We have been in the process of slowly selling off our stuff. It's like a perpetual yard sale around here. We have stuff listed on ebay, Craigslist, and a couple of community Facebook groups. We started with random small items and have progressed to selling off some of the larger furniture. We will hold off on the beds and other needed items until right before we move, but for now, it feels good to have some of this already gone.
We donated a couple more loads to the Goodwill last week. Included in the most recent load was 20 pairs of shoes. How the heck did we amass that many extra pairs? It's mostly my fault, as I had dress shoes from back when I wore heels (read: pre-kids), weddings, and other formal events. Don't think those silver heels will work on the boat, so in the bag they go. I mostly wear flats these days, as teaching means I am on my feet constantly. I could have listed all those shoes on ebay or some other site, but honestly, it was just easier to donate the whole lot. I was really tired after a long day of sorting and just didn't have the patience to take photos, write the descriptions, and then manage the postings.
Among the furniture we sold was the large dresser Jared built for me when we were first married. That thing could hold A LOT of clothes! This is both good and bad, in the sense that I had clothes at the bottom of the drawers I hadn't really worn in years. I am in the process of pairing down that pile and will be donating a few more loads to Goodwill this morning. I've given the kids the task of filling up a bag to donate, as well. The more we get rid of now will make things so much easier in a few months.
A friend and I decided we would have one massive yard sale together later this spring (she is moving to Maine), and that pile is growing by the week. Sometimes I feel like just donating it all, so I don't have to deal with it. Jared just wants it out of the garage. So, maybe I will hold a sale this month, just to see if that pile can diminish a bit (and then donate the rest).
I think this is one of the difficult parts of changing your lifestyle; getting rid of all the excess. It really made us think about what we buy (will it fit on the boat) and how easy it is to just fill your house with stuff. It is a lifestyle change that will stick with us for sure.
My classroom is another example. We teachers store a massive amount of stuff in our cabinets! Supplies for art and various projects, file cabinets of lesson plans and activities, boxes of science lab equipment and experiment necessities, books--my classroom library alone consists of a few overstuffed bookshelves, bulletin board decor, posters for various subjects, math manipulatives, small group materials, and so much more. I haven't bought much for my classroom this year because I already had overstock from previous years. Knowing that I will be out of my classroom for awhile is forcing me to go through all the stuff I have so that I don't have to pack it all up in May. My desk drawer is full of all sorts of stickers, stamps, and what-not. I am sure you teachers out there can relate! I am sure that when I return to the classroom, I will approach things differently.
Another goal of mine is to scan all of my lesson folders so that all I have is just a digital copy of everything, including photos of the project samples. This will take me down from three stuffed filing cabinets to none! That alone is a huge task, but I figure if I do one row of files a week, I can get it all done before April! #fingerscrossed
So, for all the other families out there in the same "boat" as we are, how is it going with downsizing? If you have a blog, share it below in the comments!
Among the furniture we sold was the large dresser Jared built for me when we were first married. That thing could hold A LOT of clothes! This is both good and bad, in the sense that I had clothes at the bottom of the drawers I hadn't really worn in years. I am in the process of pairing down that pile and will be donating a few more loads to Goodwill this morning. I've given the kids the task of filling up a bag to donate, as well. The more we get rid of now will make things so much easier in a few months.
A friend and I decided we would have one massive yard sale together later this spring (she is moving to Maine), and that pile is growing by the week. Sometimes I feel like just donating it all, so I don't have to deal with it. Jared just wants it out of the garage. So, maybe I will hold a sale this month, just to see if that pile can diminish a bit (and then donate the rest).
I think this is one of the difficult parts of changing your lifestyle; getting rid of all the excess. It really made us think about what we buy (will it fit on the boat) and how easy it is to just fill your house with stuff. It is a lifestyle change that will stick with us for sure.
My classroom is another example. We teachers store a massive amount of stuff in our cabinets! Supplies for art and various projects, file cabinets of lesson plans and activities, boxes of science lab equipment and experiment necessities, books--my classroom library alone consists of a few overstuffed bookshelves, bulletin board decor, posters for various subjects, math manipulatives, small group materials, and so much more. I haven't bought much for my classroom this year because I already had overstock from previous years. Knowing that I will be out of my classroom for awhile is forcing me to go through all the stuff I have so that I don't have to pack it all up in May. My desk drawer is full of all sorts of stickers, stamps, and what-not. I am sure you teachers out there can relate! I am sure that when I return to the classroom, I will approach things differently.
Another goal of mine is to scan all of my lesson folders so that all I have is just a digital copy of everything, including photos of the project samples. This will take me down from three stuffed filing cabinets to none! That alone is a huge task, but I figure if I do one row of files a week, I can get it all done before April! #fingerscrossed
So, for all the other families out there in the same "boat" as we are, how is it going with downsizing? If you have a blog, share it below in the comments!
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