Good for you, swest! Downsizing is alot of work ... but it's sure worth it @times! Great that you are 'spreading around' the joy in your donations! Keep it up ... but take it easy on the backside & legs, too! ~~Jeanne S.

Wow, sounds like a LOT of work.

My youngest DD and I were working on a project at her home on Sat. and she was talking about how our family has a propensity for acquiring and keeping "stuff."

I admire your diligence.

I haven't reached the point yet where I am willing to let go of my décor, but I know sometime in the future I will have to as I won't have the energy to put it all out, LOL

Congratulations on your industriousness and decision to pare down. Also, on donating it so others can enjoy them.

TFS,
Candy

I can relate to this. I took a trailer and truck load and donated this year. So many things I've bought and never used so out the door they went! I even donated dishes and decor so I could keep buying.LOL

Doesn't it feel good to share the LOVE? The gals where I took our things to were more than delighted with all the goodies we donated. We also donated truck loads from our phone business this year also. People come in with new phone covers and chargers and it makes me smile.

Sometimes it's hard to believe we save so much. I still have some of DGD special toys. When she's down we go out to the shed to find new/old goodies for her. We still have alot of DS's old trucks, etc. I'm still storing all of his baseball card collection from jr high. Most boxes haven't been opened.

Yes, do this as your body allows and don't look back!haha

Punk

My husband and I were talking last night about how we could remember what was in each bin. We are going to number to each bin, then take a picture of the contents and post the picture on our computer. Hopefully, that will give a little order to our chaos.

Now that's a LOT of sorting! Good for you and DH for being so committed to the project! I'm sure you'll make a lot of people shopping at GW VERY happy!

What a great idea to # and take pictures. I would never take the time but what a way to go. I have my totes colored coded for all the holidays and that makes it really nice. Most of the time I have a lg sticker on the outside also stating whats in it on one end. I don't store any clothes, dishes, etc. unless they are going to be donated and I put them in a box and write donate on it. I've learned the hard way!LOL

Hope you get through everything and end up with the organization you hoped for.

Punk

I started packing two weeks ago before i got sick...and
the hardest and slowest part for me was to part with
lots of 'stuff' espec from the past that I haven't used and know I won't use. I've kept them mainly for sentimental reasons.
I like your idea about taking pictures.
Ya think when you're done, you could swing by and give me a hand? !! lol
jane

My husband took two *totally* full truck loads of Christmas decorations (bed and the dual cab of the truck were full) to thrifts and one guy asked him if we had a store! How embarrassing! Ha, ha! We did get rid of A LOT but still have A LOT left. I told my husband as soon as I get over being so sore, I'd make another pass through the boxes and try to get rid of more. We had 55 large plastic bins full of stuff. We now have approximately half left. I'll have to be tougher next time around. It wasn't just ornaments -- we got rid of linens, dishes, cookie jars, etc.

I'm embarrassed to say but I had Christmas cards we had received from 1992! What a pack rat -- heavy on the RAT!

So funny that the guy asked if you had a store! Must of been some nice stuff you donated. Sounds like you've come a long way baby!LOL So happy for you to be this far in downsizing. Maybe it's time to catch your breath and let the rest wait until next year to be donated.

Speaking of old Christmas cards. DM and I made 27 rocking chairs out of some of hers and took to the clinic where she was taking chemo the year before she joined her Savior. Everyone loved them. DM was such a giver and it's great that you mentioned the cards as a reminder for me this morning.

Punk

Isn't it amazing how many of us go goofy over Christmas decorations? I only regret that when we moved years ago we lost our entire Christmas garden that went under the tree, and would still enjoy having it! For anyone who is sharing this year, bless you for making so many extra Merry Christmases out there!

Every time I buy a new ornament I buy it in 3, so that someday each of our three children will have their own set. They are all adults, one still in college, and so far no one is married or has shown the slightest inclination to have his or her own tree. But the one year I didn't have a tree they acted as if the world were coming to an end! I'm going to start the giveaway this year though, giving the woodland animals made of wood and straw (that we used on an outdoor tree one year) to my DD.

We have many boxes of Christmas but use most of it every year. I admire those who can successfully downsize their holiday. I sometimes have visions not of sugarplums, but of me at age 90, creakily hanging tiny German knitted sweaters and wooden nutcrackers on a tree.

Surprisingly, the sort wasn't that difficult. I just kept the things we really, really liked and would continue to use. Anything that was "iffy", DH had final say-so and most of the time it went. We did get some new things to compliment what we kept to freshen things up. We have carriage lights on either side of our garage so we bought two beautiful swags at Costco ($18 each) for there. We kept our Christmas tree but agreed we should get a new one for next year. We have a 6' tree but am planning on getting perhaps a 7.5' tree for next year.

Don't forget that if you have a Domestic Violence House in your area they would enjoy some of these items. Also the homeless shelters can use them . The main thing when you give to places like Goodwill and Salvation Army and some other thrift shops they get overwhelmed and many of the items get tossed. Many churches are accepting some items to help the less fortunate and if you are like where I live in ND there is a ton of boutiques, craft shows, so just look around and even giving the stuff away to others really makes a difference.