Packratness

[primsong]

Why do we do this to ourselves?
I tried to be ruthless with my belongings when I was packing this last Autumn, utterly ruthless, I tell you. I took SIX carloads to the Goodwill - SIX of them, for crying out loud, and I have a big hurkin' station-wagon, not a Honda... Why is it then that every time I unpack another box, I *still* end up pulling things out and kind of looking at them like...
"Huh? What did I pack *this* for?" (toss)

Comments

[maidoforange.livejournal.com]

LOL. The SAME thing happened to me, as I remember well. (((Prim))).

[primsong.livejournal.com]

Yes, you've been having to go through it recently too! I wonder how many years it will be before the last box is unpacked, looking at all that are still stacked in the laundry room.

[elenlilta.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean. Each year I try to reduce the amount of stuff I take, but I always have things I don't use. Like this year I brought up an entire storage container of stuff I didn't use once. Bleh.

[estellye.livejournal.com]

Its a mystery I may have once solved, but the solution is buried in a pile of stuff I plan to "get to" and I "might need someday." Or maybe its in that file of splendid ideas I once clipped out of a magazine.

I am trying to work myself up to a seriously ruthless quest to unclutter!

[primsong.livejournal.com]

I've found I can only be ruthless for about 20 minutes. After that I begin to second-guess myself and if I keep going too long, I begin to take things back out of the throw-away box, LOL.

[psychotic-kiwi.livejournal.com]

I'll send you all my binders of fantastic ideas that I plan to someday implement in my perfect life. Why should I keep all this joy to myself? :D

[estellye.livejournal.com]

files, piles and idea books...

Bonfire anyone?

[solodancer.livejournal.com]

why does this remind me of a George Carlin sketch? LOL!! That guy can be pretty raw at times, but his "stuff" sketch is probably one of the funniest "hits close to home" sketches I"ve ever heard.

I look around my basement and I can't imagine what in the world could be so important in all those boxes that I decided it needed to be boxed up and put on a shelf. I have this little ritual with papers and magazines. I go through them once and throw all the junk, but save some stuff that I think I'll read later or that is somehow important. That stuff goes back in the pile. The next time I go through that same pile, some of the very same things that I deemed important enough to keep but not important enough to be filed away somewhere have now aged enough that they are deemed trash. I don't know exactly how this happens, but I know that when something is new, fresh out of the envelope or recently brought home from a child's school, it can't be thrown out. But a week or a month later it can be. It's a mystery. No doubt about it.

[primsong.livejournal.com]

You're right! I do that too - things "age" on the counter in a heap until one day I can't stand them being there anymore and all those formerly 'important' things go into the paper-recycle bag.

[melanyebaggins.livejournal.com]

Believe me, I know...I'm desperately trying to break the ugly cycle with my parents (and me...I am not immune to its effects...)

[primsong.livejournal.com]

My folks aren't too pack-ratty, maybe because we moved so much we were always having to toss things out. I like to think I'm not a packrat, but every now and then I can't help but wonder!

[tuilelindowen.livejournal.com]

The answer is, "Nature abhores a vacuum." We just unloaded six huge storage cartons of books off our bookshelves last week to make room for all the new books lying around in piles and on chairs, etc. that didn't have a home in our house. We have now put everything away and STILL don't have enough room.

It never ends....

One book that constantly helps me with incoming paper and stuff is "Lighten Up." It is about clearing up clutter and about how doing so is part of our spiritual journey through life. Their website:

http://www.freefromclutter.com/

[primsong.livejournal.com]

Haha! We did this too - got rid of books to make way for books and still didn't have enough shelf space. I ended up buying another bookcase instead, I just couldn't part with any more of them.

I think except for books and arts/crafts stuff, I'd be in pretty good shape if it weren't for having a pack-rat hubby and 3 kids, heh.

I have solved the problem!!!!!

[syrcleoftrees.livejournal.com]

I am a packenrat if there ever was one,so I just stay packed,which reminds me I need to garner somemore of those rubbermaid boxes,so I can pack all this stuff,I do not need now,but I know I may in the future.



:)

HI

[faramirgirl.livejournal.com]

I don't know maybe we are suckers for collecting things we don't really need? I am very good at that.

[psychotic-kiwi.livejournal.com]

I think it depends on one's level of exasperation with the unpacking process - having moved 11 times in 11 years ( don't ask), I found that if it was an early box, I'd kind of laugh at myself and either stick it back in the box or set it aside. If it were late in the process and I was just annoyed, I'd stare at it, curse it out, and sometimes fling it across the room.

Although the prospect of a home is exciting, I am DREADING packing this place up. Brynn's stuff ALONE is a U-Haul's worth.

[wadearturo.livejournal.com]

I come from a long line of pack-rats. My mom always gave me this advice...

If you haven't opened that box, or used that item, in over a year...

Get rid of it.

Short, sweet, and works like a charm. :-)

[primsong.livejournal.com]

Aha! But 'fess up - have you ever really done this, without pulling a good part of the boxes contents back out? :-D

[wadearturo.livejournal.com]

*facepalm* You caught me! But I try, really I do! ;-)

[curuchamion.livejournal.com]

'if you haven't used that item in over a year...'

Unless it's the fire extinguisher. ;-)