Changing of the Tide

With 90 degree days upon us here in Maine once again, we packed up and headed to Crescent Beach seeking relief. Most of the time, the ocean gives us that little cool breeze and the 5 to 10 degree differential that we need. Not today. The only relief we found was as we dove into the crashing surf and waded about in the sea foam. I was fortunate enough today to not only be soaking my feet with Grannie and the girls, but also my neighbor Michelle whom I have not seen all summer. She and her kids had also packed up the boogie boards and buckets and headed for the beach searching for heat abatement. While we caught up a bit, much of our conversation swirled around the changing of the season. All moms and kids are making the shift from leisurely (I use that term loosely) summer days to more regimented school schedules. Michelle and I hashed over all that comes with the ringing of the first bell on the day after labor day. Earlier morning wake ups, buses to catch, homework to complete, after school activities, all of the things that September brings. And yet, we shared a bit about the anxious anticipation of it all. The sort of relief that we find in the school routine.

Apparently, this subtle shift is significant for other moms - besides Michelle and I. As I think about the women I have talked to over the last week almost all of them speak of "being ready for school to start". For all of the build up that spring brought, summer somehow leaves us feeling spent and in need of fall respite. My cell phone rang this evening and I heard the voice of my dear friend Adrianne from Milwaukee. She has already jumped into the organized chaos of school and after school activities. Despite being in her mini van running from one place to the next all while entertaining her 2 year old, she was exclaiming about regaining some time for herself. Apparently the beginning of school resulted in 3 straight days that included visits to the health club for a morning workout. These are the times that fall seems to provide.

For me, I am trying desperately to live out these last days of summer vacation without spending too much time focused on the next season. The change is 7 short days away for us. And before I know it, I will be longing once again for the heavenly craziness of summer. That is just how time seems to fly as I watch my little girls grow up so terribly fast. But the practical side of me has to prepare us a bit for what lies ahead. And so, we made our mad dash to Staples for $40 worth of school supplies last week. The new lunchboxes are on order. And we have selected a few new articles of clothing to kick off the school year.

In an effort to lend a hand to another mom during this preparation period, I delivered a bag of gently used clothes to Michelle for her daughter after we returned and unpacked from the beach outing. While we were wading in the waves Michelle mentioned that both her kids had major growth spurts over the summer. I thought immediately of the bag of clothes that were given to us but did not fit the 3 rights rule (as detailed in this blog) for either Shayla or Kiera. Michelle was thrilled to accept the clothes and thanked us for thinking of them. And with that, my first month of downsizing is complete!

As I close tonight, I think about how tomorrow, September 1, will taste bitter sweet. When June arrived I was chomping at the bit to spend more time with my older daughters. And that we did as we filled our time with beach adventures, camping trips, and long weekend trips to Ellsworth or China lake. The summer has been more fulfilling than I could have imagined and yet, with all of the kids home and the non-stop recreational outings I have begun to tire and long for the comfort of fall routine. No matter what my feelings, this change in season will come and I'll embrace it only to anticipate the next.

When Rubber Hits the Road

Today the rubber hit the road - Rubbermaid that is.
In a simple, last minute downsizing effort on this scorching hot Maine evening I sent Kiera across the street with a shoe box sized plastic tote and a camera to document the exchange. Call her my secret downsizing agent. I asked her to explain to whoever answered the door at the neighbor's house that we were returning their plastic tote after keeping it for several years. Then, snap a picture with whoever will pose with it.

Kiera came bouncing back in a few minutes and explained that both Fran and Jacob looked a bit confused but accepted the tote and posed as requested. I'm sure Nancy will get a chuckle out of the exchange once I explain it to her. What remains to be seen is whether she will recall lending me the container full of those little craft beads that the kids design and then have me melt together with the iron. At the time she willingly handed over the craft items with one simple request - please return the container as it was part of a recent reorganization of her den closet. Obviously the return did not happen until I was spurred on by the challenge - I hope she'll forgive me!

This particular downsize lead me to look around at all of the Rubbermaid totes that now sit empty. With our reorganizing, selling, and donating we simply have less stuff to store neatly in totes. How easy it was to feel that we were "organized" when we continually bought new organizational systems for our stuff. How funny that it never occurred to us to just get rid of said stuff! How amazing that an entire industry has been built around people's need to keep material goods stowed away.

For now our totes will sit stacked and dormant in the basement. Perhaps I'll find a new home for them someday - other than a landfill that is.

Put a Sock In It!

So I am guessing that I grabbed your attention with a this headline coupled with a picture of my mother in law. Before you begin to worry that I am implying any bad will with Grannie Annie I will put your mind at ease. I am simply making a feeble attempt at increasing readership. After all, aren't sensationalized headlines a commonplace method among journalists today?

Check out the title from yesterday's news that turned my head - Las Vegas woman missing for four months found dead under pile of junk in her house The ensuing story was really quite sad. A woman who had been missing for 4 months was finally found buried under her own ceiling high junk. As a former junk collector, I couldn't help but identify with the slippery slope one must find themselves on to become an actual hoarder who then dies under her own stuff. Does it all start with some haphazard acquiring of things at garage sales and bargain basements and then turn into a full fledge accumulation addiction?

After some brief research I have found that hoarding is considered a type of o.c.d. behavior. A quick scan of the t.v. listings will tell you that this illness is now being either explored or exploited with shows titled "Hoarders" and "Hoarding: Buried Alive". Our fascination with the hoarding behavior is also growing. What is the lure of these tragic depictions of individuals with problems? As stated in this article, perhaps the shows "are like fun-house mirrors, magnified reflections of our neurotic foibles that make us feel better about our own dysfunctional behaviors". Or maybe, as the author states, "Aside from helping us feel quasi-normal, TV shows like "Hoarders" and "Hoarding: Buried Alive" serve as cautionary tales. If we continue to pile our stuff on our dresser or desk, those small piles could grow into bigger ones and start multiplying like rabbits, eventually mushrooming into Mount Everest sized piles that cover every available surface of our house. Before long we'll be no better off than those hoarders on TV who live in sub-human habitats that we dare ourselves to peek at with a mixture of dread and fascination."

My guess is that people with stuff fall on some sort of continuum with minimalists (which is its' own kind of compulsion) on one end and hoarders on the other polar opposite end. Me, well I find myself somewhere in the middle and edging closer to minimalism. Today, I have completed my 29th downsize. After yesterday's ultimate purge I went for a smaller offering. I finally returned a black pair of socks to my mother in law. They were uncovered when I began sorting through the guest room closet (in this entry). Neither Annie nor I can recall when she left them here. Either way, they could have remained pinned under ceiling high junk forever had I not found the will and purpose to clean the closet. To add to my downsize for today, I gave Annie some photos from our trip to Alabama in 2006. Apparently I had duplicate copies made and never delivered them to her. The greatest part of the exchange was reminiscing about the trip and marveling at how Shayla and Kiera have changed in a few short years. And no, I didn't tell her to put a sock in it. We spend far too much time apart and have only these brief days each year to catch up on life.

A Blessing or a Curse?

