So we have so much junk it really isn't funny. I have never had so much stuff in my life. I am pretty certain each of my kids have more stuff than I ever had as a kid. I'm pretty certain 90% of what we own is completely unnecessary. The question is, what do I do with it all?
I know we don't need all of it. I know we should get rid of lots of it. I just don't know what I should do with it all.
We have literally boxes of clothes that our kids have out grown. I think I'd like to give those away to people that can use them. I know I could try and sell them. Even at a quarter per piece we'd make a killing. It seems like giving it to someone I know could use the clothes would be better than earning money selling just so we can buy more junk.
There are also a bunch of toys, gadgets, and other things that we don't need. What do you think. Should we try to sell them and donate the money to something useful or try donating the items?
Have you ever gone through your stuff and realized just how much junk you have? Ever think about what you could have done with your resources instead of gathering silly objects you don't really need? How do you deal with all your stuff?
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
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8 comments:
My wife and I recently moved into a significantly larger home (500sqft to 1500sqft) and filled it almost immediately with stuff. Where the heck did it all come from?! That's three times the junk space!
I think you should give away the clothing and such (it never sells well anyway) to a respectable place or find a family in need and give it anonymously.
As for gadgets and such... You might want to sell some of that stuff, but instead of just buying more junk, put it into a college fund or something. Buy some savings bonds for your kids. That's what my parents did, so now I have a backup just in case fund stored away...
Clothes are a necessity, but also an easy to come by commodity, so giving those away seems more practical. Don't give away things that other people don't need.
Wow, that was way more than I thought I wrote!
haha oh well.
wv: rednqual
It's the new movement on the part of the color red to be considered equal among the other primary colors. Blue and Yellow are upset though, because they've always felt left out by Red in the first place. It's a touchy subject. Especially for the mixed colors like Orange and Purple. They just don't know where to stand.
I have the same problem. With twins, I have two of everything and we will NOT be having twins again (right, God?) so I'd like to get rid of half the clothes we've outgrown, one of the bouncy chairs, half the toys, etc... but I can't find anyone who wants them! I'm going to ask one more neighbor who is pregnant with her first baby and if she doesn't want them, try and find a women's shelter and see if they need them. That's the only junk we have, though. We got rid of all our adult junk before we had the twins, so we had room for all the babies' stuff.
Um, by adult junk, I mean extra books, candles, clothing we don't wear, second TV, end table that didn't match, extra dressers, etc... not "adult junk" like that might sound.
Brian,
It is amazing how quickly you can fill up space. We moved from 500sq' to 1500sq' several years ago and somehow filled the place up in the move. It is like stuff multiplies in transit to fill the available space.
Luckygirl,
At one point my wife wanted twins, then after the first she changed her mind, but out son was born 10 months later (path less than 100% effective and 10 week early baby) so it has been like having twins a lot of the time. Actually we have never had less than 2 in diapers since he was born almost 5 years ago. The youngest daughter is potty training and once she gets it we will be down to one.
We were able to reuse a lot of our stuff, but those things are not designed for that level of use so a bunch of it is junk in the truest sense of the word. The baby swing has been through heavy use with 4 kids so I think we are going to let it out to pasture.
Good thing you got rid of all the adult junk. Not good to have that stuff around with a kid.
I have an entire room full of junk right now. It is my current project to try to get rid of some of it. My problem is that I "know" I'll need something as soon as I throw it out. Oh, well! It's going anyway. I don't have much by way of extra gadgets. What my family doesn't want will make it to Salvation Army or a similar organization.
CM,
I think that is the fear that drives most of us to keep our junk. Hmmm, that almost sounded spiritual.
I give away my junk on my blog. I also have a rule with my kids. They have so much. With toys, especially the dreaded dust mite infested stuffed animals, for every new one that comes in, another must go buh-bye. I know it sounds sort of hard nose, but how many stuffed animals do you need? Besides, my neighbor is a fireman, and they give them away to kids to help comfort them after a fire. The police have a similar program.
katdish,
I think I need the same rule with our kids ... and the adults too.
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