I frequently write on this blog about decluttering and letting go. There are a variety of reasons why it can be hard to let go, such as:
- a sentimental connection to the past
- hope for the future
- connection to a deceased loved one
- guilt
- anxiety
However, today I thought I’d go for a laugh and list some things that are truly difficult to eliminate; things we would love to get rid of, but which tenaciously stick around. While we might not succeed in eliminating these things as easily as we might like, we can at least giggle, acknowledge that the fight is real, and know that we are not alone!
Hope these bring a smile to your face!
40 Things That Are Tough to Get Rid Of
- A cough (especially when you inhale your saliva)
- Loose hairs (the ones you can feel on your body but cannot see)
- Dust
- Stains
- Smudges on your phone screen
- Cobwebs on your clothes
- Something stuck in your eye
- Weeds
- Weight (especially the last five pounds)
- Sticky residue
- Ants (and other insects)
- Toe fungus
- Mildew
- Calcium & hardwater buildup
- Unfortunate nicknames
- Odor of the fish you cooked last night
- Earworms (that song, stuck in your head)
- Company that has stayed past their welcome
- That charity you donated to one time
- Obsessive thoughts
- Your bad driver’s license or passport photo
- Jingles
- Acne
- An accidentally-sent email
- The common cold
- Noise from loud neighbors
- Window streaks
- Burnt splotches on the stove
- Calls to extend your car’s warranty
- Paper cuts
- Cracks in your phone screen
- Dirt on your keyboard
- Requests to fill out a customer service survey
- Sound of leaf blowers
- Rattling sounds in appliances
- Chapped lips
- Food between your teeth when you don’t have floss
- Unsightly bruises
- Unflattering photos online
- Itches in hard-to-reach places
Can you relate to any of these? What would you add to this list?
Your list definitely made me LOL tonight and thanks for that!! 🤣
Janine Huldie recently posted…A Style Guide to CARAT* London Tennis Bracelets
Have a great week, Janine!
How about mud or gum stuck on the bottom of your shoe? Relate BIG TIME to the earworm. I always have songs or tunes stuck in my head…never the words, but the melody. And I play them over and over. Sometimes I think I even hum them out loud (or so I’m told.)
Gum on the shoe is a good one. Actually, gum anywhere other than your mouth is a good one- it’s s hard to get rid of! I sing all day, and always have some song stuck in my head. Nice are the days when the songs are decent, not some catchy jingle from when I was 11 years old!
I’ve probably dealt with most of these at one time or another but loose hairs are currently a pet peeve of mine.
I lose a lot of hair and I feel like I’m constantly trying to find the ones that are tickling me and remove them!
Haha Seana,
You are funny! A lot of those things do have an impact on us though. Maybe just for a moment or for a day and can be annoying. Sounds can be so distracting and not always pleasant. Thanks for the laugh today.
Kim recently posted…Dear Organizer, Letter From a Client
We can all use a little laughter, right? Have a great week, Kim!
Humor is the best motivator!
There are many heavy things in our world right now, so I thought it might be a good time for a laugh!
Frizzy hair – ugh – my hair gets so frizzy in the Atlanta humidity. Hmmm – This was so much fun. I can relate to most of these things. Very creative, Seana!
My hair goes flat in the humidity, which also isn’t good. Alas, I will forever be trying to keep curl in my hair!
Tough to get rid of: Bed Bath and Beyond coupons–they come in the door faster than I can use them! And yet, I keep a ton of them because you never know when you’re going to need purchase 15 items from BBB!
I feel you, Stacey. I started keeping them in a poly-envelope in my car. You just never know!
Great list, Seana! I would add stains on markerboards. I’m staring at one right now. lol
Sabrina Quairoli recently posted…The Best Way to Organize Clothing During the Fall Months
That’s a great one, Sabrina. Surely there is a solution to this! So annoying, right?
Pet hair! I sweep and vacuum and still there’s at least one dog hair on my clothes when I leave the house.
That’s a great one, Katherine!
Oh my, I can identify with so many of these! The current one that bothers me the most is the invisible hairs that love to hide behind my mask when we’re singing at choir practice. I’ve had to work hard to ignore those and focus on being thrilled we are back together as a choir.
Took choirs a long time to get back together, so worth the irritation. But still, those hairs!!!
Such a fun post and so on point! I can relate to so many of these. The loose hairs drive me insane!
Always trying to find those hairs that are tickling me!
Fabulous list, to which I add:
Embarrassing memories of stupid things you said
The typo on your otherwise brilliant tweet that has already been retweeted before you caught the error
Those blobs of mascara when you sneeze just after you’ve put on your makeup but after you’ve left the house
The ex you wish would disappear
The one who got away…but is still taking up space, rent-free, in your noggin!!!
Julie Bestry recently posted…Cross-Training for Families: Organize for All Eventualities
Such terrific additions! I’ve had those mascara blotches for sure. The ex – perfect! So funny. I know you would have some good ones, Julie!
OMG #2 drives me crazy.
Thanks for the laugh. A lot of your list I had never thought about.
It was fun to put this list together!
Your hair that gets stuck to freshly applied lipgloss.
The disdain in your teenager’s voice.
The lipgloss – always! Such a good one.
And I hear you on the “teenager” voice. Been there in spades!
Great list! You’re right in that most of us want to declutter much more than just our old sweaters and shoes!
Creative Closets recently posted…What Type of Furniture Belongs in a Home Office?
I laughed out loud when I read your post, Seana. 😊 I can definitely relate to #’s 17 and 31. And, like Julie, I’m adding in typos after you’ve hit send on a tweet or published a blog post.
Two more – 1) a bleach stain on dark clothing that pops up out of nowhere and 2) crazy gray hair that has a mind of its own!
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Those are great additions. I was just noticing bleach stains on my sweater yesterday – no idea how they got there!
The chin hair that is oddly long by the time you notice it.
“Floaters” in your vision that make you think you’re seeing a bug. Repeatedly.
I guess I’m showing my age here!
I totally relate to what you are talking about with the long chin hairs!!
Floaters is a great one. You don’t have to be old to have those. My daughter in her 20s has them (unfortunately…). They ARE tough to toss for sure – not going to go away.
Thanks for these additions!