Monday Minimalist: Progress

Celebrate the little victories. I got the bug to downsize into an RV around October / November of 2010. I dove in pretty hard core and have amazed those close to me with the things I've let go. It has been a serious paradigm shift for me, a former pack rat. In December we'd downsized enough to move into a smaller (cheaper) apartment.

Junk Pile still remaining
one month after our last move

Junk Pile remaining today

I have the irresistible urge to provide some disclaimers, though:

• The large REXAM box (back left in top photo) has been moved into the closet.
  
• However, the large REXAM box it replaces in the closet went out of the apartment today. Then I brought it back, but it is still OUTside. I'm going to make one more attempt to sell the motorcycle gear since the weather is nicer now. That box was on the right, under the laundry basket in the top pic.
  
• The cute chest on the bottom left is my 12yo daughter's toybox. I should maybe let her get to it to go through it sometime.
  
• The red box on the bottom right contains all of our Giftmas and Easter stuff. (stockings, baskets, and eggs)
  
• One of the diaper boxes contains baby clothes that have been outgrown. I want to have one more baby, so I can't let this go yet.
  

Still, I'm pretty pleased with my progress. I've also minimized in other rooms and it is an ongoing process. I keep a garbage bag set aside at all times so that when the mood strikes me to give something to Goodwill, I can get it out of rotation / out of sight immediately. I recently put some cooking utensils in there. It just suddenly struck me that I never used them.

Remember to celebrate your small victories, especially if you have a very large task ahead of you to get where you want to be. Remember, too, that it isn't just a destination, it is more a journey... isn't everything?