Getting Rid of Things

For most of our lives we amass things. We form collections of items that interest us or just collections of possessions we can't easily give up. But, at some time in our lives, we reach the age where we must stop collecting and start disposing of those things. We call it "clearing house" or "downsizing" but what we're really doing is preparing for death.

I'm not ready to leave this earth any time soon because I'm having too good a time but I always have it in the back of my mind that I don't want to leave my children with a huge mess to clear out. I have a five year plan which, at the end of each year, keeps being extended another five years.

My plan is to sell my house and move into an apartment in about five years but I'll stay in my present house as long as I can manage it. I also plan on selling my Florida trailer in about five years because I'm afraid I'll be too old then to safely drive there by myself. My daughter assured me that she'd drive me down when that time came. Sounds kindly but I think she just wants to make sure I'm out of her hair for the winter.

In the meantime I'm working steadily to clear my house of the most unnecessary things. It helps that I have a flea market stall because I can get rid of lots of stuff there. One man's junk is another man's treasure, right?

I just cleaned out the kitchen drawers and got rid of about 50 lbs. of unnecessary cutlery. There are now tidy drawers with only the minimum items needed by a lady who seldom cooks and who will never host a dinner party again. Even my fancy silverplate flatware went to my daughter who, luckily, has the same pattern. I even found a full set of my grandmother's silverplate flatware that I'd forgotten about and it will go to daughter #2. Daughter #3 is out of luck.

I've been in this house since 1968 and I think that's the cause of a lot of my problems. If I'd had to move a few times I would have disposed of some this stuff already. It's actually a little euphoric to lighten up the load of my possessions because it makes my house seem roomier and brighter.

We Canadians and Americans are an especially wasteful society. Because of our affluency in comparison to third world countries we acquire way too many things that we really don't need. I've never been much of a collector but the bulk of my excess possessions were impulse buys at yard sales and destined for the flea market. They were never meant to build up in the basement to the point where it bothers me to look at the pile.

Speaking of which...too many of those impulse buys have become items I love and don't want to give up. It's a vicious circle of acquiring, becoming attached to, and not having the true need or room to keep. I am a work in progress as I gradually give away, discard, or sell and one day my house will be neat and orderly.

That's my five year plan.