This Simplifying Stuff Takes A Lot of Time!
Since returning from my trip I started work on a project that has been a long time coming - purging the garage! It's a complete mess as it has become the repository for any stuff we just need to move out of the house. It's also complicated by the fact that someone in our house likes to buy stuff that they think they might need someday and that person also has a philosophy of if one thing is good, three must be better. Let's just say they are wrong on that. So, periodically, to counter-act the accumulation of stuff I do some culling. It has been far too long, however, since the last cull and the accumulation is troubling. However, I did some good work this week. I took a bunch of things to Goodwill and threw out a bunch of other things and actually managed to clear some shelf space (yay!). There is a lot more to do. I think when I have done my culls in the past I have primarily focused on my own things to reduce, and this has been an error as I wasn't really the problem (except for purses, but I am working on that). Anyhow, I can see it is going to take a lot more time, but I think that I have made a good start.
The thing that kills me when I do this is the amount of duplication we have in there. We know we own something - a tool or some such - but we can't find it, so another one gets purchased. So know we have two. Also, I am frustrated by the waste. I have found food items dated 2007 and although they might have been a good deal at the time of purchase, 6 years later they are just garbage. Sigh. I am working on it. There is a limit to how much I can do each day because the dust starts to kill me after a few hours, but I am making progress.
So this is the goal: By the end of summer have a garage that has stuff in it, but stuff that you can find and access so that multiples are not purchased. It's a big goal and the biggest thing will be training someone not to buy more stuff, but they may find me giving it all away on the sidewalk if they keep doing that so I advise a change in behaviour.
The thing that kills me when I do this is the amount of duplication we have in there. We know we own something - a tool or some such - but we can't find it, so another one gets purchased. So know we have two. Also, I am frustrated by the waste. I have found food items dated 2007 and although they might have been a good deal at the time of purchase, 6 years later they are just garbage. Sigh. I am working on it. There is a limit to how much I can do each day because the dust starts to kill me after a few hours, but I am making progress.
So this is the goal: By the end of summer have a garage that has stuff in it, but stuff that you can find and access so that multiples are not purchased. It's a big goal and the biggest thing will be training someone not to buy more stuff, but they may find me giving it all away on the sidewalk if they keep doing that so I advise a change in behaviour.
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