Today was Yard Sale day at our house. In my downsizing world this could be considered both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, this was a slam dunk. How could I not get rid of at least ONE thing with the array of items splashed across our driveway and displayed in our garage? On the other hand, by having a yard sale I got rid of all of the easy targets in my house in one fell swoop. Had I clung to these treasures and carefully rid myself of them daily, the challenge would be relatively easy. But, alas, that is not the plan in this journey. Instead I will wake tomorrow with a few less easy downsizing options.

In staying true to form, I will only count this big sale as one item on my "How Am I Downsizing?" list. And really, we sold so many items for a dime or a quarter I lost count by 9am. So, here is a breakdown of the financial aspect of the sale:

Approximate Gross Sales : $313
Less Yard Sale supplies: $6.63
Net profit: $306.37

Not bad, huh? Well, here is where it gets a bit sticky. Remember my blog about a certain coworker named Suzy Shopper? Apparently she not only enjoys free makeup but also loves to shop and therefore has accumulated a few too many garments over the years. When she heard I was having a yard sale she asked if she could bring over some clothes to sell. I welcomed her with open arms figuring more stuff to sell means more happy customers. Suzy S. arrived this morning with her own boutique complete with a real life clothing rack for displaying her wares. She set up at the end of my driveway and began luring in females with her name brand shirts, sweaters and jackets - many of which were N.W.T. As I've confessed, I am a sucker for a bargain. And so, I began to form my own pile of keepers off of Suzy's rack. How could I resist a trendy Banana Republic coat or a pea green Gap pea coat? Shayla, my budding fashionista, jumped into the game and selected several tanks and shirts for her back to school wardrobe. At the end of the day, I paid Suzy $45 and can honestly say it was a steal considering the quality items I've added to my closet.
The irony in my shopping at my own yard sale is that I had laid down the law with my kids first thing this morning by stating unequivocally that they could not purchase anything from the neighbor's yard sale. Guess the goose and gander thing didn't hold true today. What I'm not sure about is where to account for this expenditure in my net profit for the day.

The sale with the biggest impact on our family was the TV. In June we made the decision to take a cable holiday for the summer. After a few months of no television and an extra $70 a month back in our budget, Dajuan and I made the executive decision to extend the cable holiday indefinitely. With no need for the 36 inch monstrosity in our living room anymore, we hauled it out to the garage and put a price tag on it today. It sold within 1 hour - and was finally picked up a short time ago. While we may not go TV free forever, this represents a monumental shift in our use of our free time. The kids have adjusted nicely and perhaps most shockingly, Dajuan doesn't seem to miss his late night channel surfing at all. For all of the benefits of a TV free household, I would have practically paid someone to take the big screen off of our hands. But today, I was happy with the $150 it netted.

Perhaps the biggest attraction of the day was the kids' Bee-Bop stand. Putting their best entrepreneurial feet forward, they prepared these southern style Kool-Aid popsicles and sold them for a dime each. At the end of the day they counted their money and found that they had made over $9.00. Apparently the low price and adorable smiles encouraged many buyers to add a tip. Way to go girls!

As we wound down for the day, I regained my downsizing wits about me and made the decision to pack most of our leftover goods in the van for a Goodwill run. Dajuan agreed and did the big drop off before dinner. And so we have significantly less stuff today by way of a gigantic downsize. Much like too many glasses of cheap wine, I may feel the repercussions of today's gluttonous purging of goods in the morning.

Hand Me Down Kids

As I opened the Portland Press Herald the other day I read a depressing ditty in the financial section. It seems that certain indicators are pointing to a returning recession. Apparently, this is on the heels of what looked like we were starting to creep out of the first recession. I get the vivid picture of a major storm that begins to head out to sea and then circles back to hit the village it just left. Funny though, to many families it may feel like this awful economic time has hovered like an ominous black cloud that hasn't even begun to move off shore. Kind of like living in Seattle (although according to this chart, Cleveland Ohio has the most rain of any city in the U.S.).

My dear cousin Katie and her family have endured a most challenging few years due to job loss and worsening economic times. Like many families she and her husband were struck by long term unemployment and the burden of substantial bills and living expenses. The good news is that after over one and a half years there is light at the end of the tunnel. Katie's hubby has a new job and they have secured a cozy apartment for their growing family. After living with her parents through a bulk of this trying time, they seem anxious to get back to life under their own roof. Who could blame them!

There seemed little that we could do as Katie and her husband plodded through their journey. One small offering we have made is a steady stream of hand-me-downs for their daughter who turned 1 year in the spring. As I discussed here hand me downs can be tricky. As luck would have it, Little "E" fits right into my three rights rule. Infact, Little Dee (as we call Kendra) and Little "E" have almost identical toddler physiques making our hand-me-downs a great fit most of the time. Today seemed like the perfect occasion to hand off a bag of fall duds as Katie did a whirlwind tour of Southern Maine saying her goodbyes before heading to the big apple. While I missed the actual trading of goods, I left my downsize in the capable hands of Kiera. She also took a photo but technology is failing me tonight so you'll have to go without an image tonight.

And so, whether the storm circles back, taking a second swipe at Kate's family or if it is finally moving out to sea for good they are heading in a fresh new direction. This has to feel like a victory! And, they can rest assured that Little E will have a great outfit - no matter what life hands them next. Thank goodness for hand me downs. Best wishes to Kate and her family!

Cooking Mama!

26 days into this challenge and I am on a roll. On a day when I had no downsize planned, errands and appointments galore, and little energy to spare after enduring the installment of braces on my teeth, I stumbled to the back room to continue the quest for order in the guest room closet. Functioning on autopilot I began to disassemble a mishmash of cookbooks, manuals, and various other miscellaneous pieces of paper that were shoved in a plastic blue crate. Everything was sorted into 3 piles:
1. Yard Sale items - we are only 36 hours away!
2. Recyclable items
3. Resort and Reorganize

Why was it so easy to take this pile that had been accumulating for 5 years and break it down in less than 5 minutes?
1. I have reconsidered my need to hold onto old cookbooks (and other things that hold sentimental value) and am now ready to sell them.
2. Getting rid of excess paper just feels good. Taking on less paper would feel even better!
3.With our newly reorganized basement we have ample shelf room to add the cookbooks to the Eubanks Family Stacks. In other words, downsizing efforts beget future downsizing and reorganizing efforts.

That's the end of my downsizing journey for today. Sometimes mundanity just feels good.

The Buck Stops Here

Cabela's is one big place. No wonder Dajuan likes to visit the hunter's paradise every so often - the doors are 10 feet tall at least! As I parked my van and scurried to the entrance looking ultra mommy-ish I felt rather out of place among the extended cab pickups and burly guys in cammo. Apparently these hunters have good aim evidenced by the various species mounted on the 20 foot walls throughout the cavernous store. Despite feeling a bit out of my element, I continued on my mission of returning two white beanies that Dajuan had purchased in January. With the hats tucked in their original Cabela's bag I approached the lady at the counter and asked to return the items. This was a pretty brazen move considering the receipt has a clear declaration of a 90 day return policy. I figured, why not show some guts and ask for the refund. It appeared these folks were into guts. She hesitated for a moment and then moved forward with the process. My refund of $10.48 was placed back on our credit card. I came, I saw, I conquered, and I ran to the van with my moola.

