BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Organization Dealing w/stuff from Storage - 15 minute Timer Day

I still vote for keeping the rocking chair. (I really, really miss mine!)

In all seriousness, though - Jilly are you close by any of your family that you could leave some of your antiques with them?

Michelle, my whole immediate family has this same packrat/hoarder problem. Neither my parents nor my sister would take on the slightest item for me; nor would i for them. It would be enabling of the worst kind! :-)

I think i have to let the rocking chair go, as Lisa suggested. It is really HUGE. Let me ponder this. I also have to think about letting go of the antique jeweler's desk that my father used to make jewelry on (and right, mom and dad won't take it back, LOL).

I *might* be able to keep the pie safe, though. It might work inside the RV instead of some wooden boxes I was using for storing things. Just not sure how to keep it from tipping heavily over every time I drive. Bungie-ing it to the wall won't work - the wall isn't strong enough.

Then there is my Milk Glass collection and my native american pottery. I will think about what to do with these tomorrow. I have a lot of smalls, as they say in the industry. :-)

I will have to weigh the small stuff carefully for usability and lovability, as Angie suggested.

UGH! I'm over here wishing I could take your rocking chair for you. It would definitely receive a good loving home here - and you could visit it anytime you like!

All the time!!! I need a secretary, housekeeper, dog walker, accountant, manager, cook, chauffeur, someone to pack all my pics and cards for sending off (I hate doing that), an organizer and an agent.

But I expect I'll get somewhere or other eventually all by myself...

Eek!

Jill and all,

This may not help answer your questions about specific items, and it's a pretty broad bit of advice, but you might find it useful nonetheless.

When I'm working with clients who are struggling with decisions about what to keep and what to let go of, the question I ask them about every single thing is this: "Does this item deserve to live with you?"

Not "Should you keep this?" or "Could this be useful someday?" or "Did you pay good money for this?" or "Are there memories associated with this?" or "Did someone give this to you as a gift?" Those are all reasons we often tend to hold onto stuff, but far more often than not, keeping something because of any of those reasons will seriously bog you down.

Jill, you're living in a small space, and while it sounds like there may be a house or apartment somewhere in your future, that's not right around the corner, yes?

Given that, you have the right to claim every inch of your living space for things that fully and absolutely and unquestionably deserve to live with you. Filling your RV with things you're on the fence about will, I'm willing to bet, bring you down--not to mention make you feel crowded out of your home.

I know this process isn't easy, especially when you're trying to do it alone. It sounds like you're getting some great support here on the forum. You might also consider enlisting a supportive, non-judgmental friend to simply hang out while you go through the process of sorting and weeding your stuff. He or she doesn't necessarily need to do a thing other than be present with you while you do this work. Sounds overly simplistic, but it often makes a huge difference.

Good luck as you continue to chip away at this.

Best,
Emily

Jilly is there a historical society nearby that might put a few of the older things in a museum?

Michelle, if you come out here you can have my rocking chair. :-)

Lisa, that is an interesting idea about the historical society. I will look into it.

Susan, hee, i think we are in the same predicament. Except you forgot Masseuse. I looked at your art blog, BTW - lovely works! You have a very sensitive style.

Emily, i do remind myself of these things - do i love it? Do i use it? But your question is interesting: "Does this item deserve to live with you?"

I am not sure what you mean by that but would like to know more of your view on it.

I don't expect to be living in a house or apartment for possibly a decade or more. The RVing thing seems to be perfect for me, unless somehow Dan and I start making a ton of cash on his projects and we get a little cabin somewhere. It could happen. But I do think if that is the case then I'll be able to afford more things if I sell them off now. I really should not be enabling my hoarding with the idea that i might have a cabin somewhere, someday. :-)

Still dream of your cabin one day Jilly - but think of the perfect items for you that will be in there, not what you would be willing to settle for.

(I have a friend in Tolleson, AZ. Is that anywhere near Flagstaff? I might have to wheedle him into getting that rocking chair from you!)

I do not know where Tolleson is, but pretty much anything in the state is just a few hours drive, so you may as well ask him. But then how will you get it?

Good thinking on the dreaming of perfect items. I don't HAVE to use these things. And i may NOT have a house for a long long time...if ever. And it could be anywhere in the world...so why would i want to drag stuff around?

I have to remind myself of these things and not just hoard everything!

Jill, here's how I come to an answer on the "Does it deserve to live with me?" question:

* Do I unabashedly love this thing?
* Do I use this on a regular basis? If it's a special occasion item, have I used it within the past year?
* Based on the vision and goals I have for my life as I'm living it right now (not 5 years from now, not last year, not 5 years back), does this thing support me?
* Do I feel good when I look at/use/interact with this thing, or does it make me feel guilty, annoyed, angry, regretful, bad about myself, like I made a mistake?
* Is this thing worth the time, effort, space, and energy it takes me to store it and take care of it?

I think it's well worth acknowledging and honoring the emotions that come up when sorting through stuff--especially heady emotions like nostalgia. The true payoff comes when you're able to make the tough (but immensely valuable) decision not to be held back by those emotions.

Best,
Emily