Ely's moving. I am too. And right now there is a gloom cloud of curse words over my head that basically says "Where the f*@+ did all this s#!^ come from?"
Now it's true I've been married for decades and raised four kids. It's also true that somehow our house became the repository for ugly bridesmaids dresses, soccer cleats with clumps of dirt still attached, wrestling championship certificates and extra wedding invitations. I seem to have a problem throwing things away, which is why I've enlisted the enforcer, my oldest daughter Sarah, who reminds me that I don't have a VCR anymore, or a cassette player either as she tosses tapes into trash bags. Since time is of the essence (the movers come next Monday), she tells me we can go over the odd papers and pictures she's saved when we're settled in the new house. But really, if I haven't looked at the remains of my life in years, she probably should just get rid of it all.
To complicate matters, my husband is recovering from major surgery and I'm in the middle of promoting two books. The Vixens have been invaluable helping me with everything...hm, I wonder if they want to go through my closets. *g*
I have gathered up enormous numbers of books. The Vixens and I sometimes trade books, even if it doesn't make a lot of sense shipping things to and from upstate New York and Canada. But I decided to donate everything to my public library and the local thrift shop Touch of Class, which is sponsored by Work First, a non-profit organization that assists the developmentally disabled. I'm loathe to estimate the amount of money tied up in those black Hefty trash bags. Let's just say no matter what I earn as a writer, I'll always be playing catch-up. :)
Are you on a book budget? What do you do with "outgrown" books? Please don't send them to me.
Reminder in the Shameless Self-Promotion Department: One more day for a chance to win an ARC of Margaret Rowe's Tempting Eden. Just make a comment on Maggie Robinson's blog. Also, see contest pages for more ways to win Mistress by Mistake and Tempting Eden.
11 comments:
No!!!! I don't want a peak into your closets!
I weed through my books a couple times a year and get rid of the ones I can part with. I really have a problem parting with books, though (I think I own a few thousand at this point) Some of it is fiction, some of it research.
I've got six massive book cases filled (double stacked and crammed full) that does not include the books everywhere else in stacks in my apartment, on top of the linen cabinet, the dresser, the piano, the radiators, the tables, the TV unit the nightstand. I'm so bad. But I have a hard time parting with books. I've slowed down in buying at least. That is something, right?
The ones I don't keep I give to friends and family.
I'm good at getting rid of other things. Clothes I haven't worn in a year even though I still love the item, go in the charity bag. I try de-cluttering my house a couple times a year... my problem is the books :) I don't think that problem is going to go away.
I'm SCARED to ever move. I didn't even have HALF this many books when I moved in this place.
Ah, clutter. I want the new place to look sleek and pristine. Fat chance. The only thing keeping me going is this will be the last move ever. The kids will be packing me up when I go to the nurisng home/undertaker's gurney.
I'm like Tiff; I weed through mine a couple times a year too. Usually when my husband starts complaining that they're eeking off the bookshelves and threatening to absorb our bedroom.
I just went through the house and had a big garage sale (ahhh... nesting...). I managed to sell/donate three boxes of books then. So, that made me feel pretty good.
I definitely try to clean out the closets and "purge" a few times a year--and I'm about due.
Good luck! Just think how much freer you'll feel when it's done and you're sitting back, enjoying the new place!
Maggie, moving is such a PITA. I said last time I moved---about two years ago---that I never wanted to move again. LOL. And I threw away a lot of junk. Muscles that I didn't know exist hurt so bad and I've been so exhausted from all of it. I can't even imagine what it's like to pack a house and move. I mean, we moved once as a family right before my senior year but we were still in the same school district.
Marnee, any baby news yet? I've been thinking about you.
Elyssa - no baby yet. :(
After an hour of kicks to my kidney last night, I mentioned that if he was dissatisfied with his accommodations he could feel free to exit the premises. I made a very logical argument.
It didn't work. Clearly he listens to me as well as the rest of the men in my family....
Good luck to both of you as your moving!!
Oh, and thanks for the thoughts, Elyssa. I'll keep you guys posted, promise. Though I'm sure you'll hear me shouting in joy all the way in NY/Canada.
I'm throwing 2 parties in the next couple of weeks (a bridal shower and graduation party). I started the cleaning process this week and was overwhelmed by the mountains of books in my sitting room. My habit has gotten way out of hand. I usually purge whenever I go the the UBS. Since my habit could very possibly bankrupt the household, I try to be very good about buying used along with using our local library.
Congrats on the move Maggie. If the picture posted is going to be your new digs I'm jealous. Looks lovely.
Keep Sarah close at hand - I have a sister like her and I've used her more than once when the clutter seemed to be overtaking me! People like that are worth their weight in gold, IMHO!
Maggie, I'm convinced books multiply while I'm sleeping. No matter how many I send to friends, give to the library, donate for the church youth group's yard sale, the bookcases still overflow.
I hope your move is as painless as possible, and that gorgeous house should make it all worth the effort.
Thanks, Janga. We had the closing today. Movers come on Monday and I ran out of tape again to close up the boxes...have bought 4 rolls of tape so far. Too much stuff!
Irish, Sarah has been unbelievably helpful. She wants to go through what she didn't throw away to find out who her relatives are in all the old pix.
Marnee, best of luck with the baby business. We want to know all about him/her!
I do not envy the moving, but I'm glad you have an Enforcer. That helps calm a person who doesn't like to part with things. Just in case you might need those 8-track tapes and whatnot.
My niece is doing that at the old farmhouse and keeps unearthing stuff of mine that didn't make it to the apartment. So I have the option of letting her keep it OR taking it home and going through it. *sighs* We've been doing half and half. Some stuff I'm glad to recover again. "Oh, I forgot about this! I need this!" Clearly I didn't. I've been living without it for a year and a half.
As for books, I try to hock them at the UBS. I only get 25% credit--and the books I buy are half off--so I can't bring back home nearly as many books as I hocked. If they can't be hocked, I try to give them away on Paperback Swap. It's an eye-for-an-eye, but sometimes I get really good books in return.
I try to be really selective in the books I buy though. I don't have Tiffany's self space.
I have a problem with DVDs. Those I should go through and cull, but I can't part with most of them. Why? I only watch about 10 DVDs regularly!
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