I'm talking about items in our houses that seem to multiply at rapid rates. Items that we just love and can't get enough of. As I have been purging my house yet again, I keep finding items that we have several of and face the decision of weeding some of them out. We had 6 cutting boards, for example. Who needs that many cutting boards?? And, more importantly, how the heck did I miss that in my last 2 big purges?!?!?! So, we got rid of 3. I kept one of each size. To be completely honest, I could probably get rid of the smallest one too, but I do use it frequently. Actually I use the 2 smallest ones a lot, and never the large one. However, hubs uses the large one often. This is the same issue we have with our whisks. We have 2, but only need 1. Unfortunately, he prefers to use the black handled one and I prefer the other one.....so, we will keep them both for now until one of us gives in (likely me).
A couple weeks ago I saw someone on Facebook asked "how many sets of sheets do you have per bed?" I was blown away by some of the answers. Who needs 3 sets per bed?!?! Or 4 or 5?!?! Maybe there is good logic behind this that I'm just not thinking about, but I can't see any reason to have more than 2 sets per bed, and even that is pushing it for me. I don't take sheets off of a bed until they are ready to go into the washer, and then in less than 2 hours they are ready to be put back on the bed. Simple enough. I understand kids and nighttime though...I do have 2 sets for their beds.
But thankfully, we are all different. While I don't see the need to have a lot of sheets in my house, someone else might think the items I have multiples of is ridiculous. Here is my embarassing list of things I have a hard time keeping under control...
Coats. I don't know why, but I have a thing for coats. I have about 3 for each season. I mean, in the winter you have to have a nice dressy coat, and a regular every day coat, and a coat that can get dirty. For spring and fall I have an every day coat, one that can get dirty, and one to wear in the rain. I also have a coat for those in-between times when the spring/fall coat isn't enough, but winter coat is too heavy. Nearly every year I buy a new coat, but I choose another to take to Goodwill.
Bags. Not hand bags. I'm talking about tote bags and over night bags. I have had a Thirty-One obsession and always think I have to have a bag in every one of their prints that I love. Luckily, that has subsided! I just like fabric patterns and when I see a bag in a store with a pattern that I love, I immediately start to dream of what I would put into it. Half the time I purchase it....and then it sits in a closet never used because I already have 2 other similar bags that get more use. It's ridiculous to be honest. I've started gaining control of this one. I got rid of a lot of bags last summer and am now noticing that a majority of the ones I kept haven't even been used since then....I think they can be halved!
Blankets. Oh blankets. If it's cute, I want it! I'm always sitting on the couch under a blanket, no matter the season. I just bought my favorite blanket ever at Target. James, Rylee and I all fight over it, so I know it's a winner! If you're in the market for a super warm, super soft and cozy blanket, ask me about it. It's oversized too. Most of the blankets we have though, were given to us. We have some talented quilters in the family who have gifted us about 8 quilts. I have also gotten a few throw blankets as gifts. And I would have to say blankets were the #1 gift item we received when each of the kids were born. Trying to decide which ones to keep and which ones to get rid of is tough....really tough! Some we want to keep because they were made by someone special, but the kids/we don't ever use them....so do you keep them, or not?? Toughie.
Lotion. I'm always on the hunt for that perfect catch-all lotion. The one you can use on your hands, legs, face, etc, and actually moisturizes. I have yet to find it, but might be getting close. I've only purchased about 20 different lotions in the last 12 months. I have really dry skin and am super picky about lotion. I never use one until it's gone. In fact, I probably only use about a quarter of a bottle before I move on to the next one. It's terribly wasteful.
Chapstick. Same story with chapstick. I have been using Carmex for years (the squeeze tube, not the jar) and it has never failed me. For some reason this past year though, I've been falling for all of the cute chapsticks out there. I think I have 6 of the EOS right now. I don't even love that one, but I keep trying different flavors anyway. Rylee likes them too and as soon as she uses one of mine, I'm done with it because I don't want to share with her. I also fell for a check-out counter scam...grabbed a cute tube of Carmex chapstick as I was in line (that I did NOT need, but it was pink argyle and super cute), and found out it was $3!! I still bought it....
Water bottles. I know it's bad when Rylee says to me, "You're getting ANOTHER water bottle?!?!?!" Sometimes I decide that the one I'm using isn't working anymore....and by working I mean it's not helping me get to 60 oz. of water in a day....but usually, it's more about how cute the water bottle is. I do eventually get rid of the ones I'm not using.
Gosh, I really am a marketing sucker, huh!?!!! Make it cute and Emily will buy it. Ugh. James kindly reminded me the other day when I bought a new coat (but I had planned to get rid of 3 others), that I am setting a bad example for our kids. I'm showing that if you don't like something or are tired of it, just go buy new. It's kinda true. Dang, I hate when he is right. But for the most part, I think I do a pretty good job of ridding our house of unnecessary items and dwindling down multiples to the minimum needed. We probably still have a few too many toys, blankets, DVDs (wait, can you have too many of those??), and a few other things, but we are getting there.
What do you have too many of?? Is it for a good reason??
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