It's been weeks since we've decided on selling our house. But the rate we are going, help has been remote-- except for eldest daughter helping traveling 40 minutes away from us-- we could be looking at 6 to a year before we could be ready for a real estate agent to assess our property. Years of accumulation, children moving out, I'm filled with exhaustion and frustration (doing it alone, husband's 5/day week job) with the idea of presenting the house to potential buyers. Our family kitchen needs rebuilding. It has functioned so well for me having several visiting friends from other countries in recent years we've lived here. I still feel nostalgic here. But I am willing to move to a new place and environment, with a big acreage, as well. But closer to my sons' highschool/college. I need to de-clutter my husband's garage to move in a lot of furniture, bookshelves and thousands of books to make our house look "breezy" and spacious. Just thinking about it, I'm already full of the opposite of excitement! Thanks to Sodastream soda maker. I need a break!
When I was selling my apartment, where I had been living for 16 years, I was actually shocked at the amount I needed to get rid of. Anything of use or value I donated to various charities, including a huge amounts of books for them to sell. Since then I have avoided accumulating any clutter. I find it much easier to live without any items that have no practical use. Now I only buy things that I can eat, wear or use - and then only when really necessary. I borrow books to read from the library, although I still maintain a small library of my own. Not only do I save money that way, I have less to clean and more time for other things.
It has been 10 years since my mother came to live with us and four years since her passing and I'm still going through boxes she had in a storage unit which we moved to our carriage house and basement. It can be exhausting emotionally for me and I think that's why it's taking me so long to clear things out.
About 8 years ago, we conducted our first and only garage sale. Not for the money though but to lessen the contents of our stock room and other storage areas. Our garage was literally half-filled with items that were mostly usable but not being used although there are some that are not working like an old tv set. And to be sure that there would be takers, we coooked pasta for free snacks for everyone. So there, the business went on smoothly. Last month, my husband mentioned another de-cluttering garage sale but I voted it down. How about next year?
My first thought, after reading your post was oh I want a Sodastream soda maker, too. Then I quickly came to my senses. We are after all talking about decluttering. Still it is good you have one, so you can take a break and enjoy yourself, too. No reason, to get stressed out by thinking it all needs to get done over-night. Take on little projects and don't forget to pat yourself on the back for a job well done. And we are here to cheer you on, too! Remember there is a light at the end of the tunnel and a very good one at that. You will be closer to family. I wish my children lived closer to me or I to them.
Back in 2004 I had the misfortune of having a large maple tree fall on my house and I had to literally pack up the entire house and put it in storage in about 48 hours. Because there was a dumpster brought in to perform the roof repair it was not so bad because I could throw some stuff right out. I did manage to get the stuff out and it made it to the storage locker, maybe the size of a one car garage bay. We did not have much, being newly divorced I had very little left. What is really sad is that while what few possessions we had were in the storage locker Katrina came north and the storage flooded so we lost a great deal to the water. We didn't have much as far as furniture went as it was. Well after all the repairs were done these boxes and stuff were all brought back and rather unceremoniously deposited in the front room. It is now 2015 and I still have boxes to go thru. I manage to go thru stuff in batches. I know if I could just focus I could probably get this all situated. But for what it is worth I have a totally empty basement, empty garage and empty attic. I ponder why this is such a task and I have come to the conclusion that it could be that if I have this all put away I will feel like really do not have anything. It is true, I know this on a realistic level, but I am sure all that space will make it feel really so much more empty. I promised myself that when I did replace the stuff that was lost I would not go back to cast off and curb finds. Slowly I have been adding piece by piece, but this time it is exactly what I want. Next purchase will be a small bistro style kitchen table and chairs. I had a conversation with my boss about furniture one day not that long ago, she was telling me how she wanted to change a couch she had, and I mentioned that we don't have a couch, and she was beside herself. She said "How do you people live?" I didn't want to go into detail to our state, she would have been mortified about not having a kitchen table. I actually do have a table, but it is in the basement so that I can fold clothes. Life does not have to be to complicated by things, we are comfortable.
We have way too much stuff in our house. We're not hoarders in the psychological sense, and our house isn't as cluttered as those you might see on television from time to time, but it is difficult to carry a box through the house because of the danger of knocking stuff over. We sell stuff on eBay, my wife more so than myself, so it's hard to throw something away when you know that sooner or later, someone will be willing to buy it on eBay. So we're always picking things up at yard sales or the Salvation Army, thinking that we can sell it for a profit on eBay, but it's hard to tell when something will sell, so a lot of it sits around.
I like to go thru the clutter every few months to get rid of all of the things that do not serve a prepose. The boys are growing out of their clothes so those things go to the second hand stores along with books and anything else that maybe of use to someone else.