Think about all the everyday items in your home, do you have more of them than you really need at any given time?
Clothes ~ Towels ~ Sheets ~ Food ~ Stationary Items ~ Small Hardware Items ~ Cutlery ~ Crockery ~ Glassware ~ Toiletries ~ Cleaning Supplies ~ Storage Containers and the list could go on.
What advantage is there to having more of any of these things than you need…
- Having enough to cater to guests ~ But do you have enough for yourselves and your guess with still plenty to spare.
- Stocking up when on sale ~ If they are on sale now they will be again.
- Variety is the spice of life ~ Too much variety is a waste of space in your cupboards and in some cases the items may even perish before they are used.
- I won’t ever run out and need to dash to the store ~ How often do you grocery shop, perhaps once a week or every two weeks. So there is no need to have a back stock of anything that is likely to last more than that length of time. Therefore you don’t need a six month supplie of toilet paper.
- I won’t run out before the dishwasher finishes its cycle ~ That is a fine reason except if you own enough to fill three dishwashers.
Here is a little exercise to help you see this another way. Make a list of items in your home that go over an above what you really need. Use the list above as a simple guide but then add in anything you think of that I didn’t include. Now guess the cost of each item and calculate the  value of your hoard of stuff sitting there not appreciating in value. Now think of how many years the long lasting items will sit in your cupboards before they will every wear out and add 5% to their value for every year they are likely to be around. I am sure that I already have your head reeling so don’t bother to add in the rental cost of the square footage of the space they are wasting in your home.
Lastly, think about how that money could be sitting in a long term investment account accumulating interest. Or perhaps paid off the credit card debt that you never should have racked up in the first place buying all this unnecessary stuff. No matter how justified these purchases seemed at the time you would have been far better off to put the money aside for a rainy day.
The moral of this post is ~ Don’t buy more than you need. Don’t buy things just because you like shiny new stuff. Don’t cater 350 days of the year to the larger population that may inhabit your home for the other 15 days a year. Don’t waste money now (regardless of the sale price) on things you don’t need when it could be invested and growing for your future needs.
If you suddenly find yourself catering to a large crowd that your reasonable excess allows borrow from a friend or relative to make up the deficit of what you require. Do the same for them when they need it and all will be even.
Today’s Declutter Item
These Tupperware containers were excess to my needs now that I store less ingredients and there are less people at home to feel. They spent most of the time empty on the top shelf of my pantry. I sold them on eBay on the weekend for $25.00. I was glad to recoup some of the money spent on them.
Something I Am Grateful For Today
At the post office today one of my eBay parcels was 8g over the 500g pushing it into the next price bracket which I hadn’t budgeted for. The lovely man behind the counter manually keyed in the weight at 500g for me which saved me $5. That’s what I call customer service. :)Â
This is great advice and so hard to apply at times. The “stocking up” mentality or saving old items in case they are needed in the future was taught so well to those of us who’s parents lived through the Great Depression – or also grew up in New England where barns overflow with generations of potentially useful stuff as my Dad did. I like the questions for helping to weed through the excess.
Hi Juhli,
I understand how difficult this can be for some people. And I certainly realise that the way a person was raised can have a great influence on the way the approach the problem of clutter. Although it pays to keep a certain level of “stock” in ones home to keep up with the day to day running, it is very easy to get carried away. If one can learn to keep the stock under control at least the existing clutter won’t be added to while one is trying to reduce what is already there. Good luck friend and happy decluttering.
We don’t really stock up too much. My Dad kept everything but my Mom is now in the process of clearing it all out (thank goodness) but she still stock up too much on some things herself. I fight the stocking up on food demon each week. The longest I have ever been unable to get to a store was during a 5 day ice storm and we did fine. Limit setting is the way to go.
Hi Juhli,
limit setting is the way to go for sure. And the more you do it the more that habit will replace the old stock up mentality in your head. It will soon become the new normal for you.
