Getting rid of old things

[vito]

I heard a discussion on the radio last night, led by an elderly Swedish woman, about the Swedish custom of getting rid of things that are not needed as one gets older. She said that by about age 65 one should be thinning their possessions down to what is important to them, getting rid of stuff stored in basements and attics that haven't been touched in years, so that relatives are spared the arduous task of going through all that stuff when you die. I've never been a big accumulator of things, having spent 24 years in the military and moving every two years or so is a great motivator to really clean out the unnecessary junk before moving. In the 27 plus years since I've left the military I've lived in three different homes, but even in the short 12 years that I have lived in my current house I guess I have put aside an awful lot of stuff that I might "someday" use. Things like extra legs to a sofa that I just haven't wanted to throw away, and coffee pots that still work but I stopped using when I bought my first Keurig. Or transformers for outdoor lighting that I haven't used, but have moved with, for over 20 years. And then there are the three full sets of golf clubs that I haven't touched in years and have no desire to ever use again.

So in thinking about this, I plan on starting later today with filling bags with the junk I don't need, will likely never use and don't want to burden my family with having to deal with after I am gone, which hopefully is still decades away. I'm not sure what to do about the midsized book collection I have, but which in honesty, I never look at again after reading the book the first time. I have at least hundreds of books that I placed on the built in bookshelves of my family room when I first moved into my current house 12 years ago, and have never touched since. Maybe I should find someone that will make use of these books, or just wait until Spring and hold a big garage sale.

I know when I mention this later to my dear wife she will laugh and say what about the guns I own, and even more to the point, the tools that I own and never use but never considered getting rid of. I will tell her that the guns are not up for discussion because I own so few (without every mentioning a number, of course)!

But the concept of "cleaning house" makes sense, not just for when I die, but for when I or we might downsize to a small condo instead of our big house. I'm thinking it might be invigorating to get rid of things that I have put in boxes over and over to move to another house, but then just put on a shelf somewhere to never be thought of again. Any of you on the forum having similar ideas or have relevant comments?

 

[GunnyGene]

Some things can be trashed, others donated to local charities, sold at yard sales, metal stuff can be sold to recyclers, etc. We do all of that. I suggest you begin by categorizing your stuff rather than just throwing it all in a dumpster.

 

[skeeter]

Will you start this conversation with my in-laws?

 

[DGW1949]

Everyone is different in terms of how they regard their old stuff.
Just speaking for myself, I don't have a problem getting rid of things which I no longer have a real need for. Depending on what it is, sometimes I give it away, or trade it for something I do need. Other times I'll sell it or haul it to the scrap metal yard.

In other words, if it's just stuff which has already served it's purpose, why stress over it?...that's how I see it.

DGW

 

[Fox Mike]

Hadn't really thought about it till you brought it to but I have TONS of accumulated "stuff". Perhaps I should look into getting rid of some of it. I have, in the garage, parts from autos that are not even maufactured anymore.

 

[vito]

I'm generally not sentimental over things, but some small items do have special value to me. I have a double sided crescent wrench that has to be close to 100 years old. My Dad said he had this most of his adult life, and after he died over 40 years ago it was one of the very few things I have of his. My Mom was so determined to "move on" after his death that she gave away or sold almost everything he owned without giving any of his children a chance to take anything. So my sister has his pipe, my brother has a hat of his, and I have his wrench. I still use it all the time, and while I could not care less about all of my other tools, this one wrench is something I want one of my children, or grandchildren to treasure as I have. But not much else has emotional value to me. And only one of my firearms has any special feeling to it, a S&W Model 19 I bought over 40 years ago. The stuff I plan to get rid of is just stuff, maybe things that I thought I might need or use someday, a someday which has not come, or something that I thought just seemed too good to just get rid of. And there are some silly things, some of which I think my kids might actually argue over. When my wife and I were getting ready to get married, almost 52 years ago, we bought some household basics to get started with, among them a bread knife. Right after we moved into our first apartment I laid the bread knife down on the stove top, burning a deep mark into the wood handle. I said to my new wife at the time, just throw it out and we'll get a new bread knife. She said it still was OK to use, and we still have it and use it to this day. Both of my daughter's have joked (maybe not a joke) that they would like this old bread knife when we decide to part with it or don't need it anymore. Its hard to know what things will take on sentimental value.

And then there is the set of car ramps that I bought about 30 years ago and used once, and have kept them in various garages over the years. Those will go for sure.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Yard sales and flee markets are a tough way to get rid of stuff. Some of our stuff might be too good to throw away or too unusual for charity and just right to sell but the job of holding a yard sale is just awful especially around here. We have tried eBay and that is really tough, with pictures and payments and shipping. I hate going through stuff but I have a whole garage full of junk. ----- Anybody want a 100 year old cow horn foot stool with nothing but the horns and deteriorated wood left?

 

[powder smoke]

Some peoples trash is other peoples treasure. Keep that in mind before heading
to the dumpster. You maybe surprised what some may consider valuable. ps

 

[Jeepnik]

Been in this house since '79. Plan on moving when I'm cremated.

