Surge in cleaning out stuff

[CathyA]

It's more of a challenge when you partner is a hoarder and is fine with that and never really wants to get rid of anything.
But....I forced him to help me go through a few million screws/bolts/nuts, etc. I'll take a big bag of them to the metal recycling place.

Then it was on to our shed. We only got through half of it, but got rid of some stuff. I'm ashamed to say this, but there are times when I decide not to recycle something, because I'm just so danged tired (and in pain) of trying to take all the stuff off the thing that is recyclable, but has tons of non-recyclable things on it. I recycle sooooooo much. But I'm still sad that I just set it out for the trash pick-up. I'm talking mostly of 4 old aluminum lawn chairs that had torn fabric, rusted bolts, etc. I've had them sitting behind the shed for about 25 years, hoping to re-do the material on them, but never got a round tuit. (where do they sell those tuits, anyhow?)

Sent tons of huge sheets of plastic to the dump. They aren't recyclable.

Then I had DH bring down a couple big boxes from the attic, full of old Halloween costumes, decorations, plastic pumpkins, ghost, etc. I put each costume in a ziploc bag and labeled it. I took the stuff to Goodwill this morning and apologized for bringing it on Halloween Day. I hope it still sells. I just don't want to use places like Goodwill and recycling as dumps.

Anyhow......I think I'm on a roll. I hope so. There's something sooooo freeing about getting rid of stuff.

[Teacher Terry]

Cathy, they will just throw it away as they don't have time to get it on the floor to sell. It is a process and takes time.

[Williamsmith]

Take a moment and read this article about recycled American metal, it’s contribution to pollution and menial labor in China. Perhaps it will provide a different feeling. The scrap metal business is getting rich on your resource and the “good feeling” they advertise about recycling. China has a huge appetite for our scrap metal because they don’t want to have to mine it themselves since they don’t have large reserves of it in country. Recycled metal is one of the bargaining chips the US holds to get China to do its bidding in the world at large. Those nuts and bolts you are throwing away would cost a fortune to replace.

https://www.theatlantic.com/china/archive/2013/11/how-china-profits-from-our-junk/281044/

[beckyliz]

I tell my organizing clients that even though we all think recycling is important, it's ok for the short-term to just throw stuff out if we're trying to make progress in a small amount of time. When they get back in balance with their stuff, then they can go into "one in-one out" mode and recycle again as part of their on-going habits.

[CathyA]

It easy to get overwhelmed with all the stuff that is available to all of us. Seems like I spent so many years of my life taking in. I wish I hadn't! When I drive to a nearby town on trash pick-up day, it feels like I'm the only one who thinks about recycling. And I know recycling isn't the answer. I've said this before....but it's true.......I read somewhere "Recycling makes us feel less guilty for consuming so much". How true. And it's not like recycling doesn't use energy.
It's very hard to not consume in a country that's always pushing it. It's like a kid in a candy store, and it's hard to refuse.....