Every year when January rolls around the corporations pull out their "New Year" tricks.
You know what I'm talking about, don't you?
The "You Need to Buy Containers/Etc. to Get Your Life Organized" mantra and they try to sell you shiny new containers, filings systems, storage boxes, etc.
But most people don't have an organizing problem, they have a "too much stuff" problem. Ok, some folks have both a stuff problem AND and organizing problem. ;-)
Just organizing your stuff when you have too much of it will only solve your organization problem for a short time.
So let's not fall for the "if we buy more/new containers for our stuff it will solve our problem" trap.
Stop buying stuff AND containers!
Keep your money in your pocket.
And get rid of some of what you already have.
My original post about all this from Jan. 2013 is HERE if you'd like to read it.
The other New Year trick is the "You Need to Buy our Diet Product/Plan/Fitness Tracking/Equipment to Lose Weight" mantra.
All sorts of diet foods, vitamins, supplements, diet programs, gym memberships go on sale in January of each year without fail, luring folks into a better life with promises of being thinner and fitter.
Again, you don't need to buy special foods, equipment, join a club/gym/diet program to lose weight.
Find free ways to exercise(take a walk), hold yourself accountable(tell someone about your plans/goals or do your health plan with a friend or family member),eat differently of the foods you can and do already buy(or buy better foods to get you to your goals).
You shouldn't have to spend extra money to reduce your bulk/get healthier/get fitter.
And after all, these merchants are just selling you a set of "tools", tools you may not necessarily need to achieve a better health goal. You probably already have what you need to achieve a lower weight/better health. You just have to believe in your own power to reach those goals.
What things do retailers lure you into the stores in a new year that you fall victim to?
For your decluttering viewing pleasure, here's another installment of Salvation Army worthy P*rn.
Most of today's haul is courtesy of #2 son from The Great Dig Out of 2011. Along with all the trash we pitched, we also salvaged stuff worthy of a Sallie's donation. A few things are courtesy of Hubs as he spent part of Sunday cleaning off his dresser. (Bonus points if you can spot which items were part of his donation to the effort.) The rest is from my boxes of merchandise I have begun to go through from storage.
September Donation #2
15 young adult books
2 Cube World cubes
2 Gamecube Game Books
1 Get Smart beanbag doll
1 hand massager
1 collectible tin box
1 Crayola Xmas ornament
1 quartz hand carved turtle
1 set of Speed Stacking cups
1 pair of safety goggles
1 pair of Designer Sneakers(hardly worn)
1 Power Rangers Lunchbox
1 LL Bean Lunchbox
1 over the door bathroom rack
1 roll of wallpaper border
1 package of stationary
1 GI Joe Footlocker
1 Star Wars Figure Maker toy
1 Sylvester the Cat Pen
3 Star Wars Pez Dispensers
1 Matchbox helicopter
1 Cat in the Hat Watch
1 Pokemon cards Booklet and collection of cards
1 collectible Mets die-cast car
2 Legos Bionicle comic books
1 Star Wars boxes and figures Set
When I was in high school....10th grade I believe....the guidance counselor had us all take a career test. By answering about 100 questions this test would be able to tell you what vocations you would be well suited for in your working life.
Among what seemed like a very strange mix of careers, the test indicated that I would make a very fine Curator.
Though I believe the test meant that to be a Museum Curator, I do believe that old test did nail down my life's work!
Though the National Gallery of Art doesn't sign my paychecks, I look around me here and yes, I have become a Curator.
A curator of stuff.
My stuff....
my hubs stuff....
my kids' stuff.....
(Not a picture of our actual stuff.)
Not only do we all collect stuff(or did), but I started collecting MORE stuff to sell.
I got bit by the beanie baby craze over 10 yrs. ago.....and I started collecting extras to sell or trade. The beanie buying branched out into 'collectibles' buying too.
Then I started buying old out of production toys since with 3 kids under the age of 5, I found myself in toy stores quite a bit, so 'in the day' I was one of those rare grownups who knew waaaay too much about Power Rangers, Thomas the Tank Engine, and Pokemon.
The buying to resell worked out pretty well....between my 'geiger counter hands'(I had an uncanny nack of being able to feel that a particular toy would be worth selling, just by the vibrations it gave off when I held it)and having kids who could tip me off to what was or would be a 'hot' toy(since nobody knows these things like a kid does), I could buy low and sell high.
