Acquired junk

[CajunMama]

How in the world do i acquire so much junk? We've been in our home for 15 years. I'm cleaning out closets and desks and rooms so that my new floors can be installed. The installers are moving the furniture that needs moved. I've thrown out more crud than the law allows already and i look in our dining room and i'm trying to figure out how all that stuff is going to fit back in the rooms. I'm a packrat, I admit it. I need help

[Stephanie]

You're lucky that Marty doesn't live with you...

It is truly amazing the sh..crap we collect over the years. I don't ever want to move again!

[southerngale]

I'm the same way! I can't stand all the clutter, but I have a hard time getting rid of stuff too. Ya can't have both!

I've done good lately though. I've made several trips to Goodwill, donating quite a bit of stuff, as well as gotten rid of a lot of bags and boxes of trash. And I've only put a dent in it!

I've got a long way to go, but as I search for a new house, I know that I don't want to move all this stuff with me, so I'm thoroughly cleaning out the whole house, one closet and one room at a time. I dread the day I get to my storage buildings... I've hauled a lot of crap out there to "deal with later." Later is gonna be here soon.

[coriolis]

My wife and daughter decided to have a yard sale. They're looking to make some money, I'm hoping that a lot of "stuff" will be gone. I'm usually pretty good at getting rid of stuff, but Theresa is a packrat. I'll probably have one table of my stuff, but there will be acres of her stuff and Nicole's stuff.

[southerngale]

LOL Ed... I hope you have a big yard, then.

[coriolis]

Well, ok, I exaggerated a bit. But that what it seems like. When I was single, I moved around enough times that I got good at getting rid of unneeded stuff. (and I always left forewarding addresses)

[angelwing]

Lol! I'm in the process of packing up to move from a one bedroom apt to a 2 bedroom townhome that we're going to rent (waiting patiently for the ok to sign the lease)I can't belive how much we got! When we first moved here 11 years ago we moved from 2 homes to a one-bedroom apt and it almost took us 8 years to get it under control! Now I'm pawning stuff and throwing stuff out (tried the flea markets already, wasn't that great).

One good thing, I have a ton of yarn at my day job, once we move I can slowly sneak it in, lolol.

[azsnowman]

ROFLMAO!! Yeah Cajunmama....I'm with ya! When we tore down the old house and had the new modular home moved in, I could NOT believe the JUNK we had, some of the stuff I don't remember WHERE it CAME from I made myself a promise and to this DAY I've kept it (3 years later), when ever I change clothes for the season (winter clothes and summer clothes) I donate the clothes I didn't wear during that particular season and then pack 'em away. I do the SAME thing around the house in the fall...if we have stuff we didnt use all summer, it too goes to Goodwill!

[MomH]

A year or so ago when I wanted to sell my house and move to North GA, I too started cleaning out the house. Junk was no problem but things like my daughter's baby books, keepsakes, old jewelry and such were very hard for me. Finally had an idea and it worked for me. I wrapped each girl's baby books, cards they had sent me, pictures they had made, etc. in large boxes. I then added knick knacks they had given me that I wasn't using and anything of my mother's that I knew each girl loved and wanted. I then wrapped those boxes in pretty paper and set them aside for Xmas. They enjoyed going through them on Xmas morning and I plainly told them they were only to keep what they really wanted from their boxes but that I never wanted to know what they did with anything. Freed me from pain and guilt and they could eliminate anything they didn't want right away without feeling guilty.

[CajunMama]

Ugh! My flooring guy called today and said he can't come until next Tuesday. Maybe i can go through some more stuff and get rid of some more.

[DanKellFla]

George Carlin has a great bit about stuff and houses. I can't fit cars in my garage anymore I have so much stuff. I put up extra shelves for the stuff. Now, when I shop, if I see something I want one of the questions I ask myself is where will I put it. A LOT of stuff goes back on the shelf after that. My house is pretty sparse. I have a few pictures on the wall, some table lamps and a few vases. That is it for the decorative stuff. Although, the three boys running around the house makes leaving stuff around pointless. They just break stuff.