It's January. Isn't this the time when we set lofty goals and strive for greatness?
I just have one...well only one goal that I want to share... Simplify my life and home.
Paul and I have a small condo- 2bed/2bath and we have managed to fill it quite well. With the shuffling of new items into our home lately, I feel like I can't escape the "STUFF." So what have I attempted to do thus far in January 2011? Well, not a whole lot of actual movement, but a lot of thinking and pondering on what to do. So far I've mostly moved things from room to room. Why is it that I find such attachment to things? I know that I was raised to find the value in things and to remember people, situations, circumstances or events with tangible evidence. (This is partially why it is impossible for me to catch up on my scrapbooking as I have 9 ziploc bags representing the years post college and our wedding,..i need to ask myself...do I really need the receipt from the honeymoon stay?) Who knows the rationale that envelopes my mind and makes purging difficult.
So, I have had practice in untying my memories from tangible items recently as it is nearly impossible to keep everything that holds meaning of some sort. I have had spurts of success, followed by days of drudgery at sorting and getting rid of things. Tell me, is it normal for me to have an entire walk in closet of clothes all to myself? To have more than 40 pairs of shoes? All of these are things I NEED to realize are not acceptable to the simple life I want to live.
So in an attempt to lengthen the number of moments of successful purging, I am going to put together some lists...room by room, and make an accounting of the necessary and unnecessary items. Do you think Paul will go along with it? (he whose shoe collection rivals mine)
I think we will start in the garage...but not when it is raining. so not tonight. Wish me luck. maybe the bathroom would be the best place to start.
A wild day
3 years ago
I don't know if this will be relevant or useful for adults, but Tim and I were talking about a system for our kid's things this year. We'll create different bins and rotate out toys. Every month and a half to two months, we'll let the kids trade out current toys for ones in the box. When they get something new, they'll need to put something in the box. We hope that this will help them have less of a mess to manage and appreciate what they have. Plus, it will help us see what they never play with. Maybe you could rotate clothes and shoes this way?
ReplyDeleteRochelle, we have had the same thoughts as we began 2011. Where did we get all this stuff and do we "really" need it? It is a constant battle. I can't wait to see what and how you deal with it. I need inspiration! I have a attachment to things too!
ReplyDeleteWhen we had to move all of our stuff into storage while we staged the house, it was hard to part with all of those personal belongings. But, fast forward over a year later - Dave declared if we could do without that "stuff" for an entire year, do we really *need* it. As much as I love looking through all of that stuff, I think he has something there! Good luck!
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