Even though we still haven’t found out about the house yet (who knew these things took so long), we’ve decided that it’s time to get rid of a lot of junk stuff. We want the move to go as smoothly as possible. Even if we don’t get this house, we think it’s time to cull our belongings. Now so far, I haven’t been able to come up with a lot of books. I think this has to do with the major culling I did six months ago. I pretty much left what I wanted to read. I have trimmed the shelves a little more, but still haven’t filled a box.
Part of me is disappointed and the other part is pleased that I did such a good job the first time. I’m sure I’ll make up for the small amount when I hit the garage. I have a few boxes of books down there. You know the kind that you don’t want to get rid of because you may read them again someday or the ones you believe that you should read because they’ll make you a better person. Yeah, those. My guess is that most will go.
I have mixed feelings about culling (not only books, but possessions). There is a part of me that twice a year feels like throwing away half the things that I own, which is fine for the most part. Unfortunately, the part of me that exists for the rest of the year likes to hang onto everything. I don’t ‘collect’ items per se, but I certainly cling to things like I’ll need them the second they’re gone. I have no idea where this comes from. I mean I know my parents are like that and I suppose my grand-parents might have been like that, since the latter lived through WWII and rationing. I guess some things you pick up by osmosis.
For those of you who’ve made a major move, did you throw away a lot or did you bring everything with you? If you were once a hoarder, but aren’t anymore, how did you get over it?
October 1st, 2007
I did a big cull before we moved and donated stuff to charity but still ended up with lots ot move–some of which is STILL sitting in my garage.
It must be that time of year! Time to clean for our winter “hibernation” LOL I just blogged about this and I have to tell you that I’ve gotten SUPER-mercenary about getting rid of stuff. Not only for myself but for the kids as well. MY youngest gets new clothes PLUS hand-me-downs and has more shirts than he’ll ever wear, so I did some serious paring down this weekend. I’ve got about 150 books going to charity too and CD’s that I took the time to rip the music I want from them are going too (IE old stuff like En Vogue and Mary CHapin Carpenter), and the kids’s crib sheets! (but not the Guess jeans LOL even I have my limits)
by Amie Stuart October 1st, 2007 at 10:31 amI used to be a major hoarder but since I live in an apartment I had to learn to give up my hoarding ways. But my roommate is much worse. Last year when we moved to a new apartment she got rid of TEN garbage bags full of clothes.
by Samantha October 1st, 2007 at 10:46 amThis is just sort of an ongoing thing. I think you can go way overboard in both directions. It’s good to see if you’re hanging onto things that will be useful, that have value, or if you’re just stuck in the past. For instance, I’ve gotten rid of nearly all the clothes I owned pre-baby. That didn’t happen all at once, but the truth is, clothes that used to work for me (lifestyle as much as size) don’t anymore and hanging onto them was hanging onto the past.
I’m now slowly working my way through my electronic files and trashing old versions, old things I will never need again, a partial or two I’m never going to finish. Those are things that just make it hard for me to find the right versions, and also reflect the writer I was 12 years ago versus the writer I am today. I’d rather work on the present and the future and let go of the past!
So I guess it’s just a question you have to ask when you evaluate something; does this reflect who I am now? What I like, what pleases me, what’s useful to me? Or am I just stuck and need to let go? I’d rather let go of the things it’s time to let go of and make room for what’s right for me now.
by Charli October 1st, 2007 at 11:09 amAmie, I have boxes of CD’s sitting in the garage. The problem is that we aren’t sure which ones we’ve ripped and which ones need to be ripped. I never realize which is which until I go to look for a song. :/ We will be getting rid of all the CD’s once we have them ripped with the exception of the ones we listen to in the car. I need to be far more ruthless. We’ve gone through the closet, but I need to go through it again to make sure I didn’t miss anything. It’s tough. I associate items with people (particularly people who are no longer in my life) and I never want to get rid of them.
