Projects I have been working on and finally finished!

Sometimes projects take longer then they should, like quite a few months of being in pieces in a box, but once it comes together it is really exciting!
(Inspired by this blog.)

361 things

The new count as of tomorrow is 361 things!  So proud of myself and excited to feel more peace.  The less things I have to keep track of the more I find time to read a book or actually work on a project instead of just packing around things for projects and never working on them. 

I have been loving the CLAN library system.  I have access to pretty much all the libraries in Northern Nevada and can get most any item (movie or book) that I have an interest in and have it delivered to the Carson library for my convenient pick up... AND I don't have to store the books at my house which is a big plus! Don't get me wrong because I love books but I was finding that they were taunting me from everywhere in my house.  The cookbooks that I never used but had 6, the 2 shelves of church related books, the 3 shelves stories of which I re-read instead of picking a new one, etc.  There they would sit almost accusingly as I then chose the library book to read instead.  Gone is the guilt of not reading them and instead replaced by the excitement of a new book.

(FYI I still have 75-100 books (that I feel are not taunting me) after getting rid of almost 200  between last year and this project so I am not completely book free)

175 things

So far in my attempt to get rid of 1 thing a day I have done pretty well.  In 21 days 175 items have left my apartment and more than that if you count all the expired bathroom items, individual jewelry, and electronic items (email, documents, and music) that are also gone.  I have really enjoyed looking at my list because I can see that I am making progress!  In my mind I still don't think that I have gotten rid of a lot. Lists are nice that way.  

The only thing I have missed is an ethernet cable that I had not used in around 4 years and probably wouldn't use for another 4 but my wireless internet went out.  I ended up replacing it from Salvation Army for $2.50.  After 21 days I have not even noticed the jewelry that is gone. The clothes. The craft supplies. The dvds. And other things. All I notice is that there is room where it used to be crowded and I spend less time moving stuff around now that there is less stuff.

Now I have had a few things that have made their way into my house in the 21 days and maybe I should start making a list of that too just to remind myself.  I have been making a very conscious effort to evaluate every item that comes through the door.  I have finally gotten ALL my boxes out of storage, even my holiday decorations, and I am going through them and seeing what makes the cut of staying in my apartment and what I want to store.  I am seeing that I have things that I will keep if I don't have to deal with them, aka in a box stored somewhere else, but if I am presented with the option of my apartment or gone it is easy.  Gone.

I have started making lists of things that I want to get rid of so I might start getting rid of multiple groups per day.  I find myself sitting on the couch and looking around and thinking "I wouldn't miss that if it was gone" or "when was the last time I even touched that? let alone used it?".  I guess getting rid of things is addicting... there are definitely worse addictions.

PS Please do not think that this stuff is ending up in the trash.  Most is being donated or used by others or just returned. Only my expired bathroom items ended up in the trash and they should have gone a long time ago.

ONE A DAY

Still going along with the de-junking kick I have been on lately I discovered this experiment and have decided to try it out- at least the getting rid of one thing a day part.  I am planing on moving in about a year and decided this would be a great project that doesn't make everything seem so overwhelming.  I'm thinking about making a running list on side to see what doesn't make the cut for the move.

We're Back!

We're Back! (You know from the children's book?)  Well actually its just "I'm back" but still pretty exciting.  I loved this book as a kid!  I think it was Tyler's book but I remember reading and rereading it. 

Made a delicious potato soup based on this recipe and have been spending my time cleaning out my apartment getting ready for the Cub Scout Yard Sale.  They are earning money to go to day camp this summer and it is the perfect time for me to get rid of those things that I have been hanging on to for no good reason.  My apartment is just under 500 square feet but I am surprised with all the stuff that it has be holding within its walls.  After getting rid of 2 bags of cloths (I hadn't worn any of them in at least a year), a coffee table, and 4 boxes of stuff I am feeling a bit more like its mine again.  Still have at least 2 more boxes to go.  I'm surprised with the amount of time I seem to have now that I'm not taking care of my stuff.  Most everything has a place and all those things that I just "had" but haven't used in the almost 2 years I have been living here are going.  There are a few things that I haven't been able to part with yet so I have made a deal with myself.  If I use them at least once before the yard sale it can stay for another 6 months.  This is the most interesting with kitchen gadgets and things in my bathroom.  The bathroom things pretty much just went into the trash because they were old but the kitchen things have been interesting.  I find myself cooking more when I have to use my pots and pans and I have notice that I really just like to use 2-3 of my cooking utensils.  Same spoon and spatula every time.  So why do I have 3 of each?  When I pay attention I see what I really actually use daily and which things have been in my cupboards but never touched.  When I started this deal back in February I placed something I wasn't sure about in a box and closed it up and just last week opened it again after I couldn't remember what was in it.  The box then promptly went into the yard sale pile.  In cleaning out my space I have also found quite a few things that I have "borrowed" from other family members aka Mom so she has been getting things back steadily.  Pajamas I borrowed when I came to visit and somehow made it back home with me, books and magazines that I have gotten decorating ideas from, Pyrex containers that I got leftovers in and other similarly interesting things.  I have also been finishing up some projects and letting go of some that I am realizing I have no interest in finishing.  Finally finished my college tee-shirt lap blanket (I will post a picture soon) and it is much smaller that my high school tee-shirt blanket but I have enjoyed using, seeing, and remembering.  Still working on my tee-shirt rug but hope to finish it soon and have been really enjoying a bunch of extra jeans that I got from Aunt Teresa.  I have almost finished 2 denim pot holders and look forward to getting rid of my old ones that have seen better days.

Wow that was a long paragraph but really therapeutic to write out and exciting when I can look back and see what I have been working on since I posted last.