I've noticed, today, how we hang on to material things that really don't mean anything to anyone but ourselves. What brought on this thought? Well, my dear love of a husband, Don, has been out of work for some time and he has run out of things to keep him occupied. (My list of honey-dos isn't on the priority of things to do). So he has been rummaging around the house looking for some remote controllers for the T.V.'s. We have decided to get rid of Dish Network until he goes back to work. Essentially, he has torn every room in the house apart. In the process of all this looking for remotes he has found lots of stuff that was left here by his Dad and Mom. I understand that they are both deceased, but I truly don't believe that we have to keep every scrap of paper, dish, pans, etc. that they owned. When my Daddy passed I came away with lovely memories and a small King Edward Cigar box of things that really mean something to me. I didn't need a whole pile of stuff just because it was Dad's.
Also, with all this rummaging around the house, he leaves the lights on and doors open to every room where he has been.Drags all the perceived treasures out to the dining room table. Granted, we have a very large table. He made it for me and it is lovely. Will seat 10 comfortably. Which means that most of the time it is just me and him at one end of the table. Very little room needed for the two of us. It is now covered in what I deem to be crap.
It really makes me laugh. I would gladly pull up a huge dump truck and start pitching stuff in to be hauled away. Another suggestion I had was that we have a huge rummage sale. We could use the cash right now. But that idea was met with utter outrage that I would even contemplate selling or trashing stff like early 50's ugly plastic Butterflies.
I am so hoping that my kids will be sensible about the few things that I deem to be mine. There really isn't a thing that should be kept that I have acquired over the years.
Again, we are back to the place where I am willing to subtract from my life. I just don't want to dust any of this stuff any more or try to find a place to put it all. Let alone, leave it all for my kids to have to sort through.
The only thing that really matters are memories. I have some wonderful ones of my Mom and Dad, my sister and brother, my kids and grandkids. What more could there possibly be?
I suggest taking a picture of the items that you aren't/can't use but want to remember and then put the pictures in a book. I'm like you, I've been trying to downsize all the things that I've kept over the years. The thought of my daughter having to go through all my stuff if something should happen to me helps!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with this!