Stuff

Stuff has become a frequent topic at our house. It seems to have taken over our lives, consuming vast quantities of space in our large, old house and weighing down on us mentally.

Our “stuff” has been accumulated over our lifetimes. Some stuff we’ve collected—the knick-knacks and trinkets from our travels around the world. Some stuff we’ve inherited—household items, photos, furniture, tools. Some stuff we’ve saved because we thought the kids might want it some day—toys, books, puzzles, high school memorabilia. We have old computers and various parts to computers that maybe could be used for repairs. Odds and ends of lumber, screws, nails, etc., are in boxes and bins as they might come in handy for the next remodeling job. And on and on it goes.

Last summer, we held a garage sale to decrease the quantity of stuff we owned. Out of the attic came two boxes that we hadn’t seen in years. Once opened, we discovered items that had been packed away 30 years ago—when we moved to Japan in 1980—and we hadn’t missed any of it!

So, stuff is slowly but surely leaving our home. Every week, a bag goes out with odds and ends. Useable items are being donated to people who really need them. Photos are being distributed to family members that would like them, and the ones with people that can’t be identified are gone. Recycling programs have been great to get the electronic gear out of here, and remodeling projects are being completed and the leftover remnants are being tossed.

We still have a long way to go, but we already are feeling lighter and less weighed down. It feels good to have less stuff!