Cutting My Clutter Back!

Happy Fourth Of July! When you work at home, it just never seems like it's a holiday. It's like every day seems the same as any other day. Or maybe I don't appreciate holidays any more. When your children are all grown up and on their own, then holidays don't seem so special. Unless you are one of those people who like to celebrate for any reason. But I don't do that anymore. I liked making holidays special for my son while he was growing up. Now, I don't even see him on a holiday.

I have an extensive collection of music cds. So since I decided to simplify our life and get rid of useless things, I have made a page on my website for used cds and I am going to sell them there. When you get to a certain point in your life you start thinking about what will happen to all your stuff when you die. I have a son who is disabled and lives in a small apartment. He doesn't have the same tastes as I have and probably would not appreciate my collection of music. So my plans right now, are to empty my house of all my extra things. I have a store on eBay and am in the process of selling off other things, such as books, knick knacks, household items, etc.

The other way to simplify that I am in the process of doing, is to replace all aluminum cookware and plastic (such as Rubbermaid, Tuppleware, ect.) with glass. I have come to the conclusion, that neither one is good for you. So I can make room in my pantry by getting rid of them, plus it will make me a little money also. I always loved my Tuppleware bowls. But I had put all the plastic tops in a container that had a top on it. And when I went to get one, all I could smell was that strong plastic smell. That can't be good for you!

For eating meals, I have decided the only dishes worth keeping are the Graniteware plates and bowls. I keep them in the top of my warming oven, so when you are ready to eat a meal, they are already warmed up. And we have way too many glasses, mugs, plates, plastic bowls and containers. It is best to store leftovers in the refrigerator, right in a wide mouth canning jar. They take up very little room and the top fastens securely.

I have no cupboards in my kitchen. I had them taken out. If everything is kept in the pantry on open shelves, you can see what you want to get in an instant. I am not very tall, so I always had the problem of not being able to get things out of the top cupboards without standing a stool. It don't matter how tall you are if you must get something out of a bottom cupboard, way in the back! All that is wasted space. Whatever you keep there, you sometimes you even forget you own it. It's too much trouble to find and get out.

But now it's time to cut all that excess back. There is only two of us living here. And only very rarely does anyone come to eat with us. I never do fancy entertaining. A Thanksgiving or a special Birthday might be it. And then it would only be three more people at the most. Usually, if anyone comes here for a meal, it's a outside meal cooked over a open fire. My plans do include having a outdoor kitchen. But almost all my cooking is done in cast iron pots anyway.

Talk to you tomorrow and hope you have a safe fourth.

Copyright © 2005  Kathleen G. Lupole