Getting rid of stuff in a huge purge can be very therapeutic! We did that when we downsized into this bungalow 5 years ago, and it's so much better living with fewer things around. Even still, I could go through the closets again, but I have to be in the mood.
My husband, sentimental packrat that he is, has been systematically going through dozens of boxes of old crap and shredding, shredding and more shredding. We gave bagloads of clothes and household junk away, left some at the end of our driveway for passers-by to pick through, and generally cut down to less than half of the unnecessary baggage we'd been lugging around for years. Not one item has ever been missed. Um, there is that one sofa I sort of wish I'd kept...but then where the heck would I have put it?
I know what it's like, Sophia! Kids moving in and out of various apartments and always seem to bring more stuff back with them than they left with, acquisitions like that bread-maker I used the once, the silly do only one thing gadgets clogging up the kitchen cupboards....on and on.
I've even thrown out the 2 microwaves we had. Hated the damn things. The one in the kitchen that is built in is still here, but I only use it for a timer.
Life is messy. I'm doing my best to keep it uncluttered.
I donated a significant amount of stuff to the Salvation Army last year, and went through what I call my minimalist phase..... I have the closets in the three bedrooms full of clothes. I have a pretty extensive work wardrobe, and I probably have 30+ suits. The worst part is that the company that I work for is business casual, so I very rarely wear them. When I buy clothes, I tend to buy on the conservative side, which is why I am such a clothes hog, they are more classic, and don't tend to go out of style. That and the 20 pound weight fluctuation I tend to go through, and there is the crux of my problem.
KaeEll, You have inspired me to donate that bread maker that I used once. Heck I am allergic to wheat! I actually mentioned hiring a company to come in and basically empty out the basement, of everything except for the really good furniture, and to give it a thorough going through. My mother suggested having a yard sale, but the thought of dragging everything out is not appealing.
When the real estate market up here stabalizes I will start looking. Houses are still seriously overpriced, and dropping every month, especially the bigger ones, that will fit all of my furniture.....
I gave a bread maker and alot of other stuff to charity. Recently I decided if I'm not using it after a year, then it goes. Either charity, garbage, resale....
I just can NOT stand clutter around my house, I guess cuz I have the three kids and all their stuff. So we have to minimalize where we can
I can't tell you guys how much I am in absolute awe of your discipline! I'm more like KaeEll's husband; I tend to attach too much sentiment to items that are associated with people I love.
But, if you'd seen what all was in my in-laws' house, you might actually congratulate me for paring it all down as much as I did! I mean, just how MANY sets (12 PAIRS in each set) of salt and pepper shakers can a person need??? There must have been a dozen sets with (as I said) twelve pairs in each set!
And, how many sets of linen napkins? White, off-white, eggshell, beige, brown, pink, spring green, dark green, rose, burgundy, navy blue, light blue, sky blue ... duplicate sets of all of the above ... and antique monogrammed linens.
THEN, there were the sets of FLORAL print linen napkins ... White, off white, eggshell, beige (okay, I'll stop).
Glasses. And, many of them antique. Some of them monogrammed!
Silver serving pieces. (And I almost MISSED a HUGE collection of those because they were in an invisible closet.) Yeah... There were "secret rooms" and "secret closets" in the darned house!
China. Several massive sets of gorgeous china that had EVERYTHING, including soup tureens.
Miscellaneous sets (yes, plural) of flatware.
Furniture.
Collections.
Cookware.
Books!!! We donated -- I am NOT MAKING THIS UP because we took it off on our taxes -- we donated to a library in the county where they lived over 4,000 books! I'm not kidding... The library assocation sent people into the house with boxes to pack up the shelves. They had sent three people, and even with my help, and my husband's help, it took hours!
Then, when I was exploring the laundry room, I realized that there was a large floor to ceiling cabinet that I hadn't explored yet. I mean, it was the laundry room!
MORE FREAKIN' SETS OF LINEN NAPKINS!!!
And, linen placemats. And solid placemats. And mirrored placemats. And bamboo placemats, AND..............
I have to go lie down now.
-- Edited by Moore ideas at 19:39, 2007-07-08
__________________
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
(Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
Moore, you're killing me with that story! I told you all about the huge yard sale at my parents house, when they sold the one on the Cape....
Just the other day my mother asked me if I wanted some of her extra Waterford Crystal, that she does not have room for.... I graciously said YES! One day a few weeks ago, I came home and found that my mother had stopped by while I was at work. She left a Waterford Crystal, holy water container that hangs on the wall. It came from my grandmother's house, in Waterford Ireland. My Nanny had it hanging by the door, and always blessed herself from it prior to leaving the house. It holds true sentimental value to me, because when my parents immigrated to the United States, I stayed in Ireland with my Nanny for a year. She was a tremendous woman who passed away a few years ago at the ripe old age of 94. Seeing the holy water container humbled me, and brought tears to my eyes.
Tina, for china I have Royal Daulton's Old Country Rose pattern, which I love. My whole kitchen is done around that theme, I even have my curtains in the pattern. You can see the dishes in my little china cabinet. I loved the pattern for years, but could never afford it. One Christmas, my mother started getting place settings for me, and that's how I started my collecting. Over the years I have picked up additional pieces, until I have gotten to the point that I have a pretty significant collection going on.
I now get news letters from the company, and they occasionally have huge sales going on. I actually had eight pieces delivered to the house last week, which will ever be known to me as my excessive purchase week. Last weeks additions included a cookie jar, pie plate and cracker tray, along with five other pieces.
One day, when I purchase my big house, with a formal dining room, the set will really be showcased!
I need to get some curtains, my dishes are all lighthouses. So it would be good for me to do everything in that, or at least like a Navy blue to match the water on the plates
