Minimize existing clutter and excess possessions

Things to work on:

- Sewing stuff in guestroom closet
- Stuff from mom’s house
- Stuff on my computer desk
- (w/ D’s help) Stuff on D’s computer desk

I feel I’ll never truly be done with this … but it’s done enough to move it to the finished page.

Even now, I can think of a few things we can just clear out … but it’s only a matter of time. I would rather have the place livable and minimal than sentimental but packed. Memories are better than most of the old stuff, anyway.

The Christmas regift cleanout was immensely successful! I’m almost down to a managable level of stuff in the regift dresser now. I need to go through and throw out/donate things that have been in there for longer than a year or so. It really just needs to be done.

I also have a whole stack of stuff to go to consignment – Mom and I will have to plan a trip to Alma by way of Saginaw (or vice versa) some time soon.

I’ve decided that this will be the year I’ll give away all that stuff I’ve been stashing in my “re-gift bin”. I don’t the money to shop (as always), but this time I don’t have the energy or the time, either. Plus, I’ve been squirrelling away pretty good stuff for a long time. I made piles last night of about half the stuff in the dresser, and it’s great! I won’t need to do ANY extra shopping at all. Period. And wrapping seems a small task. I am so glad I’m both accomplishing my goal of getting RID of extra STUFF and giving away cool things for Christmastime. WHOO HOO!

I need to attack my sewing and stitching stuff and toss all that’s not usable. There’s plenty of stuff just taking up space that really shouldn’t be.

Today my mother, sister, and grandmother are going with me to the consignment shop. Whoo-hoo, getting rid of forty things at a time!

I hate to admit it, but the current bathroom situation, while cuter than what I have in mind, is not working. I’ll sacrifice the cuteness for functionality. We need those clear plastic drawers to tuck under the counter. Hopefully I can find some with a black frame, and I can think of some great way to organize them all. There has to be one. That way I can clear off the counter and just get stuff organized and put away. I’m excited just planning it.

I picked up three more square baskets and stacked them full of my sweaters. This emptied out the dresser, and I moved the gifts that were crammed into an old tub into the dresser. Now that I can see them all, I’ll be ready for birthdays and holidays and not buy stuff when I already have perfectly good gifts for people! Plus, I have more room for gift items this way. I filled the tub with bedding that isn’t being used right now, and it could probably eventually go to storage. I reorganized how I keep my winter accessories (scarves, hats, gloves) and how I keep my purses. I did a fair amount of purging, too, tossing old sweaters, coats, gloves, and purses. I love my “new” closets.

And it’s time for a big drop-off of clothes in the donation bin and at the consignment shop. Yay!

Now that I’m settling in at my new job, I have a bunch of office supplies that can go to homes there! I did bring home a few things from each of my previous jobs, and although I do have a desk at home, they just aren’t being used. They can come with me to my desk at work, where they will be used … and more important, they will be out of the house!

I’m still repacking and reorganizing stuff. There’s such a long way to go, still, but we’ve done so much!

I need some tubs and things, to really square stuff away. Maybe some square laundry baskets? Those really worked in the other closet.

Yesterday I got out my winter wardrobe and put the summer stuff away. I didn’t add much to the closet – most of the winter stuff either doesn’t fit any more or was stuff I just wasn’t wearing. Either way, it all went to the consignment or donate bins. My consignment bin is full; I’ve got to get up there and take some stuff in. Hopefully on a Saturday, so I can get G to take some stuff in, too. It feels great to be getting rid of stuff like this. I want to just keep going on everything in the house!