Great post. I’m working on this one. I wish I had taken a picture of our pantry before and after. My mom is the stock up kind. Yet we end up making numerous trips to the store during the month to get something she has either forgotten or hadn’t planned on needing. I created a list of groceries that we normally use in a month. I have it on my computer. Before doing the monthly grocery shopping I go through that list with her and decide what we need for the month. That’s ALL we get. If something comes up that we need something for we go through a Q & A–1. do we really need to get this now? 2. is this just a whim (I’m in the mood for this or I want to bake)? 3. is there something else I can use? This is cutting down on the trips to the store and those we make now are for the perishables. Our pantry now actually has room in it and you can see what is there. I am doing this with other things too. For example: which is cheaper, an extra load of laundry or going to buy more hand towels so we have enough to last through the week? Do we have other towels that may not match the others but could be used?
Hi Deb J,
you have clearly understood the idea behind this post and have already knocked this monster on the head. I also used to have my grocery list on the computer once, I even had it set up in order of where it was located in the store. Every time we moved I had to re-order it into the layout of the new shop. i must admit I am pretty good at just winging it now. The grocery chain I shop at has now got an iPhone Ap where you can just scan the bar code on the items as you decide you need more and then you enter the store location that you shop at and it puts everything in order for you. I haven’t tried it yet but how great is that.
Your laundering solution for the towels intrigued me. I have one more question to add to yours ~ Are you changing hand towels more often than you really need. I have a friend who lives with her daughter and family who does so much laundry. They change clothes three times a day sometimes and put everything in the wash regardless of how clean it still is. There is nothing wrong with wearing clothes more than once. I am pretty sure they wash their bath towels everyday too. Not only does this wear the items out more quickly but it is an enormous waste of water and power.
I have friends that do the same thing. They have a hand towel and bath towel for every day and for every person. We DO change hand towels daily because we are constantly in and out of water for some reason or another. But I think we could get by with less often. Mom doesn’t and as long as she is going to do them anyway I might as well switch mine so that at least the load is bigger. I’m still working on this one. She mentioned the other day that she gets tired of so many loads a week. HUM!! Maybe if I say something next week she will get on board with it. I’m learning to wait a little while and then strike. It seems to work. GIANT GRIN!!!
Hi Deb J,
my friend also complains about the amount of washing but she got the habit from her mum and she has passed it on to her children. A bid of a case of you made your bed now you have to lie in it. Changing the habits of a life time is hard but not impossible it just takes a little restraint for a while until you change the habit. I hope you can convince your mum. Maybe just tweak it to changing the hand towels every other day. You are getting good with implementing strategies where your mum is concerned though, through trial and error I imagine. That trial and error process works well to change those habits of a life time that I just mentioned.
I do not understand changing your clothes multiple times a day. Or wearing something for two hours and then washing it (unless it got really dirty somehow).
I agree Lynn, I’m annoyed with my injury I was a shirt a day (which for my mum is normal, cept now she has to iron mine, she’s starting to disagree), but usually, I wear a work shirt two days running. Change into ‘house clothes’ when I’m home, and they get washed when really needed (cause let’s face it, I’m at home, dirt is not that important!)
I couldn’t disagree more. I stock up on staples, meat (in the freezer), toiletries and paper goods. I combine sales and coupons to get the best-possible price, and I save a ton of money. Plus, I don’t waste cash by purchasing something that’s *not* on sale because I have run out unexpectedly.
Yes, people can over-do and buy too much. But I have a specific place in my house with clean, orderly shelves where I manage my stock. Works for me, saves money, saves time, and ensures that this busy momma always has something handy for dinner. Frugality and “clutter-free” don’t always go together.
Hi Lesley,
welcome to 365 Less Things and thank you for weighing in on this subject. I appreciate your view on this subject and in actual fact I agree with you wholeheartedly. I think you may have misunderstood me slightly. I’m not talking about not having enough stock to keep up with our personal demands here I am talking about having way in excess to our needs. It makes sense to have enough stock so that we don’t run out and have to continue making trips to the store and paying full price or constantly borrowing to keep up. One can still manage to purchase frugally without have cupboards full of excess. I am the biggest tightwad under the sun and trust me I hate paying full price and I rarely do. Keep in mind we are talking about clutter here, too much of things, which is individual to everyone’s situation. In your own words ~ “Yes, people can over-do and buy too much.” ~ that is what we are talking about.
I for one have too many towels but compared to some folks I know my linen cupboard looks bare. I ended up with more than I need because I stocked up on the great prices in America before returning to Australia. Nothing wrong with that but two people really don’t need six sets of towels, not to mention the six in my son’s bathroom, there are also beach towels which would suffice should by some strange fate we actually ran out.
