Shredding the Past

I spent a good part of this past weekend shredding my life. Well, not really. But I did go through a lot of old files, shredding papers and filling up a few large garbage bags. It felt really good. Like a cleansing. I'm really trying to minimalize my life. It's really amazing how much "stuff" we kept "just in case we ever need it."

Was it really necessary for us to keep all our tax returns since...1978? Oh my, what were we thinking? We don't need any of Steve and Pam's old pay stubs, though it was fun to remember all the places they worked since middle school. Old check registers...trash. They do say a lot about how you live your life. Receipts for items we no longer own...shredded.

One thing I came across that I thought was particularly funny, my resume from 1979. How young and inexperienced was I to list my weight on my resume. Of course, if I weighed that now, I'd love to put that on a resume! Just kidding. I know better.

I'm not sure if it's because Bob and I truly feel like empty nesters since Mish, Steve, Pam and John all moved away, and Becca's over in Italy for the semester, but I want to clean out all the "stuff" that has accumulated over the years. Now I have had many garage sales, but there's always been those items that we've held onto "just in case." Well, I'm feeling like it's time to unload. I have this fear that the attic is going to fall into the garage. I don't think the kids are going to want the old crib. Or my old desk that I've had since I was little. Can you say IKEA?

I'm trying to convince Bob to have a garage sale. It takes a lot of convincing. He doesn't like having them. But he's a good sport and will get up in the attic and bring down everything to sell. I'll do my part and make sure he doesn't have to put anything back up there.

I feel a few pounds lighter already. :)