Days 65-78

No, I have not forgotten or "bailed" on this project. I've actually been quite busy getting rid of things.
I found a wonderful vintage consignment shop that is going to take on a good load of things I have packed up from around the house. Schedules and no car during the day have given me a setback getting to Renies shop in Ramsey and finding a day for Corinne but I have not forgotten.
I gave a couple of things away in the last few weeks to friends I know would truly enjoy them. We've also started our cleaning and packing for the yard sale, and removing some of the heavier clothing for both storage and donations.
I've also been busy sowing seeds for the greenhouse from seeds we've saved from our plants last year and any organic vegetables we bought throughout the year. My sprouts are already taking off.
Ebay was a total waste and its time to really work on my etsy soap shop. With all thats been going on, I have not made new listings as I should have and the shop needs work again. I was holding out to teach a partner and hoping a part time side job would come through, but both didn't,  and it's time to remember that my family comes first again.

Clutter isn't just found in the house, either. In the age of technology, emails are cluttered with junk mail and spam and phones are cluttered with apps we don't use. It's timestaking, but easy to remove yourself from mailing lists,  and clean up your apps. You can get rid of so much you don't need with the touch pf a button.
Looking forward to the yard sale, the consignment shops, fewer junk emails, and more soaps for the shop! Lots gone in just 2 weeks!

Days 60-64 Whatever Works

We forgot to give our friend the DVD the last time he stopped by, so that will be done this week. The Anthro pants didn't sell on ebay, so onto the bin for Renie. I am really fed up with ebay. It's not worth it.
Recently, the man and I have both reached a truth I think is difficult for our age bracket. When you turn 18, your life is reinvented. You begin new friendships in college and in your newer adult life, and some of your close friends fade. The good ones still call to this day. But, life begins at 18. Things get a bit more serious.  Bills come in which makes work important, college takes up your free time with studies, and people move for starting this new aspect of life. It's a "me" time for a bit, or at least it should be. Through your 20s, and after college, you have work, you have a degree, and things get more relaxed as you've eased into the transitions and having free time to hang out with a ton of friends isn't so difficult anymore. At 30, things change again. People have gotten married, started having children, bought homes, got mire serious about their home and work, and even more move. All for the big dream...to have the house, the marriage, the kids, the job, the savings, etc. "Hanging out" becomes scheduling. Going to bed at 9 o'clock doesn't seem abnormal. All this loses all the "fun" we think we're missing out on by missing our twenties and hanging out every night. But what is important? What's needed? And most especially, what do you want now?
Saving becomes important. Your family becomes important,  and sadly, as much as you want to hang out all the time, its not as important to almost everyone in this age bracket. It's a realization. No, you haven't lost your good friends, theyre busy doing what they have to for themselves and their families. It's responsible adult time.
The conundrum is knowing its fine, healthy, and needed to have a social adult life but always getting schedules crossed and never really being able to have one. Parents, especially.
In the end, what's more important????
I have a child, I am biased. I do miss having a bunch of fun and energy and hanging out, but the adult in me says going out costs money we need to save, babysitters are almost non existent, and if I have free energy and time, I want to soak up my family for a while.
There are many ways to bring yourselves and even your kids together,  but for one reason or another, everyone's busy...living life. And that's what's needed, even if its hard to always want it and not desire a bit more social fun. First rule of parenting: learn to give up your life.
So, since we're trying to get rid of things, and it seems mostly friends are into claiming them for what they need, and we all need some social activity and a break, I'm thinking of being the 30 year old that throws a "trash and treasure" party. Good way to hang out, with or without kids,  get rid of stuff, and bring busy friends together.

Here's to our thirties!

I will send invites as soon as I hash it all out. :)

Hey, Whatever Works.

Days 52-59

I know I haven't been very good with posting daily. Lots going on. But the mission has still been underway. I *think* we may have a buyer on the ten gallon tank setup, but not sure. If there are offers, contact. The lucky boots did not sell and the necklace and 2 pairs anthro pants are still on ebay for a few more days under angel2213101.
My friend and I did more giving and trading, and I had to get the bear to my friends sister. I still have to send stuff to her mom and other sister.
Yesterday, I have to admit on the blog, I cheated. A tooth broke and I was in severe pain. I had to get it extracted.  I checked the damned child support, and even though he only made 2 payments in 2 months, by letting it accumulate, I had enough for the emergency tooth. If it wasn't an emergency, I wouldn't have gone against my word. So, take 2 on that. The DVDs are gone except for the Office set and some of the candle holders. We've also started to make bags for a spring yard sale, even my nine year old wants to get rid of stuff. I'm glad its catching. We are looking to move in June/July, so we'll probably be getting rid of a lot. If there's something you're searching for, feel free to ask. Bet I have it or something that can help. Hey, its worth a shot, right?
I still have bins for Corinne and Renie, its been a rough month, but I haven't forgotten and hopefully in a week or so we can all get plans and schedules together. I also have to drop off the toybox to a friend, thats gone too.  Forgot it when I brought the Audrey Painting.
Start making bags, folks.  Friends are more than welcome to join the yard sale or swing on by.

