I am talking about stuff.
I do it, you do it, we all do it - have waaaaaayyyyy too much stuff.
I read something the other day that really hit home. In a nutshell it said - we spend our early years buying and collecting stuff - then our later years getting rid of it. YEP!!
There were so many gadgets and things I just had to have when younger. Now they mean nothing, don't get used, and take up space. UGH!
I keep things for .....WHY? Why do I have so many magazines around, books that have been read and are not reference books, clothes I haven't worn in ages, holiday decorations that I don't use any more (and don't even remember having)? I could go on and on. You know the drill!!!!!!
I have really been trying to do better. I work on de-cluttering EVERY week. I get rid of something. I may trash it, may donate it, put it at the curb for FREE, give to someone that can use it - but I get rid of things. I don't miss anything and truthfully you can't even tell.
Now I do have my heirlooms that I love and keep - but I am even trying to dole those out to other families members, so they can enjoy them. I have collections of several items from over the years. I have many of them put away and out of sight - so I really don't know why I keep them. I have things that were gifts - but not needed. Maybe I have kept them long enough - that no one would notice them being gone! They need to 'shared' with someone that can use them and love them.
I just have a lot of stuff.
Lately I have thought to myself - what would happen if we suddenly had to move? Oh my goodness! I never want to put that burden on someone else, and I can't even imagine how daunting that would be for us.
Soooooooooooooooo I am on a mission to minimalize my footprint. IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!
Who is with me? Can we work on this together and report to one another our progress? It will keep us honest and motivate us.
Let's all get busy as if we were moving!!!!!
I will report at the end of each month my progress and you can all share yours.
LET'S DE-CLUTTER TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!!!
This sounds great, Cheryl! Unfortunately, my DH refuses to part with anything. This drives me crazy! If it was left up to me, I would give it all either to Goodwill or our trash can. Everything is 'sentimental' to him. He won't let me touch anything, so disposing of it all is not an option till he changes his mind. And you're right, it's all wasted money. No yard sales here. Good luck on your decluttering! I'm with you in my thoughts and common sense. Lol.
ReplyDeleteCarol oh my now that is a predicament!!! Can you perhaps sneak little things out now and then? LOL
DeleteI am the sentimental one here - but I think I am finally getting over some of it!
You might propose to him the question of what would happen if you both are no longer here - does he want someone just throwing it all away? Odds are not much would be saved if family had to come here.
Perhaps you could get him to part with things by giving it to other family members.
I feel for you - you are definitely between a rock and a hard place. GOOD LUCK!
Thanks for following along!!
I remember when doing scrapbooking that we were told to get the person to hold it, take a picture of it, and then find a new home for the item.
DeleteThat is a great idea Ellen
DeleteI'm in! I also have so many gadgets, etc. that I thought I just had to have. For what? The clutter really starts to impede your quality of life. After tiptoe-ing around it, for ages, it is time to get it addressed. Thank you for the kick in the pants. Good luck to everyone doing this.
ReplyDeleteYAY - good luck to you too. Isn't it amazing how must stuff we accumulate? it is really sad.
DeleteLet's do it!!!!!
I am going through all my stuff as we are getting boxes packed in anticipation of moving. Sometimes I hate QVC! LOL
ReplyDeleteI have tons of candles in case the lights go out, never has. But I need to think about getting rid of those.
Laurie - candles would probably be something I would keep. Maybe that is why I have so much crap!
DeleteI haven't purchased anything from QVC in probably 20+ years. YAY me!!!!! I won't even watch it. Too tempting.
Good luck - I can't imagine moving at this stage in life.
My cousin is going to be opening up a little Frugal Finds shop and I will be supplying him with lots of merchandise in the way of glassware, furniture and china along with books galore. We are doing it on a consignment basis. He is also going to be selling some of the beautiful paintings that my DIL and her mother do.
ReplyDeleteDebbie that sounds like a fun enterprise. I think I could open up a shop myself sometimes!!!
DeleteThat is neat that you can help out and it will help you as well.
WIN - WIN
Cheryl, I beat you to it! That's been my summer project! Things are actually a bigger mess right now,but I know it's only temporary. The closets are already roomier.
ReplyDeleteMy Aunt told me the same thing about clutter when I was about 40. Instead of Christmas gifts, I took her and my uncle a few days ago worth of meals and desserts. She said it was her favorite gift ever! They weren't feeling well and were tired. She said, "I know you won't believe this, but it's a lot of fun to collect things now....but when you get to be about 50, you're going to look around and wonder why you have so much stuff! And then you start giving it away.". I didn't really think it would happen to me, but it did! I was 53 and I remember I was reading. I looked up at something and then around the room. I said to my husband, "Why on earth do we have so much crap?!". And I remembered what my Aunt said.
I look around and say the same thing! It's just deciding what to get rid of.
DeleteHow absolutely lovely on the meals and deserts. I am sure that made them very happy. I love getting homemade goodies around the holiday or home canned goods. We always get a few gift cards for restaurants that make life easier at times as well.
