Hot Spot #3 Wrap up and Introducing #4

My work on last week's hot spot, kids' clothes and toys, didn't progress as I had hoped. Attacking the pile of outgrown clothes was easy enough. I've got another trunk load for Goodwill. I did eliminate the "mend" pile easily, too, because the kids had already outgrown many of the items. Oops.

In my decluttering, I discovered a stash of clothes that Robert has just started fitting. Width-wise, anyway. I simply moved them from the "will wear soon" pile to the "alteration sewing" pile. He still can't really wear them until I conquer the blind hem stitch on my sewing machine. I did begin an attempt to blind-hem some stretchy velvet knit, which is a pain to work with anyway. It wasn't a pleasant experience. I decided to learn on an easier fabric type, then realized that I will need to adjust the needle, the stitch, the thread, the bobbin, and the tension for EACH piece of clothing to be altered. Is a pair of 18-month PJ pants really worth the hassle? Really?! I'll have to get back to you on that.

And now for Hot Spot #4.

This week's hot spot from the Project: Simplify challenge is to declutter and clean the pantry, the fridge, and as much of your kitchen as you can handle in a week *groan* Anything but my fridge! Nooooooo! I signed up to declutter. Not. To. Clean.

(grumble grumble grumble)

This is something I REALLY need to work on. It doesn't help that I'm a food-storage-lovin' Mormon with not only a kitchen full of food, but two full size bedroom closets and a couple shelves in the garage to boot (side note: our Realtor thought we were a bit crazy until he figured out the LDS thing). Does the gigantic freezer in the garage count, too? Cuz' it could sure use a defrost right about now.

So, that's my challenge this week. A real challenge. Ugh.

Here's the attack plan, I guess, if you're gonna make me do it.

1. Organize and update the pantry in Robert's closet. Throw away expired food. Throw away or donate food and food types we haven't eaten in 6 months. Yeah, even the perfectly good pickle relish I received as a gift. You too, brown rice from 2004, I'm talking to you.
2. Sort through the chest freezer. Throw away foods from more than 2 years ago (i.e. garden produce I thought I would incorporate into our diet later...nuh uh). Defrost. Decide on a way to organize it better and keep track of what's in there.
3. Clean. The. Stupid. Fridge. Wipe out the drawers, shelves, and interior/exterior surfaces. Stupid fridge. 
4. I guess I'll clean out the microwave too. It's been, um, several years.