Since we spent our Wicked Wednesday yesterday talking about Barb’s and Jessie’s new releases, we moved our last Cast Away post to today…and we’re talking about stuff.
I’ve gotten a lot better at getting rid of things. Having just moved, I took a lot of pride in tossing stuff I’d outgrown, or didn’t need anymore. I even got to the point where, if I didn’t have a place to put it, it was gone. I was totally sick of trying to find a place for everything.
Wickeds, what about you? What things in your home do you want to get rid of but haven’t done so yet? What keeps you from getting rid of them?
Barb: My mother-in-law was a borderline hoarder and having spent literally years cleaning up and clearing out her mess, both during and after her lifetime, I’m predisposed to divest. However, it’s a constant battle. My brother’s take is that after millennia in which humans’ primary concern was scarcity, we are hardwired to collect and keep stuff. We’re maybe the first or second generation whose primary concern is getting rid of things.
Edith/Maddie: For me it’s hard to get rid of things with sentimental value. I still have my Chinese calligraphy kit that I haven’t used in decades. A hand-painted porcelain box from Japan that was my mom’s. Cards from my sons over the years. I also never know what to do with notes and handouts from writing workshops. I basically never go back and look at them, but I feel like I should keep them. Help!
Julie: I now live in a one bedroom apartment with no storage, and it’s full. Like Edith, I have trouble getting rid of sentimental things. That said, we’re helping our parents clear their house, which means I’m going to get more sentimental stuff, so this is a timely conversation. What I need to get rid of is paper. Files, books, wrapping paper, craft items. I’m drowning in paper.
Jessie: Good luck with this, Julie! Paper and sentimental items are so much to sort! There are always things I would like to winnow. I went through my studio space this spring and removed a large quantity of fabric that is not right for my life any longer. I also sorted out art supplies that were more appropriate for young children. I still need to cull photographs that need to be evaluated for inclusion in albums and my spice drawers could use some scrutiny!
Sherry: I have a basement storage room full of stuff that is easy to ignore. Some is from my grandparents’ farm, some from my daughter’s growing up years, and some is the sentimental things that are hard to get rid of. I’ve been working on it, but it’s easy to ignore. With a lot of paper things I just take a photo and sent them on their way to the recycler.
Readers, what about you? Are you good at casting away clutter, or do you keep everything? Tell us below!