My next stop on operation return unwanted items was at Dick's Sporting Goods. Feeling much more in my element among athletic moms with kids in tow, I sauntered in with my original Dick's shopping bag full of 2 pairs of ladies glove liners and a receipt. With one victory under my belt, I didn't even quiver as I noticed that the receipt clearly states it expires on 4/7/2010. What did almost throw me off course was the lure of the Almighty Bargain. I had the temptations of a $10 off coupon and several clearance racks in my view. After nearly falling off the wagon by trying on a cozy North Face sweatshirt, I regained my composure and headed for the register with my items to return in hand. As I had experienced at the previous retailer, the young lady gazed at my receipt then paused. In fact, she gave me a little bit of an annoyed sigh and a slight eye role. I stared straight at her and kept on message with my simple statement, "I have been meaning to return these...". My guess is that $14.68 wasn't worth arguing about so she placed the refund back on my card. Leaving the plastic bag for them to recycle, I walked out empty handed but with a few more bucks in my bank account.

If the truth be told, I hadn't exactly been meaning to return the beanies and glove liners. Actually, I only discovered them as I dug around on the top shelf of my messy guest room closet. They were stowed there in January and very likely would have remained there was it not for the downsizing challenge. The $25.16 that I received today may not go far in today's inflated economy. And the lag time of 7 months only cost me about $0.015 cents with the current annual interest rate of .01%. But that isn't really the point. What I need to ask myself is at what stage of the game did $25 become so insignificant? And how did our stuff grow to such proportions that returnable items are able to get buried for more than 1/2 of a year? Seems like I've got some soul hunting to do on this one.

Less Periodically

When I received a work email from the receptionist in the surgery waiting area requesting magazines for patients and families I sprung into action. What a perfect idea for reusing the magazines we have read! A quick casing of our bedroom and bathroom resulted in 1 June issue and 2 July issues that we were finished perusing. After covering our identifying information, I brought them to work with me today and proudly fanned them out on one of the empty end tables in the waiting area. I'm not sure if anyone else is donating Parents magazine but I'm hedging my bets that here in Portland, Maine we may be one of few families with extra copies of Ebony hanging around.

While I'll only count this as 1 downsize I am dedicated to passing on our used periodicals on a monthly basis. I can't say that I am a certified tree hugger (after all I must assist in keeping my dad employed at a paper mill for the next 17 months until he retires), but I do err slightly on the green side of things by recycling and reusing when able. After some brief research I found staggering statics in this article regarding the terrible abuse and overuse of paper in the magazine industry. At least my monthly reusing pledge may make some small contribution to change. Baby steps are better than no steps at all, right?

As I was Googling around earlier today I learned that kids all over America are taking on The Catalog Canceling Challenge. What a superb effort to get kids excited about decreasing their environmental impact. You know I am a sucker for a personal challenge so count me in kids. I hereby vow to stop the delivery of all unwanted catalogs that currently arrive in my mailbox. To my recollection, I have called 2 so far this week. With the holidays looming, I anticipate the opportunity to take myself off of many more mailing lists. Bah -humbug!

Recertified

Last fall my oldest daughter Shayla was assigned the task of writing about her hero. Shay chose Great Grammie Dyer as the person who inspires her. She wrote a mini essay that clearly sends the message that it is the simple things about her relationship with Great Grammy - tea and cookies on the porch, feeding the birds, and an "awesome"house - that form her admiration. This was one of those school assignments that I deemed a "keeper". Infact, Shay and I decided to give it to Gram as part of a Christmas present.

Obviously , Grammie was deeply touched by Shayla's tribute. She vowed to frame the essay and hang it in a special place. Unfortunately, she was stumped by the odd shaped paper and her lack of access to stores (Grammy has never driven in her lifetime). When I was visiting last weekend she again expressed her frustration with not having it framed. I took it back from her and promised to find just the right trimming.

In a downsizing "frame" of mind (I know, very punny) I plucked a frame off of the basement wall that displays a certificate with my name and some recognition for being a PTO secretary. Perfect! It even has a white mat that will assist my reframing project. In less than 10 minutes I replaced my certificate with a much more noteworthy document. I think Grammy will love the finished product when she receives it in the mail.

Just think how times have changed. There is no question that the framing project would have sent me to Michael's with a coupon in hand in the past. Now, it is practically instinctual to look around my house and find a way to give something away. Perhaps that will earn me a certificate of some sort, but in the meantime I am happy to honor both Grammy for being a hero and Shay for her thoughtful dedication.

WARNING: It's Contagious!

As I arrived home rejuvenated from my time away, Dajuan and the big girls (as Shay and Kiera have been defined since Kendra joined the scene) were eager to lead me downstairs to the basement. Apparently they have been bitten by the downsizing bug! I could not believe my eyes as I gazed around clutter corner, the office space, and the playroom. It was almost completely without clutter AND reorganized! The results were:
1.) one trash bag full of junk to go out in a blue bag on Friday
2.) one trash bag full of shredded paper from Dajuan's diligent culling of piles of files
3.) several items placed in a pile for our upcoming Yard Sale (this is a bit of foreshadowing for downsizes to come - stay tuned!)

Of course I praised them up and down for their efforts and rewarded them even further by rolling up my sleeves and digging in to the few piles that were deemed "my stuff to go through". In short order I had added to each of the bags and the yard sale pile. The basement looks like an entirely different place!

Now there is a lesson in all of this - beware of having living spaces that are out of sight of the average visitor. You see, we have found it far too easy to let piles of junk accumulate in the basement because for the most part no one sees it except us. Call us the former hoarders because those accumulation days are over. Today we took back the reigns and we are now in the driver's seat to keep our out of sight living space more livable!

You may be wondering why I featured a picture of my husband snoozing on the couch for this entry. Well, faithful followers, I wanted to be sure that you knew the risks of getting into the downsizing game. Amber, a frequent reader hinted in a recent comment that she too has begun to downsize so I felt compelled to do some truth telling. Beware! It is an exhausting sport at times. I am afraid that Dajuan got all worn out from shredding, trashing, and moving piles of junk. Or perhaps I have misdiagnosed this altogether. Maybe, just maybe, his three girls wore him out in the 36 hours I was gone.


All joking aside, the contagious part of the challenge for me has much less to do with the satisfaction of ridding our home of junk and entirely more to do with the journey that I am revealing through the written word. The Master wrote an eloquent piece titled The Journey a few days ago. Please take a moment to read it as it may help you to see what was so contagious about this challenge for me. After following Reed for an entire year I couldn't help but long for the same sort of self discovery that he achieved through committing to the task of doing SOMETHING everyday for an entire year. I chuckle as I think about the daunting task that I have taken on as my own. There are weeks that even taking a shower daily seems like an insurmountable chore and yet, I have decided to get rid of one thing and write about it daily. Call me crazy but, I am so grateful for the 22 day journey I have already traveled. I sincerely hope that this bug bites another reader in the next 343 days so we can call it an OUTBREAK!

True Gifts

As I rummaged through the Eubanks Family Stacks (mentioned here and here ) I stumbled upon a book - Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. I began to put it in the category of gifty books "in need of downsizing" before I opened the cover and found an inscription dated May 1998. "Dear Amy, Remember please that this journey is only the beginning. Love, Mom". I was just graduating from nursing school at that time and was headed to Milwaukee with a sparkling new diamond on my left hand and dreams of married life occupying my mind. Luckily, I thought enough of the gift to carry it with me all of these years. Until now though, the message and title had not lured me in enough to read the book.

