Recently Outed

Source: spirituallythinking.blogspot.com via Holly on Pinterest

RECENTLY OUTED:

• Bin Garbage
• Bin Recycling
• Broken Crib - unfortunately, it broke when we disassembled it, but someone came along before the trash men this morning and picked it up, so maybe they'll do something neat with the pieces.  It is missing a vital piece so no worries that anyone would try to use it for a child.
• KitchenAid mixer - SOLD.  This thing was too heavy, valuable, and coveted by others to continue to let it just sit and take up room on my counter.  I've had it 6 years and probably used it as many times.  The girl I sold it to is SUPER THRILLED about it and can't wait to use it - I hope she makes many delicious things!
• 4 more Amazon sales
• 2 boxes to go out to Amazon warehouse today.
• 2 boxes of random stuff ready for yard sale

SOON TO GO:

• Set of Sango Nova Brown dishes with lots of extra pieces- will probably try to sell locally as they are heavy to ship...
• Culling of china cabinet, incl. glasware and table linens
• Clothes still needing to be listed

Ta-da!

Remember that mess behind my couch? I cleaned it ALL UP. And... I rearranged the couch so it is now against a wall - that nook just created a haven for stuff.

4 boxes ready for yard sale.

1box & 1 bag books donated today.

All garbage and recycling out to bin ahead of schedule.

Winter clothes binned & in storage.

To do:
Finish sending new shipment to amazon.

Shoot/list clothing.

Toss old food from fridge.

Pack up Husband's winter clothes.

Cull shoes - a lot of them don't fit anymore!

Big Joy

“Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity, reduce selfishness, have few desires.” 

- Lao Tzu, via becoming minimalist

Yesterday I finally had a chance to try out my "new" (used) vacuum. Our old one broke and the living room floor was speckled with ground-up Kix and Cheerios. I had my son help me clean up every. little. tiny. toy. off the rug, in exchange for promising to let him help vacuum. (Yes, you are jealous!)




After we were all done, he spontaneously broke out in a flailing, improv happy dance and I did the same.  Then the dog ran in the room and seeing all the WIDE OPEN SPACE, dropped and rolled on his back in glee.  None of the THINGS in my house were the inspiration for this joy, rather, it was the LACK OF THINGS and the SPACE.  The joy came from my family.

Again last night I was reminded of this when my husband and I both tucked my son into bed with some stories.  He just recently graduated from a crib to a twin-size bed (with a rail) and all three of us were snuggled in there together, not at all cramped, but very comfortable.  My son's room is by far the cleanest in the entire house, and one of the biggest, and it had cooled down so even the windows and curtains were wide open, and I just felt like I had everything I needed right there in that 18+/- square feet of bed.  Not that I'd want to sleep that way on a regular basis, but I was filled with so much joy over my family and the simplicity of the moment and the lack of any material items contributing to that joy.

I have so much.  And when I get rid of most of it, I'll have so much more.

And On And On It Goes...

WOW.  It's been quite a while since I've posted here.  Some of you probably wondered if I'd just given up on the whole "simplify" thing so quickly... I HAVE NOT.  I've just been super-busy.  That estate sale I mentioned in the last post was this past weekend, and it. was. AMAZING.  I sold EVERYTHING!  That has never happened before.  I didn't even need to call the donation truck to pick anything up.  Plus, I behaved myself, ignoring all the nifty doo-dads that I not only had first dibs on but could have scored at a really discounted price.  All I bought was a large, high quality area rug which I could not resist, and a chair which was free b/c nobody had bought it until the end, which I will trade in and send 2 other chairs packing in exchange.

So it hasn't been the busiest de-cluttering week in my own house, but I still managed to get more out than in.  Dropped off 2 shopping bags of books to the Goodwill donation yesterday, AND I threw out the large amount of garbage that was fluttering around inside my car.  <<< That one is huge.  I mean, it wasn't up to the windows, but it was a constant state of wrappers and empty cups, etc.

If anyone has a time machine, teleporter, or even just a utility trailer they'd be willing to loan me, please let me know!

 

So. Much. Stuff.

It's Friday morning and I have the whole weekend ahead of me to work on this mess.  I have been busy all week with work, one component of which is handling someone else's stuff for an estate sale.  I think it's the last one I can manage until I am done handling all my own stuff.

I did get a few things out since my last post:

• More recycling
• 1 bag books & 1 bag clothes and toys to Goodwill donation
• Some expired/undesirable food from cabinets

My goals for the weekend:

• Fill trash can as full as I can for Tuesday morning pickup.
• Get some boxes going for future garage sale (exact date TBD)
• Get my butt in the gross, clutter-y basement during son's nap hours and get some garbage out.
• All recycling out to bin
• Wash guest bed linens and get ready to list/sell them.
• Clean (garbage, clothes, etc. out of) cars.

Check-In August 3, 2012

Out: 
1 big bag of trash
Kitchen Compost
1/2 trash bag my clothes ready to donate
1 box clothes folded/ready to list

Other Accomplishments
2 loads of dishes washed
4 loads of laundry washed (2 already folded)
1 small bag of trash culled from back hallway (where stuff wanders off to/laundry area)
Put away SO! MANY! CLOTHES!
90% of cold-weather clothes folded in bin w/cedar & lavender
Found part of my bedroom floor (It's a lovely oak hardwood; I'd forgotten)
Found part of the top of my dresser
Recycled some of my less-than-exciting jars (ie. spaghetti sauce, etc.)

Newly Up For Sale - Lots of books!  Check the links at the top right for some books I'm selling straight from me.  Bargains galore, and I will combine shipping to get you the best deal.  I also have a few more books ready to send off to Amazon and Etsy AND I HAVE HAD 4 SALES THIS WEEK ON AMAZON!

I have 5 items listed on eBay (see toolbar @ right) and they all have "watchers" with several days to go, and 2 of them have multiple bids!  Just little stuff, but that's ok b/c little stuff is easier to mail out.

I need to find some time to post more about the psychology of all this and what is going on in my head.  I have never felt so simultaneously bogged down and free.  Bogged down by so much left to go, but a little bit more free with every package/box/bag/etc. that goes out the door.  And... this is big... I haven't allowed myself to step foot in any thrift stores - only around the back to the donation door!