A load

[vaneramos]

Despite the previous few posts about the cottage, we are of course back in Guelph, Brenna and I. Today was a cleaning day.

Big cleaning.

Last week the landlord asked us to clean out the basement. Over the weekend he hauled away five truckloads of the neighbours' junk. A few minutes ago he took away my single truckload, mostly empty boxes, some obsolete computer components, a monstrous CD tower, a broken chair, and a few heavy boxes of magazines.

Magazines. I've saved them obsessively for years. I can't afford to carry the weight of them anymore. I need to simplify my life, which partly depends on ejecting the detritus of too many years saving things. To the dump went hundreds of Canadian Geographics, National Geographics, cooking magazines, who knows what else, probably a fortune, but I haven't the patience to sort and figure out how else to dispose of them. A whole box of the Hanover Post from 1989 to 1991 when I worked as a reporter and columnist. I haven't looked at them since. What use are they?

I refused to handle two large boxes of Scientific American that got hit by sewage when the pipes burst two years ago. They're still in the basement, and the landlord can decide what to do with them. That filth is not my problem.

I only saved one box of old National Geographics, and a collection of Harrowsmith. I've reduced my basement storage pile by two-thirds.

Brenna and I also spent two hours cleaning the bedroom. We moved the double futon bunk, cleared all the litter underneath and vacuumed. I bet that's the second time I've vacuumed there in eight years. We sorted through a pile of boxes that filled one corner of the room, throwing out a number of books that were in bad shape. From that room we added four more boxes of junk to the truckload. I left the old TV on the curb, but without hope. People around here don't stop for junk.

The bedroom still needs work, but a lot of clutter, both physical and psychological, has cleared.

I purposely did this when Brenna was around. She made helpful decisions about books, clothing and whatnot. Also, she saw my grandmother's mantle clock destined for the dump and persuaded me to save it. She didn't know who it came from, only that it looked interesting and valuable, even though it doesn't work. One small concession to nostalgia.

Comments

[clairenolen.livejournal.com]

i LOVE to throw things out. In fact Corry is always very suspicious when i'm on tour with garbage bags in the house, because she assumes i would simply empty out the house from under her.......LOLOL
we'd love to see you and Marian, Van.
whenever it fits into your travelling plans.....;-)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear someone else likes throwing things out! It doesn't come easily to me, but I need to simplify my life, and this is one thing that will help. Even when I think about moving to a better place, I'm held back by the spectre of so many belongings to move. That burden just got a little lighter.

[blue-by-you.livejournal.com]

I love getting rid of clutter but for some reason, I just can't throw magazines away, either. I look at it and think, I'm sure there's something I should read in here...

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I've felt that way for years. Especially with the Scientific Americans, I always thought, "I'll need these to research an article." Now it's way easier to look things up on the internet, and if I need a specific article, all these magazines are available on microfiche in libraries. Anyway, I sent a load of shoulds to the dump yesterday, and my life feels a little lighter.

[blt4success66.livejournal.com]

I know it's probably too late but next time, if there is a next time, you have extra magazines and such, I would encourage you to donate them to a shelter or retirement home. Usually that information is still rather good and can be used as a "free" source of entertainment.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

That is a good idea.

[blt4success66.livejournal.com]

Thank you, we have a place called "Children's Inn" where we take "retired" books and such to so they can use them for their children. Granted, they aren't new but they don't turn them away either.

Here's an idea

[weebax.livejournal.com]

See if you can donate some of those reading materials to a local charity or libarary. I know alot of schools around here would love to get their hands on those magazines especially in the poorer districts.

Re: Here's an idea

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's a good idea.