Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...On "Stuff"...

We all face those decisions when downsizing, on what we want to take, what not to take and what we really need to take with us when we start our adventure full-timing. I've already pared down my clothes once, but into the closet I went this morning and pared down even more. I have to be practical in that I'm still working and will need dress clothes for the next 2 and a half years. And by the time we are ready to leave I may be a different size, smaller I hope.

I packed all my dressy sweaters into one of those space saver bags and stored it away until next season. It's amazing on how small you can make a sleeping bag when all the air is sucked out of it. Christie wants me to make a blanket of all her special T-shirts so... into one of the space saver bags they went...another project to work on before we leave (have to keep track of all the projects).

Clothes, clothes and more clothes...where do they all come from? It's like a rabbit colony, it's amazing on how piles seem to multiply when you start throwing it out. I truly am dumbfounded on how much "STUFF" we have and that's the thing it's just "stuff". Is it important that you keep those pendents from high school 48 years ago? Nobody has looked at them in how long? Why do we keep the "STUFF"?

We have a closet that we have put "stuff" into, but have not looked at it since 1990. 20 years now. Pathetic isn't it. Do I have a garage sale or just throw it out? I'm almost afraid that if I see it I will have some memory and just have to keep it. Bobbie says if it's that important, take a picture of it. I almost hate to pass it on to my kids and increase their "stuff" load. They don't need anymore "stuff".

Today I was cleaning my Great-Grand-Mother's Singer treadle sewing machine and commented on how I would like to take it with us, to which Dave said a resounding "NO, It's too heavy for the trailer". I really have to agree, even though I thought it would serve double duty, as a computer desk and sewing machine. So I will take my Bernina with us instead.

The task before us seems so daunting. Where do we start? Closets, garage, kitchen, storage shed...where? I guess pick a spot and just start. Those reading this blog, where did you start and how did you do it (de-clutter)? I'm at the point of looking at it, shaking my head, turning around and going back in the house and watching a "Harry Potter" movie instead.

The one thing I will not get rid of are the family photos. I'm working on a book of my fathers letters to my mother during WWII while he was stationed in the Pacific Theatre. Hence the genealogy project that I'm doing research on. Those will be stored and while on the road it will give me something to do on a rainy day.
Gee...I just wish we would win the lottery and get out here sooner. Every one's pipe dream.
Well back to the de-cluttering project. 949 days and counting.


See you out there...

Credit Cards and Coffee Cups...

I sell Mary Kay...there I said it. This past month I had a sale and never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be able to pay off a credit card with my earnings with my Mary Kay business in one lump sum. But that is exactly what happened three months ahead of schedule. I'm sure you know how I feel but OH MY does that ever feel good!!! One credit card gone and oh so many more to reduce to -0- but every little bit helps when your trying to get out on the road. I'm having a private shredding party this evening and shredding that little sucker so I won't be tempted to ever use it again. The more I can shred the happier I am.

The kids are coming in this weekend for a baby shower for my soon to be grandson. Now how does coffee cups equate with a baby shower? I have this passion for collecting coffee cups. Tall ones, short ones, square ones, round ones, skinny ones, chunky ones, ones that look like cars, ones that tell me I'm a star and so on. My space runneth over with coffee cups. I even have one from Cambridge University in England, I don't remember how I inherited it but I have it.
These are just a few of the cups I have.





The room where the kids are going to sleep is inundated with coffee cups. I have a pantry in the closet and you guessed it... coffee cups galore. Therefore this evening I am packing them up, OWW... that hurts! I shudder, I love my cups. But as I have been told I can't take everything with me on this adventure and I have to make hard decisions as what to let go of. But my cups???? "Bobbie, are you sure I can't take my cups with me"? I hear her now, "You're limited by weight in your rig. No you can't take all your coffee cups"!


"Sniff, Whhhaaaaaa"!!!!!


I relent and start packing and think to myself, I'll put these in the storage shed and take 4 with me and as they break I will retrieve one from the box or, I could take them with me and give them to my favorite coffee shop in Southfork, Co. and let other people enjoy them as much as I have. For now the shed wins out.


You never know how coffee cups will bounce. From experience they don't bounce very well. When the girls were little I had three prized cups that I had put up in the china closet. They were from Canada and had stories behind them. I thought that the girls were old enough to be able use them, 6 and 12. Nope... all three broken within hours of each other. Was I disappointed? You bet! But as I told the girls "There's cubes of sugar and lumps of coal, today was a lump of coal day but sometimes that's what life deals you and you mustn't cry over it so cheer up and let's go fix dinner." Somehow I will survive without my Canada Eh? cups, I still have one left. It will go with me on our travels.


Darn, so much to get rid of and to make a decision on, I sometimes wonder if I will ever be able to wade through all of it. Well...962 days and counting, guess I better get cracking, leave date will be here before I know it.



See you out there...