Confesions of a Hoarder

Some may be wondering why I'm so hellbent on my adventure overseas. First and foremost, this is a once in a lifetime learning opportunity: the opportunity to work in network management and not be hindered by compartmentalizing and the opportunity for me to learn and grow.

And not just grow my technical skills. The truth of the matter is I'm a hoarder. I like stuff in my possession, and most of the time it is stuff that I don't need, use, like too terribly much, or have trouble letting go of. Now while I'm getting better at letting go of things, the only real way I'm gonna learn the lesson I need is to be somewhere where I just don't have anywhere to put it or somewhere where I have to literally haul it around with me.

And placing it all in storage is not the answer. I did that when I moved back in with my parents for a year and a half and it was a mess. When I finally moved into my apartment last year I rediscovered stuff I didn't even realize I had, and a good 50% of that was stuff that I don't need.

In trying to train myself that "less is more" I'm working on decluttering my apartment and making many many drop offs at Goodwill and the Salvation Army. I reclaimed my kitchen counter space by selling my small kitchen appliances that I don't use enough to warrant keeping on eBay; like my poor crock pot in which everything I have ever attempted to make in it has failed miserably. I parted with everything but my electric kettle, mini food processor (which I could probably get away without), and my hand mixer.

I cleaned out my fridge and found food that was over a year past it's expiration date and eventually found all the shelves. I also went through all my sewing/crafting boxes/bags/stashes and managed to pair that down to just two small boxes with fabric and patterns and a bag of yarn. The knitting needles are still hanging out in the closet (that way the circular needs don't get tangled or kinked).

I eventual need to get around to my filing, which has overrun from one box into the draws of the tv stand. I'm pretty sure that at least 90% of my "to be filed" can go to the recycling center after it's been through the shredder. But that's still a little to intimidating for me, so I'm off to clean my desk in my bedroom this weekend (I have three desk: 1 that is my main computing station, 1 that's in my bedroom that was my computing station in my first two apartments, and 1 that's the sewing station). If it's not completely clean/decluttered by the end of the weekend, than hopefully I will have made a big dent in the clutter.