Yes, I was the Charles Schwab of the toy market.....a day trader of toys when I wasn't toting kids to practices, breaking up fights or sorting laundry.
And where has this brought me to today?
Well, I still have boxes of toys to dispose of.
Seems I was much better at buying the toys than selling them off in a timely manner, what with all my other jobs as a mom that took precedence.
And now with shipping costs having more than doubled since I began this hobby, it's not worth my time to try to sell some of this stuff anymore.
So not only do I have stuff like regular people that they need to get rid of having grown out of the need for it, I have all this toy stuff to let go of.
Plus I have hubs stuff......and the kids' stuff like I mentioned before.
But.....
I am making some headway in reducing the piles of stuff here.
But it's slow going.....
And sometimes I look around and get so impatient with myself and the stuff.
Because I don't want to be a Curator!
I don't want a house filled with Stuff!!
I don't want to spend my days dusting tchatchkes(that's nicknacks to some of you).
I don't want to spend my days changing decor according to the seasons from the stash of boxes piled in a closet marked summer, winter, spring or fall.
I don't want to spend my days worrying about the color scheme of a room or having to search for months or years to find just the right 'thing' that is missing to make this room feel like home.
I want to feel at peace and serene and not have all this stuff surrounding me.
I want to get rid of all the visual clutter and have just a few special things or furniture pieces accenting each room.
I want to be able to open my front door at any time to anyone and not be embarrassed at the mess because of all the stuff.
I want to be able to enjoy family and friends in my home and be able to have people in because it's empty of stuff and there is plenty of room for them.
So tell me.....are you are Curator?
Is your home filled with objects and you are the caretaker of stuff?
Do you enjoy being a Curator of things?
Or do you want to change like me?
It's never too late(or too early)to start!
Start small with something easy.
How about letting go of some old collection you have shoved in an attic, garage or closet?
If it sits untouched or unappreciated, why hang onto it?
Anything you bought and hang onto because it's going to appreciate in value and be worth a bazillion dollars?.....it's NOT!.....well unless you have gold, money or real estate shoved in a closet.
Let it go!
Here is a cute video I found on YouTube that humorously talks about the difference between a Collection and Clutter.
Have a look and then get busy making the changes in your life that you want to see!
If this inspires you, leave a comment and tell us all about it....
FYI--I do think Marc should NOT ditch that Dark Shadows record album....
Here is what I've gleaned from the piles of stuff to kick off the Charity Donations in May....
2 x Kites...because McVal never came over to fly them with me. ;-)
4 x Chroma-Cel Anime Cel Repros matted and ready for framing
1 x Disney Cinderella Cel...I guess Disney found another way to get $ out of people by cutting up old spare reels of classic films & mounting them in plastic....I found these on the clearance shelves years ago so I guess they didn't do so well.lol
1 x Just the Right Shoe shoe Figurine "Pave"....a cool rhinestone covered shoe if you are a shoe fiend
2 x Nike Poster Art Cards Sets....includes the 1st nike shot of Michael Jordan, the Jumpman Shot
1 x Popeye Christmas Ornament.....don't even ask because I can't remember what possessed me to buy this!
1x Trix Rabbit Bobblehead.....silly rabbit.....silly lady with more money than sense
1 x Boyd's BearsCeramic True Love Wedding Salt & Pepper Shakers... I still think these are really cute shakers for a wedding gift
1 x Boyd's Bears Edmund the Elf Christmas Resin Figurine
1 x Boyd's Bears Reggie Foxworthy Fox Plush...named for Jeff Foxworthy...Hello! Captain Obvious
1 x Ty Beanie Cat Kaleidoscope.....somebody was smoking something when they came up with THIS design!lol
1 x Set of Transformers Playing Cards...
1 x Complete Inspector Gadget Figure-McDonald's Toys....I had to choke down 8 Happy Meals to get this thing completed!
1 x 3 pce. Set of Bent Twig Doll Furniture.....something my mother gave me, I have no clue why!
2 x Cabbage Patch Kids Patterns(used)...from my CPK doll clothes making days
1 x Alligator Salad Tongs Set(used/vintage)....I know, I know.....people will be fist fighting over these babies down at the Salvation Army
So what have YOU sent to Goodwill/Sallie's/your thrift store lately?
