Days 13 and 14 - Running up against resistance...

Yesterday's purge was just about the same as Tuesdays...books, books, and more books.  I have two crates ready to go, once I find a charity book box, or the Salvation Army people set themselves up in front of Walmart again.  I figured, rather than bore you with another post full of pictures of books, we'd just move right along (ironically, one book that I kept is titled "Organize Yourself"...this same book was once in a bile of junk in my first apartment and my roommate took a picture of it and posted it on Facebook...yes, I've read it, and the author is insane...she advises that you alphabetize your canned goods...don't know why I'm keeping the book).

So onward to today.  I already need a break from the office...I get overwhelmed in there because about a quarter of the stuff belongs to my husband, and while's he's vocally on-board with the purge, I don't think he's truly on-board.

Case in point:  the kitchen.

I figured the kitchen would be a good place to purge tonight, because he doesn't really care about the stuff in there as far as I know.  One thing that's bothering me lately is the area on top of the cabinets.  There are a few things up there that I use (food processor, crock pot, cookie cutters), and a few boxes that we *may* need if we move again.  Then there's the other stuff...

Up there we have a fondue set, ice cream maker, donut maker, dish organizer, and some other things I can't reach, and obviously do not use because I have no idea what they are.

So I asked my husband, who has never made fondue, ice cream, or donuts in his life, to please get these things down so I could take pictures and put them on Craigslist (although now I'm considering a small springtime yard sale).

"Why?  We just got them...what if we want to make ice cream?  Or donuts?"
 "Well, considering we're both trying to lose weight, we'll walk our butts down to Walgreens and buy them."

He's falling into the same traps that got us here: the what ifs, and the guilt.  What if we are someday in desperate need of a min-donut maker, yet unable to drive 5 minutes to target and buy one!?  What if my aunt (who really does think of awesome Christmas gifts) wants to know how we like the ice cream maker?  Will we feel guilty for giving away or selling a gift?  Is it insulting?  Is it ungrateful of us?

Then I looked at the cookie press.  I use it exactly twice a year to make meringues.  I could very easily use a plastic bag, but my grandmother gave it to me...

I'm falling into the same trap.

Passing along a gift...is it ungrateful?  Is it rude?  There's a limited amount of space in our kitchen and lives...do we truly want to drag random appliances and the guilt that comes with them from place to place?

So Wednesdays' purge list:  1 crate of books.
Thursday's purge list:  fondue set, ice cream maker, donut maker, dish sorter, and yes, the cookie press.

We are grateful for every gift we receive, but that doesn't mean we have to wedge them into our lives when we simply don't have the room.