As I headed out the door on a small journey for the weekend, I threw Gift From the Sea into my bag in hopes of catching some peaceful moments to ponder this gift from my mom. My trip took me on a bus to Bangor to meet Mom and Gram. The three of us spent the afternoon and evening by taking in a movie (Eat, Pray, Love) and dinner in celebration of Gram's 79th birthday. We had a wonderful time sharing our reflections on the movie and comparing it to the book. After a delightful meal we ate a delicious homemade blueberry pie that Mom had whipped up early in the day. As we ended the night we all embraced and agreed that is was so very special to spend time together.

Through the weekend I have digested the words of Gift From the Sea and have realized how very poignant the message is at this very moment. The author writes (in 1955) about the truths she derives from a trip to the beach on a short vacation in solitude. She elequently touches on some of the very difficult issues in most women's lives - love, marriage, balance, contentment and peace. It is quite peculiar to me that I have not chosen to turn the pages of this book for over 12 years and yet the time that I read it is on the first journey I have taken by myself in a very long time. I left the three girls and Dajuan to celebrate with 2 of the most important women in my life. They, like the book, have so much wisdom about life, love, and family.

It has been a rejuvinating and fulfilling 36 hour trip. I took in every moment of time with my Gram and Mom, I breathed the salty air at Newberry Neck, and I felt peaceful - without a worry about a meal, an errand, a bill, an appointment. I just WAS for awhile.

While this little getaway was centered around spending time with Gram for her birthday - let's face it, 79 is a big deal!- it is funny that I feel that I was the receiver of the gift. To be in the presence of two women who have raised children, been married for many years, and have remained lovely both inside and out is simply inspiring. Especially at a point in life when it all can feel so very overwhelming.

Another item I packed for my trip was a picture frame that I had picked up at Marden's ( I know from the bright orange sticker) when I was tempted by the Almighty Bargainsome time ago. It had been sitting in "clutter corner" since then as I waited to come across the perfect picture to sit inside the frame that says "Nana you brighten my day". I must have thought at the time that it would be a great gift for my mom. That's the problem though. If it was such a great gift it wouldn't have sat in my basement for a couple years. Would my mom ever treasure this frame that was created by Hallmark to supposedly convey my family's love and appreciation of Nana? I don't think so. And so, I brought the frame, with an imperfect picture inside and will leave it for mom so that she will discover it after my departure. She'll smile and think, that is cute. But I am convinced that she and Gram will feel the gift of the time we spent together on a much deeper level, much as I do.

I can only hope that my girls look to me as I look to my mother and grandmother. In my heart I wish for a love between us that is felt so deeply that no Hallmark artist or writer can begin to do it justice. I wish for a true gift of relationship - like the one I share with my Gram and my Mom.

Downsizing News

Reed posted a marvelous ditty reminding me of the essence of the downsizing challenge - just wanted to share it!

Shred the Red

Yesterday I wrote the last check for Shayla's braces - at least for "phase 1" as Dr. Levy terms our current status in the orthodontic journey. I felt a load lifted as I handed over the $100 check. Shayla had a spring in her step after learning that the metal brackets that have set up residence in her mouth will be evicted in four weeks. Of course, there will be a new appliance at that point - and I'm not referring to the gas cooking stove that I long for. But isn't that how it is with kids and their mouths? It feels like a perpetual cycle that will only end when all of them have their own dental insurance! We've got a long way to go baby...

As I made a quick stop in the "clutter corner" (as I'll refer to the office portion of our basement) this morning on the way to my workout, I sized up the bulletin board above our desk. I noted that there was a payment schedule from Dr. Levy as well as some left over payment envelopes that I had created to keep organized as I payed for Shay's braces. Hanging next to this now obsolete document were various business cards, papers, and receipts. Most of the material once deemed important enough to post on the cork board was superannuated. In a flash, most of the meaningless matter was sorted into trash and "to shred" piles. To keep any marital upheaval at bay, I left a small pile for Dajuan to cull - and told him he had 24 hours to make it go away!

In an act that was mostly ceremonial, Shayla shredded all of the documents from Dr. Levy. She will also partake in ceremonial gum chewing in 4 weeks after over 1 year of abstaining in the childhood pleasure.

While I am thrilled to be looking at a blank bulletin board after today's downsize, more importantly I am hopeful that I have begun a new behavior pattern. In my pre-downsizing life I would have left the braces paperwork in its' place indefinitely. But now, as chapters close in our life I will be getting rid of the related documents and hope to feel freer for it!

Resale Revisited

Perhaps some of you, my faithful followers, remember the "crawl-a-ma-jig" that got rejected at the kids resale shop (in this entry). Well friends, much to my chagrin it has been hitching a ride in the back of the van ever sense dismissal day. Unlike the other rejected items, disposal of this plastic monstrosity was not easy . Goodwill and Salvation Army won't accept kids' equipment for the most part and it is too big for my trash bags (and would have ripped through one of those cheap blue bags in a heartbeat - can I get an "Amen" on that fellow Portlanders?). Not to mention, I don't want to be responsible for it ending up in a landfill! I could not think of a little crawler that would need it. I even contemplated giving it back to dear Amity (the person who originally gifted it to Kendra Dee) but didn't have the heart to dump the plastic problem on her. Until today I just tried to keep it out of my mind (and my rear view mirror for that matter).

Then, as I was heading South on route 1 in Falmouth with 30 minutes to spare I felt a gravitational pull towards Lots for Tots. Using my best guerilla marketing technique, I waltzed in without an appointment and asked for the sales lady to consider taking this plastic "crawl-a-ma-jig" off of my hands. After a little convincing, the buyer in the back room (a consistent presence in resale shops) offered me $4 on the spot. No mystery here - I took the money and ran! The truth is, I would have practically paid someone $4 to take it off of my hands.

This entire ordeal makes me wonder why we have created a demand for so many plastic gizmos for our children. Why have we decided to create a plastic paradise for babies from birth? And, what will the repercussions be from a health or an environmental standpoint? These purchases of gadgetry seem so harmless and heartfelt at the time...but over time one has to wonder if the gifts are a curse.

Lynchpin

I am going back to the well today by hitting "the MK corner" (featured here and here) for yet another downsize. This time I cleaned out a shoe box sized rubbermaid tub of various lapel pins, cards, and samples. Most of it hit the trash or recycling but the pins I packaged up and sent to Deb, a sales director in Milwaukee who mentored me when I was a new sales director in the business. She was a wonderful role model and offered her expertise and meeting space to me when I was building a foundation for my own business. Her calm demeanor and kind spirit were a real anchor for me. In the flurry of leaving Milwaukee to move to Maine and subsequently stepping down from being a MK sales director, I am not sure that I ever thanked Deb for all that she did for me. I hope that she finds my offering of MK pins acceptable as a form of thanks - of course I sent along a note as well!

As I packed up the padded envelope of goodies, I found Deb's address in an old rolodex. I thumbed through the remainder of the address cards and determined that in this age of technology, a rolodex is unnecessary. To top off my downsizing for the day, I shredded the cards and tossed the plastic rolodex as well.

