living with less

I have been reading a lot of blogs about minimalism lately.  Ever since I was pregnant I have just wanted less around.  We have a tiny space to live in (2 bedrooms, 2 baths, living room, kitchen & dining room/laundry room.....do you need a visual?  Think single-wide-trailer.  There you go.  You got it now)  so having less around is vital for my sanity.  But you guys, it is hard.  I don't know where the stuff comes from but it seeps in when I am not looking and because I don't have closest or extra space that I can cram it into it is all staring at me in the face 24/7.  

In the past 3 months, I think I have taken 2 big loads to Goodwill and I still have another box forming in the bedroom.  I initially had this plan that I would go through each room and just have a real heart to heart with myself and just get rid of anything, absolutely anything that did not have a place and that was not essential to our family.  The clothes were sort of easy because I wanted to donate almost everything I had.  I didn't get rid of anything that was of good quality but to snug on me to wear right now (I'll hold out hope) but if it was small, cheap, or something that I even had to think twice about I chucked it.  I would rather have the basics than to keep up with this ridiculous pile of laundry I collect.  

Some pieces were hard though.  I had to have Andrew intervene when I was trying to talk myself into keeping a black shirt that I waited tables in from Wet Seal that I have had since 2006.  It just held a lot of memories from Richmond to me.  But no, I shouldn't be wearing that faded black shirt even to bed.  Like I said, I have taken a few trips to Goodwill already but I am trying to keep a plastic bin around and filling it up with items as I go about my way.  Once it is filled off it goes!  It does seem like a never ending cycle.  I just don't know where all of this STUFF comes from!  

I know I am a cluttery person.  That word should actually be added to the dictionary under my name.  But if you flip the coin on the other side, at least it is something that I am actively trying to change and you won't ever find me on an episode of Hoarders, dear God.  When I get down about living in a small space I think about how much it is helping me let go of things that I don't need.  I know if I had a larger home it would be so easy to fill it up with more.  

BE GONE STUFF and let me breathe easy in my Traiylor.  I'll keep on keepin' on with trying to live a more simple life with less.