simplicity

I have been attracted towards minimalism more and more since we have had children.  I made a few mistakes with over purchasing in my past life, and now I am trying to destash everything.  I have gotten rid of shoes today, clothes over the past two days, sheets when we moved two years ago, towels ditto, books in two stages, when we first moved here and also in the past week.  It is like spring cleaning but with the goal of halving all of my possessions.

I took an entire bin of toys out of Emma's room and I don't think it was even noticeable.  That being said, she has the least toys out of all the kids I know.  Most of her stuff is educational materials, like puzzles and blocks.  She has about four stuffed animals or so, and only one Barbie which I did my best to hide (it was a gift).

My kids have only four drawers of clothes (Emma) and one drawer (Daniel) total.  Emma's clothes are bigger so they take up more space.  That being said, I still have three strollers and one bike attachment.  Crazy, huh?  One stroller is a single jogger, one is a double jogger, and one is a high seated Stokke which I love for walks as Daniel can see much better and be closer to me.  I think that the Stokke will be the first one to go, but the joggers will have to stay, since I sometimes need both (like when I actually jog with the kids).  The single jogger I use when travelling, as it folds up very easily.

I also have a total of 25 pairs of shoes, and three runners (metal spikes, trail and flat).  We do have a lot of seasons here, and I need office boots, very warm boots, mud boots, elegant heels, the full gamut, because my life is pretty colourful like that.  And, despite culling my sweaters FOUR times, I still have 15 sweaters.  On the other hand, I have TWO t shirts (one white and one brown) and two short sleeved tops for work.  Summer is brief, what can I say.

Please tell me how you gals have reached simplicity, if you have.  It is a never ending struggle, but I am getting better as time goes on.  I think that with most of my possessions, it is a matter of thinking about each and every one to make sure that it really is pulling its weight.  So far, some things have not, but they are in great condition and classics, so I am waiting until something else hits the dust to put them into heavier use.  I know that it is not the way to destash, but on the other hand it makes me feel safe to have them as backup.

I suspect that this is the feeling that I need to work on, eh?