Free Enter-prize

Women go crazy for Free stuff - it is a well known fact. So today I took advantage of that reality and sprung some free Mary Kay goodies on my coworkers at the hospital. As I punched in at 5:55am I set up my pink box of overstocks and discontinued products and put a sign out that said "Free! Please help yourself!" I left it on the bench in front of my locker and went to the unit to greet my first patient.

As one of my favorite coworkers (let's call her Suzy Shopper) arrived on the unit she said "sorry I am late, I had to go through your box of free stuff! Is this your downsize for today?". Then she opened her purse and revealed that she had found SEVERAL items to call her own.

I couldn't have been happier. First of all, this meant that someone could use these items that I had been shuffling from shelf to shelf for too long. Second of all, she validated that my downsizing challenge blog is being read by people other than my "faithful followers". It was only 6:10am and I was ready to declare the day as a success!

As I headed to my coffee break at 0800am I peered in the pink box and found that there were only 3 items remaining. Wow! I went into this downsize assuming that I might give away a few things and have to trash the rest. So much for my theory....by lunchtime every single eyeshadow, powder, liner and cheek color had vanished. Which brings me to another well known fact - if you put just about anything in a common area of a hospital, it will be consumed. I thought for a long time that this only applied to food, apparently it is true for cosmetics too!

When Stuff Meets Opportunity

It is becoming increasingly apparent to me that if I just open my mind to the thought of downsizing, opportunities and needs of others arise. It seems that each day the stars align and I am presented with a perfect time, place, or person for my downsize. Or perhaps I am giving too much credit to astrology. Maybe I just have such an abundance of stuff that it would be impossible not to find something to get rid of each day. It certainly is more romantic to think about the first theory.

In any case, my quick check on Facebook last night brought me today's items. According to a recent post, the Master (a.k.a. cousin Reed) and his beautiful bride (as he so aptly referred to her throughout his blog) have a newly toothed baby who is on the verge of crawling. Jo (as I am more accustomed to calling her) has occasionally reached out to me for parenting advice. Despite having 3 girls, I often feel ill-prepared to hand out any nuggets of truth. If there is one thing I have learned about parenting it is this - just when I start to think I have it figured out I find out I am wrong, wrong, wrong. So, when Jo threw out the question about child proofing hints I chose not to respond. Instead, I got up this morning and boxed up the leftover outlet covers, unused cabinet locks, and two door handle thing-er-ma-bobs (that are even adult proof) and addressed them to their Brilliant Boy (as he has been nicknamed by his dear old dad).

I'll be honest, I have done progressively less child proofing with each child. Obviously Kendra is in far more danger than our well protected Shayla. Since Kendra is 2 now, I figure the odds are that we are finished child proofing. As luck would have it, she has taken some personal responsibility for her safety. In the picture above she is sporting a bike helmet while doing dishes. So friends, the extra gadgets are heading west to Denver. Let's hope they stump that Brilliant little Boy!

See Spike Run, See Spike do Yoga, See Spike Run and Do Yoga

My friend Christy and her husband Rob are expecting their first child before the end of the year. As she documents her various pregnancy milestones and adventures on Facebook she refers to her baby as Spike. One of her most recent status posts proclaimed that she ran the Beach to Beacon in 1 hour and 19 minutes - mind you, she ran with Spike on board! She is quite a woman because from my experience, running at 1 month pregnant was too much - never mind at 7 months pregnant. To encourage some cross training, I decided to give her a Pregnancy Yoga DVD that I used when I was pregnant with Kendra. Apparently it took me 2 years to find the perfect recipient!

As we walked into church today we met up with Christy and Rob right away. In all of her pregnancy glow, Christy declared "I've been wanting one of these!" as I handed over the DVD. Her comment was music to this downsizer's ears, and I'm pretty sure Spike was thrilled too!

Nearly Stalled

After a glorious day at Crescent Beach with many of my favorite people, I asked Dajuan to swing by Kids Unlimited so I could redeem my pink slip in exchange for cash for the kiddie apparel that I dropped off yesterday. With anticipation, I waited as the lady with tattoos on her ears went to the back room for my check and/or unwanted items. She returned with one 3/4 full bag of goods and as I thanked her she said, "hold on, there is another bag, and a check too". After all of my careful sorting, I couldn't believe there were two 3/4 full bags of rejected items. The consolation came in the form of a check made out to me - for $40. Not bad considering that the buyer only took about 1/4 of my stuff!

As I dragged my bags back into the van Dajuan suggested that we just drop it all off at Goodwill - which I had pledged I would do. I said, "no, there are some things in here that I can give to someone!" You see, dear readers, this is the danger in resale dealings. I can be tempted into housing the rejects instead of just sending them on their merry way. After a bit of internal battling, I regained my downsizing wits and promptly resorted the rejects into "Goodwillables" and "pass-on-ables". I was careful to not even carry the bags over the threshold. They remained in my mudroom and will be delivered to their respective destinations tomorrow.

After all of this stressful, profit driven downsizing I was ready for some pure unadulterated giving. For fun, I stuck a mini book of quotes about women in my purse as we headed out for a family dinner at Sebago Brewing Company. I came across this little trinket book while looking through The Eubanks Family Stacks earlier today. In an act of random kindness, I left the book on top of the toilet paper dispenser in the ladies room at the restaurant. I got a little rush of excitement as I thought of the next customer finding the book and wondering why it was there. Perhaps they'll peruse it while using the facilities and then leave it for the next person. Maybe they'll stick it in their purse and figure it was a random gift from a stranger. Either option is pleasing to me! However tiny this gesture seems to you, my readers, it represents to me the beauty of freely ridding myself of something each and every day. When is the last time you left a gift in the stall of the bathroom? Ok, don't answer that.....

Resalery : the art of resaling

There is a certain art to earning dollars for kids clothes at resale shops. I have learned the ins and outs of trading kiddie apparel for cash over the years, so I was no rookie when I stepped into Kids Unlimited the other day. Knowing that I have heaps of goods to unload from the depths of my closets and basement I wanted to get off on the right foot. Thus, my first drop off (on Wednesday) was a high end, n.w.t garment. The key to higher returns is to make the buyer believe that my used stuff comes from a clean, high end home. With the ground work laid, I nonchalantly made a follow up appointment (for today) knowing that my second jettison would be larger and perhaps of lesser quality and appeal.

Today I darted into the store with little time between obligations so I was all business. I brought in a "sure thing" big item - a nifty crawl through thing-a-ma-jig that Kendra never really cared for. As I set it on the floor (assuming the sale) I announced that I would be right back with the bags of clothing that remained in my van. Before leaving home I had poured over the items trying to discern between the re-salables and the Goodwill-ables. From past experience I have learned that the faintest stain can deter the buyer. They own these special lights that are so bright that they make an interrogation bulb appear dim and they reveal each spatter. I had whittled my goods down to 2 kitchen sized trash bags with the hope that they would buy them all. Unfortunately, my confidence was shot down as I reentered the store. The saleslady with tattoos on her ears said "you might as well take that thing (as she tossed her head towards my used crawl-a-ma-jig) back. I have one over there (tossing her head towards a corner of the store) that has been sitting there for months." Now I was on my heels with my "sure thing" REJECTED! I stuttered my way through my offering of the two bags of clothes, signed the paperwork and promised to return tomorrow for the bid from the buyer.

