It's hard to be ruthless

Clutter is my dirty little secret. And as you can see, I have a lot of it.

Yesterday was the official start of the NFL season. Seventeen fun-filled Sundays (*insert eye roll here*) for dear husband. I on the other hand, took the opportunity to get a head start on my clutter busting. There will be some major clutter busting happening week at my house. Later this week, darling daughter will go to daycare as I get down to brass tacks. Everything must go. No more excuses. The insanity has to end.

Since I moved into this house three years ago the clutter has primarily ended up in one area of the house: the basement. There is a large room that has become a dumping ground for clutter. And over the years I have tried to declutter this room and I have had some success, but as soon as I clean it up, the clutter slowly creeps back in.

It is such a nasty cycle. So no more! Starting Wednesday, the official clutter bustering will begin. CDs will be sorted. Books will be disposed off. (Either by selling them or giving them to the library's AfterWords program). Junk will be hauled to the curb. Yes. It is going to be messy, but it has to be done.

And if yesterday was any indication, I do have a big on my hands. As dear husband was watching his football games, I was sorting through my massive collection of Christmas decorations. I have boxes and boxes of Christmas decorations, many of which I don't use. It took me three hours, but I sorted through my stash. I've got 10 boxes of Christmas cards, all of which I bought on sale. (Although those after-holiday season sales seem like such a bargain at the time, they aren't. Not if you are buying stuff, just for the sake of hauling it home and stuffing it in the back of a closet, never to be seen again.) I've got four bags of Christmas bows and two boxes of gift wrap. (I've got a Christmas wrapping paper addiction. It is a work in progress). I opened up a large cardboard box and I wanted to cry because it was half filled with glass ornaments.

But it is hard to be ruthless. I can always make excuses for my stuff. I can always find room for it in the closet or in a large plastic bin or on a shelf. But the clutter seems to be overtaking my basement and it is really bothering me. So no more. It is time to end the insanity. It is going to take some motivation, elbow grease and sweat on my part to see that it happens. Wish me luck.