When do you throw something away?

[Claire]

I have friends who keep everything. I mean everything. I have a sister who admits to being a hoarder. I, on the other hand, go through my house every year, and toss everything that I know I won't use in the next year. I guess that makes me a bit anal? I just do not like a lot of junk surrounding me. Perhaps it is the way I was raised, but then, look at my sister.

There are a few things I throw away when I haven't used them for a year. I will say that I have two very expensive skirts I wear to parties and funerals. I have a fondue pot I haven't used in a few years. Aside from that, I don't have much that I've owned for more than a couple of years.

What about you?

 

[bakechef]

I'm like you, I go through the kitchen equipment pantry and weed it out once a year. Sometimes I've upgraded things that really needed upgrading, or get rid of stuff that I thought I would use, but never did. Ditto goes for well intentioned gift of cooking tools from my mom, that I really have no use for.

Clothes, being a guy I have it a bit easier in that department. I buy mostly good quality classic styles that I can wear for years. When I buy cheaper stuff, I'm lucky to get one season out of it before it starts getting tired. If I buy something that is kinda trendy, I'll usually only wear that one season.

I don't like clutter. I don't like having to dig through stuff I don't need to find something that I do. I don't like having spaces in my house that are filled with stuff not being used. My partner on the other hand is the opposite, he has one closet full of clothes that he never really wears, but can't let go of. A closet in the basement with assorted stuff that he feels the same about. He knows that he has to keep this stuff contained to keep me sane!

 

[Andy M.]

I've been meaning to clean out my closets. Really, I have. I have a half dozen business suits and other stuff I will never wear again. They should go where they can be of use to someone. I know this and never get around to doing it.

 

[Snip 13]

I get rid of everything I don't use, I hate clutter. I do keep Kitchen stuff though, I have way more than I need even after giving some away. Some woman have shoes and bags, I love pretty glasses and plates lol!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Shrek and I are both bad about holding on to things. I'm a bit better at getting rid of stuff, mostly clothes.

 

[Andy M.]

As far as non-clothing items, we have some. A few years ago, we had a clearance. All the things we had been accumulating in the basement since SO and I consolidated households was laid out for our daughters to browse. They took some stuff and the rest went to charity. (My LP collection and turntable are safely in my younger daughter's possession).

That said, we could probably get rid of more.

Baby steps...

 

[PrincessFiona60]

As far as non-clothing items, we have some. A few years ago, we had a clearance. All the things we had been accumulating in the basement since SO and I consolidated households was laid out for our daughters to browse. They took some stuff and the rest went to charity. (My LP collection and turntable are safely in my younger daughter's possession).

That said, we could probably get rid of more.

Baby steps...

We have the plan, we have the materials...we just can't seem to actually start boxing things up.

 

[pacanis]

I keep everything. Anyone want to by some 8-tracks? And the player
I keep everything because I never know when I might need something. On many occassions I was glad to find that scrap of lumber or piece of metal I probably should have thrown out, but didn't. And an old fry pan worked well for dipping into my well and scooping that dead mouse out before I got a "real" cover for it. You just never know... I might even need that old aquarium gravel someday. Like if someone gets stuck in front of my house
I'll bet I have 20 phone lines still wrapped up and scattered in various drawers.

 

[luvs]

when the kitchen gets too stuffed, i'm a cleaning lunatic. if stuff in the other rooms gets too old, i'll introduce said item to a garbage can liner. generally keep items i can wear- own a tee-shirt or 2 from when i was 4-6 (i think) & wear them to this day. other items, i'll keep stored away & re-discover them- so, in essence, depends on the item.

 

[Andy M.]

I keep everything. Anyone want to by some 8-tracks? And the player
I keep everything because I never know when I might need something. On many occassions I was glad to find that scrap of lumber or piece of metal I probably should have thrown out, but didn't. And an old fry pan worked well for dipping into my well and scooping that dead mouse out before I got a "real" cover for it. You just never know... I might even need that old aquarium gravel someday. Like if someone gets stuck in front of my house
I'll bet I have 20 phone lines still wrapped up and scattered in various drawers.

I forgot about that stuff. I have scraps in my workshop that I don't even remember why I have it. I have more phone cords, extension cords, computer cords than I can ever use. I even have some 3.5" floppys that I don't have a drive for. I have computer software from three computers ago.

 

[Steve Kroll]

I get rid of stuff whenever I move. Last time we moved, we rented a renovation-sized dumpster and started filling it up. However, seeing how the last move occurred almost 15 years ago, the clutter has begun to pile up.

Hmmm. Maybe it's time to move again.