There is nothing wrong with shopping for the bargains but the same sales tend to come around again and again. So long as one understands the system one can capitalise on these sales without going overboard. One can be frugal, uncluttered and an ethical consumer all at the same time. Trust me I am that person.
Stocking up is a sickness with me. I’m not a hoarder in that I don’t have things piled floor to ceiling, but I do have food outside the kitchen (a large shelf in the basement). My fridge freezer and deep freeze are stuffed to bursting at all times (but I do make sure to rotate everything so there is no waste) And I have 2 categories of towels… the “good towels” for everyday bathroom use and the “dog towels” for dirty work. Sounds practical except that both categories have over a dozen towels!
Bedding is tough. 2 sets of sheets for each kid, and 2 sets for my bed… the tough part is the top covers! The weather fluctuates pretty good around here. Very light comforters for summer, medium for most of the year and heavy for winter… so each bed has THREE comforters! If I didn’t have such squirmy boys I suppose layering blankets would be more space efficient, but I tried that and it was a tangled mess (so the blankets were donated away). They need a fitted sheet and comforter ONLY otherwise it’s chaos.
Now I want to go through my mugs and get rid of the excess!
Hi Creative Me,
have you ever considered what would happen to excess refrigerated or frozen food if there was a power outage or if a rodents got loose amount your shelf food. I know these are extreme cases but what an enormous waste that would be. There is no problem with having a few weeks worth of food around but months and months worth is surely excess to your needs.
Your linen doesn’t sound too out of control. Towels were one of the things that really stuck in my mind when I wrote this post. I also have more than I need due to stocking up (at great prices) in the US before returning to Australia. I am sure I didn’t take into account how long these things really last. I refuse to declutter more than the old ratty ones though because there is no point wasting cash replacing them later on. I have six sets for my husband and I and about the same in my son’s bathroom. Way more than necessary each batch only take up one small shelf in their respective cupboards. Sheets I have only one set too many, once again bought cheaply at Costco before returning to Australia. As for your comforter situation, I can relate to this being as we have quite the variety of weather also. I have limited it to two comforters for my bed, one comforter and a blanket for my son’s bed and one on the spare bed. There are aslo two single bed comforters for quests. Sounds a lot but at the moment the only thing in the storage box is the two singles and both was used last week end. But that is because I haven’t actually bought the new summer comforter for my son’s new bed so he is using ours and because the weather is still coldish.
To cut a long story short (bit late for that) I would work on trying to reduce your food supply situation before worrying about your linens as they seem fairly under control where as the food might be a bit too excessive.
Hi Colleen and Creative Me,
Is a comforter the same as a duvet? If so, we struck this problem too, and I found the (nearly) perfect solution. In N.Z. we have a brand of duvet that come in two thicknesses – light and medium, joined with velcro at each corner. That way you can use either light or medium, or join them for heavy. Works well, and when not in use, that section fits in a vacuum-bag under the bed. Perhaps you can get the same in your countries, or perhaps you could sew your own velcro on?
Hi Ann,
I have seen those here and I think they are a great idea.
What an excellent idea this is!
Oh I love this velcro idea…we also have the same duvet/comforter issues. Kids rock -n- roll during the night – blankets, sheets, pillows all over. With just fitted top sheet, pillow and duvet, it is much more efficient all around (on our bed also, I’ve gotten to the point where I HATE top flat sheets!!!!). HOWEVER, I, too, have extra duvet’s in closet for different weather/season. Gotta love VELCRO!!!
Hi Annabelle,
I stopped putting top sheets on the kids beds years ago and just wash the duvet cover instead.
I’m going to try the velcro idea! Terrific!
i used to be the grocery store stocker up type but no longer am. in the old days my freezer and pantry were packed. things were always falling out once the door was opened. I buy groceries each week but only what I need. No more stocking up on laundry detergent because its on sale purchases….as I need it I replace. Im pretty good at writing on my list what is needed as it is getting near finished so i dont run out.
