2009- The Year of Consolidation

It's 2009 and while I have a few simple resolutions, this year will be the year of consolidation.  I have acquired many things over the years and while I consider myself an organized person and not a pack rat, I just have too much stuff.  I don't need 118 necklaces (yes, that's how many I really have), lots of earrings and bracelets, 3 closets full of clothes, too many shoes and purses and lip gloss/stick!  I love make up and being a girly-girl but I have 70 tubes of lip gloss, lipstick, lip palettes or small purse sized lip gloss!  I won't even talk about the eye make up I have, which I won't be getting rid of.  I need to keep some things!  

I have been slowly going through my stuff and getting rid of it.  That means giving it all away.  I don't want any money for anything.  I have BAGS of clothes, shoes and purses ready to picked up by the Lupus Foundation.  I will be giving other stuff to my sister who probably needs the stuff less than I do....she really is a pack rat! 

One other thing I am going through is the greeting cards I have received from people over the years.  I believe I have every type of card that was ever given to me for any and every occasion since I was 8 years old.  You should see the plastic bin that I keep them all in.  I am incredibly sentimental and I cannot throw a card away.  But I think that now is the time.  I will keep many of them but throw away more.  Aauugghh!  It's hard for me even to type that!  

Do you guys keep stuff like me?  Do you acquire things over and over again in excess?  If so, what do you have?   Do you guys keep or throw your greeting cards?  

What's your new year's resolution(s)?  Here are a few of my others:

• Stay Healthy.  It's generic but that's how I want to keep it.  It's about being healthy in all aspects of my life.  That includes physical and mental health.  One specific goal is to floss my teeth more to the point where my gums don't bleed anymore.  :)
  
• Maintain my relationships with friends.  Life can get the best of us and we become too busy to see each other.  I don't see everyone as often as I would like but I know we are all trying our best to see each other.  I'm happy I have multiple dates on the calendar with some of my friends already.
• Spend more time with my nephew.  While I love seeing him, I don't always get to see him as much as I'd like.  He's at the age now (5) where it's a little easier for a person who has never had a child of her own to be around him and be with him in public without incident.  I have some plans for him and I (and probably Michael too) already.
• Be the best girlfriend I can to Michael.  Michael and I get along great most of the time but there's always room for improvement for everyone.  I am going to try to be the best I can in our relationship, even when it gets a little sour at times.  

Happy New Year to you all.  I wish you nothing but health and happiness for the year.  If you have that, most other things fall into place.