Downsizing Dilemmas: To Keep or Not To Keep

How many serving spoons do we really need? Do I really need to keep these extra platters? What about this extra set of towels that I hate? Who needs more than two vases—a bud vase and a bouquet? Well, those really aren’t the most difficult questions of downsizing. The most difficult have to do with my hobbies. I didn’t even have that much trouble getting rid of half of my clothes.

I have a lot of hobbies. Photography. Card making. Scrapbooking. Drawing. Painting. Knitting and crochet. Wire and recycled art. Writing. Sewing and quilting. I have to take a breath now, but I am sure there are things I am forgetting.

A few months ago, I downsized my office type supplies into one of those three-drawer plastic towers and my art supplies into a medium-sized bin (other than yarn, drawing, and scrapbooking). This past week I decided they needed further cuts, and it is now all in the plastic tower, with the same exceptions, of course. The scrapbooking stuff I trimmed by 50%, and it now fits in a nice, neat case, which could easily be an airline carryon, if I ever needed to take it on a plane, anyway. Other than my portable easel, again smaller than a carryon, my drawing supplies fit in a small shoulder sling bag and a large flat portfolio. Can’t seem to downsize that, as I do have some rather large original drawings in it still. I am having trouble with the yarn. It is all so pretty. I went through it about a month ago, determined to reduce it by half, but in the end, I had only set aside a few skeins to donate to charity. Feeling guilty, I put three pairs of knitting needles, which I hate anyway, in the sale. But that really isn’t penance for keeping three large bins of yarn, is it? My achy wrists and tingly, painful hands won’t let me knit or crochet much right now, either, so there is no hope of my going through it all by May.

What to do? What to do?

I know!

“If at first we don’t succeed, try, try again.”

We are having a huge yard sale this weekend, and today it went quite well. I would, however, like to see all of the little stuff go: kitchen wares, Creative Memories scrapbooking stuff, linens. I really don’t care about the toys and games, kid’s clothes, and old style phones. Who uses house phones any more, anyway?

I just want to get rid of the stuff and get on the road. I am promised that after this sale, we will be packing everything up and putting some away for a future sale and the rest will go for donation. After all, Salvation Army is practically right across the street from us. I am also promised that we will take the Raven on her maiden voyage, but I am not sure which direction we will be going. Beach or mountains? Beach or mountains? They are both so tempting. Then again, so is Canada. I am promised that we will be gone for two whole weeks. Oh, the glory of it all. I am so looking forward to leaving again.

What are you looking forward to?

How many red purses does one woman need?

"Mommmm, Daddy said we are gonna go bye bye."

"I give up."