Ive also been selling on ebay since August. i have made about $800.00 and it has gone right towards our debt. this article is correct…..we bought so much stuff on credit…crazy…..Im so glad now that Im 52 I am much smarter……
Today I began going through the closets and taking out some of the winter things…I had some pants that I know I dont need so I packaged them for charity. Im beginning to put my summer shoes away and there is a pair I have not worn for two summers…im not packing them for next year…those are going to charity also. for those type of items its too much effort to sell on ebay for me. giving them to someone who could use them will make me smile. use it…sell it…give it away…throw it away….everywhere I look I sing this in my head these days!!! and I dont need so much of it!!!!!………great post!!!
Hi Donna,
wisdom does come with age that’s for sure and it sounds like you have a handle on things now and continuing to head in the right direction. Well done.
I am really, really trying but it’s an uphill battle. My husband freaks out if I so much as toss out a rusty old egg lifter. I have to hide them in the trash and even then he gets all suspicious if the bags seem heavier than usual. I don’t try to throw out his stuff though it breaks my heart to try and stuff a freshly ironed shirt into his jam packed wardrobe. Tomorrow I’ll carry the trash bags to the gate myself. Meanwhile I have plenty of my personal stuff still to declutter!
Hi Shirls,
that is the unfortunate side to decluttering, if the others in the household aren’t on board there is nothing you can do about it. The only thing you really can do is continue to set a good example with your our stuff and hope the habit catches on. It never hurts to drop the odd comment on how much easier it is to find what you need among your stuff or even to express your frustations about others people stuff cluttering up the house. You need to be diplomatic and choose your words wisely (non judgementally) and just hope it influences the situation in a good way. Your hubby does sound very adamant though that clutter isn’t a problem. Good luck sweet lady and keep working on your own stuff.
Today your typo makes me laugh – you have less people to FEEL rather than feed… Too cute!!
Great news re:postage & the lovely man at the post office. Do you have to post that tupperware?
The ‘excess’ issue came up lately (mum was browsing sheets). I tried to reason that whilst one tore recently, I’m moving out soon, and will buy my own, leaving her with one less bed, and more sheets. I’m not sure this will work (the logic!), cause we always have several sets in the linen cupboard, even when every bed is made. And only guest beds we might use are double or single I think. I mean, 4 beds don’t need 8 or 10 sets (ok I’m not sure how many we truly have, but I’m totally behind you on the logic here!)
Yep! My mom took my spare bedsheets that I didn’t keep because “she might need them” and I just do not understand that mentality any more. Once upon a time I did but now, not so much.
I do keep extras of some things but they are reasonable enough. When toilet paper goes on sale, I do buy an extra pack or two (but not a 6 month supply). I think back to my “extreme” couponing days (when I was a novice, mind you, nothing like what you see on tv!) and think that it is very akin to hoarding, in some ways, if you go too far.
Not that I am knocking couponing or stockpiling as a whole!
Great post Colleen, and a great set of responses – lots of food for thought ;P on both sides! I’ve personally got a HUGE work-in-progress concerning de-cluttering the belongings/stuff of a number of people (don’t ask! just don’t) which encompasses ALL of the ‘issues’ from emotional/aspirational/horded clutter. Estimating the monetary value involved has taken up much of my time this week – and have I got a ton (!) of work ahead. Probably should blog about it. And soon – suggestions would be welcome!
pamela xxx
Hi Pamela,
there have been some great responses, that is what I love about my readers they really add to the post with their great comments. As you say, no matter whether they agree or not, sometimes the other point of view can be very enlightening. I sympathise with the job it sounds like you are dealing with at the moment. I promise i won’t ask! I do look forward to hearing what you write about it though. Drop by with a link so I don’t miss out. I don’t seem to have much time to read other peoples blogs these days, too busy keeping up with my own. I do however love to link on Fridays which usually occurs when readers like you drop in and I think I will check out what they are writing at the moment. So don’t be surprised to find I have linked to you this Friday or the next.
I’m sure I’ve said this before but it bears repeating, Colleen: the reason I like your advice so much is because you DO NOT advocate getting rid of all excess, just the “excess beyond the logical extras”, and you are also a fan of natural decluttering, as I am, which allows you to keep a reasonable amount of excess because you know your current things will wear out at some point. I feel badly when I read comments on some other blogs about pitching out every extra thing they own. What happens when they wear out their sheets or their socks or their dishtowels – and they’ve just given away all their extras? If you’ve already put the money into them, by all means keep them – but just don’t buy any more until those are reaching the end of their useful life.
