Sunday, January 4, 2009

I'm back! And a Happy New Year to all of you!

I don't know what it is about this time of year that seems to make me want to declutter and clean out things but I know I'm not alone. Where did all this "stuff" come from?

Ask yourself that and answer as honestly as possible. Maybe some of it was given to you and not your style or size or color... maybe some of it you bought yourself and was not your style or size or color.

It's possible that you bought things you thought you wanted/needed and later changed your mind, or that you got carried away "stocking up," then decided you didn't like the product. Can anyone say "wasted money"??

You'd think we would learn, but maybe we haven't thought it through very well. This year, this time, I am listing the approximate cost of this "stuff" as I go. Ouch. How much did you waste this year?

Might as well go ahead and give it away or stash it for a garage sale later in the year if you have room. If you give it to charities, be sure to take a tax deduction for next year.

Or you can Freecycle almost anything and save yourself a trip to unload. Don't forget about trading with someone if you're looking for goods or services. Craigslist is great for that if you can't find anyone among your friends or family.

Whatever you do with your "stuff," remember it throughout the year when you're tempted to buy anything!

6 comments:

  1. Pat, Welcome back. I've missed your hints and blog. Your vacation was well deserved. I do hope it was a good one.
    Regards, Peg

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  2. I am with you in de-cluttering mode! Over the weekend, I started going through my office and hauled out several bags of trash and listed a pile of stuff on freecycle. I've still got a ways to go, but at least it's progress. Happy New Year!

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  3. Pat-

    Happy New Year to you too! Great advice (never expect any less.:) God Bless!!

    Jayne

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  4. I too am with you on the de-cluttering mode! I've tried to be good, I really have, but I have limited storage space and when I need to add something, other things have to go.

    Plus strangely, I really like to get rid of things now. I used to hang on to everything "just in case" thinking somehow, someday I would use it and find that day never came. It's such a good feeling to give things away that are truly usable, not just junk.

    My Christmas decorations were an area I hit hard this year. I love to decorate, but I had too much to store. Whew, and I won't have to drag as much out next year. :)

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  5. I'm in the total declutter mode, partly because I was forced to since my computer crashed and I lost most of my files. That inspired me to clean closets and cabinets. Nothing like a fresh start for the new year

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