Less is more - day 30

On this last day of my 30-Day Minimalism Challenge, I thought this was a very appropriate find.  After getting rid of  25 Homeschooling Today magazines earlier this week, I came upon a file box full of over 40 more!   Aaaahhhh!

Organized by year, no less - with indexes for each year.  😯

Let it be known that I am one amazingly organized hoarder.

It seems apt to end my challenge with a large collection of something I've saved that represents the past, when that's how I began this challenge on Day 1. 

I wrote then:  [This challenge is] about making decisions.  It will be a month full of making decisions about things I'm going to let go of, things I'm going to keep.  Hopefully, it will result in some clarity about how what I own should reflect my life - what I want out of  life, and what I want life to be about in this stage.  

Well, homeschooling is definitely not what my life is about anymore.  And yet, here I am, five years after my youngest graduated, hanging on to all these remnants of those bygone days.

Just as I set those t-shirts free a month ago (and my thoughts of what I once felt inspired to make with them), I now set free nearly 75 publications that were inspiration for things I wanted to do with my young sons years ago.  Some happened.  Some didn't.  C'est la vie.

Goodbye 40+ more things that are truly no more than weight for me today!

If you have the stomach for one more post on the subject, I'll be popping in early next week with some things I've learned during this month-long exercise.  

Thank you, again - everyone who offered encouragement this month.  It was a fun experience, but you made it more fun.  😙

Less is more - day 29

More random stuff:

After studying this magnificent collection, I thought you might like to play an eye-spy game.  Can you find:

An Opryland torch holder (or possibly shot glass)
A child's art project
A race enthusiast's collectible
Shock protectors
Four handle-less cups
Two brass noise makers
An ankle bracelet that doubles as a jump rope
A box of crustacean armor 
      & lumps of minerals and chemical compounds
An ice cream liquidator
A carrier for a digital brain
An empty confection box
Four mini vases
A glass pottage holder
A box of torch holders & various related items
Seven bound manuscripts

More than 29 more things going tootle loo!

Less is more - day 28

Today is a random collection of things:

A couple of photo albums - I guess for all the digital photos we don't print anymore, a curtain valance that doesn't fit my "yarn room" anymore, yarn I don't like anymore, slippers I don't wear anymore, a spider plant I don't care for anymore, two bird whistles no one whistles anymore, strainers I don't strain with anymore, plastic doilies I never did use, a crocheted bag I don't particularly care for anymore, and linens that are worn out and won't get used anymore.  

That said, before this very old, worn-out pillowcase gets tossed, I'm going to try to remove this very sweet bell trim that someone crocheted for it once upon a time:

I'm just amazed at how a pillowcase can be worn and shredding in places, and this delicate looking trim is still going strong.

Twenty-eight more things gone!

Happy Thanksgiving all my U.S. friends!

I'm enjoying the day with family - 

eating Italian and playing games.

Less is more - day 27

Today is Hub's turn again.  He went through all his paints that he's used for model painting over the years and found 27 containers of old, dried up paint:

Not much to say, except I'm glad he's had a hobby where he looses track of supplies too.  

Less is more - day 26

As you can see below, I'm beginning a purge of lots of files.  I have so many files...   from years of homeschooling...  being a Sunday School teacher...   being involved in various aspects of children's ministry...  being a mom...  I have collected pictures, brochures, maps, party ideas, cake designs...   you name it...  if it was on paper and I thought it was clever at all, I filed it away.  

Some of it I actually used.  

The first picture represents 26 files of travel brochures and miscellaneous pictures, lesson plans, I think I see a valentine idea even.  We'll (maybe) salvage any file folders that are in good condition, but otherwise, everything below is going straight into a box for recycling.

Someone, please tell me I won't regret this.

And below are a bunch more materials (similar to the above) pulled from even more files.  I'd say at least 27 files because this was originally going to be a separate post for day 27.  Honestly, I've lost track of how many files I've cleaned out.

I threw in some magazines and a yarn catalog to recycle, and a timeline kit that I'm going to try to rehome.    A lot is buried under the top layers and isn't even visible.  Everything from these two pictures (minus the timeline kit) overfilled a box that held a case of paper (or 10 reams of printer paper). 

So much paper!   😟

Hopefully, now that it's set free it will become something else.

Like this, maybe:

A video explaining how paper is recycled

~~~~~