Re: I broke my New Year's Resolution...

SHOPR · ‎04-17-2013

@Susan Louisewrote:
...and I feel fine...LOL

RED FLAG WARNING: Winded post...

It has been nearly 2 weeks since I posted last. I have finally come up for air after spending (what seems to be) endless hours purging/cleaning. The biggest chore was the basement and it is now complete and ready for setting up for sowing seeds.

When I started to put away our holiday decor I was faced with a nightmare. For those that have kept up with a lot of posts I have written since CIJ last year...including listing in one of my holiday pics threads the majority of new decor I bought, it was A LOT!
On one hand, I have no regrets since they are all wonderful pieces I am keeping...

HOWEVER, The amount of stuff I had to purge in order to make room for all the new treasures was just off the charts!!! I do not EVER want to go through that insanity again.

My purging this time was like no other purging. This time around also has given me the best perspective on just how I can 'maintain' all that I have accomplished. I have finally turned a corner and view space more valuable than 'stuff'. How?

I'll use my collection of dinnerware as an example...
Last month I purged about 70-75% of the dinnerware I collected over the past 3-4 yrs...all 3 shelves in the basement and some of what I had in the kitchen...enough so there is no dinnerware in the basement and it is now all in the kitchen.

In hindsight...what in the world was I thinking to aquire THAT much dinnerware anyway...

I posted pics on a thread in the home forum of the newly arranged/cleaned kitchen cabinets showing the dinnerware I had left. Funny thing was I still was not satisfied with my purge and purged even more at 2 more times last week. 1st time was to remove about 2 tall stacks of dishes, and a couple of days ago to purge more plates and mugs. I'll post updated pics when I get a chance.

Anyway, when I finally got the amount of dinnerware down to what I thought was reasonable, I noticed I had solid colors of green & white, Fall and Holiday but no real Spring/Summer - type...other than 3 mugs...one each of a Monarch, Hummingbird and Meadowlark...all of which I had for many yrs.

I not only wanted, but NEEDED just a few new pieces for Spring/Summer. I REALLY NEEDED a change...especially a new mug.

Although I hadn't been receiving any emails from retailers anymore...unsubscribed to all of them, 'google' still had this memory of sites I had visited and an image of the botanical dinnerware set at Pier One kept taunting me when I was on the pute.

I reasoned with myself and said that if I purchased new pieces from this set, I had to purge even more...which I did. I ordered 2 mugs and 3 salad plates. I purged 6 mugs and 10 more plates.
Why? to really instill how I am working on permanent changes when I bring anything new into this house!

In the past I would purge a lot, but never really to a point of 'reasonable amt' .

Anyway, today I just got the pkg from Pier One with the 'botanical garden' 2 mugs and 3 salad plates (just enough for DH & I and brought the order to over $49 for FREE S&H) and I couldn't be more pleased. The 'English garden' type of flowers look just like our gardens and the pieces are quality. I LOVE these pieces!
The salad plates are on the large size, so wonderful for DH & I for lunches with sandwiches and fruit....no need to get the dinner plates or bowls. I'm looking at my mug now filled with coffee and it's just making me smile...such a bright spot to remove some of the winter dulldrums and will be using from now til Fall...just very happy!

Below are pics of the mug and salad plate...

@Susan Louise, I'm late to this thread and have missed many more interesting threads since late last year I'm sure. Just wanted to say that I think your plates and mugs are beautiful! I have just two Pier 1 plates from a year or two ago that are sort of similar:

Image result for pier one garden plate