Yep, it’s official — I’ve gotten to a place in my life where more is definitely way TOO more!! I have a constant urge to cull, purge, toss, pare. Clutter is making me NUTS!! And it’s not like I have so much clutter — but just enough to irritate and nudge at me. I’m sitting in the living room at 2:28 in the morning (sleeplessness, just another service offered by menopause) looking around and making a mental list of what I want to throw out. So far, it’s 3 pictures that don’t go with anything (I don’t think there’s a room in this world that they would go with) a box of toys that the dollies don’t play with, and a pile of magazines.
The urge to accrue has passed. The only want I have now is to walk into a room and feel calm and peace — not feel like my heart wants to beat itself out of my chest.
So what’s the problem you ask? Why am I whining? Why aren’t I getting out the trash bags and having at it all?
Sweet Baboo.
He keeps bringing “stuff” in to the house but nothing leaves. A human version of a Macafee antivirus program. And for all their manliness and toughness, oh, those fragile egos to be tiptoed around!!
I understand his frugality and his love of getting something for nothing. Case in point — he recently brought home 3 lamps and 2 end tables from a house giving these things away. No matter that they go with nothing we own. No matter that they don’t even go with each other!!! He has this idea in his head that he will make them fit somewhere. And of course they don’t.
So how do you on the one hand tell him that you appreciate his efforts but on the other hand, for the luvvaGod get this crap out of our house?
This is the kind of thing that keeps me lying awake at 2:28 in the morning when I should be sleeping.
Knitting, Sewing & Other Stuff 
Re: Your post on getting rid of clutter…….you could be my sister!! Oh wait, you are my sister! No wonder I identify with you on this most irritating issue!!!! I too, am in anti-clutter mode…clutter and stuff taking up space with no apparent use makes my head crazy and YES, makes my heart pound!!! My “Sweet baboo” doesn’t often bring his stuff into the house (mostly because his stuff is not appropraite for a house, tools, old sugaring tubing, extra wheel barrows, a broken down push mower…..ah, but just the size I want!!!) BUT he has 2 garages, a garden shed, a sugar house that doubles as a storage building when sugaring is not happening, a large barn and a shed behind the barn……..ALL pretty full of stuff that doesn’t go with anything, stuff we’ll never use, stuff from 35 years ago that we MIGHT use……….just stuff!!! How do we break them of this “quirk”………we don’t I guess. Give him his own area (you have a garage, don’t you?) to clutter up and keep his treasures so he can go and look at it all and smile……..just make sure the door to the garage has no glass in it, so YOU don’t have to see it! I don’t walk “through” his garage so I don’t have to look at it! It’s only a temporary fix, I know…….someday he’ll forget why he saved all this stuff and get rid of it……I hope.
Found your blog while stumbling around on the internet and have to say I am glad I did. You feel like an old familiar friend! Knitting, crocheting, sewing, menopause, daughters, sweetie pie partners, beautiful grandbabies…….. the list could go on and on. Thanks for sharing, it made my day!
Thanks for the compliment Kelly!! It’s nice to know that my blathering can generate a smile or two!! =)
Enjoyed this post. I’m also at that stage of lie….Change begets change, I guess.
I LOVE clearing out closets and drawers….and I miss a good nights sleep!