I was aiming to make this article 500 words in length, and succeeded, according to https://wordcounter.net/. I've excluded the title and subtitle, and included the footnote. A piece of 500 words is known as a Pentadrabble, because it's five times the length of a drabble, which is officially deemed to be a piece of 100 words.
I relate to EVERYTHING you've said here, Terry! I don't know how our shed does it, but after every half-hearted clear-out its contents begin to expand the moment our backs are turned.... 😡
I agree that stuff breeds more stuff, and as you pointed out, sometimes after one clears out a pile of something, 3 or 4 more somethings take its pace. Mysterious! Also, one of the things I like about this post is how efficiently you write within the Pentadrabble. Top drawer.
P.S. I noticed your new Sub-photo, the youngest version of the three in the running. Very nice!
P.P.S. Pentadrabble and drabble are new words for me and I love them.
At 54, I purged my lifelong possessions when moving out of state. If I hurry, I should be able to gain it all back by 75 or so. We accumulate stuff much faster than we let it go. 😬
I kept the things that mattered most and not much more. I don’t know if it’s courage or common sense. Maybe we’re attached to our attachments and not the object of the attachment? 🤔
I think Freedman's law is one of those universal laws because, just as we tend to spend as much money as we have to spend and use as much time as we have to use, over at this house we also fully utilize whatever space there is to fill up!
I am purging slowly, if that is not a contradiction in terms. Thanks, Prue. Would I be correct in assuming you speak from experience? If so, how did you do it: one big clear-out into a skip, or gradually over time?
We've moved often in our lives which helped greatly. But when it came to the big downsize and also emptying my parents' home, we have a ute and big trailer, but we would have hired a skip if not.
We would just divide things into recycle shop, rubbish and re-usables. Husband and self are very strict - papers kept for the legal time for tax, my book research in marked folders and catalogued in the office, ditto his papers (he refines his every couple of years), clothes out which haven't been worn for 12 months, household goods - if they really mean something and there is honestly an acceptable place for them, keep. Otherwise out. Books - only those that I truly love - eg: rereads, research and coffee table books. The rest went to secondhand booksellers.
The sense of freedom is astonishing! We can breathe!
Covid helped as we found we needed barely anything and it taught us a big lesson in frippery.
Thanks, Prue. I'm doing some of that, but slowly. I get rid of clothes when they are about to fall to pieces. One reason is not wanting to waste stuff, bvut another reason is that clothes that stopped fitting me now DO fit me because there's less off me. I'm a real-life version of the Incredible Shrinking Man. That's not going as fast as I'd like either.
There's so much stuff I need to get rid of. I've had a go in the past - and am at the moment regretting saying goodbye to some of my books - also a lot of clothes which I thought would never fit me again, but I've shrunk, so wish I'd kept them.
I have plenty of stuff that is - and never will be - of any use again, though. I really need to tackle that lot! 🤣
Terrifying isn’t it? So glad to know it’s not just me. And my sister. We assumed it was hereditary, but maybe it is ‘elemental’! (Oh! Hello 8-year-old Terry! Lovely to see you here. Enjoy your weekend. 😃🤗)
The more we collect, like dust; the more we shed like skin flakes. No matter how much we clean house there is always more to store. As one ages down size is the way to go. Take what you need in a backpack. Travels in a journal written for posterity and no storage fees. I wonder did you trim the clematis?
I can relate! We have a wonderful large storage area under one part of the house that when we moved here seemed so vast. Now you have to angle yourself to walk from one end to the other, dodging this that and the other.
Oh yes, stuff does accumulate, especially the paperwork. We are having guests tonight and my wife asked me to go through the mail and paperwork on the kitchen counter. I went through the stack and couldn't find a thing to put in the trash so I brought the whole stack out to the shed!
I was aiming to make this article 500 words in length, and succeeded, according to https://wordcounter.net/. I've excluded the title and subtitle, and included the footnote. A piece of 500 words is known as a Pentadrabble, because it's five times the length of a drabble, which is officially deemed to be a piece of 100 words.
I learn so much from you, Terry! Drabble and pentadrabble - wonderful!!!
aw shucks
Is a drabble a real thing?
Yes. It was based on a monty python game in their 1971 big red book, and in the 1980s a university SF society set the length at 100 words 😀
I relate to EVERYTHING you've said here, Terry! I don't know how our shed does it, but after every half-hearted clear-out its contents begin to expand the moment our backs are turned.... 😡
Ours does it through conversations like this:
E: Do we need to keep these plastic yoghurt pots?
Me: Well they might come in handy.
E: But they take up too much space here.
Me: Should I put them in the shed?
E: Yes.
