Are these 2 tendencies at odd with each other?
I am not talking about the extreme (yes, I do watch "Hoarders").
I'm talking about a mich milder version, like few unneeded boxes, overstuffed closets and dressers, etc...
You "may" need an item. It is a perfectly good item. There is no reason to throw it out, except you have not needed it in 2 years.
But what if you do? You'll have to go out and buy it again.
Same with clothing. I'd go "oh, I may gain/loose enough weight to wear it again"
Or you just don't like it. (but you paid "good money" for it). Or you got them as gifts. Oh, I hate those. I can't throw it away (they are brand new and I have a problem with this from an environmental standpoint) but I JUST DON"T WANT any candles, frames, diffusers or nicknacks. So into the cabinets they go.
Oh, I wish I could have a garage sale! you people are lucky to just be able to have them.
Anyway, my struggle is that I like zen like decor. Natural, not ornate, not cluttered space. But the frugal me is holding on to stuff that makes place less "zen" than I would like.
Frugality and hoarding?
October 3rd, 2011 at 04:26 pm
October 3rd, 2011 at 04:35 pm 1317659723
October 3rd, 2011 at 04:35 pm 1317659740
I'd suggest ebay or craigslist since you can't have a garage sale. And for things that you cannot sell, donate!
In all the things I've gotten rid of over the years, there may only be one thing I regretted. And today as I write this, I'm not even sure what that was. I feel pretty confident I'm not out rebuying stuff I've given away either.
October 3rd, 2011 at 05:23 pm 1317662597
October 3rd, 2011 at 05:28 pm 1317662910
I remember reading in a Japan wabi-sabi style book that to make it work you must be ruthless. Only stuff that you enjoy to the hilt* makes the cut, and only one of it. The other bit that I gleamed from is that one solution is to have a storage shed (of course), but that storage shed is arranged in four parts. Stuff you enjoy during the 1. winter, 2. spring, 3. summer, 4. fall. You pick a day or two and swap out the seasonal stuff with the next seasonal stuff.
*even if somebody gave it to you, you still must enjoy it to the hilt ... family politics did not count, or the owner of the family samurai sword must have used it on the complainers.
October 3rd, 2011 at 05:51 pm 1317664308
October 3rd, 2011 at 06:30 pm 1317666624
For instance, about 20 pairs of socks, my camera case, shirts I could actually wear and all the extra shoes the puppies ate.
So its not the hording, its the having so much stuff you don't know what you have.
October 3rd, 2011 at 06:40 pm 1317667248
We are currently going thru "stuff reduction" and eBay and Craigslist has been wonderful! eBay for clothing and electronics, Craigslist for furniture, odds n ends, etc.
October 4th, 2011 at 07:09 am 1317712146