I was up until almost one a.m. sorting the kitchen, my side of the master closet and the scrapbook room. I made a lot of progress, but it's not enough. My plan right now is to go through each room once and purge what's easy to purge. Then once I have an idea of what's left to deal with, I'll go through a second time and make the tougher choices.
I'm struggling the most with things that trigger memories. A Christmas gift from our first Christmas together or an item that belonged to a loved one that passed away. The item itself has no value, but the memories are priceless. I have honestly carried around a microwave hot dog cooker for 17 years! Why would anyone do this??? Wayne gave it to me for Christmas the first year we were married. I never use it, but it's so funny to think that he actually gave me a microwave hot dog cooker as a serious gift. LOL! Every time I see it I laugh and think of what a dork he used to be. What do I do? It doesn't take up much space.
You see, this is the problem I have... A few bazillion items that don't take up much space on their own, but there's power in numbers, people. Thousands of items that have had the the power to take over my life. There's a story to go with each item that I have been hauling around for the past 17 years. And we move around like gypsies, so this really is pure insanity! Yes, that's exactly what it is. Isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results? LOL
So I have a plan. It involves a camera... It's not my idea, so I can't take the credit, but it's a pretty darn good one. I heard of doing this a long time ago and it sounded good then, but I just wasn't ready to let go at the time. Back to the plan:
I am going to photograph sentimental items. I'll put all the photos in an album and journal a memory that goes with the item. This way I won't have the actual stuff, but I won't lose the little smile I get when I think of the item. Who needs a microwave hot dog cooker anyway? All I really need is that little sentimental twinge and the warm memory that comes back to me every time I remember our first Christmas as husband and wife.
Love it -- good conclusion -- you and that camera! My idea exactly. I am just glad that you have no value or use for a hot dog cooker. Then, I would truly be worried... a hot dog addiction is WAY worse. :)
ReplyDeleteBTW, "what a dork he used to be" might be slightly delusional... you can only change so much.
As I started reading, my first thought was, "She should just take a picture of the thing!" Great minds really must think alike! :) I actually kinda did the same thing not too long ago. Once I started FB, I found all those old HS and BYU pictures. After I scanned them all and posted them, I FINALLY just threw them all out!!! Every last one! It was just a couple of shoe boxes, but I can't tell you how good it felt to be rid of them. Now if I ever want to see you in a pyramid again, I can just log on to FB. :)
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