Project: Minimize and Simplify

In a previous post I mentioned how I saved just about everything just in case because we were planning on moving to a larger house.  Since we are now accepting that we are staying in our little cottage, I am working on making it work for us.

Project:  Minimize and Simplify is in full swing.

Actually, it has been for a year now, but through last year's decluttering and purging, I was able to learn some things to expand into this year.

Also, my youngest is out of babyhood, and this year will make his final steps out of toddlerhood.
That means the remnants of infancy can move on and move out.

Of the large projects, I have already gone through all of my daughter's toys and clothes.  Yesterday, I went through all of my 3 boys' clothes and was able to haul away 2 trash bags full of outgrown and unneeded clothing.  (We have been abundantly blessed with hand-me-downs.)

Next will be the boys' toys.

Small projects I've tackled so far include:  the art cabinet, the laundry baskets that were holding a mish-mash of things that weren't laundry, the ironing board that became a catch-all, my fall/winter clothing, Christmas ornaments (reduced from 4 totes to 3 totes), and drawers and cabinets that tend to accumulate paperwork.

My goal is to have the household completely set up and reestablished by the end of 2016, but really, I'm aiming for before the next school year.

My ultimate purpose of doing this is for the well-being of my family, but very much so for myself.  I am sick of being occupied with and overwhelmed by projects and endless cleaning.  I am fed up with tripping and bumping into things, having to move things to get to things, and having to pile, stack, file, and sort just to get to every day needful things.