Purging

Over the weekend I got sick of all the junk lying around my house and decided to do something about it.  I immediately started throwing anything and everything that doesn't get used on a regular basis in a box to take to Goodwill.    I've already made one trip and am currently going through the garage and closets in preparation for my next trip(s).

I mentioned on facebook Saturday that I was in the mood to purge and several of my friends posted "Atta girl" comments and lamented their own need to do it.

As I read my friends comments and looked at the hundreds of dollars of "junk" in my boxes it got me thinking . . . this need to "purge" is a byproduct of our culture's obsession with consumerism.   All the things I'm getting rid of are things I've spent money on (or that others have given me as a gift).  Some items going in the box still have their tags on them---meaning I (or someone else) spent their hard-earned money on them and never used them.

As Christmas approaches we're often asked, "What do you want?".  We often buy things for our family and friends because we want to, but also because we know we "have" to.  I've made mention that Christmas is a low-key event at our house.  My kids don't really have a lot of toys, namely because we don't have a place to put them, but do they really NEED another toy from Grandma?

As I throw toys away, and prepare to wrap others next week, I'm wondering . . . are those toys going to end up in next year's purge pile?  Is that sweater I "need" today going to be in the box next year?