Blog: Purging is Fun
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Purging is Fun - Monday, January 22, 2024
In my previous blog entry, I mentioned that Priscilla and I are planning to move back to SoCal this year. Not one to scramble to start on things at the last minute (well, usually), I've been having us preemptively get rid of things that we don't want to take with us when we move. I don't like having a lot of stuff and so I've always liked getting rid of stuff, but this has given me renewed motivation and greater opportunity.
I started with my old textbooks from college that I thought I would read again someday. I've had some of those for almost 20 years and I don't think I've opened any of them since finishing the respective classes. Well, our local library was happy to (or reluctantly, I don't know) accept those for donation, despite them probably being out of date.
I also filled up an entire paper grocery bag with papers to recycle. This included old handouts from courses at work, old Sunday school notes, old music sheets from worship, and manuals for stuff we didn't have anymore. And that's not including the hundred or so papers with personal information that went to the shredder. I've also scanned a lot of these papers so that I can retain a digital version.
I also collected several expired medications and took them to CVS for disposal. Apparently they have a bin there, though I had to ask the pharmacist to unlock it. I guess they don't want people throwing just anything in there.
In just the last two weeks, I've given away so much stuff online. Most of it went to people on Nextdoor, though I've also given away a few things on Freecycle and Buy Nothing. The full list of stuff: blackout curtains, a Paint by Number set, single place dining ware (left by our last renter), the black faux leather futon that we bought after getting married, hygiene items that Priscilla got for free, floating candles, a purse, some yard stuff to one guy (he originally came for my 32 gallon garbage bin but I also gave him an animal trap and tiki torches), ski goggles, percussion pad and drum sticks, wicker basket drawers (we bought these for our renters), an ottoman with a matching footstool, our old Tuft & Needle full size mattress that we used for only 2.5 years, my old Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS sound card, 8 COVID antigen tests, resume paper, a Starbucks mug (this was the most popular item), and two 1-quart cans of paint that we were thinking of using to paint the fireplace but never did. And during this time, Priscilla gave away her bread maker, lots of burritos that she got for free from Safeway, and miscellaneous food items from the pantry.
Whew. We also want to give away our other garden furniture: the BBQ grill, patio table and chairs, and the wicker chest that's just holding the cushions for the patio chairs. We think we want to keep our portable fire pit, though.
Before we move, we'll also want to give away our pantry cabinet and secondary fridge (we also bought those for our renters), as well as our dining table and chairs. Priscilla has always wanted a dining table bigger than the one we have, i.e. one that can seat more than 4 people. We're hoping that the new house we buy will have more space, so no use in taking the old table with us. But we'll probably keep using this stuff until it's time to sell this place. And our sectional sofa, complete with a large depression in the spot where Priscilla sits every day, will probably be tossed during the city's annual cleanup in May (so that gives us sort of a soft deadline). We're guessing that nobody's going to want it, but who knows, since a lot of the stuff I've given away I also thought nobody would want!
Every item we get rid of brings us marginally closer to moving. We've been in the Bay Area for over a decade, but the timing and circumstances feel right to move back. We're mainly just waiting for the right house to come on the market. It all feels a bit surreal. During this time, we need to trust in God's timing and know that all will work out the way He intends. We should also not forgot to enjoy the time we have here, whether that's spending time with coworkers and church friends, visiting our favorite restaurants after hiking/running at our favorite open space preserves, or even just in finding satisfaction getting rid of things that we realize we never really needed that much in the first place.
I started with my old textbooks from college that I thought I would read again someday. I've had some of those for almost 20 years and I don't think I've opened any of them since finishing the respective classes. Well, our local library was happy to (or reluctantly, I don't know) accept those for donation, despite them probably being out of date.
I also filled up an entire paper grocery bag with papers to recycle. This included old handouts from courses at work, old Sunday school notes, old music sheets from worship, and manuals for stuff we didn't have anymore. And that's not including the hundred or so papers with personal information that went to the shredder. I've also scanned a lot of these papers so that I can retain a digital version.
I also collected several expired medications and took them to CVS for disposal. Apparently they have a bin there, though I had to ask the pharmacist to unlock it. I guess they don't want people throwing just anything in there.
In just the last two weeks, I've given away so much stuff online. Most of it went to people on Nextdoor, though I've also given away a few things on Freecycle and Buy Nothing. The full list of stuff: blackout curtains, a Paint by Number set, single place dining ware (left by our last renter), the black faux leather futon that we bought after getting married, hygiene items that Priscilla got for free, floating candles, a purse, some yard stuff to one guy (he originally came for my 32 gallon garbage bin but I also gave him an animal trap and tiki torches), ski goggles, percussion pad and drum sticks, wicker basket drawers (we bought these for our renters), an ottoman with a matching footstool, our old Tuft & Needle full size mattress that we used for only 2.5 years, my old Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS sound card, 8 COVID antigen tests, resume paper, a Starbucks mug (this was the most popular item), and two 1-quart cans of paint that we were thinking of using to paint the fireplace but never did. And during this time, Priscilla gave away her bread maker, lots of burritos that she got for free from Safeway, and miscellaneous food items from the pantry.
Whew. We also want to give away our other garden furniture: the BBQ grill, patio table and chairs, and the wicker chest that's just holding the cushions for the patio chairs. We think we want to keep our portable fire pit, though.
Before we move, we'll also want to give away our pantry cabinet and secondary fridge (we also bought those for our renters), as well as our dining table and chairs. Priscilla has always wanted a dining table bigger than the one we have, i.e. one that can seat more than 4 people. We're hoping that the new house we buy will have more space, so no use in taking the old table with us. But we'll probably keep using this stuff until it's time to sell this place. And our sectional sofa, complete with a large depression in the spot where Priscilla sits every day, will probably be tossed during the city's annual cleanup in May (so that gives us sort of a soft deadline). We're guessing that nobody's going to want it, but who knows, since a lot of the stuff I've given away I also thought nobody would want!
Every item we get rid of brings us marginally closer to moving. We've been in the Bay Area for over a decade, but the timing and circumstances feel right to move back. We're mainly just waiting for the right house to come on the market. It all feels a bit surreal. During this time, we need to trust in God's timing and know that all will work out the way He intends. We should also not forgot to enjoy the time we have here, whether that's spending time with coworkers and church friends, visiting our favorite restaurants after hiking/running at our favorite open space preserves, or even just in finding satisfaction getting rid of things that we realize we never really needed that much in the first place.