Before leaving, I located Wednesday's receipt in my newly organized purse and asked if the buyer (doesn't this conjure up an image of the banker on Deal or No Deal?) had made an offer. The deal was $8 cash or $9 credit. Faithful followers, I am sure that you know which I chose - that is right, the cold hard cash. $9 credit to buy another being's stuff? Not this downsizer!

Feeling a bit humbled and not quite as savvy as I had imagined myself to be, I took the $8 and ran. Tomorrow, I'll bring them my pink slip and ask for the offer. I'll take the cash of course and the discards will go to Goodwill - not back home with me! No matter what the monetary result is, the true net gain of this adventure for me is the satisfaction I feel each time I rid my home of another pile of stuff that we don't need.

Good Rodents

It is no secret to those who know me that I am not a pet lover. I am able to snuff out the pleas for a cat or dog quickly because I am allergic to both. It was not so easy to dodge owning the other popular 4 legged friend - the hamster. My brother decided a few years ago that a hamster was the perfect birthday gift for Shayla and Kiera. Despite my grumbling, we housed our hamster Cinnamon for 2 years. Sadly, she passed away from natural causes (although the size of the tumor on her abdomen was supernatural) on Shayla's birthday last year. It really was quite a dramatic ending to a fairly happy hamster life. Perhaps because of some lasting grief, we have stored Cinnamon's leftover supplies in our garage since her departure. Today, over 1 year later, I was able to give some of those rodent necessities to our friends Sam and Jack.
While visiting for a few hours yesterday, Jack mentioned that they have a brand new guinea pig. The news of their new arrival swung me into action today. While picking up Kiera and Kendra from a day with Jack and Sam I handed over some shavings in a great plastic storage bin as well as a package of left over malt-ball-like rodent treats. I tried to give them toys for the little guy as well but apparently guinea pigs don't do well with hamster sized wheels and tunnels. Anyway, if you check out the picture you will see that they were beaming with joy after receiving this surprise "gift" from me. THIS is what downsizing is all about!

3 Rights Rule

Today, I chose to stop by a children's resale shop that I have driven by many times. I wanted to scope out their policies and see if it might be worth making an appointment with their buyer. After chatting with the salesperson I concluded that Kids Unlimited on Warren Avenue has great potential for some of the items hiding in the closets and blue totes at my house. Had I only stopped by to do this "research" I might have been at risk of not downsizing an item today. Never fear faithful followers! I am on my game! Tucked in my purse was a N.W.T. dress on a plastic hanger. I whipped it out before leaving the shop and asked if the salesperson would consider buying the item. She said I could stop by on Friday for the cold hard cash. I filled out some paper work and called it a day...well almost...
While digging around in Kendra's closet for the dress, I came across a "Rangely Lakes" fleece in a plastic bag. I recalled that my dear friend Erica had loaned it to me when Kendra was born. As luck would have it, I spent time with Erica today and was able to hand it back with a thank you.
Now some of you faithful followers might be wondering how I could be preaching about "paying it forward" in yesterday's entry only to write about selling kids clothes to a resale shop today. Please allow me to explain. While accumulating hand-me-downs seems to be fairly easy, passing them on can be a bit more difficult. The clothes have to fit the "3 rights rule" - right sex, right size, right season. Inevitably there are a bunch of useful clothes that don't match any of my favorite tots' specifications. These are the clothes that will go to the resale shop - and the rejects will land at Goodwill (or the kiducation bin in a pinch). My only dilemma as I begin to rid our home of outgrown clothes is how to handle any profit. With so many items coming from friends with a giving spirit I wonder if etiquette would dictate that I pay them back in cash. I'll leave that as a question to my readers...what is the RIGHT thing to do with the cash?

Pay It Forward

Having kids can get expensive - and they haven't even reached college. When we decided to have our third baby our older girls were 6 and 8. We had purged much of our "baby gear" prior to our move from Milwaukee to Portland which left us in need of new stuff for our bundle of joy. Fortunately, our dear friend Amity had a 3rd daughter almost 1 year before Kendra arrived and she is a downsizer at heart. At the end of each season she gives us more clothes (some N.W.T)than Kendra will ever need. She has also gifted us the gear that goes with each developmental stage. All of the goodies that Amity hands down from Ava to Kendra pale in comparison to the love and care she lavishes upon our baby girl on the days I work. We will forever be indebted to "Api" - Kendra's pet name for Amity - for the money she has saved us and the peace of mind that she provides.

Using the Pay It Forward principle, I try to give our retired baby stuff to people who can use it. Which brings me to today's downsize.....a great gal at work is pregnant with her first child (a baby girl as luck would have it). Today I left a bag of goodies in her locker - 1 purple fleece winter hat, 1 unused pink pacifier, and a Boppy shopping cart cover that will keep her wee one from chewing on germ ridden cart handles. I hope this small donation will help this new mom ease into the accumulation of goodies that she'll need!

Overheated

It wasn't just my sun-stroked Shayla that was overheated today. Oh no...it was the shredder that was working too hard in this oppressive, wet 89 degree heat. With the help of Kiera, I was able to shred the customer records that I have kept since the inception of my Mary Kay business in 2002. Despite paying an assistant to convert my customer files to electronic files in 2005, I have clung to these black binders full of each client's vital information (including their favorite shade of blush or foundation) for 5 years. While each 4x8 pink card represents the work I put forth to make my home-based business a success, there is simply no reason beyond nostalgia to hang on to them anymore. And so, today Kiera shredded until there were no more. She persevered through 3 bouts of overheating by the mighty shredding machine and managed to create a large paper bag full of tiny paper pieces. Tonight they are in the recycling bin waiting for Friday's pick up. Unfortunately, the binders were a bit too tattered for reuse so they landed in the blue trash bag and are headed for a landfill.

As I peered at the corner shelf that housed my black binders for all of those years, I hoped to feel a sense of relief in their absence. Unfortunately, there is much more to be purged from my "MK corner" in the basement - this downsize was just the tip of the iceberg. Speaking of icebergs....one sure would make a cozy sleeping spot tonight!

What to purge?

Tonight I was faced with purging on the fly once again as we completed our whirlwind anniversary weekend. At one point today, I bargained with myself and decided that I would pull together some sort of downsize once we arrived home. As we headed down 95 and 7pm turned to 8pm I reconsidered this plan. My gumption might wane by our 9:30pm arrival in Portland. Recalling the Master's entry detailing a complete purge of his wallet (sorry, I can't seem to pinpoint the exact blog) I was inspired to dig into my purse to see if the contents were downsizing material. Were they ever! As I weeded out coupons, used dental picks, 3 travel sized tubes of toothpaste, and other items too numerous to list, my entire family chided me for the amount of junk I tote around on a daily basis. They settled down as I started handing out gifts from my overflowing satchel. To Dajuan - a retractable name tag lanyard that he is convinced will have some important use on his fishing vest and one of the 3 tubes of tooth paste. To Shayla - her favorite shade of lip nectar. To Kiera - a gold tone lip gloss. And to Kendra - an expired Kohl's coupon that she is convinced is a credit card. The remainder of the culled items landed in the trash and recycling bins when we arrived at home.
Another day to check off as complete - and I'm feeling full of confidence as I head into tomorrow with a house full of stuff to get rid of and technology at my fingertips to blog until my heart's content.

