MINIMIZE!!

Many of us have a familiar theme to our New Year's Resolutions -- minimize!! Whether it be our waistlines or our lives, we ALL want less, so why do we always end up with MORE?!? Just because we can??

Fortunately, our family is full of "we can's" which is why I especially LOVE our family's new Christmas "project" tradition. I always get so much more satisfaction out of buying holiday gifts for ANOTHER family than for our own . . . go figure?!? And the smaller, special gifts that we now give one another are so much MORE special!!

After spending every waking moment of August, September and October in 2007 preparing for and moving a 1600 sq ft townhouse OVER-FULL of stuff, my goal for 2008 (as I un-pack) and beyond is to always have a place for everything and everything in its place. Difficult? Yes! But I LOVE challenge!!

I made great progress last week organizing the pantry things, and this weekend's project is Mr J's clothes (he's stretched his onesies and sleepers to the max, and is beyond ready for the next size). So, as I pack away the newborn necessities, that's exactly what I'm going to pack: necessities. Everything else is going to be packed for the church garage sale so that it can be used by someone who needs it instead of being stored in one of our new closets, again, just because "we can". After all, those closets (and the basement) have to last us a very, very long time . . .

Of course, then someday, I am going to have to face the basket challenge of want v. need. But it will be a very long time before I get to spend too much time with the contents of the dozens of totes in the basement, and in the meanwhile, I'll feel really, really good about what I'm getting accomplished on the living levels of our home.

There! I actually put it in print, which means that I MUST really do it!! DH is going to LOVE the 'new' ME!! *Ü* Hugs!!