 

[Kayelle]

I keep everything. Anyone want to by some 8-tracks? And the player
I keep everything because I never know when I might need something. On many occassions I was glad to find that scrap of lumber or piece of metal I probably should have thrown out, but didn't. And an old fry pan worked well for dipping into my well and scooping that dead mouse out before I got a "real" cover for it. You just never know... I might even need that old aquarium gravel someday. Like if someone gets stuck in front of my house
I'll bet I have 20 phone lines still wrapped up and scattered in various drawers.

Pac!


Like you Andy, when we combined two households with more than 4,000 sq. ft. into 1,400 sq. ft. we got rid of everything we didn't need. We had each lived in our houses for more than 30 years, so it was very painful at the time. That was 5 years ago now and we've started accumulating unnecessary stuff once more. I'm much better than I was. For example with our travels we only buy souvenirs that are useful, with the exceptions of all the kitchen magnets from all over the world on the refrigerator. We laugh that when there is no more space left on the fridge door we'll hang up our traveling shoes.

The one year rule without use wouldn't be long enough Claire, but the five year rule would be a good one here.

 

[Merlot]

I want to get rid of stuff but my husband won't let me. When we had our child 8 years ago we ended up moving a bunch of glass top furniture out of the living room for safety purposes. We just dont have room for the amount of furniture we have anymore. He has loads of clothes, hunting stuff, golf stuff, old boots etc...

As for my child.....Kids accumulate a lot of stuff and my theory is.. let him be little because he will be grown soon enough. Now we have legos in every corner, boxes of toys and our hall is his "art wall."

I do get rid of my own things on a regular basis. I find great joy in throwing things out, I have no idea why.

 

[kadesma]

Keep it ya just never know when you might use it DH has a garage full of cabnits from the two pharmacies we sold. The pasture has oodles of hammers,and such he has taken out there and forgotten, Clothes he has his and things that were his twin brothers, Throw it away? not on your life. I do pare my things down I do hang on to my cashmere sweaters, I hoard those babies same with nice wool slacks and blazers. They never go out of style. Kitchen gear I hold on to most thing pots, pans, gadgets not so much some I cannot use anymore garlic press broken arm has never gotten so I can use that thing so I use a malet to crush garlic and a cheffknife to make it tiny enough to incorporate into things. So you see I'm a mess maker at times but you could eat off the kitchen floor and the counters I don't like them cluttered
kades

 

[sparrowgrass]

Some of you people are making me it itch!! I can toss/donate stuff, no problem at all. My secretary, on the other hand. . . . keeps everything. When I came to this office, 12 years ago, we had some knock down drag out battles--she had every piece of paper and equipment that had come into the office for the 20 years she had been working, all piled and stacked.

Floppy disks--oh, yeah. Boxes full of them. Big ones and little ones. Parts for a mimeograph machine. 25 file cabinets full of old mail. A mountain of old catalogs entirely covered a whole bookshelf--we didn't find the shelf until we had thrown away a dumpster full of crap. It has been 8 years or so since we cleaned up, and it is time to do it again.

I am older now, and not sure I am up to the effort. Just waiting for her to retire, I guess. I have never been in her house--I am sure there is just a little path from the bed to the bathroom to the kitchen.

 

[CharlieD]

Not only do I keep everything, I think I have two of everything, if not three. When I cannot find what i need, I just go get new one. I think I have at least a dozzen of tape mesures, utility knives, etc. Last sunday though, my wife bought mme two new shirts, but would not give them to me untill I threw away 6 old ones, that have been seating in the clothet for at least 10 years. I'm terible.

 

[pacanis]

A dozen utility knives?
I'm missing one of mine. I can only account for four.

 

[Dawgluver]

I have a heck of a time throwing anything out too, as does DH. We collect wood, barnboard, wood scraps, metal from old electical and plumbing, you name it. I like to repurpose junk, for example, I made a bird bath from an old satellite dish and its attached post. DH has a vast collection of tennis shoes. I do try to go through my closets at least once a year, and got rid of at least 20 pairs of my shoes recently. I also recycled the vast majority of my collection of cottage cheese containers.

Thankfully we have an unfinished basement and an attached garage, so we're not tripping over too much stuff in the house!

 

[babetoo]

i have been doing a large purge in the last three months or so. i have about a 5 or 6 bag lot for the viet vets left to get rid of. however today i remember throwing away about five yards of christmas flannel fabric. my daughter sure could use in her pet shop . she puts a scarf on each clean dog when they have finished grooming them. oh well, in any case , long gone.

 

[Andy M.]

My sister's 9-year old granddaughter hoards not only her stuff but others' as well. When my sister was re-doing the spare bedroom (where granddaughter stays), GD wouldn't let her toss anything. She wanted to take it home so she could keep it. She has every toy she ever owned and wont let anyone toss anything.