Clump #201:  What’s in this basket?

Below, a basket of stuff clogging up the study … another instance of the old dash-and-stash before company is about to arrive.  It’s the root of clutter-evil for me!  In the case of this basket, much of the contents are Christmas (!) (I know) presents that weren’t quite right, needing to be exchanged or returned.

At first it was a case of “out of sight, out of mind,” then eventually, when it did enter my mind, I had the aversion response: “Oh, I’ve left them too long, it’s probably not possible to return them now… bad me!” which, ironically, leads to more procrastination.

So today I dug in.  I called TOM’S, where I purchased the “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” tee shirt.  I spoke to a very nice young man, and when I mentioned how small the sizing  was, he explained they are “California sizes.”  “Everyone is smaller in California.”  I had never heard that one before!  He mentioned that there, he has to buy a 3XL, and so he really can’t find any clothing. Huh!  Good experience number one.

Next I returned a pair of slippers for our younger daughter, who had kindly told me she does not wear slippers.  Yet another chapter in my life-long quest to get her to put on something warm and her life-long quest to make me understand that she is not cold.  When will I learn?

I had bought them at Lands’ End, so I took them to the L.E. department in our local Sears.  Piece of cake.  No time limits, no problem.

Approaching basket clearness!