Clean up that life

While cleaning, organizing and decluttering today (I made a little dent) I realized we will never reach the  financial place we would like to be (no debt, financial security etc) if we don't get our other houses in order. One of those being our actual dwelling. While cleaning today I found several unused coupons (for things we buy), several things we ended up buying another of because we lost the first one (such as a plunger and dust pan), things that should have been disgaurded long ago and things we should sell or donate. I know we have de-cluttered many times at this point, but somehow it doesn't stick. I know 2 reasons it didn't stick this time. We moved in a rush, didn't take any time off work and there were literally still boxes (a year and a half later) that were not unpacked! Also somehow we adopted boxes and boxes of my mother in laws junk that she saw as too valueable to get rid of but not important enough to take with her. I have this little voice in me that is always yelling "simplify"! Then I have this other one (maybe of my parents) saying "you could use that some day don't throw it away" or even better "years from now you will look back on that and be so glad you kept the memory" (or something to that affect).  That is what my camera and video camera are for. The time of holding onto the actual physical memorabilia has passed. I would much rather take a photo of the ticket to the special event than hold on to the ticket. (the photo keeps it in mint condition, another perk). My husband and I both grew up with out a whole lot of money and I understand the need to be thrifty and not wasteful. At some level though if you are hanging onto something so you won't have to buy one if you ever need one then you will accumulate a ton of these type things. Then you have so many things that you can't find anything and you are paying mortgage or rent so there is enough space to store all these things (that may not even sell at a yard sell - true junk). Before I know it I am once again surrounded by this chaos of stuff. I know it is fall but I a feeling a serious need to do some spring cleaning. I have also realized I have a mental hang up about throwing away any thing I paid for. I used to have a similar problem with food on my plate. To get past my need to eat all the food on my plate (which means eating beyond the point of being full) I started making a conscious attempt to leave at least 2 bites on my plate, regaurdless if I was still hungry or not. This actually worked and I now rarely clean my plate and only if I am still hungry. I need to think of a similar strategy for getting over my need to keep things I paid for. I need to be okay with throwing things away I can no longer use or have a need for. I have a much easier time throwing away stuff other people paid for (not perfected but much easier). Maybe I need someone else (not just me and hubby) come and help declutter. Someone without emotional attachment to the stuff :)
I feel awesome that I filled our trash can and recycle bin!!! Oh and does anyone out there want a Super Nintendo? It is going in the trash if still in the garage after 30 days.