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This winter: let go (of stuff)
Three Steps:
https://unclutterer.com/2013/06/24/thre ... go-of-yet/

By now, a google search on clutter results in: a virtual clutter of advice, how to choose?
i chose to first eliminate lists of this sort: "100 (200+) Things to Throw Out Now!"
The above link has 3 steps. That's more in my league.

in this link, a new term: fake unclutterers. hmm.

Good news: i've already started!
i had a few bags in my weekly trash bin last week, hope to have a filled bin this week.

my plan is, if i keep at it, even taking it slow+easy, , i could be well-organized by spring.

i began life as a child, in school, as a married woman, such the neat, clean, organized one.
our Swiss friends were "palpably" impressed; for me, the acid test.
pride goeth before a fall ..

that was before ..
moving from larger houses to smaller (tough!)
children leaving the nest, but not taking their respective treasures.
family members passing, likewise, not taking their earthly treasures.
leaving employment, not throwing away tools-of-the-trade(s) .. not his, not mine.

over the years, we gave so many things to others, young people starting-out, family members taking needed items as they were replaced .. when i think what we've given away, in volume, how can anything be left? no, seriously.

in one of our moves, i concluded there must be a law of physics about:
whatever contents stored IN any closet, cabinet, or drawer, once brought out into daylight, must, somehow, expand 9X's its original volume.

This thread is about getting rid of stuff; ideas, experiences, mutual support.

in my imagination, while building up focus to tackle this job, i visualized disposing of boxes of "other peoples' stuff," stored going on 10 years - without opening.

it's nice to have fantasies.

i can actually remember being a newlywed with nothing.
we had a rented roof over our heads, cardboard boxes.
we put our little home together, bit-by-bit, from yard sales.
some borrowed items.

we dressed our baby girl in 25cent frocks, and she was as pretty, healthy+happy as any other.
i sewed. fabrics were nicer then.

stumbling block! memory lane! don't do it.

Even having lived simply for years we had to de clutter to be. Able to full time RV. We piled up everything we wanted to give away and had the relatives and neighbors come over for a picnic then take what they wanted. Anything left in good condition went to a church thrift store. It sure made it a lot easier in us.

MaxPC wrote:Even having lived simply for years we had to de clutter to be.
Able to full time RV.

We piled up everything we wanted to give away and had the relatives and neighbors come over for a picnic then take what they wanted. Anything left in good condition went to a church thrift store.
It sure made it a lot easier in us.

after returning from my lengthy visit helping family, i had to face reality. i need to be with them, they need me. what that will look like, i can't be certain just yet.

i've certainly fantasized about RV, tiny house, dawdy house life ..
i've thought of renting my house, building a "tiny house" in the back of my garage, then renting the main house .. or renting the garage tiny house. or selling all, leaving all.

some options are more likely than others, but, each one requires "the first step," dealing with (everyone's) belongings, most of which not touched, or visited, in close to 10 years.

it would be a magnificent help if it were not all on me. but, God has His plan. i am straining to listen.

a couple of times in the past, my daughter (and baby granddaughter) visited for this purpose.
however, the baby was effective in keeping both of us busy! as babies do!
so, we had glorious visits that were not at all effective in getting work done.

i do not want to wait any longer now, especially for this to not get mixed up with a health, or death, emergency. this is hard, but, i pray to get through it so my family will not face anything that would be so very much harder.

it's sad, when i bought this house, "the plan" was that my family would return at least yearly to visit. that has not happened.

turns out, i go to them.
when i go, i work helping them, i pay for my travel by shutting down as much as possible at home .. honestly, it's worked well that way, so far as covering my expenses. i save them lots of money. i'm flexible with my time, so, my flights have been (to be frank, cheap.)

my granddaughter would love it here.
i may end up selling before she has any memory of it.
that makes me sad.

i've suggested that they come here to live, much less costly, i could rent a small place nearby. or, we could build a room in the garage. his work is such this could be done. they are not interested. not yet, anyway.

my granddaughter and i are not in control of all decisions.

so, upward+onward.
i'll do what i can, see how things look in the spring. it will be here, lickety-split.
when you get right down to it, it's really just a matter of weeks until spring.

so, i'd better focus. if i focus, i can take my time. if i try to rush, there will be regrets.
not unlike MD going down in flames. that's one radical way. i hope to avoid it.

i have been thinking of asking my son if he might take his Vanagon for a lengthy cruise out this way to help me.

his plans might just coincide in a way that he could do it, and, a journey like that might be "enough" of a change to his plans that might lead to opening unknown doors for him, in the process.

he has become an extreme unclutterer. if he would come, it might equate to a fire.
i'm weighing that. might be the best thing for both of us/all of us.

i am 'way too influenced by people who lived through The Great Depression.
i am 'way too sentimental.
i have too many ideas about "future projects."

after getting off to a good start, tossing out old papers ..
i went through a group of old clothes and some personal things.
i probably eliminated about 7% of the volume? stopped.
left it, walked away.
hoping a day or so will clear my mind.

letting go, knowing there is no return, even memories will fade, painful.

we started with nothing. really did not think about having things. we thought about having each other.
now, here are things, where life has gone.

Lately I've been regretting anything that I purchase because soon after I realize that I probably don't need it. I don't have too much stuff to begin with, but I keep eliminating things that I don't use anymore because I enjoy not feeling weighed down by all the "clutter".

Haystack wrote:Lately I've been regretting anything that I purchase because soon after I realize that I probably don't need it. I don't have too much stuff to begin with, but I keep eliminating things that I don't use anymore because I enjoy not feeling weighed down by all the "clutter".

you remind me of my younger self .. i'm trying to pull her back up to the forefront of my mind ..
she loved empty rooms, empty closets+drawers, blank walls.
to her, these things were most comfortable, most freeing, encouraged imagination and hopefulness.

once, more recently, i was talking to a cousin about being left with others' treasures, as they left ..
he said, "you let them do that, didn't you?"
i admitted, "yes, i did."

he and his wife do not allow clutter, their own, or others'!
i would say they are extreme unclutterers.

I too have been clearing out a lot... I'm enjoying it

Haystack wrote:Lately I've been regretting anything that I purchase because soon after I realize that I probably don't need it. I don't have too much stuff to begin with, but I keep eliminating things that I don't use anymore because I enjoy not feeling weighed down by all the "clutter".

We have to be careful of clutter: not much room in the motorhome. The underbed storage area is for "spares and seasonals": spare light bulbs and other parts... seasonal appliances such as our small space heater, mini-iron and roll up ironing pad.

Clothing goes in small drawers and bins: we have just enough to do one laundromat run per week.

Kitchen appliances are a temptation but we soon realized that a knife takes up less space than a food processor, spoons mix just as well as mixers. We do have a Zero Water pitcher filter because the quality of the water will vary from one campground to the next.

Isn't it interesting how the collection of gadgets and goods parallel the increase in size of the average family home