Minimizing Stuff

There's an online community board that I visit that had the idea of tossing one item per day as a way to minimize the "stuff" we all have.  So I've been trying to do this since one item per day seems much more manageable then cleaning out entire rooms.  And anything counts--from half-used bottles of shampoo, to holey socks...you name it.

I'm not always good about tossing something every day, so I try to make up for it by tossing several things at once, if I can.

Today I was inspired to toss some things out as I was making my grocery list and noticing the dates on some of the food in the frig.  Now don't get the wrong impression.  My frig is clean, with very little in it in fact.  But there are some basic staples that I believe you need to have.  Today as I cleaned out the frig, I found that the two small cans of Pillsbury crescent rolls were dated Mar 2013 and Apr 2013.  This totally surprised me.  I would have put money on the fact that I bought them in the past year.  But instead they are dated the month/year Ed went into the hospital and the month/year in which he passed.  So I would have had to buy these while Ed was still here.  So then, of course, this made me sad.  To think that I bought these planning that we would have them with dinner some evening.  And it also puzzled me...how have I had these for two years?  And the reminder that it is almost two years since Ed passed.  What has happened to that time?  Where did it go?  It feels like yesterday.

But the crescent rolls went into the trash.  I was able to let them go!  And I was on a roll (albeit a small one) and headed for the closet.  I thinned out and tossed plastic bags, in particular the "good" ones sitting at the bottom of the container that I never use!

I then went through the pile of "specialty" napkins that Dan always makes fun of because they sit there with the intention that I will use them, but I never do.  The New Year's napkins dated 2000 is proof of this!  Gosh, I remember that New Year's--the big threat of Y2K--would the world make it? would all our electronics survive?  That was 15 years ago. Wow--15 years ago when my life was full of happiness and joy.  So I reminisced....and tossed the napkins in the trash.

Through all this tossing, though, I find I do walk a fine line between trying to minimize the "stuff" I have in my life and being wasteful.  I mean, there was nothing wrong with those napkins and I've held onto them for 15 years because they are still usable.  Have I used them?  No.  But you never know when you'll run out of napkins or paper towels or any other paper or cloth item on which to wipe your hands!!  But I was strong, and they went into the trash!!  The three different colored saran wraps from an Easter many, many years ago, remained though.  I have learned that I just need to go with my gut and do what feels right at that moment in time.

And I did write crescent rolls on my grocery list.  I mean, I obviously haven't eaten any in 2 years, but I may need them next week!  I do find the humor in this and can laugh at myself which is a good thing.

In all of this, though, I realize I continue to stay in the "safe" zone.  Throwing out outdated food (that's an easy one) or items that have no sentimental value at all (or very little).  But the majority of Ed's things still remain.  And his Hot Rod magazines and Golf magazines that I threatened many times to throw out on him, still remain.  I have the "freedom" to finally get rid of them, but I can't.  Someday, but not today....