Past and Future

Clearing and de-cluttering. Reducing my junk! I have WAY TOO MUCH in my life, and I can’t possibly keep it all. My future plans include a move across the country, and I truly don’t want another 18-foot truck of junk in boxes to haul.

NOTE: This is a gratitude issue! I have so much that I can give it away! I have so much abundance that my life is cluttered!

I have dirty dishes because I had food to eat. I have too much clothes because I was receptive to gifts, or had extra funds at the time to get them.

Clothes

I went through my clothes yesterday. I pulled all the stuff that’s too small, too old, too ugly or hasn’t been worn in over a year. No matter what I spent on it, if I don’t wear it, it’s just taking up space that I can use for something I WILL wear!<

I put all my favorite, old t-shirts in a pile and cut them up to make something. I’ll sew those together this week, and make a light blanket. I’ll get to keep the best part while reducing my footprint. I also kept the sleeves. I might want to make some draft dodgers with them.

Craft Supplies

Today, I got into my fabric & yarn. OOPS! Now I have an idea of how many quilt tops I can make. HINT: More than 6! And other projects I want to sew up. Pulled enough fabric to get started, but not so much to be overwhelmed.

Found more knitting needles, too! WOOT! WOOT! Those are now all in one place.

I didn’t find the little beads you use for ironing onto the forms, so I could give them away with the forms. I’m sure there are still places to look for them before the charity comes to take things away.

I also have one of those looms for making pot holders with some of the loops. I think that will go, too.

De-Cluttering

I started coughing & hacking when I was about 70% thru clearing my table, so it’s break time while the asthma & sinus stuff works.

Slowly reducing. Giving away. Letting go. If I truly want the next part of my life to be different, I MUST let go of the past!

Where Does It Go?

We’ve all heard stories about charities that pay their directors huge salaries while treating their employees like crap. Or charities that restrict the lifestyle choices of the individuals they help. But I’m pretty lucky in that I have a couple of local places near me that help in true Christian fashion. “Ask and ye shall receive.” So that’s where I donate.

I have lots of stuff to donate. I’ve been collecting it in one place for a while, now.  I have office supplies, filing supplies, clothes, eyeglasses, shoes, bedding, paper goods, household goods, food, purses, handmade goods from my collection of crocheted things…

The list goes on.

Is this my new year’s resolution? NO! I have plans to move, as I said.

Process Stages

My life is such that I don’t put down roots too deeply. I move around. I’ve lived in several parts of the Lower 48, and I have plans to move again. This time back out west, but not someplace I’ve lived before

To make this move, I need to reduce my footprint. Only bring with me the things I truly cannot live without and would miss. Many things I can replace, like clothes, extra supplies, and so on.

I need to examine my belongings for stages: “Too Much,” “For the time being,” “Forever.”

• The “Too Much” is what I’m doing now.
  • Clothes
  • Extra office supplies
  • Artwork I’m willing to let go of
  • Blank picture frames
  • Books I’ve read and can let go of
• The “For the time being” are things I’ll donate before I move, but closer to the move – things like
  • extra pans and baking things,
  • duplicate kitchen gadgets,
  • first aid supplies that I don’t need every day, though I’ll keep a small kit.
  • Books I read between now and the move
  • Furniture I can easily replace
• The “Forever” stuff is stuff I’ll take with me.
  • Books I can’t get rid of
  • Family stuff
  • Pet supplies I need
  • Certain furniture items I want to keep
  • DVD and CD collectionsI intend to take with me

Hopes and Plans

I intend to make this trip in an RV with a small trailer behind. Keeping a selection of kitchen stuff doesn’t seem so silly in that context.

I can convert the trailer to a mobile workshop/retail space after the move.

I also intend to have a destination in mind, complete with house and RV parking, before I leave.

I hope this post inspires you to de-clutter your life, if you’ve collected too much stuff.