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Monday, January 5, 2015

Waste Not, Want Not.



I hate waste. 

I have a hard time looking at something that is still good and throwing it away. Not because I need it but because it will be wasted.  I've been trying to clean and organize for our move and all my drawers and closets are filled with miscellaneous things I don't need and don't remember having. 

I've had to become hard core. It doesn't matter if it's still in good condition. If I haven't seen or used it in years, and can't imagine ever needing it, I'm getting rid of it. Most of the stuff is going to salvation army so it will get a good home. Maybe. It just won’t be cluttering up my closets. 

If I can’t stand to let some plastic piece of junk go, how much more does it hurt to let my own life go to waste? I’m going to clean, de-clutter, find time to write and live to the fullest. Because I can throw away clutter, but I won’t throw away myself.

19 comments:

  1. I'm into hard core purging too. My husband was like you and couldn't get rid of things "in case we needed them later." I've been brutal in getting rid of what I don't need and have been donating or recycling everything I can. It feels good and it does free up time for the things important to us. Happy New Year!

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  2. Please come to my house. I have boxes of stuff still in the basement I haven't unpacked from a move that happened 7 years ago.

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  3. My hubs likes to save everything, where I'm a hard core purger. Makes for an interesting marriage sometimes, but the last move proved that not everything can or should be held on to. Have fun with the new found space!

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  4. That's the attitude, Sara. You can do it!

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  5. I like your thinking. That's what I've been trying to do too.

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  6. I'm coming to your garage sale! Haha! Good luck with your move!

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  7. I feel the same as you, but when we moved, and I realised I had never used any of the jars (and the fifty thousand other items) that I'd saved, I resolved not start collecting that stuff in the new place...

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  8. The new year is the best time to declutter, but I hear you. It is totally painful. I'm wishing you the best with your new aspirations. I think I attempt to simplify about once every two to three months AKA panic-attack-moments. It's so easy to let our lives get over complicated, eh?

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  9. From moving 4 times in 9 years, I have learned to throw things away, but some things (sentimental value), I will keep even though I do not use them.

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  10. A clear living space allows for better inspiration and motivation, I've found. Good for you for decluttering. I hate wasting food, something I'm looking at stopping by limiting what we usually buy. :)

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  11. "I’m going to clean, de-clutter, find time to write and live to the fullest." I LOVE this. Love, love, love it. I can feel the determination in your words. Go for it!

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  12. I love getting rid of unwanted/unneeded belongings. Thrift stores see a lot of me. :)

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  13. I hate to say this... but I am a hoarder...
    I woke up one day and realized that I had become my parents, who threw out nothing.

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  14. Spesh,

    You have an awful lot ahead of you this year. I'm glad to see that, while you juggle everything else, you will try to keep yourself high on the to-do list. It is so easy to forget how important that is--there's a reason you have to put the oxygen mask on yourself first when flying with a child.

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  15. Good luck with your move. When we moved last year, we gave away a lot of stuff. And now that we've moved, we're still continuously giving away stuff. I guess I don't consider something wasted if I know someone else can benefit from it.

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  16. I have the same problem! It is SO hard to get rid of things that I just might need someday! Especially if I've barely used them, because then that seems extra wasteful. I love how you're turning it around to affect your whole life, too -- metaphorical clutter as well as physical clutter. Good luck with it all!

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  17. I *love* that last sentence. Happy New Year, Sara. Clean slate!

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  18. Wonderful! I love the thought of "Because I can throw away clutter, but I won’t throw away myself." Perfect!

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