The Purge Continues.......

I really have no idea how I manage to cram so much "stuff" into my very small house. I do know, actually, I just pile things on any horizontal surface until I can't take it anymore. Then it gets moved.  These past few months I've been on a possession purge. I've listed items on Craigslist, Freecycle, hobby specific group lists, half.com, e-bay and if I can't sell it, I donate it.  I have ready to be donated to a local charity for ther annual tag sale, the old AIO that I could not get to work with my new laptop, my old color inkjet printer that works, but never really printed very well, an old 24" TV with remote that needs a converter box (some one gave this to me and I just don't have the room for an additional TV), a surround sound system that needs all new speaker wires, and a piece of furniture that I hate that never made it to the last charity tag sale. This local group will pick up items and they will be driving by on Friday AM to make this pick up. I also took to the dump an old disgusting IKEA rug, a damaged wicker bathroom shelf, and two cracked plastic bins. I sold a bunch of hobby equipment and am in the midst of scanning in my old paper files to the lap top and then onto the external hard drive. 

This goes part in parcel with the clutter clean out I did a couple months ago where I purged a bunch of old clothes that no longer fit (goodwill, consignment and trash), got rid of some extra kitchen items (which in hindsight I could have taken to my weekend job house-oh well), and in general just purged a bunch of knick knacks and junk.

Sounds like a lot, but I still have a lot. My house is small, poorly designed, no garage, attic or basement. I call it the Studio House because it is the size of a medium studio apartment without the benefit of being in cool section of a cool city.  I know I have possession issues and I cling to things that really have no meaning or use in my life. Try as I might to adopt the William Morris philosphy to have only things in your life that are beautiful and useful, I seem to come up short.  I am in the market for a dresser to use as a TV stand and a place to store my linens, I don't have a linen closet.  Now that I will be less that piece of furniture I've hated for years, I can think about finally getting that dresser. I won't have any excuses for not purging the old linens and towels I've had for years as well that are on their last legs as well.

Apartment Therapy featured this studio on it's web site today.  I fell in love with it. Granted not everyone will like the wallpaper or the fact that there is a plehtora of books, framed art, etc., but I like the concept of all the built in bookcases, the functional, but small kitchen, and the couch looks like the perfect place to read a book and drink a cup of tea. 

I don't think I will every be able to achieve a total Zen like bare minimalist home, I like a certain amount of clutter, but I do think I am slowly making progess and freeing up some space.