http://greencouple.com/2008/07/29/overwhelmed-with-stuff/ Learning to live green and live together Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:13:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 http://greencouple.com/2008/07/29/overwhelmed-with-stuff/#comment-1891 Jessica Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:36:07 +0000 http://greencouple.com/?p=298#comment-1891 I sure hear you on this. I actually think I have a bit of a stuff problem. I'm one of those people who, if I wasn't careful, would probably end up in a house full of crap and only little goat trails to get from one room to the next. Eventually I will die after a 10 foot tallk stack of newspapers falls on me and I can't get out from under it. That being said, I've really had to get a handle on my hoarding problem. I'm still working on it, but I've started by putting a limit on how many crafts I will likely do, and to get rid of any craft item that is not used for one of those crafts. Knitting, Painting, Sewing, Jewelry making (although I'm thinking of eliminating that one), and Embroidery. I've also put a ban on further crafting purchases. I need to use what I've already got. I can't stand to throw things away, so I try selling them on Craigslist, or giving them away on freecycle, or donating them to goodwill or my church or the local homeless shelter or something. If I can't get rid of it that way, I know it truely must be trash, and I try either recycling or throwing it away. I try to sort through books every now and then, but I think I've pared it down to about as small as it will go. I'm not very good at not buying them either. Sigh. I just moved, and I'm glad I at least have another room to put all my junk in now. I used to have it all crammed in my bedroom, what a mess! I sure hear you on this. I actually think I have a bit of a stuff problem. I’m one of those people who, if I wasn’t careful, would probably end up in a house full of crap and only little goat trails to get from one room to the next. Eventually I will die after a 10 foot tallk stack of newspapers falls on me and I can’t get out from under it.
That being said, I’ve really had to get a handle on my hoarding problem. I’m still working on it, but I’ve started by putting a limit on how many crafts I will likely do, and to get rid of any craft item that is not used for one of those crafts. Knitting, Painting, Sewing, Jewelry making (although I’m thinking of eliminating that one), and Embroidery. I’ve also put a ban on further crafting purchases. I need to use what I’ve already got.
I can’t stand to throw things away, so I try selling them on Craigslist, or giving them away on freecycle, or donating them to goodwill or my church or the local homeless shelter or something. If I can’t get rid of it that way, I know it truely must be trash, and I try either recycling or throwing it away.
I try to sort through books every now and then, but I think I’ve pared it down to about as small as it will go. I’m not very good at not buying them either.
Sigh. I just moved, and I’m glad I at least have another room to put all my junk in now. I used to have it all crammed in my bedroom, what a mess!

]]> http://greencouple.com/2008/07/29/overwhelmed-with-stuff/#comment-1890 Steve Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:33:27 +0000 http://greencouple.com/?p=298#comment-1890 Fun and thoughtful essay, Maggie. Having, myself, just moved a year or so ago, your reflections are very much in the forefront of my own mind. It has amused me to observe that I rid myself of a few things prior to my move, but it was only at the time of unpacking that I found myself asking repeatedly why on earth I had bothered to pack and move certain items. So then I got to move them again, to the new homes I found for them. Steve Stroup Fun and thoughtful essay, Maggie. Having, myself, just moved a year or so ago, your reflections are very much in the forefront of my own mind. It has amused me to observe that I rid myself of a few things prior to my move, but it was only at the time of unpacking that I found myself asking repeatedly why on earth I had bothered to pack and move certain items. So then I got to move them again, to the new homes I found for them.
Steve Stroup

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