Too Much Stuff

I have too much stuff. And I have plenty of excuses. Here they are.

I live in a place that experiences all four seasons.

That means four seasons of clothes. Or more like six. We have warm, hot, cool, cold, super cold (two weeks a year, but one must be prepared), and super hot (this one lasts about a month for me). My closets are bursting. Yes, I really only need one or two thick fleece shirt things for the super cold, but I stare at them all the rest of the year, hating them and wondering if I could get away without them. (I'm always glad they are there the next year.)

That means four seasons of bedding, for five people. It requires a minimum of flannel sheets, down comforter, electric blanket, high thread count Egyptian cotton sheets and silk sheets for me (just because I'm a silk kind of girl). Because I birth my babies at home, and on the off chance that I should get pregnant again I have to keep a minimum of two extra sets that are designated "birthing sheets."

I have two genders of children.

That means that I must keep everything that could possibly fit the younger version of the older. I have finally given up on the girl stuff. For one, my daughter went through toddlerhood in the flare leg era and by the time girl number two (from whence we have yet found out that she will come) comes through, I have little doubt that those will be hideously out of date. But I still keep a ridiculous number of boy things. Plus I garage sale, so I buy ahead at least one season and usually four. I mean sales happen in summer and so I really NEED to buy for summer, fall, winter, spring and next summer, right?

That means two genders (and two ethnicities) of toys. Yes, they cross play. My boys play with dolls, my girl plays with cars and trains, heck, my pink girl plays with brown boy dolls, and my brown boy plays with pink girl dolls, that's just the way we are. Regardless, double genders still means more toys because they really do prefer different things no matter what the sociologists try to tell us.

No one thinks I should "fling boogie" their stuff.

Granted it happens, but it is usually followed by, "Honey, where is my......?" and "You aren't getting rid of that are you?" and "But I love this shirt that is too small for me!"

Did I mention that I garage sale?

I never knew I needed it until I found out that it was only a dime. Or until I accidentally found a set of books for 20 dollars that I ebayed for closer to 400. Now I wonder if I can ebay lots of things and unless they are books (and sometimes if they are) they rarely get ebayed. I have overcome this particular problem but I still have a little residual effect.

Yes, I've heard of Flylady. Yes, she does work, as long as I do. But a lot of my problem would not be helped by flinging, it would just make me broke because I'd have to re-buy it.

Suggestions?

Update: I neglected to mention shoes. Snow boots, rain boots, sneakers, church shoes, sandals for play, sandals for church. And silverware for my fantacy baby. As if I couldn't buy one pack of the rediculously priced stuff should fantacy baby arrive.