We have been planning to do a yard sale for the past year or so. Instead of donating our crap, we'd take boxes and bags of it to our self-storage room. (We don't have a garage.) Going to the self-storage is, um, man's work in this house. Consequently, I had no idea how much of had piled up. I had vague plans to do a yard sale just for us, one in conjunction with either our Attachment Parenting Intl. or La Leche League for a fundraiser, or Ebay a lot of the good stuff. The fundraiser is a good idea b/c we live in a very high-traffic area, and we have a big turn-around driveway where we can put the goods. However, the no garage part would make it impossible for members to drop off their stuff, and even more impossible for us to go through and sort/price everything the few days before a sale. For months, we've been saying that we'll do a yard sale just for us after our Midwest trip, but before Thanksgiving. However, last week, we were so wiped out from Halloween/birthday activities, I made the executive decision to just donate nearly everything. I've already got friends who want my two breast pumps, our nice stainless trash can, and I'm sending most of the baby stuff to my niece, Kayla, who has a baby boy about 6 months younger than Evan. We really will need a tax break this year, so I'm itemizing everything I'm taking to a charitable organization. I just got done sorting through just my clothes, and OMG, the shame! I'm giving away 3 swimsuits, 1 robe, 3 bras, 2 jackets, 2 PJs, 37 pants/shorts, 69 shirts, and 5 skirts. Oh, and last year, I gave away an entire trunkload of maternity clothes to a friend. Where in the hell did I ever wear all of these clothes? I gave away my teaching/work wardrobe and all of my formal gowns long ago. What I'm giving away today is all stuff I wore in the past 3 years or so, minus the time in maternity stuff last year. I think my big problems are: 1.) I am somewhat sensitive to changing fashion/styles, though I shouldn't be b/c if I look too fashionable as a mama with 2 kids, I end up looking like I'm trying to hard. 2.) I tend to buy poorly made clothes from Target and Old Navy that end up not fitting well or falling apart. 3.) My body has changed a lot with this last pregnancy, even though I now officially weigh less than I did when I got pregnant with Aidan 5 and a half years ago. 4.) When I shop, I have to buy things really fast, sometimes w/out even trying things on, b/c I am slinging a sleeping baby or wrangling an irritated 4yo. 5.) I have a shopping addiction that's really hard to get over.
*sigh* I guess I can feel good that I'm stocking some thrift store racks with some slightly fashionable clothes in sizes 16-18, and someone will be very, very happy to score some of this stuff.
