We recently converted our garage to more hangout space, which meant displacing everything we stored in there. It been a long, 10-12 year process of sorting and purging, mostly forced by repeated downsizing. This last bit we’ve done has enraged me at times as I find items that were lost so we purchased it again, and now we have two. Or we ordered something that we ended up not needing. And now we’re stuck trying to get rid of all this crap, and it all seems so unnecessary.
I’m trying to be patient with myself, though, now that I’ve learned more about the impulsivity of ADHD that Bryan and I both struggle with. These days we’re better about pausing and checking in with each other before buying something to make sure we really need it.
Love the idea of adding in the pause! Systems are set up all around us to encourage this impulsivity, and there's only so much we can do with willpower alone.
Here’s to anti-hoarding and giving away something every day— challenge accepted! (Does my grown kids’ stuff count?). And my turn to thank you for the shout out!
Thanks for the shout-out! I love how you're thinking about this, and even more so how you're making it practical and taking tangible steps toward investing in community instead of money / material stuff.
And amen to this: "We have things exactly backwards: we are rich in possessions but poor in community. In thinking our stuff will save us, we entomb ourselves with our possessions like modern-day pharaohs."
We recently converted our garage to more hangout space, which meant displacing everything we stored in there. It been a long, 10-12 year process of sorting and purging, mostly forced by repeated downsizing. This last bit we’ve done has enraged me at times as I find items that were lost so we purchased it again, and now we have two. Or we ordered something that we ended up not needing. And now we’re stuck trying to get rid of all this crap, and it all seems so unnecessary.
I’m trying to be patient with myself, though, now that I’ve learned more about the impulsivity of ADHD that Bryan and I both struggle with. These days we’re better about pausing and checking in with each other before buying something to make sure we really need it.
Love the idea of adding in the pause! Systems are set up all around us to encourage this impulsivity, and there's only so much we can do with willpower alone.
Here’s to anti-hoarding and giving away something every day— challenge accepted! (Does my grown kids’ stuff count?). And my turn to thank you for the shout out!
Sure it counts!
Thanks for the shout-out! I love how you're thinking about this, and even more so how you're making it practical and taking tangible steps toward investing in community instead of money / material stuff.
And amen to this: "We have things exactly backwards: we are rich in possessions but poor in community. In thinking our stuff will save us, we entomb ourselves with our possessions like modern-day pharaohs."
you're my inspiration! Thanks for your thoughts on anti-hoarding