Why does my life generate so much paper?

[crispini]

I can't STAND it. All the junk mail, bills, things I print out, file folders. All the CRAP in general; I own more STUFF than I do furniture -- if that makes any sense, it's just books and knicknacks and art and useful things... I get so tired of it all, but then again, when I go to try and throw a lot of it out, someone gave it to me, or I bought it in a faraway location, or somesuch.

I'm getting better-- really I am-- but why, o, WHY, do I still feel like I am drowning in a sea of STUFF?!

[texastoast]

1. Cuz you are

Like me. My attic is full of stuff I've forgotten about until I try to clean it out. "Oh, but that was my mom's." "Someday, I'm going to make a scrapbook for my kid." "Those tins will be very valuable someday when taken to Antiques Roadshow." "But that was from my first love." Etc.

Once you bring yourself to put it in a donation box, you forget you had it. Mostly.

[notadmblnd]

4. I always go looking for it later

cause I'm sure I wouldn't throw it away. Or would I? Did I? Maybe I did. Can't remember.

[crispini]

5. I do that too!

There are several books I had YEARS ago and I don't know where they are. I think, "I wouldn't have taken THAT book to Half Price... would I?"

[notadmblnd]

7. I would never throw a book away

I always go back and re- read them. I have a shelf going upstairs to the dormer stacked about 4 feet high with books. It's not a good one... but It's my system and I know where everyone is. I was shocked when I went up there today and saw all the cobwebs. man I;ve really been falling down on the dusting up there.

[crispini]

9. Oh, man, if I didn't take books to Half Price

I'd have them running out my ears. That's my worst bad habit, books. They just sort of turn up at my house like lost kittens or something. :shrug:

[notadmblnd]

10. I buy every single one 90% hardback

I really should have someone build me a nice bookshelf in my bedroom then I could keep them all close.

[notadmblnd]

2. you're suffering from Packratitis

I suffer from the same disease. When it starts to close in on me I do de-junk but it always re-accumulates. some days it's as if the stuff falls from the ceiling.

[izzie]

3. Yes and most of it you have left all over my house.! !

You are driving me nuts with it all.

[crispini]

6. LOL! nt

[crispini]

8. I am also blaming the recycling.

It would help if I could just throw stuff out and didn't feel compelled to make sure it got to the right recycling place.

But that would be BAD..... :sigh:

[StopTheMorans]

11. Kleeb.

[crispini]

12. You are completely correct, sir! It's all Kleeb's fault!

:hug: Howdy!

[StopTheMorans]

13. Hey Crispini! good to see you

how did the Man like his tie? :7 :hug:

[crispini]

14. Hi Morans!

I come by here every day, I just don't say much. :hug:

Re: tie.... I guess we'll find out. :evilgrin: He's on vacation this week. If only I had a spy at MSNBC.... heh heh heh.

[koneko]

15. I feel your pain

I, too, am a packrat.

But I've come up with a system. . .

Every 6 months, I pack up a box of stuff I haven't touched in a while. I label the box, and put it in storage. 6 months later, if I haven't gone looking for the items in the box, the whole thing gets donated. If I have gone into the box, only the item searched for stays with me.

I have put metal utility shelving in the basement, which is filled with plastic crates. In addition to crates of seasonal stuff, I have 'rotation' crates - with different candleholders & knickknacks. Every few months, I switch things up a bit. That way, the house is less cluttered, and I get to enjoy stuff.

Of course, much of this is a dream of how I'd like things to run, since I always manage to accumulate more stuff. But it does make it better than it would have been otherwise, had I not made an effort.

Frustrating, isn't it?