First goal achieved

It's hard to believe....but I'm not even at the one year mark yet, and I've got my 50% reduction from where I started last year. Astonishingly enough....there's still room for improvement. Quite a bit actually.

Freecycle is now my mechanism of choice, and I'm averaging 1 to 3 objects on Freecycle per week. Basically, once a week--typically around the weekend--I go down to the basement pile, pull three items out, and put them on Freecycle.

That....and the ladies room at work....which seems to have some mysterious powder room table upon which unwanted household items disappear at a shockingly fast rate. I've moved a number of items that way each week.

Of my three bookcases, I now can fit everything on to one bookcase plus one shelf. The four giant milk crates full of essential papers is down to one....and I hope to cull it down even further. I can finally fit clothing into the closet...and the drawers can now close. Not easily...but they close! progress, not perfection.

My four boxes of gear? Just one and a half....and that half is going this month! Those dreaded duffel bags that I owned at least thirty? I'm at about 12.

I'm a bit of crossroads now---I'd like to get a new living room. If I get an entertainment unit, I could 'hide" a lot of the office items (now all in boxes, neatly organized) behind the doors and on the shelves, and that could eliminate the need for bookcases in my office entirely. My office would have only a small desk and chair. The downside to that of course, is that I don't want so many "personal" items in my living room, where snooping, curious guests and visitors could have access to college sketchbooks, diaries, etc.

I'm thinking I'll redecorate the office instead--but I can't decide if I should do it now and fit everything in....or work towards culling further...and get a much smaller storage unit. I've learned firsthand that if I buy a bigger shed...I'll fill it. Buy the bookshelf with 12 spots instead of the one with 8....and I'll fill it.

Either way, there's a lot more to go out the door. This past week, I moved out an entire box of artist materials. Next week: I've got two jewelry boxes, some "treasure" boxes, another bag of clothing and an entire box of books.

With January 2011 rapidly approaching, I'm really looking forward to starting the new year with a minimal house. I've got some big culls to do, and I've saved two of the hardest for last: electronics and high-end collectibles (Grandmother's Fiestaware!)

It's amazing to finally see the progress in the basement and in the various rooms--the living room and dining room are almost 100% complete. The kitchen is about 80%....the bedroom (if you don't count clothing) is 90% done. Closet? About 80% done. My office is around 70% and the basement is 50%. I'm starting to finally visualize the end results....and a one-bedroom apartment is no longer outside the realm of feasibility.