Day 51 Good Friends and Good Finds

Sometimes getting rid of material items just falls into place. In high school, we all traded each others clothes and "went shopping" in our friends closets. If we really wanted to wear it again, we knew where the items were. Most of the time,  we were happy with our trade outs.
I have one pair of jeans left. A friend of mine had a whole bin of jeans and let me look for a few pairs. 3 fit perfectly. Today, I went around my drawers and closets and thought of what she would like. And the items I found... I never wear. Go figure. They're her style. They belong to her. I made an entire bag for her to pick and choose clothes and jewelry. The one necklace I asked her to take and take care of because it was a gift, but due to its content, I couldn't have it in my house anymore. Nothing dirty or crazy... just personal reasons I couldn't even hold on to it. She promised she'd take care of it and I know she will love it.
Have a trading party. You're never too old, and when you need jeans, it helps get what you need and get rid of what you don't and no one spends a dime. I have space in my drawers now. And I made sure to make my bag equal so that trading is fair. I highly recommend going back to trading.  Today I dont have just one item I'm letting go, but an entire bag. Jewelry, clothes, housewares, kitchen fun, etc. And in turn, I have 3 pairs of jeans I needed. Good friends and good finds.

Days 47-50

On a night where we all needed to get out, and I had to grab a small piece of furniture for the new fish tank ( selling the 10 gallon with hood,heater, and thermometer and filter btw. Contact if interested, north jersey local only) the man and I webt to ikea and a friend of mine and her little boy came and met up with us. I never saw ikea as a place to "hang" but we spent 3 hours there, hanging out, looking for needs and making the cutest little boy smile in a time when all of us needed a break. We felt like 14 year olds in a big toystore. It felt good.
As with giving things away, along with the 10 gallon tank setup, my friend also wanted that huge ikea piece of Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffanys. (Top ten greatest movies). I've had that piece for a while, and although I do love it, im not using it and dont need it. She's currently redecorating, so, you guessed it, its hers.
Still going. Feel free to contact via email about the fish tank.

Days 43-46 All You Need Is Love

If there's anyone that actually read and followed the blog, my apologies. It's been a very rough week.
Although my goal is to realize what is truly needed and wanted as far as material objects and getting rid of things, this week showed a bit more of the wants and needs for the heart and soul.
As far as giving anything away, I've made 3 donations for friends this week, amongst having a trade day with a friend to have her take what I didn't want and see what she had that I could use.
The want and need for the heart this week was being able to see an old friend, back on stage, singing in memory of a deep loss for us both. We both wanted and needed comfort. And I dont think he has ever put more heart in his music. He and his wife were a great need and want to the point I just didn't want the night to end and let them go. No material object can create that.
I also put what I could into getting myself together to get a custom order of soaps and salves done for the woman in town who loves my products and they help her skin conditions. I needed to help someone. I wanted to help someone. And this lovely woman got one hell of an awesome homemade natural basket full with all my emotions.
On Valentines Day I know I needed to get myself together. Getting the tattoo the day before was a big help. I had too many ideas and none at all simutaneously but needed and wanted to get it done. Many people think of tattooing as a randon body marking. For those of us that take it seriously, its a way to follow old traditions, mark your life, and with pain, bleed it out to make a scar that will last forever a bit easier to look at and remember. Everyone has scars from their life. I mark mine to put them out in the open, make the horrible beautiful, and wear my scars on the outside. It may seem odd or not your style, and thats fine, its not for everyone. But as I said, those of us who take it seriously consider it a very holy ritual.  I was not able to have a piece of cloth ripped for my friend, and I can't picture life without him in it so I ripped my skin and put him right where it belongs. The artist was an old friend, and mutual of my friend who passed and refused any payment. I took that money and bought yellow roses for his family. I wanted to thank them for all the love I received because of them, and I wanted yellow to not only honor a soldier, but because it is the rose of friendship and honesty.
For my family, I made a special dinner and thanked them foe being by my side and helping me through a time I have felt emptiness and completely alone. I know they're here and I love them more than life. I wanted and needed them to see that.
The pictures are the boys making me smile at the gig, the tattoo, the basket of homemade soaps, a teddy bear whose tag and shirt made me need to buy it (if you know, you know why, look at the tag) and the most important lesson... what you may want and need and can't have. My lost friend holding me about 10 years ago. These times, my most sad, is when he was there. What I want and need can't happen and I have to accept that, I know. I try to think of all the times we laughed or held each other through our troubles. I need to remember I was given a gift, even if so short lived.

With material items, it gets me even more. In the end, all these meaningless trinkets dont matter. All you need is love.

Days 41 and 42

I have to take a brief hiatus from the blog with the recent events going on. I will still keep to the project I started. What I want and need right now is nothing material. Kind of takes the whole idea to another level. For yesterday, and today I am going to do my best to put my emotions on hold and help friends and family who want and need support more than I. I have to hold off cleaning out the old computer for a bit, there's a lot of memories I can't deal with right now, but do want to find, cherish and share them with those who would appreciate them as well. In time.