Letting go as you scale down for retirement (grandparents, emotionally, states)
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I believe there is a good test for pathological hoarding. If you cannot get rid of stuff, but instead you need to find a new home for it, there could be a problem. Sure we all want to make good money from a garage sale or from ebay, but is it worth it?
Also from what I've observed, garage sales are a ton of work to get ready for with a pretty pathetic payoff. A week of sorting and labeling, setting it out early, warding off the early morning vultures, then two days of sitting out there watching people pick though your stuff is hardly worth the $200 you MIGHT get, IMHO. I'd rather donate it.
To those who mention the amount of stuff their parents kept, were they Depression era adults or children? Mine were married with three babies when it started and they kept everything. I learned from them. When you grow up poor it's hard to part with something that, as they told me, "You might need some day."
It is this disposable world we live in that is a new idea. Every generation before the1970s used and reused almost everything regardless of good or bad the economy was. What some of us have inherited is the idea that it should be used if possible but no longer have the time or skills to do so. Even rags were put to good use in quilts and rag rugs. Who does that any more when you can buy one cheaply made in China? I remember my grandmother saving every rag and making rugs in the evenings. It was what you did. Her whole house had them all made hand thru the years. Dumps lasted a lot longer then. If we did that sort of thing, then all that junk might beused. But then again tastes have changed with the constant advertising and easy availability of stuff.
Also from what I've observed, garage sales are a ton of work to get ready for with a pretty pathetic payoff. A week of sorting and labeling, setting it out early, warding off the early morning vultures, then two days of sitting out there watching people pick though your stuff is hardly worth the $200 you MIGHT get, IMHO. I'd rather donate it.
but I think we all have to have at least one garage slae in our lives just to say we've done so! Its sort of a rite of passage, then we can nod sagely and tell others to have a garage sale, while vowing to ourselves never to do so again!
I've been rather annoyed lately at the commercials on my TV by "Public Storage," a self-storage company. They're rather clever, they present the dilemma of a family's ever increasing stuff, and propose the solution - Public storage, problem solved. I feel its more - Public storage, stuff enablers.
I'm pretty good about keeping my stuff down to a manageable amount with periodic prunings etc. The one thing I can't figure out what to do with is my art. Watercolors and oils, figurines and handicrafts - all stuff I've collected over the years in my travels and at home, stuff I love to look at and that make my house a home. How do I whittle it all down when every piece has real meaning and beauty to me?
I can't bear to part with them. Anybody had to tackle this problem?
Here's another variation of this. When my sister died we had to clear out her apartment rather quickly. So we decided to have an "estate sale" of our own. First each family member chose a thing or two they wanted as a keepsake. Then the sale commenced. The twist was that when folks came and had their eye on something, we gave it to them! You never saw such delighted folks. My sister died of alcoholism so we told folks her story and said any donations they'd like to make to AA would be greatly appreciated. We made a lot of people happy, raised $200 for AA and got rid of almost everything in her apartment. It was very satisfying and we think my sister Karen would have approved. Rest In Peace, Karen.
I'm pretty good about keeping my stuff down to a manageable amount with periodic prunings etc. The one thing I can't figure out what to do with is my art. Watercolors and oils, figurines and handicrafts - all stuff I've collected over the years in my travels and at home, stuff I love to look at and that make my house a home. How do I whittle it all down when every piece has real meaning and beauty to me?
I can't bear to part with them. Anybody had to tackle this problem?
Have you considered keeping them and hanging the pictures as a grouping, say over a sofa? You can get more on the wall that way and still look good.
Have you considered keeping them and hanging the pictures as a grouping, say over a sofa? You can get more on the wall that way and still look good.
That's a great idea but I already have them in groupings (and singles) all over the house. From where I'm sitting right now I can see 16 pieces on the walls alone. That's just what goes on a wall! And just in the living room! It doesn't even take into account the etagere with my folk art collection on it.
I love every piece, especially the ones I got in Hong Kong and Avignon, France.
That's a great idea but I already have them in groupings (and singles) all over the house. From where I'm sitting right now I can see 16 pieces on the walls alone. That's just what goes on a wall! And just in the living room! It doesn't even take into account the etagere with my folk art collection on it.
I love every piece, especially the ones I got in Hong Kong and Avignon, France.
You know, if you can afford it, maybe it might be worth moving to a bit bigger place that would accomodate your art. Happiness is sometimes worth a little more money.
We cannot move to a 1,500 sq. ft. place--just too cramped for us to be comfortable. I know many people severely downsize in retirement, but it's our day-too-day LIFE and we don't want to be crammed into some tiny space where we'll drive each other crazy, especially if we don't go to a 55+ with a big amenities center where dh can go for part of the day and, I hate to say it, give me a break!
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A Grouping?
