Take a Picture...It Will Last Longer!

My sister once asked me "When is enough enough?" I didn't think much about it and just kind of laughed it off but that question has been going through my mind a lot lately since this move. When is enough enough? When do you have enough clothes? Or stamps? Or kitchen tools?

This move was a killer! We thought we were so prepared, but ended up reloading our truck twice due to loading problems...ended up giving lots of stuff away that didn't fit...just struggling because of STUFF! So...as we have been unpacking, I have said "Enough IS enough!" and we are trying to declutter! Obviously we have WAY too much (and moving into a house with 1/3 less space is helping this decision). We have been making weekly runs to the Goodwill, the library (to donate books), the recycling center, etc...but it is a slow process and not as much fun as buying all the clutter in the first place. It must be a shopping high...to find that great deal, to find just what you are looking for, to wrestle the last one from the other frantic shopper *smile*...but we have to find other ways of getthing that euphoria. We are making the decision this year to "Make memories...not clutter" at our house! I am trying to use the money we would shop for and take the kids places and see things...rather than buy things!

A friend back in Texas was chronicling on her blog a quest to get rid of 100 things...and she took pictures of them. It was very cute but I am not that patient LOL! Here is my latest get rid of bag (and I dropped off another one filled just as full to the Goodwill):


One thing I have started with the kids is: If it was really special to you but you don't feel the need to keep it, take a picture! We have been able to get rid of many things with this saying that they really thought they needed *grin* This was a unicorn wand that Kimmy has had in her bedroom for over 14 years (even though it is gastly ugly) just because it brought happy memories of her time at the Renaissance Festival) Well, now she can just look at her picture!


I know it's just the first step in a lifetime of changes, but it is a big one in ours! I always love to read clutter books (My kids ask "How many clutter books can one have until they are clutter too?) but still have problems "Just saying NO" to that cute __________ (insert any word there *sigh*) How do you keep clutter away?