Readers, Welcome to my blog (formerly Birds, Blooms, Books, etc). I'm entering a new decade taking on the challenge of moving from Maryland after living there 46 years and learning about my new home here in New England in the Live Free or Die state - New Hampshire. Join me as a write this new chapter of my life.

Friday, April 8, 2016

"Don't Sweat the Small Stuff"

Whoever coined that phrase never had to experience downsizing.

Deciding what large stuff to take (furniture) is fairly easy.  We take what we need and what will fit.

It's the small stuff that major decisions have to be made about whether to keep or not.


Yesterday I purchased 4 new plastic bins.  My goal was to go through all my Christmas decorations which include a collection of nativity sets, a collection of Father Christmas figures, lots of ornaments since here we have had a very tall tree, and lots of house decor.  

I thought I would try to pare it all down to three bins.  I had 7 large bins and three small bins of small stuff to go through.

I took one bin out at a time and sorted through.  What I wanted to keep went into a new bin and what I didn't want went into an avocado box I got at the grocery store.  As a bin was emptied I could use it to sort unwanted things into.  That worked very well.


I did end up with some empty bins.  


I am very proud of myself.  I filled one bin and partially filled another.  That's one less bin to put into our storage space for Christmas.

Here's the filled bin.


I'm not giving away any of the small stuff I did not select to take until daughters get to go through it to see what they want to have.

But that's not the only small stuff to be sorted.  I'll be sweating the small stuff for days and weeks to come.  There's more in the attic yet and in other places in the house.










5 comments:

Tom said...

I don't envy you

doodles n daydreams said...

We had to pack up our stuff for storage when we had been married for 25 years. I couldn't believe how much 'stuff' I had gathered and it was quite a challenge going through it all. I don't envy you one bit. Good luck.

Diana

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

Long time ago I moved from a house that was 3 times bigger than the one I am in now. Don't bring anything you are not going to use. Or it is VERY sentimental. You seem to be doing well.

Dawn Y. said...

You are off to a great start, Marcia! Beginning with sentimental Christmas collections sounds really challenging! It will be interesting to read how you downsize your craft supplies. You might have lots more time for crafting in the years ahead! I'm watching with great interest! ♡Dawn@Petals.Paper.SimpleThymes

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Good Luck with all of the down-sizing.. I'm glad that your daughters will be able to choose some of your special momentos/memories and keep them in the family. Since I raised 3 sons (who care nothing about all of my special 'things') I'm truly not sure WHO will want all of this stuff someday.

I always say that we should move every 10-20 years --just to get rid of stuff which we don't use any longer. I did finish one project that I have on my plate this spring--and that was to go through all of the containers in our attic and get rid of most of that stuff (mostly OLD clothes)... I gave a TON of stuff to the Samaritan Center here.

Keep up the good work.
Hugs,
Betsy