When we knew we were going to sell and downsize our lifestyle (though we hadn’t anticipated being quite this drastic!) we were pretty thorough with getting rid of ‘stuff’ we either hadn’t used for years, was worn out, didn’t like, didn’t work or didn’t fit.
We felt quite proud of what we had actually achieved and what needed to go into storage, but now we have to go through the lot again and be even more brutal.
I have said in early posts that I am a Jack Reacher fan.
I lied.
Well, not exactly, as I was, and every time Lee Child had a new book out, I bought it.
The last one, Never Go Back, was a disappointment, and I wonder whether it was actually written by Mr Child or an associate. To be honest, I have not been watching the bookshelves for the next one either. I have the first 18, and the lot will going to a charity shop.
Why, you may ask, if I was such an avid reader of this work.
Quite simply, TOM CRUISE.
I cannot read any of these novels/thrillers and drool over the 6’5 giant anymore since the horrendous casting of Mr Cruise as Reacher in the film version of ONE SHOT.
For me, the character has lost all credibility, and my once hero is now nothing more than a midget on stilts.
Another set to follow suit are my David Baldacci books.
I have collected them all, different characters, though some are sequential (The Camel Club series, King and Maxwell etc), but again, the last offering I read was a disappointment and I have lost interest.
Nora Roberts, Erica Spindler, Matthew Reilly, and the majority of my Sandra Brown library (I have 80 titles by her and most in my book, excuse pun, are now really tedious and annoying in their simpering female leads and over ego’d male counterparts) will all go. The latest offering is beyond my budget at almost £20, BUT the public library is less than a 10 minute walk away, so guess who’s going to sign up!
All of our videos will be donated to another charity shop, as will a lot of our DVDs and CDs.
We have decided to ditch the largest of my saucepans and our pressure cooker because we do not have a cupboard big enough to house them.
LPs, 45s, our turntable, video player (almost 20 years old), ghetto blaster, and clock radio will also be disposed of. We shall keep the little stereo system as it plays cassettes as well as CDs. Perhaps we can find a little corner for it in the ‘bedroom’.
We have no need for any of the furniture we dismantled, and hopefully the same charity as before will be interested in collecting it. Even Maggie’s plastic bed will be given away as there is nowhere to put it (not that she needs it anyway as she sleeps on the bed with us!)
Years ago, I crocheted three double throw overs for the beds.
I shall keep them to protect the seating area from Maggie’s moulting and the sun’s rays through the windows.
We have one large bag of clothes, and another full of coats.
There are two huge plastic containers full of bedding, towels and crockery. We have 5 mirrors, umpteen pictures, and boxes of ornaments and little knick knacks. All will have to be resorted, and we shall keep the precious little things that have special meaning in our lives.
We have a lot of ‘stuff ‘.
Sadly, we can’t keep it all, and it all boils down to what’s important to us.
According to Hubby though, there is only one thing important to him, and that’s ME!
XXX
pensitivity101 
Sometimes it’s so refreshing to pair down to the bare essentials–and I love how your husband has nailed it on the head.
Thank you! You’ve made his day1