This is what TAD has been up to on his days off. Cleaning out our attic space. I think he actually enjoyed himself.
In this pile of STUFF, there is both a printer that we don’t use because the toner cartridges are $100 and a printer we don’t use simply because we don’t like it; computers that have been upgraded (but still kinda sorta work) and their big ol’ honking monitors; a fish tank that needs to be cleaned, but Stephen was given a new one, so who needs the hassle?; a NEW-but-slightly-used toaster oven that was given to us, but we don’t have the counter space, so we’re getting rid of it; a mini food processor (I have its big brother, so again, it’s superfluous); a tv that works but we don’t use because it pre-dates remotes; a tv that doesn’t work; a broken VCR; a marginal coffee maker…
Is it any wonder that good stewardship of resources is on my brain?! More on that when I don’t have a headache. I gotta check out that free-cycle thingy I think Erin told me about….
One thing I know………..we have too much crap. I’m becoming a minimalist in my old middle age :/.
Back up the dump truck and add a little more….it’s the greatest feeling ever!!!!! Just ask my kids…if it’s missing, mom has carried it off in her trunk to clutter someone else’s home! Way to go Robin!
Sorry about the headache 🙁
I’m a minimalist too. I tend to give away whenever I do an upgrade. People usually like my “junk”. For Christmas I bought a new Canon EOS 30D and gave my dad my old 10D with a 28mm – 135mm lens. He was totally excited by it.
In the past, my junk has included a 42″ Sony big screen and a 63″ Hitachi Widescreen with built in HD receiver. And then there are all those laptops. I think I gave out 5 of them this past year.
I should sell my stuff on Ebay. But I have found that it’s often nicer to give things out to folks who either cannot or shouldn’t splurge.
If you consider how we are to operate as Christians, it’s very much in a charitable fashion. It’s like loaning money without interest. Just because we can make a buck here and there doesn’t mean we should.
Get feelin’ better 🙂 Alieve is the only thing that really does the trick for me.
Yup, try Freecycle… you can always donate what people don’t want. I used to just leave bits here and there curbside, someone would always take it.
BTW, don’t worry about the graphic for now. When you have time, I walk you through a photobucket account.
I know, I know… (html) baby steps :O)
Shelly, That’s right, didn’t you just do this little exercise? Is Neon Jesus still in your front yard??
Mikey, I’d like to be on the other end of your hand-me-downs :). Wait, I can’t be…I’m getting rid of our stuff. ‘Cept the big screen tvs aren’t in our current pile. My address is…….. Really, truly, I’m writing a “serious” post about this soon. Maybe two. Thanks for the empathy, it made me feel better :).
Mert, was it YOU who told me about Freecycle??? If so, THANKS! My “time” will open up when the kids are back in school next week…for now, it’s hit or miss.
I used to save EVERYTHING!!! Every.little.tiny.thing. And then, as the years passed, those little things started taking up BIG space. So I purged. And purged, and purged, and purged.
I’m still purging.
Do you find it hard to get rid of your old clothes? That’s the hardest thing for me. I attach so many memories to my clothes! I don’t do it with my sons clothes, but I’ve started doing it with Funny Girl. It seems like a double standard – I’ll get rid of the boys old Christmas sweaters but I will keep FGs Christmas dresses FOREVER!!!
I have decided to become a minimalist also! It’s my new years resolution to get rid of everything I don’t HAVE to have in my home.
Hey recycle lady, freecycle will fit in with that recycle plan, won’t it? How is that going?
I’d like to be a minimalist, but it starts at home & I’m never home @_@
Three cheers for Freecycle!
Get.
It.
GONE.
Susan…it’s official. We’re former conjoined twins, separated at birth and that little scar you’ve always wondered about is proof. That and the whole attachment to clothes thing. I HAVE MY HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADING PRACTICE SHORTS (I can’t fit my wrist in them now)…and I just got rid of the outfit I was wearing when I got engaged…and I have clothes my children LAUGH at…the list is endless :/. Little girl Christmas dresses…s i g h :).
Vicki, does that include people??? lol
LCO, first of all, what is that last little symbol you used? Haven’t seen it before. Also, yep, it’s all part and parcel of the green that’s running though my veins these days. It’s slow going, but it IS going so that’s something…right?
Hey Erin, you popped in while I was writing that last comment………Hip Hip Hooraaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy :).
There’s something about packing up the Christmas tree ornaments, vacuuming up pine needles, and clearing away all the clutter that gets my organizing juices going too. What a relief to walk around the house now and see empty spaces!
Our attic space is full of used printers, dead computers etc. too… but it’s not nearly as nice as yours. Are those turquoise walls I see? Our basement is much worse… and we cleaned it out once last summer already. We’ve sold a lot of stuff on Craig’s List, but I’ll check out Freecycle too. Thanks!
It was things that people did not throw away that became heirlooms.
Not that a lap top would.
but …..
I’m not far from the generation of…
USE IT UP
WEAR IT OUT
MAKE IT DO
OR DO WITHOUT……..
