"Everything changed the day she realized there was exactly enough time

for what was important in her life."

--- Brian Andreas, "Storypeople"

When I quit working full time back in 2003... I set myself upon a journey.

I was home-schooling the kids... maintaining the house... and actually getting some regular sleep... perhaps for the first time in years.

I also started clearing/ cleaning out.

I started with toys and such the kids had outgrown on Ebay in 1998; but once I was home more... I kicked it up a notch... selling stuff I had made as well.... things we had collected... etc.

In 2005 or 2006... I started listing on Freecycle.Org and Craigslist.com; and it quickly became my goal to give away an item for every day of the year... something I am still doing today.

We have paired down... alot. And yet; with our impending move... it seems like there is still so much stuff! Perhaps not so; compared to some people... but certainly more than I feel comfortable hanging on to.
These past few days... I have been packing books. Between us all... I think we have around 30-35 boxes of books. Now granted, we have very little furniture, not much in the way of household stuff... but lots of craft supplies... and whoa... books. Alot of which... I haven't even read yet.

And I got to thinking... what is it (we/I) are making time for?
I am not a hoarder... not by any stretch. But I know alot of them... and my family is full of them.
These past years have been a lesson in what do I really need... what do I really want.
And I've made great progress towards that end... but looking at our stack of book boxes... makes me realize there is still much to be done.
It's a process.

Whenever I think about making a purchase these days... foremost in my mind is always... do I really need it... do I really want it... do I have room for it... which I think is a good thing.
Minimizing my "footprint"... making room for things that are really important to me... being able to use what I have... being content.

For so long... I think ... and I think alot of people do this... I was trying to find contentment in stuff. Now... it's in the experience :)

"Learning to really live the difference between need and want is part of contentment."

... posted by Wendy on the blog: Notes from the Voodoo Cafe

(it seems like alot of my blogging friends are in the same boat... please check out

Ricë's

post on the blogsite above)