More Of Less Stuff

Each day, I keep thinking I should call Salvation Army but each day I find more stuff I can part with.  So I plan to look around another day.   Its worth the wait.  You wouldn't believe how much unneeded stuff I've accumulated in 28 years here.

Some of the stuff I've dredged out of the attic and closets are actually good stuff I'll keep.  But not much.

I have housewarming couch pillows in great condition because they've been in a closet because I don't have a couch.  I got rid of the couch and loveseat 15 years ago.  And a good story about those.  A month after I donated them, I saw an article in the Washington Post newsapaper about a poor family that received some furniture and were thrilled.  It was MY stuff!  I recognized the odd patterns on the cushions.

So giving unneeded stuff away is good.

I've made quite a collection in the basement.  A dining table that I meant to refinish and never will with 4 chairs,  stackable chairs for parties I never had, an upright vacuum cleaner for carpets I don't have anymore,  etc, etc, etc...

Would you believe I had TWO nearly identical 4" refracting telescopes?  I can part with one of those.

And there are several boxes full of kitchen gadgets I never used.  I don't exactly need the sieve that expands to fit the sink, or the strange flatware with the bright red ceramic handles,  or the ones with the walnut handles either.  Not my style and who needs 3 sets of flatware anyway.  Those are partly why I asked my family to stop sending me christmas gifts,  I have everything I want to have.

And there is stuff I bought myself that never worked out.  Like the magnetic knife holders.  And maybe someone could use that set of Ginsu knives.  I mean they are actually pretty good, but I have better ones now.

The real weird stuff was buried in the computer room closet.  A set of VCR storage drawers from a former friend.  Four sets of golf club covers.  Three tennis rackets I will never use again.  And there were the "eldercare" tub bench and tub access supports left over from when Dad was here.  I may need those things in 25 years (as Dad was 25 years older than me when he needed them), but I sure don't need them now and someone else sure does.

I'm dithering over the Christmas decorations.  I haven't decorated a tree in 10 years, but I might any year now, and those things DO have memory value.  Like the 25 pound tree stand that you can't find anywhere now.  But mostly the decorations are all a bit unique collected over years; I'll keep those.  How many people have 2 dozen fake male cardinals and bubble lights?  But the dozen boxes of regular lights and cheap glass ornaments can go.  Someone will appreciate them.  I hope.

I could probably sell a lot of that, but something in me says that donating them would give more pleasure to people otherwise without them.  And the idea of a child without much looking at colorful lights in the home (on a tree or not) feels good.

And maybe I'll include some of those bubble lights.  I remember the wonder I felt when I saw them as a child.  Better that some child wonders how they work than me keeping them in  box of memory.

Mark