DECLUTTER

 ^^ Is it just me, or does it look like I had a wad of chewing tobacco in my mouth in those top two pics? I didn't. In case you were wondering. ^^

Skirt & Cardigan: F21, Shirt: Ross, Boots: Target

This is one of my old teacher outfits, meaning I haven't worn this skirt in almost a year. So, my new system is already working for me, reminding me of things that have been squished to the side and forgotten about. 

Man, my hair... ick. It's driving me nuts, but I'm not about to go drop $75 on a good haircut (MMM wouldn't approve), nor am I going to waste $15 on a terrible haircut, so instead I'll just look in the mirror and go, eeeuuuggghhh, and then put on a hat... Actually, I had the scissors out, open and up to my hair yesterday, when I thought better of it. But I can't imagine I will continue thinking better for much longer... may make for an interesting post one day soon!

I think mentioned a few posts ago that I'm already getting bitten by the spring cleaning bug, even though it's no where near spring yet. So maybe it's actually the new year bug that's making me want to spruce up, clean up and declutter? Come to think of it, I think I just carry the declutter bug around in my pocket year-round. I am constantly trying to "get rid of crap". The fullness of every square inch of our house leaves me in a constant state of frustration. For a long time I felt like the problem was that our house was just too small. While 1200 square feet is huge for some, (I can't imagine how people get by with those teeny NYC apartments!) in "everything's bigger" Texas, 1200 square feet is about as small as they come in the area where we live. 

But really, as much as I might wish we had more space sometimes, we don't need it. All more space would do is encourage the acquisition of more crap that we don't need. Our problem isn't too little space, it's too much stuff. A problem that has quadrupled since Adelaide's took up residence.

So, yes, we do have a lot of stuff. But we don't have a lot of stuff that we don't use. Problem is, we have a lot of stuff that we rarely use. Like, once or twice a year. Some of it we used a lot more b.a. (before Adelaide), like tons of camping gear. Some of it we've only ever used very sparsely, like at least half of the stuff in the kitchen and rock climbing gear. I don't know where to go with that stuff. The last thing I want to do is get rid of something that I'm just going to want or need to replace at some point in the future. "We've already got it, so we might as well keep it, just in case (that's Jordan's argument for all of his stuff). But it drives me crazy to see valuable space being occupied by things that haven't left that spot in months, or even years. So, that's where I stand. Being frustrated and very motivated to solve the problem, but having no solution, and therefore the problem just persists. Anyone have any suggestions??

Now, who wants to see embarrassing pictures of a couple of our overfilled storage spaces?

Our pie safe which mostly contains my extensive collection of baking supplies and serving dishes that usually only emerge for Thanksgiving, along with lots of random odds and ends that have no home:

^^That top shelf used to be filled with cookbooks until I unloaded 3/4 of them a few years ago, so that is a huge improvement. A couple of old disposable cameras that found a few years ago, and still haven't taken to get developed... there could be some real gems on there, who knows? Do you see how stuff is just stacked and haphazardly squished onto the shelves? It's terrible! And don't even get me started on the process of actually getting something out when I need it... ^^

^^ I am honestly waiting for the day when one of those "antique" shelves breaks and an avalanche of porcelain bursts through the doors. Also, don't you just love the random toys that collect underneath? I know I do ;) ^^

^^ The hall closet... puzzles and games that have been touched maybe twice over the past 10 years... all kinds of decorative odds and ends that rotate through the house seasonally. I'd say at least half of it could disappear and it would never be thought of again. Question is, which half? ^^

I just love how blogging means sharing stories and pictures that I wouldn't have been caught dead sharing before I had a blog! ;)

Suggestions and ideas would be greatly appreciated!