Odd conundrum

innerSpaceman · 03-02-2006, 01:42 PM

Throwing away a third of my possessions and keptcrap was one of the most freeing things I've ever done. It felt soooo good, and had such positive results.

Now I follow a simple rule for everything I find around the house: If I haven't had a use for it in the last 5 years, out it goes. I exempt from this certain sentimental papers and momentos I am purposefully saving to review in my old age. But otherwise ... if I haven't used it in half a decade, I'm not likely to ever need it.

Your mileage may, of course, vary. (And then there is the nagging question of will the partial Monopoly set appear only soon after you throw the title cards away??)

BarTopDancer · 03-02-2006, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Now I follow a simple rule for everything I find around the house: If I haven't had a use for it in the last 5 years, out it goes. I exempt from this certain sentimental papers and momentos I am purposefully saving to review in my old age. But otherwise ... if I haven't used it in half a decade, I'm not likely to ever need it.

This is a great rule!

Not Afraid · 03-02-2006, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Throwing away a third of my possessions and keptcrap was one of the most freeing things I've ever done. It felt soooo good, and had such positive results.

I love throwing away trash. However, we seem to accumulate so much of it it is hard to keep up. I've gotten MUCL less sentimental over the years which has helped me get rid of things. Do I really need my Father's favorite blue sport coat? No. His Purple Heart, yes but the Sport Coat, no.

Now, if I could just stop accummulating.......

Alex · 03-02-2006, 02:19 PM

I've started over with near zero possessions several times in my live so I'm not particularly attached to any of them.

I used to be unable to get rid of books but when I finally broke through that barrier (moving to Hawaii and my parent saying they weren't willing to to store them for me) I've never had a problem again.

One method I recommend for people is to put all the junk they think they're willing to give up, but just can't pull the triger is to put it all in moving boxes. On each box write a date six months or a year into the future and then store them somewhere.

Whatever is still in that box in six month or a year is something you obviously don't actually use, and then just take the boxes to Goodwill without even opening them (you probably won't be able to remember what is in them without checking).

If it has been taken out of the box over that time, then you can keep it.

The only reason to keep something you don't use is for decorative, sentimental, or investment reasons. If it is in your closet, it isn't decorative. If it hasn't come out of your closet in five years the sentimentalism isn't as strong as you'd like to think, and most people incredibly overestimate the investment value of minor collectibles.

Of course, that hasn't much to do with two Monopoly cards in an office drawer. In a school library environment I thikn the bookmark idea is a good one. Otherwise just toss them.

03-02-2006, 01:42 PM	#1
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Throwing away a third of my possessions and keptcrap was one of the most freeing things I've ever done. It felt soooo good, and had such positive results. Now I follow a simple rule for everything I find around the house: If I haven't had a use for it in the last 5 years, out it goes. I exempt from this certain sentimental papers and momentos I am purposefully saving to review in my old age. But otherwise ... if I haven't used it in half a decade, I'm not likely to ever need it. Your mileage may, of course, vary. (And then there is the nagging question of will the partial Monopoly set appear only soon after you throw the title cards away??)
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03-02-2006, 02:19 PM	#4
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I've started over with near zero possessions several times in my live so I'm not particularly attached to any of them. I used to be unable to get rid of books but when I finally broke through that barrier (moving to Hawaii and my parent saying they weren't willing to to store them for me) I've never had a problem again. One method I recommend for people is to put all the junk they think they're willing to give up, but just can't pull the triger is to put it all in moving boxes. On each box write a date six months or a year into the future and then store them somewhere. Whatever is still in that box in six month or a year is something you obviously don't actually use, and then just take the boxes to Goodwill without even opening them (you probably won't be able to remember what is in them without checking). If it has been taken out of the box over that time, then you can keep it. The only reason to keep something you don't use is for decorative, sentimental, or investment reasons. If it is in your closet, it isn't decorative. If it hasn't come out of your closet in five years the sentimentalism isn't as strong as you'd like to think, and most people incredibly overestimate the investment value of minor collectibles. Of course, that hasn't much to do with two Monopoly cards in an office drawer. In a school library environment I thikn the bookmark idea is a good one. Otherwise just toss them.
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