You go girl!
Cheryl, I'm in! We actually did decide to move in the near future and then illness struck our lives and made it more necessary than before to get rid of stuff. Then my mother-in-law died a few weeks ago, and we are dealing with her stuff (more than any one person should have) before we can even get back to our stuff again. Thankfully, I'm in no mood to keep any of her stuff so it's going to good homes in the family, but that still takes time and energy, which we have little of these days.
ReplyDeleteTHAT is exactly what I was talking about. If someone passes, then family has to deal with it. I don't want to put anyone through that. I did that for my folks stuff and what a job. Again, I am sorry for your loss.
DeleteIt is good to see we aren't in this alone. I am glad to see many want to get busy clearing out!
I LOVE this idea! Count me in, Cheryl. :)
ReplyDeleteGood deal. I know we all have a ton of stuff to go.
DeleteHappy de-cluttering.
So my categories and how I plan to get rid of STUFF:
ReplyDeleteChina, multiple sets. Will see what daughters want and then Goodwill.
Scrapbooking: will do when I retire, all things to keep (mementos, awards, articles, pix, tickets) should be scanned. I think scrapbooking in the future will be digital. Office 365 has a few really good dynamic presentation programs to use.
Yarn: Three years after retirement and what is still there gets donated.
Fabric: One year after retirement to make that blue jeans couch cover, daughter's and husband's t-shirt quilt, and things for myself out of fabric purchased (but then lost weight so new needs). Three years after retirement to make the scrap crazy quilt. Five years after retirement to sell off all crafts. Then toss and go travelling instead!
I gave my china to a friends daughter when she married. I asked the gal first - to make sure she wanted it and then it got a new home.
DeleteGirl at least you have a plan on all the crafty things! I hope you fulfill each and every one. I have several crafts projects I have been talking about for years - so best of luck!!!
Cheryl, I made decluttering my big project for the year. Our family has hit some big milestones (children leaving the nest) and it's time to get rid of all the stuff we've just boxed and stashed in the basement, saying "Eh, I'll sort it out later."
ReplyDeleteLater is NOW. I am donating everything in good shape, hoping that it will, in some fashion, bless other lives. It's slow work but I am making progress. With every item or box of goods I donate, I feel just that much lighter!
May God bless all our efforts!
Sue good for you. Sometimes we all need a gentle nudge to get busy with it.
DeleteYes, it is slow - I know that for sure.
I agree, may God bless us all on our efforts.
I know exactly what you mean!! Even though we got rid of things when we moved I am still trying to part with more! Good luck! Nancy
ReplyDeleteGood luck to you too Nancy. I hope I have a much emptier house by the end of the year!
DeleteWhen we moved interstate, 5 years ago, I had a major clean out and declutter. We were too busy with moving preparations to even think of holding a sale. We invited friends around and anything on the veranda or under the carport was up for taking. In the end very little went to the recycle centre at the refuse tip. At the time we lived in a large, sprawling farmhouse. It was full of stuff. We didnt have a house to move to so everything was going into storage whilst we travelled around in our caravan and looked for where we wanted to move to. We knew we would be downsizing so we needed to get rid of stuff. I am so glad we did. I am also so glad that our friends found so much of what we had to be useful. I recently went through everything that seemed to go from one pile to another and didnt have a home to live. Three large garbage bags full of 'stuff' has gone to the Op (thrift) store.
ReplyDeleteNow I just have to keep my ever exploding sewing room under control.
What a wonderful idea for all the extra stuff. Someone else was blessed.
DeleteWhat a great way to hunt for a new home! It sounds so romantic and exotic to do it that way!
I think even when we de-clutter or downsize, we continue to accumulate and have to purge every now and then.
have a great one!
As you know Cheryl, I had a good downsizing time when I was selling my over-cluttered home. Most of mine when to the church in town for when they have their yearly yard sale. The yarn I gave them was divided into 2 categories and a group of women who knit/crochet for the babies in the hospital got one group, and those who knit/crochet afghans for the rescue mission got the other bit. Tons of glass jars went to women who using them, and a lot of other "stuff" went to their yard sale. Stuff that didn't quite fit in the categories, or were just little bits of this and that, went to the curb, and a notice was posted on craigslist. And I packed as I was doing this, things to bring with me and got rid of stuff as I replaced it with a packed tote.Once in awhile I look for something that I thought I brought, but didn't, and use something else in it's place, and no harm done. My major kitchen gadgets that I brought I am happy I did and use them. The ones I left or gave away, I am satisfied that I did the right thing - I am a gadget guru!
ReplyDeleteYou really did downsize a lot. I don't have quite that much discipline - but if I were moving I might.
DeleteYou downsizing blessed a lot of people.
It is amazing what gadgets have multiple uses if we just stop and think.
You did great and you are happy - that is what matters. We need to love what we have.