It is so difficult to toss
I am still quite a packrat myself.. I try to throw things away but it is just to difficult..lol
That is sure is alot of stuff though. You won’t know what to do with the space later 🙂
I’m adding you to my links. Why haven’t I done so before? Why haven’t I read you much before even though I always see your link on Ree’s blog? Why? I will visit more! :^)
Nan
Crapola, emom, I was hoping no one would notice that. That’s our living room, but it’s a room we don’t use (see? This whole issue of stewardship is KILLING ME because now I feel like I need to have some homeless person move in with us to use our extra space….:/). It’s seeing the most action it has ever seen in the 3 1/2 years we’ve lived here, lol. Stay tuned for why I’m not interested in selling anything…it won’t be a “pretty” post :/.
Pamela, I hear you, and that’s why I can’t just throw it away…it needs to GO somewhere. Heck, I reuse wet-but-clean paper towels and tin foil that’s still shiny (yeah, yeah, friends make fun of me for this). I coulda lived through the depression and found all kinds of second and third uses for stuff. I don’t think Tad “appreciates” this about me :).
Tonya, sadly, the only extra space is in the attic…and about all we’ve done is clear a way to walk to get to the other stuff we probably could give away.
Nan, WELCOME MY NEW BEST FRIEND :). Thanks for all the air you just blew up my skirt……whew! it sure felt N I C E :D!!!
Okay, Robin. It’s official. We were separated at birth.
Did you really write the conjoined twins thing BEFORE you stopped by my site? FREAKKKKY.
But, wait. It gets even freakier. While you were leaving your FREAKALICIOUS comment on my site, I was also commenting on my site. Don’t believe me? Go look. Our comments were posted at the exact.same.minute!
Why is the theme to the Twilight Zone in my head?
Susan……YES! That’s why I said what I said! And if not mistaken, I was hearing the TZ soundtrack, too. Over to check out the timing thing on my post to ya (lol).
You and Susan are kind of freaking out… have you two synched your “monthly cycle” yet?
Did someone mention Twilight Zone? There were no less that 523 episodes of that on yesterday and I think theHansMan watched 524 of them…(they never let me teach math)… Kermit, you are taking this re-cycling thing seriously aren’t you?
Minimalize away.
As I was reading this I kept thinking, “She needs Freecycle, she needs Freecycle.” Then at the end you mention Freecycle. Really, it is such a blessing!
There is this group of people, I forget the name of them, who have decided to never buy new things again, other than food and “safety” items (like batteries you have to buy new.) I could never become one of them no matter how much I want to become declutter and simplify my life because, frankly, I love me some Target. Yes, I’ll admit it, I’m a Target drone.
But anyway, must be the time of year for decluttering/organizing – I guess it is, with the new year. I’ve been combing my cabinets, drawers and closets to gather up things to give away to the Veterans Association who come to your house for scheduled pick-ups. And last week I sold books to a used book store and clothes to Once Upon A Child. I’ve only made a tiny dent, though.
Three words: Ebay Ebay Ebay
Or free-cycle – my dad got rid of an organ that way.
Sorry to say our neon Jesus has been packed away for another year…but not before some neon snowmen were purchased….9 feet tall they are!!! Our neighbors think they’ve woke up in the Christmas Vacation movie! 🙂
Will you please send some of your minimilist tendencies to my husband? (he inherited the “save-it-all-you-might-need-it” depression-era way of thinking from his parents).
In my garage, currently taking up space is one 58″ screen t.v. given to my husband by his co-worker. It just needs a new tube inside it for the screen to work properly. ACK –
Marnie, we don’t discuss cycles…that would be too personal. (did that make you giggle???)
Swampy, the TZ used to freak.me.OUT! I loved it!
Hmmmm, two Heathers….gotta go see who the second one is :). WELCOME NEWBIE HEATHER :)!
Sally, Target drone? Love that! Guess you must shop the aisle ends when those clearance deals are toooooo good to past by (not that I know ANYTHING about that!). Hey, you’ve made a dent, that’s forward progress!
Yvonne, Ebay would never work for me :/. I still have Christmas presents to mail :(.
Shelly, Stephen is going to be soooooooooooooo jealous. 50% off?
Karmyn, I am so lol AT you, because we BOTH know it will NEVER……….EVER…………HAPPEN :).
Oh my gosh! Won’t it feel great to declutter?!?!?!?!
I do this sometimes – just empty my house of all the humungous stuff that is sitting there and not being used.
Then, inevitably, a week later I’ll need one of those things….
Freecycle is awesome – I unloaded a lot of stuff before we moved last year using it. I didn’t have the time or energy to have a garage sale.
LCO’s symbol looks like boobs if ya ask me….
Malissa cause I can’t remember my pw to log in at this second (long day I guess)
Malissa, tooooooooo funny, you are. Aaaahhhhhhhh, the love of a sister! 🙂
Hey, they aren’t my boobs! Maybe that would bring readers to my blog!?!?
@_@ Is the little wide-eyed, rolling of the eyes that I learned from my student’s, on our APEH blog.
They also use o_0, o_o, 0_0 & 0_o, etc. for wide-eyed.
thx Malissa – what a dear sister, if that is truly who you are, anonymous, I do have a smidge of a hard time believing MY sister would say “boob” in public; but, in case it is you “I don’t like what you said.”
Ha – our middle (or guest) bedroom seems to attract this kind of stuff – old stuff I mean…I wish my hubby and our son would go through it and get rid of the stuff that is useless. But then again, for them – no computer parts are useless – I guess.