodbye.

I cannot tell you how excited I am to drive up to Charlotte in the next few weeks and pay a visit to my favorite store in the entire world, Ikea. I’m about to stock up on their plates and glasses because I’m tired of plastic and I want real dishes!!

As far as kitchen items go, I have a lot of small appliances that I use only because I’m living in a dorm room. I’m about to say goodbye to my long-time friend the George Foreman Grill. We’ve had a good run, but it’s time for me to actually cook on a stove and not on a George Foreman Grill.

Bedroom

I am so excited to be getting rid of my bedding because I will never have to sleep in a twin XL bed ever again. My bedding treated me well over the past 3 years, but I’m so stoked to transition out the old and bring in the new.

When it comes to pillows, I’m keeping most of my throw pillows. They’re all very quirky or neutral so they’ll go well in my next place. As far as sleeping pillows go, all of mine are completely flat and have no substance to them at all. I’m going to be getting rid of those and bringing in some nice, new fluffy pillows.

Of course, I’m keeping all of my blankets because blankets are always amazing. I’m very picky about my blankets, and they have to be super soft and cozy. All the blankets will be staying.

RELATED: Freshman Year Dorm Room Tour

Throwing Away vs. Donating

When I say I’m ‘getting rid of’ some item in the above paragraphs, I don’t mean I’m just throwing it away.

I’m a very eco-friendly person so throwing things away is the last thing I’ll do. Instead, I’m donating almost all of the items.

USC does a cool donation collection at the end of every year so residents can donate all their old stuff instead of just throwing it away. That’s where all my clothes, plastic grocery bags, and kitchen stuff is going.

As far as all of my bedding and pillows, I’m going to be taking those to a local animal shelter! They’re always in need of blankets and pillows and stuff like that so I’d rather give my stuff to the animals. If you’re moving out, check your local animal shelters to see if they’ll take donations!

I’m so stoked for this next chapter in my life because I now feel like an actual adult. I’m going to IKEA tomorrow, and you better bet I’m going to be vlogging the whole thing and doing so many blog posts on everything!

~abigail gray