Yard Sale

It is that time of year, spring cleaning. Cleaning the dirt and grime but also the things that have accumulated over the cold, wintry months. No room is exempt in our house!!

Closets, drawers, cabinets, chests, shelves… all of it has been gone through. It shouldn’t, but it continues to amaze me how much “stuff” we have. I like to think that we are a normal (haha) family that lives a moderately comfortable life. We are not the hoarders from the tv show, but there is excess. Americans are spoiled. We live for stuff, we work for stuff, and often we suffer for stuff. Why? Again, I ask why? Majority of people in this world are happy with only possessing the essentials to get through life.

This purging process has made me take a deeper search into our “stuff”. Recently, I have been looking into minimalism. We aren’t going to move into a tiny house and have 3 pair of underwear. What I am looking for is living with less to get more out of life. “Stuff” dings the pocketbook and creates stress. I want to diminish both.   

My kids are the type that are truly happy with the box the toy came in, rather than the toy itself. I want my kids to have imagination and play outside. I have significantly cleaned out their toys, clothes, and décor. Please don’t think that they are limited to a couple toys and are constantly bored. I have found that having less IS more. My kids have responded positively to having less. Their appreciation for what they do have has grown and I hope it keeps doing so. We draw, cut, glue, craft, read, and pretend more.

Dillon and I have purged about 1/3 of our clothing, shoes, accessories so far. The knick-nacks that would sit and collect dust…and that I’d have to spend time dusting have been sorted out also. Again, don’t think our walls are bare or keepsakes have been tossed, that is NOT the case. I am talking about that 1992 cardboard framed etched mirror that was won at the carnival at age 12, and the like. It has “lightened the load” literally and figuratively.

Having a yard sale is a bit of work, and you don’t usually make a whole lot of money. Flip side is that we get to use it as a teaching lesson for our kids. You don’t have to hold on to “stuff”. To sell, donate or pass on our “stuff” is a positive thing. I am constantly saying we cannot keep everything, so that the ties to “stuff” that society teaches can be broken.

You are in control of your “stuff” and the choices that are made with it. I can tell you, from personal experience, take a deep look into your things. There are several methods to purge, organize and clean out. Find what fits best for you and your family, you won’t regret it.