STUFF~ some coming, mostly going

Lately we have been working on getting a lot of the extra "stuff" out of our house.  Looking around, it doesn't seem like we've got all that much extra stuff, but once you begin to really look... there it is!  Clothes not worn in years, piles of magazines and magazine clippings, miscellaneous this and that.... Last week I took a large box of baby clothes/toys/etc to the consignment store, donated another large box of baby stuff, and passed some on to friends as well.  My goodness it's easy to acquire a lot of stuff that fits into the "baby" category, even when you are consciously trying not to.  I don't wish to deprive this little one, but when I see how much pleasure a measuring cup or cardboard box bring her, well, I'm not running out to buy her a ton of new toys every week, let's just say that.  And I am quite convinced that there are enough large baby items (like walkers, strollers, bouncers, seats, etc.) to go around that no more ever need to be produced!

The piles ("yard sale", "baby stuff to keep" ,"donate", etc) have grown, then been boxed up and either put in the shed for that sunny Spring day when we'll have a yard sale, stored for later use, or donated. I have also recently adopted a policy for my own clothing that I will keep it only if I love it.  I am still in the process of weeding through articles of clothing and taking some things for test runs, but my how it (this new policy) whittles down a wardrobe!  I don't actually need to hold onto a dozen "painting" shirts, do I?  Especially since I don't find myself painting all that often?  Same goes for all the t-shirts I keep because "I'll sleep in them".  No, in fact, I won't.  I find myself wearing the same dozen or so articles of clothing over and over again anyway.  I think that's probably fairly common.  At least once you're out of that phase when you're in middle school and worry that so-and-so will notice you wore the same (!) shirt (!) just last week.  I am always amazed at how very little we really need, and how much more at peace I feel when I'm not surrounded by so much.  Surely there are things I find I can't part with, and so those stay, often packed away, and each time I get the urge to boot some things out again I get a little more picky about what I really "need" and about what I have a meaningful attachment to.  And then there's that love I have of finding new (old) things at the antique and thrift stores.... and so to make room for that I try to only get things I need/really want/was looking for anyway....and always get rid of more than I bring home.  It works quite well, I think. I am a sucker for children's books (because really, I don't think a child can have too many books), quality toys, and old kitchen items.  Of course the occasional article of clothing finds it's way home with me as well~ but from now on of course, only if I love it.  

So stuff is on it's way out, and yes, other things have found a new home here, too.  The balance is there though, slightly tipped towards us having less than we did before~ just the way I want it to be.  

Some photos of my recent finds (but none of the boxes and bins of donated or otherwise evicted items, because that'd be too boring):

HABA kringelring toy/teether~ $0.10 (yes, one dime)

hand-knit finger puppets~ $0.10 each

the latest round of books~ $0.25-$0.50 each

disana wool baby leggings/pants~ $2.00 (we have one of their wool diaper covers, and it is AWESOME and in nearly constant use)

napkin rings, wooden ones to be used for toy making~ $0.75 for all

standing grater with 3 different grating sizes (um, and a LADY on top!)~ $17.95 (no, not exactly a steal...but I wanted a standing grater and this one...well, this one spoke to me.  I found it at an antique/thrift market in Conover, NC called "Fantastic Finds")

milk glass vase~ $0.50

sparkly shoes for mama, purchased on an unusually warm day with thoughts of Spring filling my head~ $3.50

rolling wooden Hippo toy~ $4.95 at Fantastic Finds

Fisher-Price TV Music Box circa 1970-something, purchased at Fantastic Finds for Claire by her Grandma~ $16.95

Yep that's right, it's a GIANT screen.  I intend to keep my daughter's television-watching at a near non-existent level, but this I'm not too worried about....

...especially since one of the reasons Grandma wanted to get it for Claire SO bad was because I had the very same one when I was a wee one!  (that's me at about 6 or 7 months...and do you see that thing under the playpen?  Yep- a Fisher-Price GIANT screen music box TV)