Time to purge!

I've said it before and I will say it again: I have TOO MUCH STUFF!!!!!  Four years ago we started to build our "dream house" and for a while it was a dream...so much space, nice new floors, freshly painted walls, everything we ever wanted.  We have been living in our house for just over three years and my house now has too much space, scratched up floors, dirty walls, everything I thought we wanted.  I have been doing a lot of thinking lately, with the assistance of "Eat, Pray, Love" and some Tom guy on Oprah yesterday, and have realized that I just simply don't need everything that we have.  I am very good at purging things, so in no way am I am hoarder, but I just can't seem to purge fast enough.  I know that I tend to buy into the idea that I need the newest mop that Swiffer has come out with or perhaps that my kids need many, many new toys at Christmas, when what I really need is what I already have.  I was standing in my pantry today looking at all the stuff, that is not food, and couldn't believe how many Tupperware containers I have (and yes, I know I just had a Tupperware party - that is part of my problem) and I can't imagine ever needing to store that much food!  I have roasters, a toaster oven, bread maker, ice cream maker, milkshake maker, chocolate fondue thing, rolling pins, cake takers, cupcake tower, cake pans, cookie press, platters, trifle bowls, and the list can go on and on and on...and that is just in my pantry alone!  I need to change something. 

I have this small desire to have a garage sale, but I am not sure I want to spend an entire weekend sitting in my garage, plus the set up and take down of it (the reality of it is that I probably wouldn't be able to park in my garage again for about a month because all of the stuff that didn't sell would just sit there until I could figure out what to do with it).  Our local playschool is having a garage sale next month and all the money goes toward the playschool, which is where Will is going in September, and even though I will make no money on the stuff I shelled out so much money for, at least my son will benefit from this fundraiser.  I tried a Free Sale last year with a bunch of my friends and I was amazed that I still had so much stuff left over, even though it was all FREE!  If I am to donate to the playschool garage sale though, I have to make sure I do not go there myself...or the cycle will just start all over again.

I don't know if it is just the fact that it is spring and I have that instinctual need to get rid of stuff or if I have really had a change in my attitude of what is really important and how having so much stuff makes me feel way too full?

Whatever it is that has got me to this place in my world, I will embrace it and let go of all the extras.

SJ