Peppermint Bliss

Note: Written old school style (pen and paper) on August 7th - there is no internet connection in Aurora, Maine!



Dajuan and I are celebrating 11 years of marriage today with a low budget 24 hour getaway to my dad's fraternity brother's rustic fishing camp. We left all 3 girls at Nana and Poppa's house for the night - this is Kendra's FIRST time! After packing a few essentials and some tasty provisions we headed for Route 9. A 40 minute ride landed us in a little piece of heaven in Aurora, Maine. We slogged down a path with our stuff and came upon a homey cabin complete with mouse droppings, cobwebs, and ample fishing gear. No electricity, no flush, no frills. Most notably absent is any sort of noise and confusion. The Fortier's "summer breeze" camp is the definition of tranquility. And, so I am left with my hubby, some wine, and 24 hours of peace.

For the second time in the first week of my challenge I am faced with a day on which it would be easier to throw in the towel than to continue. But, I am resigned to make it through this challenge... I will persevere. Today, I've decided to leave behind a small donation for others who might visit "summer breeze".

Please allow me to give you some background on today's item of choice. A while back I discovered an extra item in my bag after shopping at Hannaford - Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap. After checking my receipt I realized that I didn't pay for it and assumed it was left behind by the customer before me and then put in my bag. I felt no urgency to return it so like any good hoarder I threw it into the bathroom cabinet. Take note, dear readers, THIS is the very behavior in need of modification!

I recently learned (in a random conversation with my brother Chad) that this peppermint soap is perfect for bathing in the lake because it is eco-friendly. Our weekend plans presented the perfect opportunity to pack this orphaned soap. Unfortunately, with a crisp Northwest breeze and temperatures in the 60's the bath is not happening. Instead, I'll leave this soap here at Summer Breeze where it has a chance of being put to good use. After all, Long Lake and all of its' natural beauty deserves to be left untainted and unharmed.

Tonight Dajuan and I will enjoy steak dinner and wine. I think we will toast to our 11 years together and I'll add a second toast for shedding one more unnecessary item from our lives.

It's puzzling

My Grammy is one of the "dying breed" of collectors previously mentioned in my pawn shop post. As Kendra and I spent the last 24 hours with her I had the time to chat, sip tea, laugh, and just generally get filled up by her love. I also had the time to look around her house with a new set of eyes - those of a downsizer. Because she is a collector of many things - coins, cut glass baskets, bears, and many sentimental knick knacks - it would be easy to imagine a house in disarray. But, as I perused her home I was struck by the neatness and order. Infact, one could argue that despite my downsizing prowess my home is much more cluttered than Gram's abode. This was all good perspcetive for me as I find myself thumping my chest as I celebrate my new found affinity for getting rid of things. Perhaps "collections" aren't the antichrist. Afterall, Grammy enjoys her special things - that has to be worth something.
I didn't share with Grammy that I had taken on this persoanl challenge. I figured one grandchild getting rid of stuff over the last year was enough for her to swallow, she didn't need two. So, I quietly slipped her a few items before ending our lovely visit. I didn't bother with a detailed explaination about the passing of the torch from Reed to me. Instead, I gave her a puzzle that was unopened ( I believe it made it's way from my neighbor's yard sale to my game closet 3 years ago ) and I returned a digital picture printer that she had loaned me 2 years ago. She thanked me for both.
These items may not be the flashiest downsizes, but I have a feeling that my visit with Gram will impact my journey in a significant way. I hope it has left me with a bit of humility that I can carry with me as I plod along through this challenge.
Perhaps getting rid of stuff isn't a superior way of life but just one of many ways to live.

Downsizer Desperation

- this entry was hand written on Thursday but Gram's dial up connection would not cooperate for me to post....
Let's just face it - this challenge has proven to be relatively easy for the first 4 days. I have been living like a lady of leisure with my "big kids" visiting Nana and Poppa and my husband traveling the state spinning basketballs on kids' fingers. Aside from working and caring for Kendra, I had plenty of time and energy to put into getting this challenge off on the right foot. Then I woke up on Day 5 - back to life, back to reality -while packing up the minivan (in 85 degree heat and 100% humidity) to head Northeast I felt a twinge of panic as I realized I had not planned a downsize for the day. With my patience wearing thin after wrestling with a bike rack and saving Kendra from choking on apple skin I was ready to go. But what would I get rid of? Would I just skip today? Then, my pride and determination kicked in. I couldn't call uncle already. Afterall, the Master ( as I'll refer to my cousin Reed, the original downsizer) downsized through all kinds of stressful days and even a move across the country. I quickly surveyed the garage in search of something to unload. My eyes landed on a Reny's bag perched on top of a barrel. I remembered that it was full of clothes rejected and/or outgrown by Shay and Kiera. Many months ago I stuck that same bag in the van and proceeded to drive it all around the city in hopes that the clothes would find their way to Goodwill. My guess is that they never reached their destination and Dajuan stuck them on the barrell as he cleaned out the van in preparation for our camping trip last month. Perfect! I could drop them by Goodwill on my way out of town. BUT, Goodwill is not on my way out of town. Then I recalled that there was some sort of drop bin in the parking lot of Marden's that WAS on my way. Even better.
And so, I swung into the parking lot and found the "Kiducation" dumpster. As I threw my discards into the slot I read the slogan " we turn used clothing into new kids through eduction". Sounds good to me - especially at my time of downsizing desperation.
As I drove to my Gram's house I felt a sense of accomplishment for pushing through and getting the job done. While dumping used clothes into a donation bin wasn't some sort of monumental downsizing moment it was a great reminder about the fundamental reason for the challenge. It boils down to ridding myself of the things that I have allowed to clutter my space and my mind. And, more importantly, undoing the habit of passively accumulating and holding onto things that have no purpose or function in my life.

Points to "pawnder"

I have driven by this pawn shop at Woodford's corner a zillion times in the last 5 years. While always yearning to stop in and check out the wares, I have never had a reason. Now that I am officially executing operation downsize, I have that reason. With a bit of time on my hands today and with only one kiddo in tow, I collected a few "valuables" and headed to MA Storck Company to see what this pawn process was all about.

Upon entering, I realized that customer service is not at the crux of the pawn business. I waited at least 15 minutes while the owner chatted with his daughter about the woes of caring for twins (it is a small shop, and he is a loud phone talker so I couldn't avoid eavesdropping). When Mr. S finally hung up I asked if he might be interested in buying a circa 1999 Kosta Boda plate. He hemmed and hawed a bit and let me know that he didn't think there was much of a market for these sort of things. "People aren't buying these days" he said. When he asked how much I wanted for it I launched into an entire dissertation about the downsizing challenge as well as the history of the plate. This was a wedding gift that we have never used (evidenced by the original box with price tag for $99 and the gift receipt from Marshall Fields still attached). I explained that it had no value to me and that I was just looking to get rid of it today. I threw the question back at him - "how much are you willing to give me for it today?". We settled on $15. Since he was chatty and willing to cough up cash, I quickly pulled out another item that I had uncovered in the depths of my basement shelves. This was a real beauty - circa 2000 Waterford crystal "Millenium Votive" in its' original packaging. I don't even remember how it came into our possession. Mr. S offered $2 on the spot and led me to the counter to fill out the paper work. Just as I had imagined, I had to show my license and sign on the dotted line. He informed me that he is required to report all items that he acquires to the police and that they have to remain in his possession for 10 days. This was real deal pawnshop hawking - talk about living on the edge!

