Purging: Third Installment

Purging is a process.  You can't just say "Oh, I think I'll purge today" and POOF! your house is clutter-free and everything you use and want is there and the things you don't are gone.  It just doesn't work that way! Getting rid of things, especially today in a culture that attaches such value to stuff, isn't easy.  I love what Tsh on simplemom.net has to say about how to tackle the process of purging:

• Make a plan of action immediately. Ever decide you don’t want something, but then you just stand there holding it, not sure what to do with it? Get two large boxes and label them “sell” and “donate,” and put your items in there without analyzing over it for too long. Keep these off to the side, and add to them throughout the day.
• If you haven’t used an item in over a year, chances are high you don’t need it. To find out if those seldom-used items get touched, put a simple removable sticker on the bottom. As you use your things, remove the sticker. A year later, if there’s still a sticker, then you probably don’t need it.
• If you’re still undecided about something, designate an “undecided” box. Pack up your undecideds, mark the date, and store it away in your garage or a closet. In three months, look in the box again. If you’ve now realized you can live just fine without it, then there’s your answer.

 I'm using the packing process for our move as motivation to purge, but also to remember.  I love going through and finding things I haven't seen or used in a while, and those things I come across that excite me, I keep.  The things I come across and think "Why do I have this?" I let go of.