Ditching the “stuff”

When I get an “itch” to write, I often have no idea what I want to write. Sitting at my computer, I am eager to record memories (before I forget again!) or urge someone else, to capture their memories and share them with the rest of us…or simply share with their own family. It’s May and finally there is some warm weather. The grass is beginning to grow green and flowers are peeking out of the soil. It’s a time for renewal, cleaning and generally sprucing up before a (hopefully) long, hot summer. A few things were dragged to the dump this week and a large stash of books hauled off to the library. I remind myself stacked or boxed books in the attic aren’t doing anyone any good, and especially me. I have more space and less clutter as well as less guilt over buying books that I never used to their potential. I had books on writing, quilting, crafting, photography….books dedicated to unraveling the mysteries involved in those pursuits. And for the most part, I learned a few things. But there they were sitting in boxes or on shelves not used and benefiting no one! And yes, there was some fiction in the cast-off collection. Now I know at least someone can gain some benefit, even if it’s just the library selling them off to another reader. I hate collecting junk. And I have my fair share tucked away in the attic. A few keepsakes to be sure, but why do we keep them? To fawn over in the future to remember an event, a person or a place? There is outdated furniture, knickknacks, cast-off pocketbooks and totes. I have a great stash of fabric just waiting for the right project. I have craft supplies and equipment including my sewing machines, cutting and storing tables. You know the kind of stuff you might Need! Yet there is still some stuff that is simply that…stuff! What do you do with stuff? My stuff includes boxes of pictures from several family collections and years gone by…some of which I wasn’t around for or even know about. I have a grand plan to organize them all, scanning and digitizing, and sharing some for future generations. But how many pictures of unidentified rivers, streams and mountains do you really need long after they’ve passed into memory and forgetfulness? Remember when we always got duplicates to share? Did you really share or are you like me and still have twice as many pictures as you actually need? That’s part of the grand plan to eliminate duplicates and multiple shots from the same event or trip. The online photo sites let you turn pictures into books, albums or maybe a coffee mug, a tote bag or even a blanket. But there it is again more stuff! My Yankee background forces me, urges me, to be practical. I have to keep what can be used or share it with someone who can use it or wants it. But I think I really need to change the parameters and ditch some of the stuff that no one wants, needs or even thinks about anymore. I don’t need to be the perpetual storage unit for all castoff memories! This column/blog is to castoff some of the guilt that goes along with being the person tossing some of the memories. I “write it down” IF there is something to remember. I’ll try to digitize pictures of lost generations. I’ve shared castoff pictures of long ago memories, but once the bulk of what needs to be shared is actually shared or recorded…what’s left is GONE!