We had a yard sale and I got rid of lots of stuff. The stuff that I didn't sell my sister filled up the back of their pickup truck with and took to their church for their yard sale. The truck bed, behind the front seat and the front seat was full.
Can you believe all the stuff we have that we don't need. I hate clutter, yet my house is filled with it.
I was very happy the first years of our marriage and we didn't have much at all. Compared to now, you might say back then we had an empty house. But we were perfectly content.
The garage is now empty enough that I can go in and straighten it out, get rid of more stuff and organize what is left. Who knows, maybe this winter we will be able to fit one car into our two car garage.
We took our swing off our front porch last year when we had new siding put on our house. I put it in the garage and hadn't put it back up. We have a glider on the porch, two vintage yellow metal chairs and an iron piece of furniture. There was no room for the swing. I decided to take the iron bench off the porch and put it in front of the sliding glass doors where our drive way is. Now we have room to get the swing out of the garage and back on the porch. I am painting it today a barn red, it will match the bricks on the front of our house. I found the almost full can of paint when I was cleaning out the garage.
It is amazing the things you find that you forgot you had, when you de-clutter!
Little by little we are getting things done.
Our garden is coming in good, the deer have enjoyed snacking on our green beans.
My berries are getting ripe. They have had a rough time of it this year. The storm that went through a few weeks ago damaged some of them and then the very high temps and drought are taking a toll on them.
I must admit the source of a lot of my clutter is yard sales. I still go to them, but not as much. I've also become more selective about the things I buy. I have gotten very good things at yard sales before. The above swing was bought at a yard sale, a refrigerator (which is handier than an extra thumb), Fenton at a very small price and clothing.
I had a relapse a few weeks ago, though. I bought this antique milk can. Our next door neighbor had it in her yard sale. I didn't need it, but I wanted it. It is a little rusty on the outside, but the inside is very nice and clean. It was only $5.
Can any of you nice people out there give me ideas as to what to do with this milk can? I look forward to your creative ideas and suggestions.
posted by Janet F. Smart at Writing in the Blackberry Patch.
©Janet F. Smart
You are right about clutter taking up so much of our lives. I have way too much stuff. My favorite flea market closed a few months ago, so I guess that has got me out of the habit of buying 'stuff'. I'm going to try to stay that way, LOL! Love your porch swing--I'm getting ready to pain mine red, too--along with our little well house. (That was a great deal on that milk can!).
ReplyDeleteGlad your garden is doing good. Ours is pretty crispy, except for tomatoes and peppers.
what a coincidence. I'm having a sale next Saturday. Not had one for years and am going to be ruthless and low price everything and hope for a huge clearance. I hate clutter too. I'm a collector and that is really so different than being a hoarder! lol
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you back. xo
ps... have you thought of getting rid of the word verification thing? It's a pain.
I try not to buy things I don't have a need for, but collections are so much fun ...
ReplyDeleteI was just going to ask, are you going to paint the can? I have one which sat in the kitchen a long time, but this summer I put it on the front porch. It's rusty and I would like to paint it.
Oh, I have had many garage sales over the years, selling off stuff I've bought at other garage sales and gotten tired of! Probably half the stuff I have for decorations came from either junk/antique stores or garage sales!
ReplyDeleteI have a milk can almost just like that! I've been meaning to paint it for about 25 years. It sits on my front steps and usually has a flower pot in it. Sometimes fake flowers, sometimes real. I use a pot that fits perfectly (and doesn't fall down into the can!).
Lydia, I got rid of the word verification for a long time, but I got tons of spam comments (sometimes 10-20 a day) so I put it back on. I'm thinking about painting the can, but not sure. It might make a good umbrella stand or put artificial flowers in it or at Christmas take the lid off and put a small tree in it. Any other ideas?
ReplyDeleteHi Janet,
ReplyDeleteGuess it must be something in the air, I have been cleaning out everything I can think of. Just had the charity truck here this morning.
I have a couple of milk cans. I painted one black and a plant sits on top of it on the back deck.
Hope your writing is going along good for you. Maybe a book about cleaning out clutter and the story behind the things you are giving up.
Off to water my outside plants which in this heat need a lot of water.
Nancy Jo
I received a black painted milk can as a gift but wanted one old and rusty just like yours. So I faux painted mine grey and rusty, and now it sits under my maple tree as yard art. Funny! Good luck with whatever you decide.
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel about being busy : ) I wish I could have come to your yardsale-I know it would have been GREAT!
ReplyDelete