Living Simply Challenge

**mommy4ever** · 01-12-2008, 11:27 AM

This is kinda of an open challenge. I want to simplify my life.

For me right now, it would be STUFF. I want a calmer environment. I feel like every nook and corner is full. Yes, 4 kids to add to that. But we live with excess, and I want to simplify. It's not necessarily junk either. Gifts that are never used, etc. So this next couple months, i want to sell as much as I can and see it just GONE!

First stop is a local consignment store, well, they buy kids clothes outright. I'm calling today, and dropping by this week and getting rid of whatever they'll buy. Then the rest will be dropped off to goodwill.

We have an abundance of toys. I've a couple items advertised, was just offered $65 for one, hopefully it follows through.

I have a full closet of clothes in the basement that my husband doens't wear. He needs to give it up. I'll advertise some and see what happens. I want that closet decluttered for storing some bulk foods, etc.

There's movies, I might only get $1 each, but that's a $1 more than I had before. It's all free to list on local classifieds, so why not??

Small appliances, full size range, so much to get rid of. Do it now before no one wants to part with their money..lol. Time to do it. Even if it only brings in $500... who cares! the space and freedom it'll give me. Then it's $500 I dont' need to work for to pay off.

then I have a few people I need to cut ties with. Just toxic to us. it's hard, but needs to be done.

**inneedofhope** · 01-12-2008, 11:32 AM

Cutting ties with people is very hard. Sometimes it is necessary.
Have you read the Simple Living Guide by Janet Luhrs? It's one I keep around for inspiration now and then.

**mommy4ever** · 01-12-2008, 05:28 PM

I still believe... ask and though shalt receive!

I posted this today, with a plan, and today 2 large items left my home, leaving behind $150 in their place! YAY!!!

Now to post more ads..lol

**Susanscraps** · 01-12-2008, 06:34 PM

It's a good feeling to declutter, and get paid in the process. I had joined freecycle several months ago, and it was GREAT to get rid of a bunch of magazines. I felt good that someone else could enjoy them. And we sold snow tires on Craigslist, they were gone in 2 hours!
I think I need to challenge myself to Craigslist or Freecycle SOMETHING every week!
I certainly have the STUFF!

**powerfm1** · 01-12-2008, 06:41 PM

Would the toxic people have something to do with the little party last night?

**Marie78** · 01-12-2008, 06:41 PM

Good luck with selling your items. I worry about parting with my "stuff" now and then wishing we hadn't later if the economy gets wors, but we need more space in the apt. We live in a 2 bedroom apartment and the minute my fiance brought up needing to pay monthly for storage space to store our "Stuff," I knew we had a problem to work on.

I am trying to simplify now. We donated several bags of "stuff" last week and I have three more bags to donate this week. My fiance sold several text books that were worth money and made close to $100, that's his money though. I didn't come across anything of mine yet that might bring in money if I sell it.

**hmcart** · 01-12-2008, 06:52 PM

Good for you! I need to do the same. We have a pretty good size house and everyone in the house has their own space except me so I told Dh we were moving the tv into the formal living room and I am taking the den over as my craft/ sewing room. It will definately clear up a lot of clutter in other parts of the house,lol.

**Jskell911** · 01-12-2008, 07:13 PM

I am slowly working on this as well. What really gave me a big kick in the pants was realizing all the stuff we boxed up when we bought our house and seeing the boxes still unopened in the basement. We bought the house 18 months ago! Hmmmm, guess we really do not need any of this stuff.

**mommy4ever** · 01-12-2008, 07:30 PM

Umm... unfortunately, I can't get rid of the party members..lol. But there are a few others..lol.

they were two toys that sold today. I realized now that I got a really good price for them. I thought i took a real loss on them, but considering we owned them for6 years, and got about 75% of current retail price..lol. I did good!

Now to start sifting through everything else.

**bumplett** · 01-12-2008, 09:18 PM

this is a great thread!

