You know how I told you I had to start with my books? Well, that part (at least the books on the shelves) is done. I haven't tackled the books in boxes yet. Those are mostly kid books and I'll see to them in the next few weeks. They are in for the same heavy culling that the others were.
We've also had a little moving around here. Zman has moved in with his grandparents, and a lovely young woman, hereafter known as TBC, has moved IN with us. This meant going through all of Zman's stuff--piece by piece--and clearing out huge amounts of it. He sold some books at 1/2 Price Books. We sent about 10 bags of "stuff" on to Goodwill. He's lighter than he was.
But now the whole REST of the house is in a mess. Things have been stacked up here, there and yon, waiting to be put SOMEWHERE, ANYWHERE. Every room in this house is going to be ruthlessly attacked at some point over the next few weeks.
But I still wonder, as I bag up stuff that I paid good money for, only to be giving it away later.
How do I keep this from happening again?
It's really making me feel humble--and more than a little stupid--that I've been so, so, so INEFFICIENT with my money.
I suppose that's what fresh starts are for. I don't want any new stuff until some of my old stuff is worn out or used up or too big (hallelujah!) or SOMETHING. My grandparents knew this. I guess they learned it during the depression, and held onto it the rest of their lives.
Me on the other hand? Wasteful. Truly wasteful.
It's not pretty, ya'll.
Hi MamaT
I just think as yu get odler you beomc eless acuisitive whereas when you are young you are in the collector pahse making a home for yurself.
I know what you mean about stuff. I have got very good at passing on hand me downs and the usueal rubbish including books. Declutterng is the term for it and yu are just decluttering. I always think of older people who have very little left of their sutff when they move into a nursing home and then when they go, go out naked like you come into the world the smae way.
Think of it as redistributing wealth if you are giving stuff to charity shops that someone else can use.
Much of our furniture and good stuff like brass coffee tables and a queen anne lounge suite has come form our local Salvo shop. My husband says I am a cheap date but I like the stuff. However the above mention suite needs recovering now after 3 cats and 3 kids and i was thinking of doing the class as I would like to know how to do upholstery.
So by decluttering you are doing someone else a good turn and the charity benefits form the income