DeJunking

I think that everyone who reads my blog knows that I am a pack rat. Like a BAD one. I know that I need to get this under control. I'm sure I'd be a happier person if I could get rid of half of the stuff that I've got. And I bet that I would be happy even if I got rid of more. Logically, I know it. But emotionally, when it comes to parting with things, it gets painful. For those who don't suffer from this disease, I don't know how to explain it. I go through panic attacks. I have a hard time breathing, feel a tightness in my chest and can't think straight. There are times when it is worse than others. So if the mood to purge ever strikes (which very occasionally it does), I try to jump on it and do as much as I can.

I discovered a thread on Amazon.com (I did not even know they had discussion threads) about being a hoarder and disorganized. I felt that way, so I checked it out. It was last Saturday and I had a cold that was just draining energy out of me. So I was just sitting on my bum. I spent quite a while reading in that thread. Someone recommended a book called "Throw Out Fifty Things" which I started reading today. I get teary even reading about throwing things out. But I thought to myself that I could spend a few minutes somewhere purging something. So I did.

I went downstairs to the family room and pulled out a box of toys that have just been boxed up for over a year. I figured that I would just be able to basically dump the whole thing in either the trash or DI bag and feel so good. It did not go quite that well, but it was a start.

I want to log things as I purge so that I can look and see that I AM making improvements. They may be small and they may be slow, but that's better than nothing, right? So here's my tally today:

Trash: 1 small bag
Give away: 1 big garbage bag

Most of what went in these bags were small McDonalds-type toys. (Don't tell my kids.) This is probably the easy stuff, but I still have to start somewhere. I'm not starting where the book told me to either, but I wasn't ready to go there.

I'm starting. I want to continue. I want to be free from so much clutter. I want to be able to invite you all to my home without feeling shame and embarrassment. And I can do it.