Thursday, August 20, 2009

Hoarder-line



Okay...this is not our home. I am nowhere near this bad when it comes to throwing things away. But I am a clutterer, and I have a hard time getting rid of things. I have receipts from special dates, all of Charlie's art projects, old coke bottles, lamps that do not work...you get the idea. I hold on to things because they remind me of people or events. I know, everyone does, but it really is silly when you think about it. And it's just not good decorating sense. Just this weekend, Jess, very gently, referred to my corner cabinet in the dining room as "how old ladies decorate". I looked at it, opened my mouth to defend...and she's totally right. There's a vintage cup and plate, a frame of a poem from our wedding, and a bowl of dried flowers from various weddings and funerals we have attended. Not to mention a sun and moon candle I had in high school, some sort of little troll guy, and a little ceramic mushroom with a cute worm on it. This is all true, and as just as un-fabulous as you are probably picturing it.
So, with all this in mind, we have been talking about a yard sale. (No, I don't plan on selling the dead flowers...but maybe the troll.) Coinciding with this light bulb moment, the recession has come to call on the Beauchamp household. Money is tighter than it has ever been, as I am sure everyone has experienced. It's something I think we have tried to ignore. We go, go, go...and now it's time to pull back the reins, and make some changes. Simplifying our home while making some money at the same time is the first step.
Sounds easy, right? It would be, if I didn't have about 25% of the hoarder syndrome. For the last two days, I have strolled through the house, eyeballing the wicker end table that is gathering dust in a room that no one ever even goes in. But, in my mind, I could at any time rearrange the furniture and kick myself for selling the perfect table for like, 3 bucks. Remember the chandelier I pleaded with Adam to buy me from the store closing? Yeah, it's still in the basement, patiently waiting to be hung in the foyer. So, logically, I should sell it, right?
NO!
I really can't sell the chandelier. It's too cool. We will get around to hanging it, soon.
So, my challenge over the next 24 hours is to fight and (mostly) win these mini battles with myself (and undoubtedly with Adam, who will end up prying some random knick-knack out of my hands). If I haven't touched it, thought about it, used it, looked for it, or even smiled at it...it can go...right?? I do not want to be the crazy lady hauling things back into the house all afternoon.
Send clean, organized, money-makin' vibes!

6 comments:

Rachel said...

Love your blog! Glad your back! Good luck with the yard sale. You're brave.

Christina said...

Oooohhhh...can I come do it for you? I love purging!!!! Really! :)

whatever_heather said...

Chris...YES, please. When I do the attic, I'm flying you down.

whatever_heather said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jess Addison said...

Dear president of NA and HA (hoarders annonymous),
I am proud of the progress you have made this weekend! You need to take a pic of all that CRAP we have in the garage to sell now! All gathered, without the help of a nap. ;)
Good Luck,
VP of NA

cathy said...

i am with christina. i love to purge--so much so i am usually grabbing the newspaper out of david's hands while he's still reading it. hope the sale went well and you have some cold, hard cash in your hands. do you feel better with more space in your house???? for me, that's the best payoff.