Organization

I've been reading some articles on organization recently.  We have so much stuff.  It doesn't help that I am a pack rat extraordinaire and Tim is the king of "I'm going to do something with that!"

I've been going through the house with the hopes of getting rid of things we don't need.  I was able to dump several "but I'm going to fix that!" projects that have been sitting around waiting on me for years. 

I also started another Goodwill box.  This is the hardest thing for me to deal with- getting rid of things I might need.  I also hate looking at something and thinking "I spent X amount of money on that, now I'm going to just get rid of it."  You have to ask yourself if keeping something solely because you spent money on it is a worthy reason to store it.  If I keep it 10 years and never use it or look at it, why save it? 

I tend to keep gifts folks have given me.  Long after the giver has forgotten it, I will still store it- moving it from house to house, never unpacking it.  Why?

If you worry about moving something out and forgetting X- Auntie Em who gave it to, the situation surrounding it, that first concert you went to, the summer of '69 or WHATEVER, just take a picture of the item.   It's easier to store a single photo than an entire t-shirt, or a statue of a dalmatian from second grade.

I managed to fill up that Goodwill box today.  I still have a lot more to move- especially stuffed animals.  I have so many from my childhood that just sit in boxes and are useless.   It's time to let them go, even though sometimes it's like saying goodbye to old friends.  Still- I'd rather regain my sanity by getting this house in order, than haul the stuffed toys around until bugs ruin them or they fall apart from old age.

Wish me luck!

-Kristen