I like my stuff, even the stuff I don't use. I plan to keep all of my stuff. If the kids don't want it they can give it away or throw it away.

 

[Poco Oso]

My ex-wife just solved this problem for me.

 

[WAYNO]

I don't dare suggest weeding out "our" stuff. My wife always responds, "why don't you get rid of "your" stuff?"

Tools are a huge issue for me. I am retired from the trades. As a pipefitter/plumber/sprinkler fitter/fire chief/millwright/auto mechanic as well as schooled and trained in many other trades, I had tools in my shops and multiple work areas, in my office, in satellite locations throughout the mill, at home, in my vehicles and in my garage. Power tools, hand tools, precision tools, measuring and layout equipment, it's endless. I have tried, but I just can't sell this stuff, at any price. Kids don't as often follow the trades route, and trades people already have tools. And if youngsters can't change a tire, they sure don't need a 36" pipe wrench or a 1-3/4" combination wrench.

Another issue concerning tools. I have a lot of rechargeable power tools from various manufacturers. In too many cases, replacement batteries for non-current power tools are a tremendous cost. The tools are in great shape, but they remain dormant because I cannot justify the cost of a new battery. But I cannot bring myself to toss this stuff.

Add to this, my Dad was quite a mechanic and cabinet maker. I have his tools, with nobody in the family to pass them on to.

I followed the gun shows for many years as a vendor. I bought and sold just about anything, firearms related. One day, I discovered gunshows were an expensive hobby. I never again set up a sales table, and I have all the stuff from then, as well as the stuff I buy nearly every day to support this habit, but much of it is put away in boxes that have not seen daylight for years or even decades. I just can't part with this stuff, either. It's all stored in neat stacks or on shelves, so it's really not in the way, but someday when my kids open these boxes, they're gonna think old Dad was a real fruitcake.

 

[Nite Ryder]

I think sometimes it's hard to realize none of us are going to live forever. I have kidney disease which is in it's last stages. Since August I've been in the hospital twice, once for pneumonia and once in November because I had so much fluid on my lungs I was having trouble breathing. My dialysis treatments isn't taking as much fluid out of my body as it should, so it's been a fight to keep a good mental attitude. If you own firearms it probably isn't a good idea to discuss some of the thoughts you may have with your doctor. I don't want the police coming to my home take my guns. I have more guns than anyone person needs, but I like them and I had a good income and could afford them. I've decided I will give some of my favorites to really close friends. I gave an unfired Browning 1895 in 30-06 caliber to a friend just before Christmas. I have young friend who is just getting interested in deer hunting. I gave him a new Cabela's hunting blind, and I think I will tell him I have another box of stuff he needs to pickup to help with his hunting efforts, in the box is a pair of Garmin Rino 120 walkie talkies, a Leopold range finder and some binoculars. I have all kinds of reloading supplies I need to get rid of. My poor wife is going to have a job on her hands, and I hate to burden her with that...

 

[blackhawknj]

The version I heard was:
"if you haven't worn it, used it, read it in a year, you don't need it."
A few years I cleaned out my winter coat closet, including a lot of my Army things. Years of pumping iron, and...they just didn't fit anymore. They went to my church and have new homes in Maine.

 

[Valmet]

I'm 36 and purge stuff fairly regularly. I'm lucky enough to have some nice things that I enjoy but I don't like to have excess "stuff." My father-in-law is a bonafide hoarder with sheds full of what is essentially junk. Not because it is inherently trash, but because none of it is ever taken care of.

 

[blackhawknj]

The philosophy of the pack rat was best summed by a High School classmate 50 years ago:
"Oops ! Might need that someday!"
A few years I made a neighborhood boy happy. His mother mentioned some of His McDonalds/Flintstone mugs had broken-I gave him TWO sets.

 

[redhawker]

For the books, a lot of libraries will take them and usually sell them at book sales a time or two a year. They might even keep a few that they don't have fir use at the library. We just donated about 25 boxes of books to our local library and a couple months after that they sent out an email saying they needed more books for their next used book sale.

 

[Muley Gil]

The best way to need some thing is to throw it away. Usually, within a week you'll find a need for it.

 

[coach]

We've been weeding out some. Way still too much accumulated in the garage and basement.

 

[bobski]

invite all your family and friends over and watch them choose things they want. youll get more satisfaction out of it than bagging it and trashing it.
don't forget habitat for humanity and goodwill for stuff they don't take.
then........put local ads and sell the rest.
whats left...........dumpster it.

been there doing that. now you know why I have surplus stuff ads running. you ought to see the tons of stuff on other auction websites im moving too.

heck, im selling off my loaner shotguns from my range too. I got them for people to use for free when they visited, but not enough people came for me to justify them existing anymore. away they go.
just sold one today btw.

I was never known for being one to think about things. I was always a doer. its that old navy cpo blood in me that gets things done. lol.

 

[exavid]

Oh... getting rid of old stuff. Phew. I thought you meant old people.