De-junking

[khenrie]

Well hooray for group motivation! We are all making the world (and our lives) a little less junky

I am trying not to be too overwhelmed by it yet.

Here's the good/bad news. lol We most likely have renters moving into our house about 6 weeks BEFORE we move out! Yes, roommates! In our 1200 sq ft home. A young couple we know who have good jobs and are great young people have been displaced from their home and have had difficulty finding a suitable place on short notice. Soooooooo.... we began discussions yesterday of them moving in with us and then renting the place while we are out traveling, and perhaps into the future. That means, they will have to live with some of our "stuff" because we won't have time to get it all taken care of before we leave. They will also take care of our cat- yay!

BUT- that puts the rush on us to get some of our stuff taken care of ASAP to make room for them. Good motivation.

[retiredhappy]

May I suggest you put in writing what upkeep you expect them to do. I have rentors in my house and my yard has gone to hell. They weren't cleaning the filters on the window AC units. They complained to me that the LR unit wasn't cooling well and when I looked at it the filter was almost completely blocked. They didn't clean the leaves out of the gutters in the fall and the rain was backing up under the shingles. They had never had a house before and just didn't know the things they had to do. They didn't know they were supposed to cover the outside faucets in case of freezing until I took them some new faucet covers. They were mowing the lawn only inside the fence and not the area between the fence and the street, said they thought the city would mow that. OMG, I want to get my house sold so I don't have to deal with this stuff anymore.

[khenrie]

Those are great thoughts Karen. Fortunately, my brother-in-law lives on the property also and will handle all that stuff. That makes this so much easier!

[Colliemom]

We've all been talking about "dejunking' and being ruthless getting rid of stuff. Sometimes though it's hard to part with some things and you wonder what you are going to do with them.

That's been kind of my situation of late here as I go through my house getting ready for yet another downsizing and garage sale. I've gotten rid of a lot of stuff since dad passed away 8 years ago and am at a point where I can't get rid of much more till I officially list the house as I need to keep this "stuff" as a necessary part of living here.

But yesterday as I was going thrugh my bedroom closet and getting rid of some things that have been stored in a plastic box for the past (?) years, I cam across the stuff from both my parents funeral/burials. The books that had all the info in them as to when, where and who came. Was going to toss them as they will be of no interest to anyone exle, but decided that they are still a part of my heart and can't let go of them yet. So back into the box they went. When the time comes to part with this house, then I will have to decide what to do with them. If I downsize into another house, they can stay with me for as long as I want to keep them, but if I go into an RV, that is extra baggage.

So sometimes life dictates that we must part with those "physical" things and just keep the memory part in our hearts even though they my tug at our heart strings. But I supposed after awhile, you forget about that "stuff" and move on. I have parted with many things that were my parents and have kept a few little things here and there. They are gone now, it's time for me to move on and make my own life and my own memories for what years I have left on the face of this earth. The "good" memories of the past will always remain in my heart.

[kdmac]

I am not sure if one can persuade another to let "things" go; I think it has to be an almost "spiritual" ephiphany that it's all just "stuff". That said, it sure is freeing to just let it go. As Beth mentioned it is money spent and a hassle to put "stuff" in storage. But, for me the readiness to part with "stuff" was commensurate to the excitement of the chosen new lifestyle, the great adventure...it's all about freedom and newness. I know we all have beautiful things we loved, but I let others love them now. I left my husbands house (mine for the last seven years) fully decorated with original paintings, glass art, beautiful furniture...and 99 percent of my most beloved library, much of what I left was mine before we met...I did take, maybe thrity, books I just had to have and even that seems dumb to me now; I am toting heavy books with me.

I also put my photos in thin plastic containers (I bet those "suction" storage bags, whatever they are called) would be a good way to store photos and documents. I have them under my bed storage. My mother bought me an Italian glass chicken from the Smithsonian. Can you believe that I have that packed away and once I am long term in the desert this winter I will take it out and put it on my desk....a stupid chicken, just couldn't part with it...he's a pretty chicken. Other than that, I parted with everything, took only what clothes I knew I would wear, a few favorite micsellaneous things.

When my siblings and myself had to clear out my parents house after our mother passed away, father had gone a couple years before. We all know who wanted what and then tossed every single other thing out. I felt their blessing on that, as though they were both saying, "Wow, if you only knew how glorious it is here, how silly and meaningless all that junk is in comparison; go ahead kids, toss it!

If I have to ever live in a S/B again, they will have to peel my hands from the steering wheel and drag me into a S/B; when and if that should happen, I will buy new furniture, that in itself will be uplifting.

[khenrie]

I agree. Only we can decide when we are ready to part with our stuff. Of course, making certain decisions....like living in an RV....... or having a partner you have to compromise with..... will help speed that process along. I too am finding things that I'd just rather hang on to for now.... and other things I'm sort of surprised I am ready to let go of. Interesting process.