Friday, September 21, 2007

Friday Five - - Decluttering Edition


Sally over at the revgalblogpals issues this challenge for the Friday Five; With Jo, Jon and Chris all moving to college and University accommodation there has been a big clear up going on in the Coleman household. We have been sorting and trying hard not just to junk stuff, but actually to get it to where it can be useful. On a brighter note we have used Freecycle ( check it out) to provide the twins with pots and pans etc that other folk were clearing out.

Making the most of our resources is important, I have been challenged this week by the amount of stuff we accumulate, I'd love to live a simpler lifestyle, it would be good for me, and for the environment I think...

With that in mind I bring you this Friday 5;

1. Are you a hoarder or a minimalist? I am a glutton of stuff.

2. Name one important object ( could be an heirloom) that you will never part with. my name and my faith

3. What is the oldest item in your closet? Does it still fit??? Did you really have to ask? And whatever it is, it certainly fits someone but not me anymore.

4.Yard sales- love 'em or hate 'em ?
I am not a yard sale junkie.

5. Name a recycling habit you really want to get into.
Recycling? What is that. For the last five years, I lived where they didn't recycle, and now I am having to get back in the habit.

And for a bonus- well anything you want to add....
Just to let you all know; The Yard Sale That's 792,000 Yards Long
That's in Alabama ya'll.

It is funny you asked this for the Friday Five, we are getting ready for a church rummage sale. Bob and I are going through our "Stuff" to sell at it. We are really trying to pare down.

Picture taken from Kim & Jason's Escape Adulthood blog

4 comments:

Jan said...

I liked your concise and funny comments, esp. the one about any old outfit not fitting anymore. True for me, too. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Well, what a timely topic! I'm back home from helping daughter #2 with her son #2. She and my son-in-law are both in the army and strongly feel that there is a place for everything and often that place is the garbage can (why is there no recycling available near any of the military bases I've visited except in Germany?!). There the trick was finding safe places to set something down for a few minutes where it wouldn't get tossed out! Now that I am home, I can see that there is probably a happy medium between my clutter (which I confess to enjoying some aspects of) and throwing away the Christmas gifts by mistake because the bag they were hidden in looked out of place (daughter was NOT happy about that one!). I grew up with "waste not, want not" and find it hard to throw things away that are still useful. [At least there is good recycling here in California.] But I am also in between jobs and not sure what I'll be doing next so I'm finding it hard to get rid of things (mostly books) that I might need if I teach again or if I do in home childcare, or... My house has also served as a closet/museum for my kids (and 2 of them no longer live here!) and their things that THEY can't bring themselves to part with (my oldest still thinks of her old room as a shrine to her and likes it that way!), but this last long trip got me thinking about moving to some place smaller with less upkeep that would be easier to leave for extended periods of time. So... after sending out a few more resumes, I'm headed to do some decluttering too (starting with all the mail that came while I was gone!). But, gee, do I have to get rid of those clothes that I liked so well back when they fit me?
Thanks for such a great Friday Five!

Rev.Dulce said...

We do an Annual Garage Sale at church, too. It has helped pay our apportionments for the last four years. One person's trash truly is another's treasure.

I totally relate to the "not fitting" anymore comment.

Diane M. Roth said...

LOVED the bonus 792,000 yard long sale....not a junkie, but would love to go there