Not too much happening really.... been making a million to-do lists and crossing off bits here and there.  Haven't found a place to call my own yet... but have managed to sort out a number of affairs.  Im sick of banks, and paperwork and playing telephone tag, but I guess they are all a necessary evil.

As I touched on with my last post, I found one of the most surprising thing in this journey is how much I really do not care for many of the things I have collected over the years. Riding myself of those things has been pretty freeing.

I am not sure what I will do with ~ALL~ my Lego, so the first job was to pack it up and store it until I can make some decisions. Thankfully that job was completed last week prior to my leaving.  I have accumulated so many bricks that its almost inconceivable, all I do know that there isn't an apartment in my price range that will have a room for it all. So eventually I will have to reduce the collection but for now, that process is on hold.   After that job was done, I could focus on tons of other bits and pieces and collections throughout the house.

For example,  I opened the curio cabinet... which has been jammed packed with 20 years of knickknacks that apparently have value for our family. Upon opening the door to sort things out, I ended up rescuing one tiny knickknack for myself, and two little items each put up for my boys.  The rest of the stuff in there meant nothing to me, nor anyone else in the house.  The items quickly were put into a garbage bag, without pomp or circumstance, dumped to the curb.  Sort of surprising yet I guess understanding.  The fireplace mantel and the printer box on the wall were basically the same story.  Good bye to the lanterns and candlesticks, the huge collection of decorative corks, etc.

For years I have obsessively collected things, those are just one small example of the out of control pack ratting...

So I hit yet another room.  I stand in the kitchen, as mentioned, I have already cleared away the straggling Lego, but across every single cupboard is a collection of tins that reach into the hundreds.  Last year or so (when I had my last cleaning purge, I vowed to get rid of 100 of them, which I did do) but looking up there now, I just think, what in hell was I thinking collecting these things???  So once again the great purge begins.  I start this time by taking everyone of them down, and make a small pile of the ones I really want to keep.  I decide its ok if I keep 20 but the rest must go.  I start filling huge leaf bags and by the time I am done, I have 3 of them completely filled.  I look up around me and the free space feels good, almost liberating.  I am on a roll now.  I continue through the dinning room and living room.  Take down old items that no longer stand the test of time, I throw things out, I bag stuff for charity and I ear mark a few things for Ebay.

The next room is going to be a huge task, and I am heading there to take care of it next Wednesday (as well as many other lose ends)  I have enlisted 2 of my closest friends to help.  We are about to tackle my collection of books, 12 overstuffed full-size bookcases and a number of smaller ones as well.  Which need to be sorted, boxed and organised.  I plan on getting rid of many of my text/reference (perhaps half, if I can manage it) and most of my paperback novels (minimally 90%).  Currently I assume the best thing to do with the novels is to take them to a used book store, and donate the hard covers to the library for the book sale.

I have a feeling my back with hurt like hell by the end of the process, but my heart will be filled with the support of my friends, and my mind will be free of even more clutter. 

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