#5 The Purging Begins

and We don't drink that much

We've decided the house goes on the market the middle of next month.  In the mean time we are going through our stuff, trying to decide what to do with it all.  I'll start in the kitchen; LJ the garage.

As I start going through the hutch I realize how much crap I never use is in there.  Oh there are a few items that are keepsakes or that I use regularly.  But for the most part it's "oh yea.  I forgot I had that".  I'm honestly not having an issue saying adios to 95% of the stuff.  That leaves 5% of things I need to get over or store if I can't use it in the trailer.  Nobody needs this much stuff.  Imagine the amount of $$$ I have spent on everything over the years, only to store it.  You know, on the off chance I might use it someday.  And now I want to store it for the future?  Oh good grief.

Just Stuff that collects dust

Our son, Jeff, and daughter in law, Amy, came up today.  They staked their claim on some items.  Our poor Amy was trying to be nice while saying yea to that, uh, no to that.  I forget not everyone has the same taste as me.  Plus they don't have as much room to store excess stuff that they'll never use like I do.  Obviously she is much smarter than I am.  I'm glad we have the kind of relationship where they get stuff, we give stuff and no one gets offended by saying no.  I did kinda feel like my mom, though... she's always trying to make me take stuff when I visit.  That was me today lol...here do you want this?  Here, take that!  Surprised my son didn't start calling me Joye (my mom).  But I think it was successful.  Kids are getting things they can use and now I know what gets given away, sent to goodwill or sold.  Productive day.  But still overwhelming because there is SO MUCH STUFF left to deal with in the house.

Prime example:  I do have a lot of pampered chef stuff.  My sister sold it and I was always buying it.  Seems wrong to garage sale it but worse to donate it. So maybe I'll keep the stuff I really use...those very few things.  I can put those in the trailer.  The rest?  Bite the bullet and let it goooooooooo. Oh look!  there's that pampered chef dumaflatchit I paid a lot for that has never been used. I'm really not sure what it does, but it's cool!  Maybe I should keep that.  LJ once again just gives me his infamous "look".  Those who know him understand.  Those who don't, it's indescribable but effective.   Fiiiiiiiiiiiine. I'll part with it and it's brothers and sisters and cousins.  Remember..You are on a mission.  Failure is not an option.

Oh.  And then there's patio stuff, yard tools, yard art (i.e. Crap).  I sweet talked our dear Amy into putting some of the yard stuff in her yard...until we settle down again someday.  The rest?  I'm okay with that stuff going to the garage sale.

The purging has begun.  But there is still sooooo much to do.  I will admit... I'll be glad when this part is over.  In the meantime...just breathe and remember what's in front of us.  Freedom and the Open Road.