With $17 in my hand and having shed 2 items, I have completed the challenge for another day. The entire experience left me with some points to ponder. For one, why did I hold on to these items for 10 + years even though they sat idle on my shelves day after day? In fact, they held enough importance to make the move from Milwaukee to Portland more than 5 years ago. Here is what I think...somewhere deep inside I felt the need to keep them because of their supposed value. The price tag read $99 - didn't that mean it was worth $99 or more? Perhaps I was mesmerized by the "Waterford" label or the media-created importance of the year 2000. Wouldn't that equal some big payoff if I kept the votive around long enough? As it turns out, they are only worth what someone else is willing to pay for them at any given time. Today, that was $17.

As Mr. S and I haggled (ok, that might be a stretch) he gave me a bit of insight into the world of collectors. He claims that they are a dying breed. Apparently the younger generation ( a bit younger than me he pointed out) doesn't care about collectibles. They just buy a bunch of stuff and throw it away when they are done with it. And so, as the elderly pass away, the collections they have accrued will be of no value because there will be no buyers. I don't know which is sadder, the gross over-consumption by the young or the inflated value placed on trinkets by the old.

What I do know is that I am $17 fatter and 2 items lighter thanks to Mr. S.

The Stacks

You know, adult friendships aren't always easy. With all of the pressures of jobs, family, and _______(you can fill in the blanks), there is often little time or energy left for nourishing friendships. That is why it is great to have friends like Susan. No matter how much time passes, there are no hard feelings or excuses. Just gratitude for the time we get to spend together - how refreshing! And so tonight, after months apart, Susan and I reconnected over wine, cheese, fruit and bread. With my hubby traveling for work, my big kids at Nana and Poppa's house, and Little Dee snoozing upstairs, my dear old friend and I dove into each others hearts and souls. We laughed and ate and nearly cried. Ahhhh, nothing like some good old fashioned girl time. Of course part of coming up to speed included sharing my story of the Downsizing Challenge. Susan logged on and became a follower (I'm up to 4 now) on the spot.

To end the evening as we said our goodbyes, I gave Susan 9 selections from the Eubanks' Family Stacks. Several of these books were duplicate titles from our childrens' books section. I am thrilled to hand them over to Susan so she can share them with her wee ones! I also passed on 2 Sidney Sheldon novels and a national best seller that was a selection from a book group that I dropped out of before the first meeting.

With a promise of another get together in the the next few weeks, Susan and I parted ways. She with her hands full of new books and me with my heart full of appreciation for the wonderful friends I have in my life.

Day 3 is done and I feel richer for it.

Safely Sipping

While Dajuan was putting away clean dishes I found him patiently reorganizing our water bottle/travel mug/sippy cup cupboard. This of course was after he had opened the door and half of the contents fell on him - yet again. Being the supportive wife that I am, I jumped right in, rolled up my sleeves and began grabbing various liquid vessels deeming them inappropriate for future use. What a PERFECT downsizing opportunity! Dajuan commented, "I wasn't trying to downsize, I was just putting the dishes away". Welcome to the journey babe. It didn't take long for him to get into the spirit. And by the end of the 10 minute attack on this dreaded cupboard we had reestablished some semblance of order and had collected 15 items for downsizing.

First on my hit list was 1 champagne glass that I bought in college. After nearly 11 years of marriage I can say that I rarely drink champagne and I NEVER drink it alone. So what does one do with 1 lonely flute? Why give it to Goodwill of course - which I did after work this afternoon.

Next came the 3 Sea Dogs Helmet ice cream dishes that Dajuan and the girls brought home from a game this spring. These overpriced little souvenirs aren't even recyclable so to the trash they go. Speaking of souvenirs, another treasure destined for the trash bin were the 2 Disney character cups that Shayla and Kiera just HAD to purchase from the Disney Store when it was still afloat.

Still more items found themselves in the trash can this evening as we disposed of the last 3 of Kendra's sippy cups, complete with valves. With our 2 year old competently drinking from "big girl" cups with only occasional spills, we are safely through this stage and ready to leave it behind. While sippy cups seem convenient and harmless on the surface - preventing spills and promoting constant hydration for our little ones - they also tend to house black mold in every nook and cranny. Don't believe me? Go peer into the spouts and valves of the sippys lurking in your cupboards. I'll bet yours will take a one way trip to the trash can too!

This leads me to the next item in our pile of discards - the Nalgene bottle. Once a hiker's ideal water cask Nalgene became the red headed step child to the beloved Sigg when news of the dangers of BPA seeping from our water bottles hit the airwaves.
Like any good mother, I stuck our Nalgene bottles in the back of the cupboard and headed to Whole Foods to buy $17.00 Sigg water bottles. Little did I know, these "safe sippers" would soon be outed for having BPA in their liners. And so, all 3 of these bottles are going out with our recycling on Friday. Joining them will be 2 travel coffee mugs that haven't logged any miles for a few years.

Last, but not least comes the repeatedly used plastic tumbler that came "free" with an Olive Garden kids meal. While pursuing the safest water bottle for my precious babies, I was feeding them milk, juice, and water from this #5 plastic cup. So imagine how humbled I am to read this little ditty. My favorite part of the article states " (...(#5)plastics are considered safe for their original use, though any of them can leak toxins when reused repeatedly). Awesome. And so Mr. Olive Garden tumbler is going to the blue bin on Friday too.

All of this leads me to think that good old glass may be the way to go. Too bad I got rid of that lone champagne glass - turns out I might need it.

The Challenge

Today I pick up the torch from my dear cousin Reed. As an avid reader of his blog, I have followed him daily as he endured the self inflicted challenge to get rid of 1 item per day for 1 year. While following, I felt myself shifting to a "downsizing state of mind". Today, I am jumping in with both feet to take on this same challenge. In honor of his feat and so as not to taint the process - I am adhering to his guidelines found here.
I invite you to follow along with me as I work to shed the clutter that surrounds me.

I confess

Thank the Lord the first day of my downsizing challenge is a Sunday. This gives me the ultimate opportunity to confess one of my dirty little secrets. I'm addicted to bargains! And so, as I take on this task of downsizing 1 item each day for 1 year, I am tackling a demon head on. You see, when the folks at Homegoods, Marshalls, TJ's, and Marden's see me coming they smile and wave knowing that I am a sucker for their deals. I find sheer delight in looking at the stickers that say "compare at" or "original price" and find it hard to resist these rock bottom prices - even if I don't need the item. I have countless items in my possession strictly based on the price I paid as it relates to the original price.
Today, I declare THE BUCK STOPS HERE. Which leads me to my first downsize, a children's book named One More River to Cross - Noah's Ark in Song. I vaguely recall picking up this gem at Homegoods for 65% off the cover price over 1 year ago. It has remained in the guest room closet ever since - what a steal. So today as I packed up for church I threw it into the diaper bag along with my camera to capture our first official downsizing moment. Kendra proudly presented our literary gem to her friends in the church nursery and then took off to check out the other babies. I bowed my head and asked Him to forgive me for worshiping false idols - namely The Almighty Bargain.