Coming to grips with reality!

Ok. Here we go.

I remarried and moved to my husband's home after living in the same home for 29 years... 29 years, 2 husbands, 2 children... and lots and lots of stuff. It took me awhile to accept the fact that I am a "collector." My father was a collector, and so is my mom. So, I come by it honestly. A collector in our family is somebody that saves stuff that they really don't need in the anticipation that someday, somehow that "stuff" will be useful...forever, apparently. Maybe my folks were collectors because they had so little in the Great Depression. Growing up in the 50's and 60's, I heard about childhood in the 30's and how the desperate economic times affected so many people, including my family. So I think a little of this attitude rubbed off on me.

Yet, saving stuff I don't need anymore is a problem. And, unfortunately, much of the time the "stuff" gets outdated, dirty, or damaged before it ever gets used for that "someday" necessity. To make matters worse, I had a small shop at one time that I have many leftover supplies and products from.

Backtracking a little, in order to get married and move, I spent nearly a year getting rid of stuff. Furniture, clothing, baby things, dishes, home dec accessories, curtains, small appliances, stuffed animals, bedding, magazines, painting supplies, tools, ladders...stuff. I made the move, successfully having divested myself of the stuff, and lived happily ever after...kind of.

Except after nearly 7 years, I have accumulated more stuff. And it is not tremendously organized. So after going through the painful process of getting rid of stuff, I have new stuff to deal with.

It dawned on me this morning. I was looking through catalogs, searching for something to organize my stuff with, or to store my stuff in, when I had the AHA! moment.

Why should I, why WOULD I, actually BUY something to organize my stuff when I have too much stuff and should just pare down again, and reorganize what is left????

Bottom line. I need to get rid of stuff, either donating it to those who might find it useful, sell what I can, and toss what is junk! So I am going to start the process all over again. Maybe this time it will take. I just hope it doesn't take me a year this time.

The goal is to clean out drawers, closets, storerooms, and the garage. To empty and organize freezers. And if it is in the cards, I would like to put concrete in the crawlspace so I can store Christmas decorations more conveniently.

I have a hard time trying to figure out how to sell beautiful unfinished wood pieces I was going to paint and sell in my shop since I cannot have a garage sale. So this particular issue might pose a problem. But no excuses for the rest.

So, with no more delay, I am beginning the process...for the last time. Yea!