There are stacks of boxes surrounding me. I have collected them to ship and store my stuff since we have to move. This doesn't sound out of the ordinary for your average person, but I have to say....I'm not average. When we came here 2 years ago, my husband drove with 2 bags of personal clothing and a few items like books and 2 plastic bins with books, toys and special things I thought we might need since we were going to be gone for 4 months. (ha ha) Emma and I flew out each with 2 carry-on bags. Just enough to drive back and be comfortable. After all, we were moving into a fully furnished and established household, right down to the forks and linens. Well, we stayed a little longer and when we moved I took several large boxes and bags to the thrift shop and transfer station....and still had enough to warrant the equivalent of 10 car loads to be moved to our current temporary house...also fully furnished. Something is dreadfully wrong with this picture. I've shipped 11 boxes, (granted they are mostly smaller flat rate boxes, but still). I've taken 5 large boxes to the thrift shop and mall and am still overwhelmed. It's hard to believe we accumulated this much stuff in 24 months. It's costing me a small fortune in brain cells and shipping (and therefore negating the great bargains they were to begin with since I collected most of them at the thrift shop or Neil's) and all I can think is....why am I adding all this to the stuff I already have in NH?!!!!!!! Not only that but I was planning to store some 'necessities' at a friend's house while we're gone. So, I did the new thing I do, I asked the Lord what my problem was. Hmmm, don't you know He had an answer right on the tip of His tongue..."You're hoarding, let it go. It's owning your joy." Right. I'd been thinking I needed to have things here for when we return. I thought I was being practical, frugal, smart. OK, also there are some pretty things I don't want to let go of. But all it's doing is stressing me, and would these be the things I would choose or do I have them because they were a 'bargain'? Lots of us are enslaved by our stuff. We buy bigger houses, add rooms or rent storage facilities, rather than let it go and be free of the mental clutter of keeping track of it all and the storing and managing of it. It becomes our job, our decision maker, a cruel task master (dusting, my least favorite job). Before I came out here I had already learned this lesson and weeded out tremendous amounts of stuff from my home. I gave it to the goodwill because I hate putting on yard sales. I remember how freeing it was, how comfortable my home was and how I didn't miss any of it and couldn't even remember what all of it was or why I was hanging on to it! So, after a period of backsliding I'm deciding to let it all go and will encourage Emma in blessing other kids with some of her things. Truth be told, she outdoes us both in sheer quantity of possessions. (Lots more for birthdays, Christmas, etc.) Then... I won't have to pack it, lug it, ship it, store it, remember where it is, clean it, organize it or think about it, and no one else will either. Free! So if you haven't got enough stuff (and I think you probably do) check out Neil's and the thrift shop after Wednesday. I'm traveling light.
Monday, June 21, 2010
My stuff is sucking the life out of me!!!!!!!!
There are stacks of boxes surrounding me. I have collected them to ship and store my stuff since we have to move. This doesn't sound out of the ordinary for your average person, but I have to say....I'm not average. When we came here 2 years ago, my husband drove with 2 bags of personal clothing and a few items like books and 2 plastic bins with books, toys and special things I thought we might need since we were going to be gone for 4 months. (ha ha) Emma and I flew out each with 2 carry-on bags. Just enough to drive back and be comfortable. After all, we were moving into a fully furnished and established household, right down to the forks and linens. Well, we stayed a little longer and when we moved I took several large boxes and bags to the thrift shop and transfer station....and still had enough to warrant the equivalent of 10 car loads to be moved to our current temporary house...also fully furnished. Something is dreadfully wrong with this picture. I've shipped 11 boxes, (granted they are mostly smaller flat rate boxes, but still). I've taken 5 large boxes to the thrift shop and mall and am still overwhelmed. It's hard to believe we accumulated this much stuff in 24 months. It's costing me a small fortune in brain cells and shipping (and therefore negating the great bargains they were to begin with since I collected most of them at the thrift shop or Neil's) and all I can think is....why am I adding all this to the stuff I already have in NH?!!!!!!! Not only that but I was planning to store some 'necessities' at a friend's house while we're gone. So, I did the new thing I do, I asked the Lord what my problem was. Hmmm, don't you know He had an answer right on the tip of His tongue..."You're hoarding, let it go. It's owning your joy." Right. I'd been thinking I needed to have things here for when we return. I thought I was being practical, frugal, smart. OK, also there are some pretty things I don't want to let go of. But all it's doing is stressing me, and would these be the things I would choose or do I have them because they were a 'bargain'? Lots of us are enslaved by our stuff. We buy bigger houses, add rooms or rent storage facilities, rather than let it go and be free of the mental clutter of keeping track of it all and the storing and managing of it. It becomes our job, our decision maker, a cruel task master (dusting, my least favorite job). Before I came out here I had already learned this lesson and weeded out tremendous amounts of stuff from my home. I gave it to the goodwill because I hate putting on yard sales. I remember how freeing it was, how comfortable my home was and how I didn't miss any of it and couldn't even remember what all of it was or why I was hanging on to it! So, after a period of backsliding I'm deciding to let it all go and will encourage Emma in blessing other kids with some of her things. Truth be told, she outdoes us both in sheer quantity of possessions. (Lots more for birthdays, Christmas, etc.) Then... I won't have to pack it, lug it, ship it, store it, remember where it is, clean it, organize it or think about it, and no one else will either. Free! So if you haven't got enough stuff (and I think you probably do) check out Neil's and the thrift shop after Wednesday. I'm traveling light.
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oooh...now you've hit me where I live! I've been trying to conquer compulsive stuffism for years and you, so eloquently, put my dilemma into words. I'm inspired to resume my purging! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHappy Purging! Be free!
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