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"Useful" Stuff



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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, May 29 2022, 6:12 am
I have a big yard with way too much junk in it! Actually, my house, too. But let's focus on the yard for now. I went out and wanted to finally throw away a broken riding toy. But it's not so broken- only the back wheels. And they seem like they could be replaced pretty easily. So I've kept it all year because chaval to throw away such a nice riding toy! So I wanted to throw it away. And these little wheelie things I've kept for years out there because they seem like such fun little toys (they're pieces of other cars). And I was going to take the riding toy and those wheels to the trash. And then I thought "Wait! These are the perfect wheels for this toy!!" So I kept them...

We have other riding toys. But that one was a favorite before the wheels broke. So I feel so bad throwing it away! Then my new baby won't have that special toy to play with. I've read on here, throw it away if it's less than $20 (or whatever limit) to replace. But I don't even need to replace this! I just feel bad throwing it away if we can fix it and enjoy it! And maybe one day we would. We've done it before. I sound so sick... what's wrong with me??? I just want space to enjoy in the yard, but there's so much junk there! How do I get rid of stuff so I can enjoy the space??

I know the baby will enjoy having a yard to enjoy more than having that one toy. Maybe that's actually enough! Did I answer my own question? If I know we'll enjoy the space more than we'll miss the thing, that should mean get rid of it. Right? Any other words of wisdom? (For the other stuff for next time. I'm going to throw those out now!)
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, May 29 2022, 6:20 am
ps- How do I get my husband on board??? Most of the junk out there is his!
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, May 29 2022, 6:29 am
I thought of something else. I went out and threw out the car and wheels. Yay me!! I wanted to take a little old walker (another riding toy) to the trash, too, but it really works just fine. And maybe the baby will enjoy it when she's learning to walk. So I didn't take it. But now I'm thinking of telling myself, "Just because it could be fun a couple of times, doesn't mean I need to have it and it's worth keeping." What do you think? True? Any other inspirational words of wisdom?? Why do I find this so so difficult??
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dankbar




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 29 2022, 6:53 am
Yay for you! Good that you threw out the broken bikes.
The Walker toy, that your baby will use in a couple of months I would keep, if you allow the baby to walk in your home with it, if it will be winter when she uses it. Make sure it's clean and functional. Maybe storage it in a your storage area instead.

Start with other unusable junks first.
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SingALong




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 29 2022, 6:53 am
Pick up each item and ask yourself, “ how much do I use this right now? What’s more important to me, this item, or the space it takes up?” If you don’t have the heart to trash it, is it in good enough condition to give away? Also can you just keep 1 or 2 outdoor toys? Only in good condition, not if you need to fix it. I have a small shed for my outdoor toys, I will only keep what fits in the shed. I want a neat clean backyard not scattered with items.
I’ve rarely regretted throwing things out, and then enjoying the space. Most things are easily replaceable. So if I need something I throw out I can buy.I won’t throw out a hard to find item. For example I keep all my boy swimming robes. I pass it on to the next kid. I find that each season it’s hard to find. I throw out the white shirts when the stains no longer come out. I can buy a white shirt any time, anywhere, any season.

Your husband will need to throw out his own things, if you throw out for him it wouldn’t be fair. Do you have room for a small shed or outdoor closet? , if yes, ask him to put all his stuff in there and whatever doesn’t fit has to go. It will keep you backyard neat looking.
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, May 29 2022, 7:10 am
SingALong wrote:
Pick up each item and ask yourself, “ how much do I use this right now? What’s more important to me, this item, or the space it takes up?” If you don’t have the heart to trash it, is it in good enough condition to give away? Also can you just keep 1 or 2 outdoor toys? Only in good condition, not if you need to fix it. I have a small shed for my outdoor toys, I will only keep what fits in the shed. I want a neat clean backyard not scattered with items.
I’ve rarely regretted throwing things out, and then enjoying the space. Most things are easily replaceable. So if I need something I throw out I can buy.I won’t throw out a hard to find item. For example I keep all my boy swimming robes. I pass it on to the next kid. I find that each season it’s hard to find. I throw out the white shirts when the stains no longer come out. I can buy a white shirt any time, anywhere, any season.

Your husband will need to throw out his own things, if you throw out for him it wouldn’t be fair. Do you have room for a small shed or outdoor closet? , if yes, ask him to put all his stuff in there and whatever doesn’t fit has to go. It will keep you backyard neat looking.


Thank you (and dankbar)! This is very helpful! I like your examples a lot. Part of my issue is that buying new things is difficult for me because of time and travel constraints. So even new shirts is really not simple. I usually think I'd rather have these things around in case they'll come in handy than have to get them when needed. But I'm starting to rethink that, especially since something like a riding toy is never really needed (just maybe wanted).
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Heyaaa




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 29 2022, 9:51 am
Instead of “maybe I will fix it one day” set a date by which you will have fixed it or else it must be thrown out.
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amother
Chartreuse


 

Post Sun, May 29 2022, 9:56 am
The space is more important.
If there's something that's fixable, then you need to fix it that day or else you know you're just selling yourself a bubameisa.
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zaq




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 29 2022, 3:43 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
I thought of something else. I went out and threw out the car and wheels. Yay me!! I wanted to take a little old walker (another riding toy) to the trash, too, but it really works just fine. And maybe the baby will enjoy it when she's learning to walk. So I didn't take it. But now I'm thinking of telling myself, "Just because it could be fun a couple of times, doesn't mean I need to have it and it's worth keeping." What do you think? True? Any other inspirational words of wisdom?? Why do I find this so so difficult??


Good for you! You took the first step, which was tough. Dejunking gets easier with practice, though, so keep at it.

What you said is absolutely, positively, incontrovertibly, 100% true. Unless you like living in a warehouse, nothing is worth keeping if you're going to use it only a couple of times. Keepers are things you will use over and over and over for years. How many riding toys does a child need? One, tops. Not that a child actually needs it. What he needs--what everyone needs-- is room to move safely about the house and yard without tripping over stuff.

Some reasons why people find it hard to part with possessions, even junk:
1.They felt a lack of toys and other possessions in childhood and vowed that their dc would never be deprived the same way.
2. They grew up poor and have the mindset that one never throws anything out lest one come to need it some day.
3. They have an overly-developed sense of bal tashchit and and are unable to see junk for what it is.
4. They have difficulty making decisions in general, possibly out of fear of making the wrong one.
5. They have a fear of commitment and always want to keep all options open.

Find a friend who isn't a hoarder herself, and ask her to provide you with moral support as you go about dejunking your yard and home. Dejunking is an ongoing process for life, not one-and-done, but the hardest part is at the outset. Maintenance is much less painful because you need to dispose of only a few things at a time and you already know how much better you feel and how much nicer your home looks when it's not a scrap heap.

Your seldom-used , "just in case" "maybe I'll use it someday" "a shame to throw it out""could come in handy" possessions could be getting a new lease on life in someone else's home if you give them to a gmach or charity thrift shop like Goodwill or Disabled Veterans. You can ask for a receipt and get a small tax deduction for items you donate if you itemize deductions on your tax return.

For periodic chizzuk, I like to watch YouTube shows like Hoarders and How Clean is Your House? The fear of ending up like the subjects of those shows provides strong motivation for both dejunking and cleaning.

You can do it, girl!
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amother
OP


 

Post Mon, May 30 2022, 2:42 am
Thanks so much, everyone! I'm so excited to get going!!
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