One man's trash is another man's treasure

I continue to work on my 40 bags in 40 days, with Easter only a week away.  We moved into our house in December and until this weekend I haven't been able to park in my garage.  I, like most Americans, can't believe the stuff that I moved.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I used to be a bit of hoarder and it became clear the results of my former habits are still following me.  Thankfully we have a great Freecycle group for the metro Atlanta area.

I have freecycled the following things this weekend:

• A computer desk.  (Great desk, but I didn't need it in our new place.)
• A crate full of car cleaning supplies (I don't wash cars.  Not to mentions, it better for the environment to go to a car wash.  The water at car washes is recycled and you don't have to worry about chemicals entering the water system.  It also saves on your water bill.)
• Two paper grocery bags of incandescent light bulbs.  (I have moved to florescent in almost every light fixture in the house.)
• Two boxes of cleaning supplies.  (We are slowly moving to having a chemical free household.  I do worry about having all those chemicals around with a one year old in the house.)

Fifty percent of it is picked up already and I can't wait for the rest of it to be picked up.

If you aren't already familiar with Freecycle, check it out.  It is a wonderful way for your old stuff to find new life.

Multiplicity

As I continue to try to simplify my life and fill up my 40 bags in 40 days, I realize that, although we are conditioned to think differently, in most cases, one of any item is enough.

I recently moved.  Before I moved I pared down a lot of what I had. I now have one set of pots and pans and one set of dishes.

I thought that I needed a new set of glasses for the new house. I bought a set, but took them back. I don’t need a set of 16 glasses, not to mention I have a one year old who is years away from using a glass.

I have more space in my cabinets. It is easier to find things. I have not once wished that I had a multiple of any item that I got rid of.

I will and need to continue to pare down in other areas.

Even though I have gotten rid of tons of make-up I still have more that I never use or is outdated. Do I really need multiple tubes of mascara, when I only use that one (if any at all)? The same goes for hair products, body lotions, and bath products.

It is hard for me to get rid of things because I can’t help but think of the money I spent on the stuff in the first place. I then ask myself, “Which is more important money or quality of life?” The answer to that is simple and simple is what I am striving for.

Conscious living choice: One is enough.

Getting rid of excess baggage

Sarah, at Clover Lane, is getting rid of 40 bags of stuff during the 40 days of Lent. Her system of purging in a lot more organized, but I stole the main idea and I too am getting rid of 40 bags of stuff before Easter.

What I am finding is that while physically not having the excess stuff around feels good, emotionally getting rid of the stuff is liberating. I have been amazed at how emotionally draining things, items, objects can be. I never realized that certain items in my house held such emotional energy, until I got rid of them. Wow! Really the feeling is indescribable.

I used to be a bit of hoarder—an organized hoarder, but a hoarder nonetheless. I would see something on sale and buy multiple of the item with the rationale that it was a great deal and that I was sure I would need it one day. I always wanted to be prepared. And prepared I was.

But what I came to realize is that I never really used half of what I had bought, if I used any of it at all. I felt guilty that this stuff was sitting around and I wasn’t using it. So, I gave myself permission to quit my habit of stocking up and finally gave myself permission to start getting rid of what I wasn’t using.

(Full disclosure—I still buy the following items from Costco: toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, paper towels, tissue, toilet paper, soap. These are things that I don’t want to run out of and do use every day.)

To help myself refrain from stocking up, I had to make some lifestyle changes.

I no longer read the ads. Do I miss some good sales? Sure, but I am willing to pay a little more for exactly what I need when I need it. I have found that in the long run it actually saves me money.

I skip the dollar store and the dollar section at Target. The stuff is great, but I really don’t need any of it. For example, I recently saw a great deal on some note cards in the dollar section at Target. I was tempted, but then I remembered that I just ordered a set of monogrammed correspondence cards for all my correspondence needs. The correspondence cards were more expensive, but I enjoy them. They also came in a set of 50, so I don’t need to worry about running out anytime soon.

I don’t make impulse purchases. I found that things I buy on impulse are the things that I am usually least happy with. These impulse purchases sit around the house and never really get used. I have a 24 hour rule. I wait for 24 hours to pass to see if I still really want the item. Most times, I find that I don’t. If I still am not 100% sure if I want it or not, I wait another 24 hours. I know this seems extreme to some, but it works for me.

Conscious living choice: Get rid of the excess. It doesn’t matter if it was one dollar, one hundred dollars or one thousand dollars. If I don’t need it and I am not using it, I need to free myself from it physically and emotionally.