Consumerism and all this crap!

I bought into it.  Hook, line and sinker I totally believed in the lies.  How pathetic is that?  Which lie you ask?  That would be the "stuff makes you happy.  You'll be so much better off with the more crap you have.  Don't have a place to put it? No problem!  Move to a bigger place that you can't afford, and go deeper in debt (because those credit card purchases for all the crap you didn't need anyway are piling up) and keep buying, buying, BUYING!" lie.  After all, that's the American way, right?  More = better?

Seriously.  I bought into the hype.  More is better for us, right?  Yeah right.

So then, frustrated with all the junk in my house that I had to have I needed organization for it, so I bought even more stuff (ha!) to "get organized".  While the shelves were a great idea for my crafting addiction (which IS under control- haven't bought anything for that in months, but have been using what I already have) I have storage out the wazoo, and am STILL not organized.

WHHHHHHYYYYYYY?   I've whined.  I don't understand, I've done what the busty blonds and guys with Australian accents have told me to do on all the DIY home improvement shows have told me.  Why am I still not organized?  Why isn't my house clean, and why do I still have no places for some of this stuff?  What is going on?  This isn't what the American dream promised me.

And THAT is when I realized two things.  1- I've been lied to by the "dream" and have been told (just like YOU) that more = better and if you don't have more, then you're "behind".  Heck, even you have read the "she who does with the most ___________ wins!"  What are you going to do?!  take it with you?  OOH, are you going to leave all that crap for your family to get rid of, probably NOT in the most loving way that you'd like, because they see it for what it is- crap?

So, this is how I'm getting myself unburried before we move.

• I'm donating clothes that don't fit.  This sounds like a no-brainer, HOWEVER how often do we say something like "I WILL fit into those jeans again?"  uh huh.  get rid of them, and bless someone else.  (and since I"m pregnant with #4, I probably won't fit into those clothes again!)
  
• Get rid of the things I absolutely haven't used in a year.  My ONLY exception to this is baby clothes (because I may be having a girl this time, we don't know.) and Christmas stuff.
  Obviously that is a once a year thing, so I'm not getting rid of that.
  
• If I it's broken- chuck it.  if it's expired- chuck it.  If it's missing parts that you "just know" that you'll find, throw it out.  it's not worth the anger that you'll have if you keep it.
  
• don't be afraid to donate things!  I am a fabric junkie.  Actually I'm a craft junkie, however I have a TON of fabric (litterally it's around 2000 lbs!) and most of it I'll never use.  I'm going to donate it and darn it, I'll feel good about doing it!  It's hard when its your "stuff" but it'll get easier when you see how much free space it leaves you!  I'm actually REALLY excited about it!
  
• Where else can you declutter?  I've recently gotten rid of my facebook.  What I mean is I wrote a note to FB and I haven't been on it voluntarily in almost a week.  It was time.  It got gossipy and I actually FEEL BETTER not having other people's problems in my life!  I am working on my REAL friendships, NOT pseudo relationships that fb offered.  I will most likely never meet most of those people in real life, and in all honesty, I'd take a cup of coffee and a good conversation over a brownie than he said she said crap on facebook, myspace, twitter, or any other social "outlet".  My place is in the home, WITH my family, NOT in the home, but living outside of it without my family.

Some of these things sound like no-brainers.. when it's other people's stuff.  But when it's our own, boy howdy does it get hard to do!

I would urge you to truthfully and prayerfully consider what is necessary and what is just "stuff" to you.  It's a long hard examination of ourselves, but it's completely worth it.

If you need help on where to start, check out www.Flylady.net.  Marla and crew are really awesome and will help you get organized.  I promise, it'll be worth it!

blessings!