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So true. Our "stuff" truly grounds us. Unless you've been through it you wouldn't understand. I've never been materialistic and never been a collector of stuff. But after a long distance move, my stuff was in storage for a year. When I finally was able to send it, it was so healing to receive it. It could be something as insignificant as a worn bath towel. It was favorite towel I've used for years that even though worn, I preferred it over the newer towels and hubby would laugh about it, for example.
I'm not a clutter hog, but today I value those things that hold memories - which could be anything of any value like a couple of favorite cereal bowls that we used frequently.
you won't get it until you've lived without it.
what a great question, OP!
That's what I'm like. I've kept the essentials like bed, desk, loveseat and two easy chairs, kitchen table and chairs, dresser, nightstand, bedroom easy chair, dishes and cookware, sheets and towels. Kept some books. Kept my china and silver--too sentimental to get rid of right now. There's still some stuff I don't really need but I enjoy looking at it - hey--I am still alive! I'll keep my jewelry, my favorite pictures on the walls too because I enjoy them.
Photographs were sorted through several years ago and stored into several metal containers kept up high in a closet. A few pieces of furniture to be passed down are still with me. I use them anyway--cedar chest and kitchen chairs. In this apartment there is no storage except closets so mostly what I have is what I use or what I truly enjoy having near me. Closets only have out of season clothing, suitcases, one box of Christmas stuff, and some gardening things for using on the balcony. feels about right for now.
Reading these posts has given me inspiration to keep up the battle...
[Snip]
There's also a huge family bible that was started in 1900 and contains in the middle pages the handwritten family history of my father. I'm uncertain what to do about that - whether it would be sacrilege to just keep the middle pages. It's very large. What do others think?
R.e. the bible...you have 2 or 3 choices.
1) copy the info out and computerize it
2) take photo copies or scans of the pages
3) cut them out carefully so as to not damage the rest of the bible, then donate to a church, sell or whatever you like.
4) do all three
No, i dobt think it would be sacrilege to do any of those.
People: its true photos cant be " replaced", unless someone in your family has copies, but you have something nothing can take away....your memories.
If nothing else do what my father did , and scan a copy of every pic into the computer, then store on a thumb drive in a safe deposit box.
Also people: read my short story in my post on the previous page, i had to crawl out my bedroom window in the middle if the night wearing only my underwear and socks.!!! In the event of a fire, you might not have time or have a chance to grab anything!!!!
I couldn't part with my dog and my cell phone. I pay all my bills online and save the confirmation sent by the companies to their folder in my cell phone. Everything else is replaceable.
I have a number of things that I would only part with as a last resort (probably too many!) but the #1 thing on that list would be the little stuffed toy dog I've had since I was one year old. He's always been such a constant part of my life that I've left instructions that when I die he goes into the casket with me. There's no way in hell that he'll be ending up in a landfill somewhere. So I guess that's the ultimate can't-part-with. :-)
I would also never part with a necklace that my dad bought for me during a vacation he took a few months before he suddenly died. He went to Australia to revisit the places where he was stationed during WWII, and he brought back an opal pendant for me. It was the last gift I ever got from him and he told me how he spent days going from one place to another looking for just the right one that he thought was the most beautiful/that I would like.
But as for other things, there are three antique oil paintings that I fell in love with at first sight years ago and would never give up. They are in the "save from the burning house" category along with the toy dog and the pendant. One painting is pretty large and so I'd need to cut the canvas out of the frame, lol
My ski collection - at least the skis I actively use each season (about 8 pairs).
But then again, the entire notion of downsizing in retirement is anathema to us. In fact, this past spring we upsized our vacation house on the slopes from 4000 sf to a 6500-ish with a 1200 sf garage.
Friend of mine has a lot of stuff. I told her I was downsizing and she invited me to bring things over to sell
I told her of some of the items I used to collect. But that is over for m
She said she could never part with her vintage dishes. I said the only thing I could not give up would be my pets. If I had an emergency - yes.
So is there something you cannot part with?
I really want to live the small house minimalist life!
One day I walked into our shop and pointed to the years of car parts I have been collecting, and said to my two sons...…"Some day this will all be yours !" My one son said.... " You better never die !"
As we get older we have to face the facts that the things we collected and loved may become a burden on those who we leave behind. When I see some of those hoards on American Pickers, I wonder how their survivors will ever deal with those messes.
Other than family photographs, I am only attached to the things I couldn’t afford to replace. If I were moving to the final roundup, I’d use my sterling silver every day, and drink my juice from Waterford crystal, and be surrounded only by a few items that are beautiful and functional.
I’d keep expensive linens...not because I’m attached, but because I don’t have the budget to buy things as nice.
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