Stuff and the Purging of Stuff

My in-laws have actually made the term "Dornbushing" into a word that means "the random and apparently capricious act of disposing any item that might possibly not be of any use in the near or foreseeable future." You can use the word as "dornbushed" as in "he dornbushed my soda" as well. It is something that I do. I just can't deal with having things around that serve no purpose or that might some day years from now, serve a purpose.

I like to lead an uncluttered life. I want a minimal amount of things in a space. I don't want it to not have a function beyond just its form (all furniture such also have a storage capacity as well). I'll get rid of things on a pretty regular basis if I know that they are not passing the 12 month test. If it hasn't been used in 12 months it is a pretty good indication that it is not going to be used in the next 12 (or the next 12 . . .) either. I have been wrong, I have made mistakes, but I can't think of any that really stand out.

Some people think of me as ruthless. A stealer of memories. I don't need the object to hold the memory for me. I hold that in my head and in my heart. I don't even take a lot of pictures. I want to remember those moments for what they are as they happen and as I remember them at that point in time. I know that I do not come by this genetically at all.

My parents keep a lot of things. 100s of cookbooks, 1000s of N-scale trains, 50+ little houses, a fabric store worth of material, and the list goes on. They have gone through the items and gotten rid of them as the years have progressed. Their retirement gave them the opportunity to finally have a collection of something. It was no longer about meeting the needs of a hungry populace, it was a chance to be a kid and have that something that you always wanted.

I can say that I have wanted stuff. I like electronics and cars, the big ticket items, but I rarely upgrade them. I'll pay for skates for my girls, I'll make sure Cal can earn money for something he wants, but I will cheapskate myself from time to time. Lately, working on the house has allowed me to splurge on myself without feeling like that was what I was doing. It has something to do with an inner drive to make it better because I know I can.

Each time I get the opportunity to pass something on I often think about what the item might bring in terms of monetary value. I've posted some items on Craigslist, I've made a bit of money on the garage sale circuit. I really enjoy taking loads to Goodwill or other organizations that I know will repurpose and reuse this material for the sake of those who don't have it like me. It is like a year round Christmas effect, the giving never stops.

I'm in charge of emptying my grandmother's apartment. We have done a great job of going through the keepsakes, making sure that children or grandchildren or greats, got something that they might of wanted. We have also been able to take care of a great number of folks in need. I've been to Goodwill twice, I'll be at the women's shelter tomorrow, and back at Goodwill, and at my sisters, all in the name of spreading the usefulness of this stuff to those who need it. I'm enjoying this opportunity to "dornbush" all that I can.