"Alan Holbrook" > wrote in message
.30...
> "Ophelia" > wrote in
> :
>
>>
>> lol you sound like I used to be) BUT when I retired I had a
> huge
>> clearout. It wasn't easy and I am very proud of myself for
> managing
>> to do it)) I rarely miss anything I tossed and now, I am very
>> careful what new things I buy I just love the extra space and
> that
>> is more important to me than filling it with 'stuff'
>>
>
> Ah, Ophelia, you are a remarkably strong person! Only once or
> twice a year do I get into a "dump it and be damned" mood, and
> even then, there are certain things, like books and kitchen stuff,
> that are pretty much off limits. And I didn't even really _begin_
> collecting (sometimes useless) kitchen equipment until _after_ I
> retired...

We cleaned out our house several times over the past year. The last time we
were brutal! I only kept enough books to fit in one bookcase and most of
those aren't mine. Cookbooks are not included in this but... I only allow
myself to keep enough of those to fit on one shelf and I'll likely go
through those again and get rid of because I can't remember the last time I
actually used one for a recipe.

I do miss my food processor once in a while but it took up sooo much counter
room that I don't want to get another. Should I be gifted with one I
probably wouldn't turn it down. I don't even use my Crock-pots any more but
there could be a time when I will, so I didn't get rid of those. Did move
them out of the kitchen though.

When I got my first apartment, I had no blender, only a hand mixer, one set
of pans, far fewer casseroles and baking dishes and far less utensils than I
do now. Certainly I could make do with fewer utensils but I do find that
having extra of those really can help. I can use one, toss it in the sink
then use another if need be. Saves me time because I don't have to keep
washing the same one.

I also got some spiffy things for my closet that apparently were As Seen on
TV items but I never saw them on TV. Smart Carousel. I bought one of this
size and two smaller ones.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/15579196?w...=pla&veh =sem

Not only do I have my shoes in there but most of my boots will fit inside.
Not the tall rain boots but the others will. I can also use the inside for
storing extra linens. And one is dedicated to extra HBA stuff. I buy some
things at Costco so there are always extra and there is not enough room in
the bathroom to store them.

Since we moved into this house, I've had one of those closets of doom. Open
it and you'd never know what might fall on you. And if you needed
something, you might have to sort through a pile. No longer! I only wish
that I'd seen something like this before. And it would be super great if I
could get something like this but much smaller/shorter that I could hang in
the corner of my kitchen, under the cupboards.