I know, I’m preaching to the choir here …
Hi Jo,
preaching to the choir is fine by me. There is no point in throwing good money after bad thats for sure. There are plenty of things in my house that I know I don’t used and likely never will to be gotten rid so I don’t need to be decluttering things that get used even though there are a few too many of them. The extra towels, sheets, socks, undies, shoes will stay until they are worn out but there will be no new ones coming in until they are actually needed.
great articel, great comment!
this is so true! dont get rid of all the extras. you might regret it at one point.
4 years ago I needed new sneakers, and I really dont know why but I ended up with 2 pair. now the thing is: we bought high quality shoes (danish brand ECCO – highly recommendable!) and I wore this one nice black pair now for 4 years. I never liked the design of the beige ones that much (compared to the black ones) but I kept them, with the familiar feeling of guilt, because they were expensive and I cant give away a brand new pair, etc etc….
Now after 4 years of daily use, I decided to trash my lovely black ones, and I was thinking of getting myself a new pair, until I went through my shoe-suitcase (I am currently in between moving and lost the overview of what I really own, so I have to check once in a while) and saw the beige pair again. I thought well, yeah. now you need a new pair, there you have a new pair, wear them. I was a bit sad that I couldnt get a brand new pair, but now I am happy, because they are good shoes after all and might last for another 4 years, which saves me a huge amount of money. and money is welcome, as I will move in a couple of weeks…
This little feeling of guilt (because I kept them) turned now into this feeling of satisfaction (because I kept them AND used them). That is so great and I am so happy with it…
Hi Lena,
please don’t let that story be a guide to how you treat the rest of your clutter though because it is one of the reasons people get into the clutter mess in the first place. You were certainly smart to keep those shoes though. What probably would have been smarter was not to buy them in the first place. When I shop for shoes or clothes, actually for pretty much everything these days, is that I don’t by it unless I am absolutely sure. I think it drives my friends nut when they shop with me but that their problem. That being said, there certainly are some things that I have excess of that I have no intentions to declutter because I know that eventually they will have to be replaced if I do. I am slowly weeding out all the “I might need it some day items” that will never be necessary and never really were.
I only stock up on non-perishable consumable products I know we will use, if I get an absolutely awsome deal on them with sales, clearance, and coupons (usually a combination of them).
Hi Rebecca B. A. R.
there is nothing wrong with taking advantage of sale prices on items you know you will use in the near future. My theory is though that a great deal isn’t a saving if you don’t really need it. That’s not to say I never buy anything I don’t NEED it just means I have been sucked into a “bargain too good to refuse” and then decluttered it later because the price had been more attractive than the object really was. And I have also stocked up on useful things because the price was so good but all that did was fill my cupboards while those great prices keeping showing up in the sales catalogues over and over again. Let the shops store my future need for me, that is why they call them stores. 😉
234.
The number of items of “clothing” (socks, underwear, clothing, outerwear, handknits, etc) that I own. That’s a whole lot of clothing for one of me… and that’s AFTER I purged everything down to one dresser and rubbermaid storage bin. I’m looking to purge further now that I accounted for all of my clothing.
Also, I recently pared down our kitchen cutlery, etc. to an 8 person setting for cutlery and 4 person setting for bowls/plates/etc. It feels so good since there are only two of us and we rarely entertain more than another two people at a time!
Hi Sarah-Mae,
I once wrote this post ~ How many is to much ~ which you might enjoy since you like this one. It seems you a finding a level that is just right for you and your partner and that is the only level you need to concern yourself with. Well done for living life your way being happy with less.
Oh wow, this post really hits home!!! We have guests who travel to see us from different countries. We keep extra toothbrushes/tooth paste, lotion, razors/saving cream, hair dryer (correct voltage), etc., on hand, but these items don’t take up more than a small sized clear plastic storage bin, so to me it is worth the extra bit of hospitality to have them sitting on a closet shelf, just in case! Therefore I don’t consider them ‘clutter’.
