I have reached the point where I want to have my home and garage a certain way, and that means that I need to get I need to get rid of more stuff. I want to park inside my garage like I used to in Connecticut, for one thing, so I don't want to use the garage like a storage unit as so many people here do, and like I am right now.
This house and garage are both smaller than what we moved from. The houses they build in Texas are nothing like what we are used to in Connecticut. The open floor plan spaces and low and large windows and more doors leading outside to link indoor and outdoor living spaces leave little room for traditional furniture. So, furniture that we paid to move here does not fit inside this house. Here people rely more on walk-in closets for clothing storage. Some children's bedrooms are such that there is not room for a bureau or any type of clothing storage furniture, for example. We also own some desks that are not computer-use friendly. This house also has a built in counter for an office area and we wound up buying a fancy masculine desk from the former owner for my husband. So we have desks galore not being used hanging around here.
I am using the fourth, empty bedroom as an art and craft studio. However at present it is also filled with boxes of packed up educational and children's books mainly used for homeschooling or in our general lives as readers. I have the luxury of a closet that is 8x8 with four solid walls so I can stash some boxes of books in there. However this space is a far cry from what I had in my former home where I had to much indoor closet space that I didn't even have to use the basement or attic for book storage. The attic was basically empty since we had so much dry (non-mildewy) storage space for various other stuff in our basement. Perhaps you don't know that in Texas we build on slab foundations due to the always shifting ground, and we can't use attics for storage since temperatures reach 120 degrees or higher. Not many things we wish to store can make it in the hot and humid attics, everything gets destroyed. In Texas if you can't fit it in your house you either fill your garage, rent a storage space to keep it in, or you get rid of it.
After doing more unpacking and reorganizing this weekend I have come to the decision that it is time to let go of even more books and sentimental stuff I have saved. Back in Connecticut I donated a ton of things that I felt we had no practical need for. It was hard to let go of some sentimental things back then but now I feel motivated to let go of even more stuff. I saved far too many of my sons' favorite childhood toys and high quality items that my husband hoped we'd save for our grandkids. I want to live for the here and now and I want to claim my space not clutter it up with stuff that maybe someday my sons will be happy to inherit for their kid's use.
I am ready to let go of more homeschooling materials. I am letting go of already used and enjoyed books and curriculum. I am letting go of great stuff bought that we never had time to use that they are "past" now. I am letting go of things they could use now but are not a good fit for them learning-wise or interest-wise. I need to figure out the best way to get rid of this stuff, most of it really should be resold for at least the price I paid for it used, especially the much sought-after out of print and antique books. The thing is I'm busy living life now and homeschooling my kids so I don't have time to manage a big project such as individually listing everything on eBay.
I am excited to live the way I want, with my new definition of what that life looks like. I don't feel sad or bad about getting rid of more stuff, instead I feel happy because I am redefining how we use our living space. I want to enjoy the space and feel glad to see it. I don't want it overstuffed with boxes of things we are not using or to not be able to find something useful when I need it.
Stuff doesn't define me. I would rather live in a space where I can move and do things that I want to do (like park inside a garage instead of getting into a 150 degree hot car every time I go somewhere) and if that means being surrounded by less stuff in order to live the way I want then so be it.