The idea of having so much stuff you have to throw it out makes me uneasy. Our culture (USA) is so obsessed with having lots of belongings that it wrecks havoc on the environment. Resources are stripped from the planet just to manufacture these thing. Many of them are cheaply made so people can get them on sale at Walmart. Then after a few uses, we tend to stuff them in a basement/attic corner. It piles up for years, and then if we are lucky we find time to get rid of it. Then the landfills are taxed because all this crap will now go there and sit there for thousands of years.
So as long as I can be somewhat “green” about this, it’s very therapeutic and rewarding. I am also reading a book called Living the Simple Life by Elaine St. James. I read a couple of chapters, then get rid of more stuff.
This is not just about getting rid of stuff. It’s also about making the stuff you have useful. For example, I have several bags of boys’ clothing. My son who is nearly 3 can use this stuff. It would be a shame if I just went out and bought him a whole new wardrobe because I forgot about these bags of clothes. I would have to yet again have them donated or they would wind up in the trash! Luckily I came across the bags just in time.
So now I am washing the donated clothes to create his fall wardrobe. I am using a long cycle with hot water because I smell a strong perfume on the clothes. To ease my guilt I will line dry the load.
The other day I tossed out a ton of old bills, checks, bank statements, check stubs, etc. I composted some of it and recycled the rest.
I’m getting there little by little. Hopefully I won’t have much to throw out and this goal is just a matter of organizing. Whatever I do have to get rid of I really hope another family can use it.