I used to have a set of towels for ‘guests’ (they were a khaki color, and all the ones the fam uses are white). We live in such small quarters, and I thought that maybe with the different colors, the fam would know which ones were guests, and which ones fam could use. That sort of worked ok. Then I got tired of having to store them seperately so they wouldn’t get used, and they would stay nice, for guests, etc. Then when we needed to wash them whilest guests were in-house, the system got all screwed up. I ended up donating them. So now when guests visit, I assign each guest a ribbon color, and just attach (tie) that ribbon color (about 6 inches) to the towel rack, and each guest is responsible for putting their own towel on the proper rack next to their ribbon color. This rack is set apart differently from where the kids are, so this system works better. Then when washing has to be done, guests can find clean towels for their use on their rack. Once guests leave, I remove the ribbons and set those aside for another time. Also, the matching ribbon color is also tied onto a plastic bucket for guests to carry their toiletries to/from the shower/bathroom (we’ve NO counter space and/or cabinets). This is proving to work very well. The buckets are those kinds that initially come with ice cream inside (oversided w/ handle and lid). So we re-use those all the time for stuff w/in daily use. Works great. We’ve cut down on our ice cream intake so I’m hoping the buckets we currently have will hold up well for a while.
I do wish I had not spent the money on a separate set of guest towels, but now I know for the future. We have all white towels, I find them at thrift stores (I’m picky to get ones in good condition) and give them a good washing and they are perfekt! Doesn’t matter that they are different brands, they are all white and look nice together.
WE do, however, have a large stock on hand of IKEA plates (hard plastic, dishwasher safe). We hold large (informal) gatherings very often, so I like to have the plates available to use for our parties. Then they can go into the dishwasher and back into their spot in a cabinet. This option I feel works better for the environment (vs. paper plates). The kids also like using these plates, and if plates get dropped, we don’t have to worry about breakage; so I keep some available in a spot the kids can reach to use on a daily basis (but I don’t like these plates used in the microwave…). The one time purchase price of all those extra plastic plates has already paid for itself in usage. Overall they are a better price per use than paper plates, which then have to be recycled or get tossed into a land fill (UGH!), even including having to be washed in dish washer (water usage…).
Hope this makes sense what I just wrote, it’s long (gag), but hopefully my years of trial and error with stuff will help another reader on this blog by maybe NOT having to go through what I did. I know other comments have really helped me!!!
Hi Annabelle,
Can you get compostable plates where you live? – they are the best. Just use, soak, and put into the compost.
Oh that sounds awesome!!! I’ve never even heard of those!!! I’ll check into it. THANK YOU ANN!!!! 🙂
Hi Annabelle,
life can be a series of trial and error, some things work some things don’t. I would keep those IKEA plates now that you have them because at least you don’t have to use paper plates in the future. The less manufacturing of throw away items the better.
i think the moral of your story is not to outlay too much cold hard cash until you have perfected a system that works. With sustainability in mind it will be easier to make the right choices in the future.
I used to do this with jeans until at 200 pairs ( 3 of which I wore ) I realised perhaps I had overegged the pudding somewhat.
Hi Tasmanian Minimalist,
over-egged the pudding, now there’s an expression that one doesn’t hear too often. Owning 200 pairs of jeans, now there is a situation ones hopefully doesn’t hear about too often either. 😉
Great advice Colleen,
I recall a saying “If you buy things you don’t need, you will need things you can’t buy”.
Hi Naveen,
I love that saying, I will have to use that one in future. Thanks!
Hi all, thanks for the welcome Colleen, sorry I didn’t say it last time but all the areas of your site are awsome keep up the fabulous work!
Now count with me: 36 asst. towels, 9 bath mats, 11 hand towels & 7 flannels, 10 sets of sheets for QB and 12 for K/singles & D/B & 14 Quilt Cover Sets to suit sizes mentioned. (I know this coz I wrote it down in my notebook when we were moving. Not decluttering at this stage – moving!!) Excess, stocking up, “just incase”. Bargain buys! (Won’t mention crockery & cutlery!!!! or anything else material!!) But before we moved we had Christmas just around the corner!
Whilst out “SHOPPING” one day I thought I’d do the charitable thing – (as always & always more so at Christmas) & buy a few tickets in a raffle ( & wrote my # on them & ordered a book to sell in their next raffle & I didn’t care about hearing what the prizes were coz I was helping a charity reach it’s goal) & the fact that I ‘couldn’t win a kick in a street fight so it didn’t matter’, made it doubly good! Well imagine my shock when the damn thing got drawn and I got a phone call to say I’d won a linen package & they can deliver it to me! Not just a pr of sheets either, the pack was valued at over $1,000 as the delivery lady told me when she arrived, so I scored beautiful linen in a crisp white, a cream and a browny colour, all neutral, all very useful and gorgeous! #&%@ WTH!!! My cupboard was bursting as it was, so I did the clutterbug thing and shoved it in!!! Deal with it later!!
