.....I've got a cold, and on top of that I spent all day yesterday bagging up clothes and shoes at my parents' house getting it all ready to be picked up and hauled away.
My mother loved clothes. She didn't like getting rid of clothes, even when they no longer fit her or her lifestyle. So I had four huge walk in closets full of clothes to sort through, fold and bag up.
And this is after several folks have come in and taken what they wanted to have of her stuff. She was much tinier than me, so none of it fits me. Too bad.
Last night at 9:30 p.m. PapaC and I tied up the last bag. Folks, there are 67 bags of clothes sitting in my parents house. We estimate that people have already carted away at least 20 bags of clothing. It's crazy. The thrift shops and Goodwill will love us, I think. It's all pretty nice stuff, though some of it is a little dated. My sisterfriend says not to worry about that--drama groups are always looking for stuff like that for costuming.
It was not as hard as I had thought it might be. I had a mini-breakdown when I got to my mom's patio dress things (that's what she wore for most of the past 5 years). And when I folded up my dad's pressed shirts. Then one more when I walked back into virtually empty closets. But all in all, not as bad as I anticipated.
It waits to be seen how I feel when the bags get hauled out tomorrow. That may be harder than I think. But maybe not, since I can't see in them anymore. It gives me a certain level of detachment.
And detachment is the lesson I'm having pounded into my head with every decision I have to make.
We have so many things that are treasures to us. (Or at least most of us do.) But we need to remember that the instant we die, those "treasures" turn, for the most part, into "stuff." Poof. Just like that.
Yes, there are things of my parents that I will keep, and enjoy, and ,yes, treasure. But most of those closets, every shelf, every nook, every cranny, the whole two car garage and a giant attic of boxes, is now filled with mostly STUFF. And stuff that it's my job to sort through, sell, give away, trash, deal with.
So keep what you love. Use it. Look at it. Enjoy it. But be realistic. Don't put it in boxes and save it in the attic. Don't shove it into a closet. If you're done, be done. Let it bless someone else. Don't leave it for others to look at and wonder what to do with it.
It's hard.
"If you're done, be done. Let it bless someone else. Don't leave it for others to look at and wonder what to do with it."
this reminds me of the time we had that visiting priest who urged us to donate our "old" clothes and shoes to the poor. remember that? he said, "the extra shoes in your closet belong to someone else." i guess that it's true in more ways than one.
This is just the advice I need as we're packing up TOOMUCHSTUFF to move. Thanks, Mama T.
Hi MamaT
Must be hard to put away your mum's stuff. She sounds bit of a hoarder just like my mum who was a depression kid and holds onto everything. Do keep the valuable sentimental stuff because once it is gone it is gone for good.
What you give away to the op shops someone else will get pleasure out of. Here in Australia, some of the more dated fashion items the young ones love to get and the Salvos and St Vinnies label them as retro
Karnak