Challenged by 100 Things : Paper Goods Overload

half-emptied cabinet

I have been working to simplify my life for some time.  At first thought this should be a SIMPLE process but no....

I actually started a reduce 1000 things challenge through the Ravelry site years ago, and it caught on!  I was posting so much on Freecycle that people were sending requests, and some people (not sure what their angle was?!)  Even wrote to ask if i would ever be done posting.

Then i saw the 100 thing Challenge, and didn't even *want* to attempt it LOL!

Well today I realized that for someone who detests waste, I had an entire cabinet devoted to paper goods!  My MIL loves disposable :(  I try not to start a war, so i simply accept and stash...not working.  I do love to volunteer to bring these items to events that i know that i cannot get them to change their ways, i.e. school parties--but there just are not enough!  So I started using it when my MIL came, which did use some, and pleased her greatly.  However, it simply fueled the fire, and she brought more :(

What  was removed from cabinet in above photo-and the beginning of a blog

Today I decided that I would:

1.  politely show my MIL my stash and let her know that we would "let her know when we need more"

2.  Move the whole lot into a "module"   
      Previously I referred to these as boxes, and had been using this technique of limitation prior,but
      found Miss Minimalist Blog last night)http://www.missminimalist.com/.  I will keep one box and  
      donate the rest.

3. Get the stuff that I use more often often the top of the fridge and into the cabinet  :)

as the paper goods pile on the kitchen floor grew I looked down and laughed at the thought of the 100 Thing Challenge!  I think that I have more than 100 Paper goods items alone....well, if you count each separate item I am sure there are thousands, but if you count each package of items maybe i could squeak in under 100 check out the photo.  I decided to sit down and start a blog I have been thinking about to log my progress instead of counting...

Now I am off to finish the task.  My hope is that this blog will keep me accountable.  Perhaps it could even help motivate another by sharing my journey.

Update:  see pictures of the finished cabinet in the Bacon Grease Enlightenment Post!  Where I ponder the appropriate use of disposable dishes.  Also, I really only *reduced* about 10 bowls, where the water-proof finish had delaminated, these were tossed into the trash unused!