Now Karma is a wonderful thing, what goes around comes around & all that! Well I don’t know what I did to upset the flow but as I was cramming another round of ‘SHOPPING’ into a bursting fridge and freezer (just had Chrisco delivered & still had to get a “few” things) I was thinking horrible thoughts about more linen that I didn’t really need but OMG it’s beautiful, I’ll keep the white as I already had a lot of Sheridan linen (bought at 75% off so I stocked up on sheets etc) I’ll pass all the rest on which was heaps believe me! Took some to charity to use in their Christmas Raffle & gave the rest to my sister & friends. Share the good fortune yeah! Anyway I was gone all day & into the night (hubby & son off doing the movies & such) got back only to discover that said freezer wasn’t shut properly & quite a lot of goodies had started defrosting to the point of no refreezing #&%@ not nice, wasn’t going to risk it so gathered it up & out to visit family & friends again with goodies that had better be eaten LIKE NOW!! I believe to this day karma bit my butt cos of my excess!! I should have been happy with what was delivered from Chrisco and I should of told the lovely lady to redraw the raffle, although I did good things with it I shouldn’t have had the excess in the first place cos I really had ENOUGH!! Linen and food and lots of everything else!!
P.S: Said freezer blew up late January, thankfully only a few roasts in it, (weekend away height of WA summer yuck stink) I buried them in the compost bin and my garden was beautiful. Freezer was converted into a horse feed storage bin so it had another life to live! Said linen is still living it’s life, (only half ) still gorgeous and still too much but getting used and pared down consistently. EXCESS can be a pain, BEWARE!! I still stk up on certain things on sale and I always share a good bargain with my family, but I am careful and I keep tabs on it and I also Q&A myself a lot coz lets face it these days the shops never bloody SHUT!!!
Smiles to all & in 2hrs time I will be leaving 2 bags & 3 boxes on verge for pick up, thats another 84 things going!!! YAY
Dizzy xx (sorry if I overegged this pudding) have always loved this saying
Hi Dizzy,
wow you really did, and I imagine do, have a lot of decluttering to do. I am going to give you a few new mantras to shop buy…
“If you buy things you don’t need, you will need things you can’t buy!â€
“A bargain isn;t a bargain if you don’t need it!”
“Just because the shops are open doesn’t mean I have to go there!”
I think the Big Fella upstairs has been playing games with you. Putting temptation in your way and adding excess to your excess without your intention. Funny how things happen isn’t it. Well you can show him by decluttering your excesses and controlling your spending although I think that may be the message he is sending you anyway.
I am looking forward to the next time I move just to see how much less space our removal takes up compared to last time. When I think of how many boot loads of stuff i have taken to the thrift sore, how many items I have sold and how few things have come into our home over the last two years the difference ought to be huge. I fully expect out boxed items to take up less than half of what they did last time.
Keep up your good decluttering efforts Dizzy and we look forward to hearing how much you are enjoying living with less.
HI Colleen,
Ha ha ha so many of these comments ring true, just read your reply to Annabelle and went straight to the linen cupboard and removed another 6 items for the charity shop. Top sheets OMG it took that post for me to see that I might aswell get rid of them coz all they are is a “decoration for the floor” that’s where they end up all the time. Once my 6ft + son has hit the bed he always ends up with the sheet pulled out and all over the shop! Top sheet not on bed means top sheet not on floor! I should of listened to him when he first said “Why do I have to have a top sheet!!!” I wonder if he’ll notice they are GONE!
Smiles & hugs to all & I wish everyone a beautiful day xx
Dizzy
Hi Dizzy,
it is true you can find as much useful information in the comments as you can in the blog posts themselves. I don’t usually read comments on other peoples blogs and I am probably missing out not doing that but I barely have enough time to read the posts Then there are some blogs that don’t allow comments, what a shame that is for both them and their readers. There is no interaction and I know I get great inspiration for blogs from my readers comments. My blog would be nothing without you guys.
I am sure your son is going to be happy not having to deal with that top sheet.