No longer feeling like a hoarder

In July when I inadvertently hit the nonfunctioning payphone on the wall in the front lobby, the zipper on my backpack was smashed. I got a new backpack about a week ago. But, as of yesterday, no aide has had the time to transfer my things from the old backpack to the new one.

My friend, Rush visited and when I asked her she would help, and she said she would. The aides said the backpack had too much in it. But, since I don't put extra things in it, I wondered why it was bulging. Oh by the way, I never get to look inside.

When it was opened, I found out. There were napkins and tissues galore balled up in it. We also found three four ounce containers of applesauce, peanut butter packs from dietary, mayonnaise packs, empty packaging and gum wrappers. There was also old medical appointment info, shopping lists, and some miscellaneous papers. We threw all the obvious trash away, and I get rid of extra things things in the backpack I no longer need. I threw away a small tube of toothpaste, an old container of sunscreen, some nursing home skin lotion, and old packs of gum.

When we were finished, there was a sizable bag of trash to be thrown away. I was pleased. We were able to get my things easily into the new, smaller backpack.

My friend Rush discovered that there was melted chocolate at the bottom of the backpack. I told her my sister Janice, probably dropped a chocolate covered mint in it, which I forgot about.

The new backpack does not open at the top. But, we were able to get what I use inside it.

Now that my backpack has been emptied, I no longer feel like a hoarder.

My mother always told me to clean out drawers, closets, and other spaces, because it's good for my mental health.