Simplifying

Finally the heat has abated. This past weekend, I realized that my sweaters were all packed away. With the current state of the space between my ears, the change in weather, and an up-coming birthday, I decided to evaluate my collections--shoes, books, clothes, etc. I also have to admit that I have been watching Horders on A&E on Monday night. Well, technically I haven't finished an episode yet. I get too weirded out and have to turn the TV off.
This past weekend, I got down to business. I rounded up all my shoes from the coat closet, the bedroom closet, the shoe basket in the living room, under my bed, etc. I decided that I did not need over 60 pairs of shoes. OK, that was a really hard decision to make as I longingly touch each pair. Thinking--"I wore these in Vegas for my 40th birthday", "Cam really liked these--when I wasn't wearing much else." Each pair with a story and a memory. And then realization struck--horders have to touch each and every thing. I steeled myself and set down criteria--If they hurt, if I hadn't worn them in 2 years I had to get rid of them. I quickly put on the two above mentioned pair of shoes--thus saving them. In the in 17 pairs well actually only 16 pairs--I pulled one more pair out of the pile--will go to Single Mother's Outreach and their Career Closet.

Next came clothes. In my storage closet, I had boxes of clothes packed up that I used to wear and a few that I had bought hoping to be able to wear in sizes 10, 12 and 14. I can't fit in any of them at the moment--well some 14's but not many. I had suits, slacks, blouses, all of them probably bought on a credit card that are now essentially useless to me. I brought them from Hawaii in hopes that I would be able to shed some of the pounds and get back into them. I have been here 3 1/2 years and that hasn't happened yet. So out came the boxes and I packed them all--well most of them--into the boxes. I came up with several trash bags full to go to the Goodwill as well.
I also paired down my cookbooks and some other books. In the end, I have probably gotten rid of a car load of stuff. All stuff that I don't really use. I understand why I have a huge debt that I chip away at each month. Like hoarders, I have a compulsion to acquire things. However, fortunately, unlike them I have an aversion to clutter. I feel that I am truly a Libra on this issue with the scales swinging to and fro on acquiring and shedding.
J asked me if I was as ruthless weeding my own things as I was weeding books from my library. On this, I guess I am for the same reason. There comes a point that if you haven't used it for a period of time--it is no good and maybe someone else will find it more valuable. If you can't see it because it is under a bunch of other crap it is no good. If you can't fit anything else into your space then you got to do something because piles are unacceptable and being jammed in makes it inaccessible and thus no good. Essentially, I feel that if these things are true then you really don't have it and when you have too much then the things keep you from enjoying the things that you could or do use. A well trimmed collection like a well trimmed hedge is enjoyed more than an unkempt one.
But I do know that women that I trying to get back into the job market will have far more use of my size 10, 12 and 14 business clothes and shoes sitting in my closet than I will. If I get back into them, I can assure you that I will find an excuse to go on a spending spree of joy at getting down to those sizes again.