so much stuff

I've spent a lot of time over the past two weeks cleaning and purging my current apartment.

Part of the reason for that is because I'm hoping that this current apartment will not be "current" much longer, and I have no desire to pack and move things that I do not actually want/need.  The other part has to do with my efforts in streamlining - making my life as simple as possible.  Which includes not buying something that I already own, simply because I can't see it or remember that I already have it.  This has actually happened  more times than I'd like to admit.

I may be buying my first home shortly (fingers crossed!), and spending money needlessly just doesn't fit in the equation for me anymore.  I live in an apartment where the rent is incredibly cheap, given the condition and amenities that I have here.  Thank god for rent control!  Moving to somewhere new - somewhere that comes with a mortgage and condo fees - will be an adjustment to my monthly budget.  A doable adjustment, of course, but still one that I'm trying to be prepared for.  Going through all of your belongings and realizing just how much stuff you own can really alter one's outlook on shopping and accumulating more.

I think that most people would also admit that purging just feels good.  Getting rid of clothes you never wear anymore and random things that you've collected along the way that you've never actually used or even thought of is pretty freeing.

In the span of a couple of weeks, I filled two boxes with donations, three huge garbage bags of...well...garbage, and four boxes of recycling.  My place still feels full, so I'm not exactly sure where all of that stuff was hiding along the way.  But at least I know now that the things I have are things that I need or want, not just random items taking up more (crucial) space.

Purge your stuff people.