Six truths on decluttering after 60

[CLT65]

I thought it was a pretty good video, for the most part. Timely for me, I'm in the middle of a major decluttering and organizing project.

I forwarded the video link to one of my sisters, and I think I'll send it to my mom too. We don't have to worry much about about all of her stuff someday though. We have another sister who has already taken everything. After my dad passed away she took her down to a lawyer, got all the land put in a trust with her as the sole beneficiary, and a will written up with her also as the sole beneficiary for everything else, so I guess that takes care of that.

 

[albin25]

Some of the "junk" collected by our great-grand parents, grands, and plain old parents, and, sadly, now us, has gone from being worth a fortune to worthless as the years have passed….
- that gorgeous, now 125 year old, HUGE 16 place plus all the extras set of fine porcelain "company" dinnerware that NOBODY uses anymore is only worth its $8000 valuation to the nine people in North America that may be in the market.
- those Hummels our Moms collected are worthless except, maybe, as targets.
- that amazing turned wood rocking chair that Great Grampa made that Great Gramma rocked Gramma, that rocked Mom, that rocked me, that rocked my daughter is sentimental value but ?
- silver plate? Worthless now

Sigh …. A few more years and other than a few choice furnishings, guns and guitars, you may as well tell the family to throw open the front door and say, "help yourselves!

as the song says…. "Dust in the Wind".



(Uhhhh …. Anybody want to buy a "Page's 1916 Questions and answers on Automobile design, operation and maintainance " book?)

 

[Nwcid]

I did not watch the video, I did start a thread on a similar topic last year as I will be 50 this year. I have been clearing out some stuff I have not used in years and are unlikely to be used in the foreseeable future. There is still a lot I want to hang onto though. I am sure everyone says the same thing, but I dont feel like most of it is "junk" but good stuff I bought with the intent to use and was a good deal. For example at one point I had enough stuff to reload 10k of .308 and I have thinned that down to about 25%. On the flip side, I have other stuff that is not worth selling now, so it sits, even though I probably won't use it.

Also one of the kids, who is interested in gun stuff has moved back to the area and we have been going through stuff and I have been teaching him. For example, just today he de-primed, sized and wet tumbled about 300 rounds of brass for me/us.

One big thing that has been different is that I ask myself, "do I really need that" before buying. It does not always work, but I at least think about it.


EDITED: My wife and I do not have a lot of, "clutter" type stuff. In the house I pretty much just have stuff we routinely use. We dont have collectables or heirloom stuff. In the shop it is mostly lots of tools, my photography gear some of it is aging and could be thinned out, and lots of gun stuff. My family lives on a farm so there is lots of old stuff laying around, but my parents keep a pretty clean house.

My wife and I typically spend about 1/2 the year in a 40' toy hauler and love it. I also like coming home and have access to my shop.

 

[Capn Jack]

My wife and I typically spend about 1/2 the year in a 40' toy hauler and love it. I also like coming home and have access to my shop.

Yeah, same here. What would I do without my gun safe, reloading bench, two roll-a-ways full of tools, contractors table saw, drill press, planer, 8" lathe and boxes upon boxes of hardware and other good, "stuff" ?

 

[FourTeeFive]

Some of the "junk" collected by our great-grand parents, grands, and plain old parents, and, sadly, now us, has gone from being worth a fortune to worthless as the years have passed….

I'm not sure if "kids these days" are less materialistic, or if they just don't appreciate quality and objects of beauty. Or both.

 

[Caveman Jim]

We are in the process of packing our crap for a cross country move so we are decluttering 40 years of stuff. Ughhhh

 

[made in china]

I like to keep my unappreciated collections neatly organized and boxed up in clear totes with labels.

I told my wife and son they can just throw away the totes, but I suggested they at least try and sell each tote as a "lot". If there's no interest, then do as you please. At least there's not much laying around.

As for the firearms, I told my son to at least keep them for 10 years after he gets them. Although at his age he is not too interested in firearms, he may become interested later in life and really regret that he didn't keep mine. I suggested he get a safe or two to keep them safely locked away, and if after 10 years he still doesn't want them, do whatever.

 

[Quirt Evans]

https://lowres.cartooncollections.c...ility-junk-inherits-families-BA900155_low.jpg

 

[Jim Horn]

An old saying: Californians are people who keep $120,000 cars parked in front of garages that are filled with worthless crap.

 

[dangerranger60]

I am not totally uncluttered yet, I still have my construction tools, even though I have not worked in construction in 30 years, and still own 4 saddles even though I have not ridden a horse in at least 8 years.
I will never use any of these things again, its time to get rid of them. DR

 

[oremike]

I just had a conversation with my Son about end of life stuff and what to do with all the "stuff". Bottom line he's always wanted to learn reloading but thought the buy in was too steep. Well I've got all that in Spades so all we need is time together and it's all his and I get to pass on my legacy. Something I think we'd all like to do.

 

[Xmark1]

 

[MymuttBear]

I'm 85 years old and sometimes I look around in my garage and wish I had a dumpster in the drive way, but as soon as I throw something away..

I also need to go through the freezers and feed the gulls everything purchased prier to 2003.

I guess you don't like gulls?

 

[Caveman Jim]

I am not totally uncluttered yet, I still have my construction tools, even though I have not worked in construction in 30 years, and still own 4 saddles even though I have not ridden a horse in at least 8 years.
I will never use any of these things again, its time to get rid of them. DR

I've got telephone cable splicing tools that I made my living while contracting for 20+ years that I can't sell.The industry has changed to fiber optics and there isn't a need for copper splicing tools anymore.

I miss @salmonriverjohn. He was an old salt copper splicer too.

 

[OneArgus]

Declutter all the time, sometimes I will just sell local on market place.
I have acquired allot of unique things. One thing is computers, games and DVDs I have a crap load.
I have many mint PCs. I have more parts then I will ever needs and yet no idea what to do with them.
I have allot of SKS parts. Again more then I will ever need.
I think I need to clear out some stuff. One thing I will not clear is AMMO and Firearms.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Didn't really read the whole thread but I'm thinking burning viking boat?

 

[Provincial]

I've got telephone cable splicing tools that I made my living while contracting for 20+ years that I can't sell.The industry has changed to fiber optics and there isn't a need for copper splicing tools anymore.

I miss @salmonriverjohn. He was an old salt copper splicer too.

What's the color of the 724th pair?

 

[Caveman Jim]

What's the color of the 724th pair?

If it's a 900 or larger pair cable that counts 1-900, respectively, starting with the Red super group, slate group, #5, 701-725, it's the violet-brown pair. 724…

 

[Caveman Jim]

If it's a 900 or larger pair cable that counts 1-900, respectively, starting with the Red super group, slate group, #5, 701-725, it's the violet-brown pair. 724…

AND if in I wanted to get technical, it's the 2nd to last pair in that group…

 

[Provincial]

I'll bet you call grey "slate," too!