That sounds good. We have an annual shred day but it would be better for some of us if the community centers also had shred days. There are 3 community centers near me and if they each did it on a different month it would be so much easier getting the shredding done. I think I will share this idea with the manager of the center I go to most often.
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- Thread starter hollydolly
- Start date
packleader
Member
- Location
- Southern California
Frustration is paralyzing me; or, the curse of having too much stuff accumulated in life.
For at least the tenth time, I am in the process of making a renewed effort to "downsize" my belongings. Each time I am getting rid of a little bit more. In retirement I have the time to do it. But if I leave the job to me working family, they won't have the time, and it would be even more frustrating to them.
I thoroughly dislike doing it, and I always find good excuses for putting it off. But it has to be done. Last year I got rid of a three-foot stack of my college papers. I only kept the diplomas. Question: who will ever look at them? Should I also toss them? Sentimental value is the dilemma. Those pieces of paper are an important part of my life.
On the positive side: going through tons of paper stuff is like re-living my life. There are handwritten letters of my mother and my aunts who died a long time ago. Tears are coming into my eyes. Toss them? Not this time; perhaps next time.
I gave away to Goodwill several bags of clothing, and they will get more. And then I have a box of colorful ties that I wore in the seventies. I still love them but will never again wear them. What shall I do with them? They are still dear to me but utterly useless.
We still have a 1986 Ford F-150 pick-up with a move-on camper. We took trips to Florida, New England, Canada, and Mexico. The last trip, I think, was to Death Valley over Thanksgiving many years ago. Totally useless. My excuse for keeping it is to have an emergency shelter when the expected and long overdue “Big” earthquake will hit us and damages our house.
Then we have a 12 x 24 foot shed crammed full with, for example, a box of computer games the kids played. And then there is another shed with all my gardening tools including, for example, a Bosch Hammer that cost $600 forty years ago. It helped me doing many projects in the garden.
Bottom line: memories are paralyzing me of doing what needs to be done.
I will NEVER toss my birth certificate with a swastika as seal (a poor copy) and my U.S. Naturalization Certificate of 1970.
My large tool shed behind the carport. Heaven knows why we ended up with 14 suitcases (only a few are visible below.) On our first family trip to Europe in 1990, we carried 6 suitcases and even a porta-potty for the VW Joker Camper we had booked in advance (those were the "good old times" nowadays unthinkable. I mean a "porta-potty" on an airplane from Los Angeles to Brussels.
For at least the tenth time, I am in the process of making a renewed effort to "downsize" my belongings. Each time I am getting rid of a little bit more. In retirement I have the time to do it. But if I leave the job to me working family, they won't have the time, and it would be even more frustrating to them.
I thoroughly dislike doing it, and I always find good excuses for putting it off. But it has to be done. Last year I got rid of a three-foot stack of my college papers. I only kept the diplomas. Question: who will ever look at them? Should I also toss them? Sentimental value is the dilemma. Those pieces of paper are an important part of my life.
On the positive side: going through tons of paper stuff is like re-living my life. There are handwritten letters of my mother and my aunts who died a long time ago. Tears are coming into my eyes. Toss them? Not this time; perhaps next time.
I gave away to Goodwill several bags of clothing, and they will get more. And then I have a box of colorful ties that I wore in the seventies. I still love them but will never again wear them. What shall I do with them? They are still dear to me but utterly useless.
We still have a 1986 Ford F-150 pick-up with a move-on camper. We took trips to Florida, New England, Canada, and Mexico. The last trip, I think, was to Death Valley over Thanksgiving many years ago. Totally useless. My excuse for keeping it is to have an emergency shelter when the expected and long overdue “Big” earthquake will hit us and damages our house.
Then we have a 12 x 24 foot shed crammed full with, for example, a box of computer games the kids played. And then there is another shed with all my gardening tools including, for example, a Bosch Hammer that cost $600 forty years ago. It helped me doing many projects in the garden.
Bottom line: memories are paralyzing me of doing what needs to be done.
I will NEVER toss my birth certificate with a swastika as seal (a poor copy) and my U.S. Naturalization Certificate of 1970.
My large tool shed behind the carport. Heaven knows why we ended up with 14 suitcases (only a few are visible below.) On our first family trip to Europe in 1990, we carried 6 suitcases and even a porta-potty for the VW Joker Camper we had booked in advance (those were the "good old times" nowadays unthinkable. I mean a "porta-potty" on an airplane from Los Angeles to Brussels.
Last edited:
hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
I can imagine what a daunting task it is for you.. but one little idea which I've found useful particualrly with paper goods like letters, .. and also for things like your sentimental items that no-one else would be interested in, is to just photograph them and save them to an external Hard-drive.. then toss them or give them to Charity...
It means you'll always be able to look at them without them taking up space..
It means you'll always be able to look at them without them taking up space..