🤣
I’ve got to the stage where I have to sneak things into the shed without reference to a higher authority. Don’t tell him, will you?! 😉
I agree that stuff breeds more stuff, and as you pointed out, sometimes after one clears out a pile of something, 3 or 4 more somethings take its pace. Mysterious! Also, one of the things I like about this post is how efficiently you write within the Pentadrabble. Top drawer.
P.S. I noticed your new Sub-photo, the youngest version of the three in the running. Very nice!
P.P.S. Pentadrabble and drabble are new words for me and I love them.
Thanks, thanks and thanks, Beth. And there are more words to come!
A relatable pentadrabble, indeed!
At 54, I purged my lifelong possessions when moving out of state. If I hurry, I should be able to gain it all back by 75 or so. We accumulate stuff much faster than we let it go. 😬
Wow, Ms. Writer! Huge respect - and admiration! I need to do the same.....
very admirable, that’s for sure
Do you miss it? That sounds like a very brave thing to do.
I kept the things that mattered most and not much more. I don’t know if it’s courage or common sense. Maybe we’re attached to our attachments and not the object of the attachment? 🤔
Good point. Profound too, because perhaps that attachment to the idea of attachment reflects our self-image?
I think you’re on to something there!
I think Freedman's law is one of those universal laws because, just as we tend to spend as much money as we have to spend and use as much time as we have to use, over at this house we also fully utilize whatever space there is to fill up!
I agree, Donna. It seems to have a wide range of applications!
Purge your life, Terry. Purge! It's a wonderful feeling. Be brave...
I am purging slowly, if that is not a contradiction in terms. Thanks, Prue. Would I be correct in assuming you speak from experience? If so, how did you do it: one big clear-out into a skip, or gradually over time?
We've moved often in our lives which helped greatly. But when it came to the big downsize and also emptying my parents' home, we have a ute and big trailer, but we would have hired a skip if not.
We would just divide things into recycle shop, rubbish and re-usables. Husband and self are very strict - papers kept for the legal time for tax, my book research in marked folders and catalogued in the office, ditto his papers (he refines his every couple of years), clothes out which haven't been worn for 12 months, household goods - if they really mean something and there is honestly an acceptable place for them, keep. Otherwise out. Books - only those that I truly love - eg: rereads, research and coffee table books. The rest went to secondhand booksellers.
The sense of freedom is astonishing! We can breathe!
Covid helped as we found we needed barely anything and it taught us a big lesson in frippery.
Be bold, be brave and head to the refuse centre!
Thanks, Prue. I'm doing some of that, but slowly. I get rid of clothes when they are about to fall to pieces. One reason is not wanting to waste stuff, bvut another reason is that clothes that stopped fitting me now DO fit me because there's less off me. I'm a real-life version of the Incredible Shrinking Man. That's not going as fast as I'd like either.
A fantastic system, Prue - I'm in awe!
There's so much stuff I need to get rid of. I've had a go in the past - and am at the moment regretting saying goodbye to some of my books - also a lot of clothes which I thought would never fit me again, but I've shrunk, so wish I'd kept them.
I have plenty of stuff that is - and never will be - of any use again, though. I really need to tackle that lot! 🤣
I find that as soon as I get rid of a book or other article then the very next day I need it for something.
Yup.
Terrifying isn’t it? So glad to know it’s not just me. And my sister. We assumed it was hereditary, but maybe it is ‘elemental’! (Oh! Hello 8-year-old Terry! Lovely to see you here. Enjoy your weekend. 😃🤗)
Maybe it's both! And thanks, you too. Chortle
Try as we might to purge stuff accumulates like dust. Theres a Stuff Fairy who laughs at us all.
Stuff Fairy: 🤣
The more we collect, like dust; the more we shed like skin flakes. No matter how much we clean house there is always more to store. As one ages down size is the way to go. Take what you need in a backpack. Travels in a journal written for posterity and no storage fees. I wonder did you trim the clematis?
sensible advice, Richard, but so hard to achieve (quickly). Yes!
I can relate! We have a wonderful large storage area under one part of the house that when we moved here seemed so vast. Now you have to angle yourself to walk from one end to the other, dodging this that and the other.
😁
Oh yes, stuff does accumulate, especially the paperwork. We are having guests tonight and my wife asked me to go through the mail and paperwork on the kitchen counter. I went through the stack and couldn't find a thing to put in the trash so I brought the whole stack out to the shed!
Ah, yes! I call a stack of that kind of stuff 'a pile of denial'. I am overrun with them.... 🙄
a pile of denial: 😁
The most sensible solution by far!
LOL. I agree, Drew, same thing happens here. It sounds very Arthurian, doesn't it, like Pendragon.