Stuff

I am definitely not a minimalist but I do not like stuff (clutter). Despite the fact that I feel like I am constantly organizing and reorganizing my stuff (which almost always means a trip to Good Will) I seem to accumulate more stuff.

Since having a baby I have upped the stuff accumulation ten fold. People are very generous and we get a lot of gifts and hand-me-downs which are often most welcome because I am very cheap. Babies also seem to constantly require new things and grow out of old so my usual reorganize and clearance (twice a year) seems to be needed every three months. This sounds crazy I know but the clutter and the stuff just explodes and it seems to be my lot to somehow create an organizational scheme that addresses all of our issues.

1) Seasonal: Just when things seem well organized the season changes and I need a new plan for dealing with fall/winter coats, boats, rain gear etc...
2) Growth: This goes for baby and me. My size and my wee one's size has changed drastically over the last two years which creates my storage organizational problems. I feel like I don't want to get rid of my clothes that are too small or big because I still dream of fitting the tight ones and it's possible I'll get pregnant again someday (those maternity jeans aren't cheap).
3)Toys: Question; how do I store toys so that toddler can get them and at the end of the day my place doesn't look like Toys R Us?
4) Trouble spots:In our home the trouble spots are the top two shelves of the bookshelves by the front door. This space collects everything; keys, mail, pens, sunglasses, sunscreen, books, watches etc...It seems that every few months it becomes completely unruly and I am forced to tame the beast only to watch the pile of stuff accumulate once again.

I continue to fight the good fight and try and tame and organize the stuff that infiltrates my life but today I look around and the stuff is definitely winning. Sigh...