J is for Junk

This post is part of the annual A to Z Blogging Challenge. For more information on the challenge and its creator, please visit http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com

Before and during our renovation, we had to pack up everything ... and I do mean EVERYTHING! We always knew we had a lot of junk but this confirmed it. Hubby and I are both packrats--or maybe I should say, sentimental rats. I have dishes from my mom's house, depression glass I collected over the years, a collection of bookmarks and post cards, pictures, paperbacks, posters--you name it and we've got it! DVDs, videos, cassette tapes--Oh my! We still have much of our daughter's treasures too. I'm not a fan of the old adage if we haven't used it in a year, get rid of it.  I've tried that, and if I get rid of something I usually need it the following week.

The bad thing
about our renovation is that we lost a lot of our storage space. The wet bar was a great hiding place. It had shelves for the fancy glassware my aunt gave me, and drawers on both sides. In the kitchen, I lost shelving and drawers too. And since the contractor lost our cabinet doors in the laundry room, we can't 'hide' anything there.

I'm always threatening to give up writing and create jewelry.
Can I really get rid of my jewelry making supplies, even though I've never made anything except this necklace. I want to make jewelry--but it's hard.

And what can I do with John Wayne?

During renovation, we gave a lot of our furniture, pots and pans to a young woman whose house burned down. She brought her ten year old son with her to help her load up; as he was looking around our garage, I told him, "We have too much junk, don't we?" And he answered, "Yeah, but it's good junk."

Awwww, my little soul mate. I agree! I like my junk, but I guess the time has come to get serious. We need to determine what's important to us and what can go to Good Will.

My heart is sad as I start this process.