I parted with a bunch of "stuff" last weekend by posting stuff online, I still have a few things (like a new box of perfume that I don't like, it was a gift) I think I'll post it on Craigslist -

I'm with you on this challenge! All this STUFF is so suffocating -

**mommy4ever** · 01-13-2008, 11:11 AM

Glad to see some people joining me

I'm so terrified that I'll become my mother. I don't get to her place often, I have 2 kids that get car sick, so they come here. We went home a couple years ago and dh and I were in shock. Every room was jam packed full of STUFF. Not necessarily good stuff, just stuff. I didn't grow up like that, sure there was always some clutter, but not like this. It made me sick to see it. What surprised me is my brother didn't say anything. Although I recently learned, his house is pretty much the same. So he might not see it. For my mom it's depression, i"m positive. She hasn't let go of a single thing of her mothers or my brothers. My brother passed away 5 years ago, my grandma over 8 years ago. She has it all in there. She picks on me because I have one disaster room. Yes, it's a mess, but it's ONE room. You can't walk in 3 bedrooms and the whole basement except dad's office, even that is full. She doesn't see it though.

I try not to grow attached to things. A dresser isn't my grandma, a special framed picture is more my thing. I have one of her dresses in a closet. That's all I have of her besides the baby blankets she made my 3 eldest, which are in their 1 keepsake box.

So I look around and see so much stuff, I know it's time to simplify. I don't want to be a slave to my stuff. Sure I like osme things, but they need to be used and loved. If not, there's no point.

**perSue** · 01-13-2008, 11:17 AM

I try not to grow attached to things. A dresser isn't my grandma, a special framed picture is more my thing.

This says a LOT!

I think too many of us fall into this quite easily.
I know i have.

Now that I think about it, there are some things I can let go of simply out of lack of need... but I thought I did because of memories *I* attached to it.

Great point!

and great post!

**powerfm1** · 01-13-2008, 12:37 PM

I have a friend who loves Roseville pottery. She had told me about it, but I had no clue.

The first time I went to her house she said she wanted to show me her Roseville. She took me around her house and pointed different pieces out to me. It's beautiful and one of my favorite collectibles.

However, she took me down to her basement to show me the "rest" of it. There were over 2,000 pieces of pottery on shelves lined up like library shelves, in her basement. I was in shock!

I asked her why she was doing this and she said because she loves it. I asked her how she could enjoy it when it was down the basement, stuck on shelves. She didn't have an answer.

I hadn't seen her in a couple of years and she called me out of the blue and we started to talk every week again. I had missed her and was glad she called.

One day when I was out shopping I decided to drop by her house. I didn't get an answer and leaned over to look in her dining room window. There were boxes, floor to ceiling. I leaned the other way and looked in her living room window, boxes floor to ceiling again.

I called her later in the week and we talked. She didn't want to talk about it. I told her when she decided to go back to the doctor and start dealing with the issues causing the hoarding that I would be more than happy to help her.

We've lost touch again, but I'm going to call her this week and check in. I'm scared for her, but there isn't anything I can do until she decides she wants to change.

Sad.

**C@rol** · 01-13-2008, 12:45 PM

Decluttering is a constant for me.
Cleaned out the bottom of dh closet the other night.
He got new shoes so we're getting rid of some of
the ones that have been way in the back.

They are Rockport so I posted them on ebay
to see what happens. If not off to Goodwill
they and some other stuff they will go.

Good luck with your sales.

**shoiji** · 01-13-2008, 01:31 PM

I have been slowly decluttering my apartment also. I somehow fit a two bedroom into a one bedroom apartment. That plus my stint at a secondhand shop and yardsales really added up.

Also some of the luster disappeared with some of the items I bought. You know six months to a year later looking at something and thinking, What was the matter with me.

It does feel good. I am still a little hesitant with some items. example: I needed a new throw rug to replace the one I had in the kitchen. So I thought about it and decided I need something I could wash. Finally dawned on me I already had a rug like that. So I am greatful I didn't discard the rug I hadn't used in 7 years. (It was being used for a cats bed which they never use.)

It does feel good not having as much stuff!