The big green-and-yellow Western Waste truck just went down the alley by my building and emptied the two big dumpsters at the former residence.
What a relief!
I threw out a frightening amount of stuff. Old press materials, magazines I never read, knicknacks, "mementoes," things I thought I'd one day need and never did.
A whole lot of memories are on their way to the landfill. But if I'm honest, would I have ever tested anyone's patience by making them look at old name badges from events I attended, passes from long-ago races, faded photos of faded friendships?
I think not.
It wasn't so difficult once I started. I just needed a long time -- and more than a few deep breaths -- before I consigned the first such item to the bin. After that, I let it all out, and was pretty ruthless about what got dumped and what was saved.
I still have far too much stuff. In a few months, I can start pruning the boxes in storage.
PARENTHETICAL ONE-MAN'S-JUNK-IS-ANOTHER'S-TREASURE-NOTE: There's a young geek (I'm certain he works with computers) in the old building. He jumped at the chance to take my ratty old couch and a dining-room set I was planning to dump. Even gave me $10. I would have left 'em for the cleaning crew to dispense with. I couldn't shift them on my own.
In a way, I feel a little sad about it all. Those things were, after all, part of me and whatever life I've had. Some represented events that won't be repeated.
But when you get right down to it, no one else gives a happy damn about that stuff. And, given the choices I've had to make lately, neither do I.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Still depresses me just a little....
3 hours ago
7 comments:
I still have things to toss, and I took out two hand truck loads. I also have to go to the old place and pick up some hardware and toss it, too. I may get rid of all my plastic and cast cars due to missing pieces. Collectively they might be worth a couple hundred dollars new, but they're junk now.
I don't want to get rid of them, but I have other things that seem more appealing now.
I'm going through this too. It starts off kind of depressing, at least for me it was, but, then, it gets kind of liberating. Kind of a catharsis. But, I still got a lotta crap to go...
I NEED to go through that, too! My guest room is a mess and not presentable. I can't throw away pictures, no matter how pale they are. Heck, I can't even delete bad digital ones from the computer! LOL
It's funny. I was packing this weekend too for Friday's big move and sorting through stuff in the guest room. I came up w/four garbage bags full--and I'm still not done yet.
It's funny how much ish and attachments you accumulate that don't see the light of day until you shift spaces.
The drastic reduction in things has been a real high point to me lately. At first there is a tinge of sadness but in the end it is very freeing and freedom is a great condition.
I know it is a hard thing but you are not your stuff. The resulting lightness will cheer you up more as it sinks in, I'm betting.
I agree with JohnO. Much of that was probably as much emotional baggage as anything else. "Out with the old, in with the new."
I think you'll find simple is better.
S
S -- I'm pretty much in agreement with JohnO too. At least now. It was that first toss of a "keepsake" that really bugged me....
Kari -- Forgive me for laughing (you know I'm not mean) but four bags of disposable stuff? Hell, four big trash bags might have done for my desk...!
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