Every time I moved, I would open a box of my crappy old stuff and feel like it was Christmas morning. “Oh look, the can of olives I bought in 1992!” (Shut up! It has sentimental value.) I’d really like to simplify my life, but you’ll have to pry that olive can out of my cold, dead fingers.
Once you kick the kids out of the nest, change the locks, and hire a bouncer to watch the front door, it’s time to consider downsizing. Do you really need to clean four toilets, six closets, and a double car garage? Why are you saving the size six jeans that stopped fitting about the time you started hot flashes?
I’m not suggesting that you move to the country and can your own pickles (dill spears). I just think there are so many things we can do without and still be happy. If you save your used candy bar wrappers, there’s no hope for you. Just sayin’.
The problem with this theory is that I really like my stuff. How can I part with the Christmas cookie cutters, the funky smelling old linens, the tarnished silver (plate), and all the duplicate toenail clippers? I’ve got a leg up on some people, since my fine china has the word “Dixie” stamped on it.
I try to will myself into living more simply. I may as well resolve not to snore or sleep with my mouth hanging open. Wanting it doesn’t stop me from being a candidate for a ridiculous you-tube video when I’m napping on the couch. What I need is a concrete plan.
For starters, I could do without:
Spammers, twenty pounds, rude customer service representatives, trips to the mall, elevator music, and horseradish. I’m already well on my way towards a simpler lifestyle. I’m open to suggestions on what else to eliminate. I don’t have all the answers, but at least I have my olives.
I find that my junk keeps multiplying while I’m sleeping. I keep hauling bags of it to Goodwill and the next day there’s clutter everywhere again! Either its evil elves or my 12 year old granddaughter that’s creating this mess!
I vote for evil elves. Of course, wire coat hangers have a way of copulating like bunnies.
Cleansing your stuff (not the enema kind) can be freeing. Sounds like you’re well on your way indeed. I’m on a “get rid of it” mission. Every time I walk down those freaking 18 stairs, I am carrying something to the dumpster. Even if it’s just an old pair of shoes. And I have many many pairs of shoes. Many. I could do that try down the stairs for weeks, with all the shoes I have.
But I digress.
Yes, by all means…cleanse.
Are those black olives? I would fight for a yummy black olive right now.
Not black, and most likely not yummy. I’m scared to open the can and find out.
About twice a year, I get the notion to clean out the sideboard and the big closet upstairs…and I can’t believe the crap I seem to accumulate. Having the house up for sale helped to keep the garbage man in business…even though hubby smuggled some of them to his work dumpster…but it seems to grow back…not sure how it is, but it is.
Oh, and time to throw out the olives…I think I have pickles my mom canned up in the cupboard…maybe I should throw those out too…!
We once made a midnight trip to the dumpster at my kids’ apartment. We thought for sure the dumpster cops would catch us wrestling our broken lawn mower in with the potato peels, egg shells and dirty diapers.
I could do without those things too, Karla–along with junk mail, political ads, telemarketers, most of my neighbors and the trash they constantly leave in the courtyard. But I just can’t part with my stuffed animals.
Sad commentary – you collect fluffy, cuddly stuff; I collect non-perishable food items.
What do you have against horseradish?
I highly value my nose hairs.
My aunt and uncle moved out of a place over twenty years ago, and in the years since, have been in four different houses. In that time, there are still boxes from their original house that haven’t been unpacked.
Scary to think what might be lurking in those boxes.
I’m sure most of us could downsize. I have moved a lot and all over the world, and just in a couple of years time we seem to accumulate so much stuff! What is funny is how we keep things thinking we will fix them one day and then never get around to it. Occasionally I actually do take time to go through some stuff and will throw out, but I’m sure I could do a bit more. And sure there are some things that just hold a lot of memories that we need to hold on to. And William, I would be scared from those boxes, too. Something could be growing in there after this many years; hope nothing decides to crawl out of its lair!
I found that moving regularly when I was a Navy wife was the only way my closets ever got cleaned.