by Jordan October 1st, 2007 at 12:26 pmSamantha, Yes, if you downsize, then it’s really hard to keep everything. If we get the house, we’ll be in a bigger place, but we’d still like to get rid of a chunk.
by Jordan October 1st, 2007 at 12:28 pmCharli, Yes, I found that several of the items I’ve been keeping have allowed me to cling to the past. I have been trying to do that with files too. I got rid of a chunk, but there are still more that can go. Wonderful points and very good questions to ask. I am doing that. I wish I didn’t find it so difficult.
by Jordan October 1st, 2007 at 12:30 pmI’m a spring cleaner, anyway; can’t stand clutter (mom was a pack rat). But I culled BiG Time with the move, then when we started to unpack, culled a bit more.
It’s gotten to the point where I’m actually going to the library again. Just wasted too much money on books that I didn’t enjoy/finish. And they take up room until I get to them. I’ve already made my peace that I’ll never be able to read all the books I want to. :-/
by vanessa jaye October 1st, 2007 at 4:08 pmVanessa, I can’t stand clutter either. You’ll never catch me collecting knick-knacks. How did you make peace with that? I’m not sure that I can. *g*
by Jordan October 1st, 2007 at 6:39 pmMinor-league hoarder here, lol. When I moved into my house, I threw away A LOT. Have since accumulated more…sigh…but I do get into “spells” in which I just have to toss a lot of clutter, so that’s a good thing.
by raine October 1st, 2007 at 10:29 pmThe ‘Clutter’ Monster must be avoided at all costs until you get settled somewhere. The way I avoided it before we bought a house was I could always imagine packing up and moving the ‘Stuff’. The ‘Clutter’ Monster attacked and devoured my wife long ago. She is in thrall to it completely.
by BernardL October 2nd, 2007 at 5:53 amI love my “stuff” too. When I moved from Texas to Arkansas a couple of months ago, I was taking forever looking through it to decide what would go to Good Will, a garage sale, family members, or the garbage! My daughter got exasperated with me, kicked me out of the room I was working on and did it herself. She said, if I miss anything she tossed, she’ll buy me a new one of whatever it was!! I haven’t missed anything yet, so I guess she knows me pretty well.
by Delilah Devlin October 2nd, 2007 at 7:24 amJordan….I watch Clean House on the STyle channel a lot. I totally attribute it to making me more ruthless!
by Amie Stuart October 2nd, 2007 at 10:56 am“How did you make peace with that?”
My son started college this year. Very easy to make peace when one has to prioritize spending decisions.
Unfortunately I can’t afford post-secondary education and all the books I’d like to read.
by vanessa jaye October 2nd, 2007 at 6:09 pmRaine, I think it’s easy to do. The stuff just sneaks up on you. Before you know it, you’re surrounded. *ggg*
by Jordan October 2nd, 2007 at 9:54 pmBernard, I take it that avoidance thing didn’t last. Sorry to hear your wife is in thrall. *wg*
by Jordan October 2nd, 2007 at 9:55 pmDelilah, LOL! That sounds like my dh. He said that about the stuff in the garage.
by Jordan October 2nd, 2007 at 9:56 pmAmie, I haven’t seen that show, but I’ve seen something similar on HGTV. It was scary.
by Jordan October 2nd, 2007 at 9:57 pmVanessa, Yes, I imagine that puts things in perspective quickly. *g*
by Jordan October 2nd, 2007 at 9:58 pmI’m the child of two pack rats, and my hubby is retired military. We moved five times in the last seven years of his career, and each time we moved, I got rid of stuff. It was hard at first, but it was harder to unpack stuff I never used. Finally I started to personify my possessions a little bit and managed to convince myself that unused stuff was bored and miserable, and that by giving it away I was being kind to it. That helped as much as anything. I don’t have a problem getting rid of stuff now and am slowly working my way through each room of my home.
by Wendy October 3rd, 2007 at 1:44 pmWendy, That’s an interesting idea. I may have to try that. I never thought about them being alive.
Thanks!
by Jordan October 3rd, 2007 at 3:04 pm