March purge

[iris lilies]

Yesterday, for a flower show project, I looked for some old cheap champagne glasses in the upper reaches of our kitchen. They were not in the cupboard. I vaguely remember throwing them away – and you know what? That is OK! I used another kind of champagne glass I had around, and if it gets broken no probem I do not want to move those to Hermann.

Earlier in the week I was looking for something that I must’ve thrown away. And again – It is OK! I used something else.

I am glad I tossed all of that stuff. I am seeing empty places in my kitchen cabinets and I am happy about that.

[catherine]

Haha! That's great! The old "what if I need it someday" barrier to purging is real, but it's great to realize that it becomes a "so what"!

Going through our home divestment purge is not easy, but having "eyes on the prize"--getting rid of a financial burden--makes it easier.

I tackled our front hall closet this week and I can't believe how empty it looks now. And none of the purges caused me any angst. Even DH told me to throw out an old winter parka he LOVED. He wore it every winter since 1994 when he bought it at a Walmart in Virginia. He finally agreed that it's too nasty to keep or give away.

I, meanwhile, didn't really waver on anything, although I know I still have too many coats for the VT house.

[iris lilies]

I was just going to rib you about your own declittering decisions in your NJ house, especially in light of your heaping blame on The Wealthy in your other thread. You (catherine and the generic You) DO have a great deal of power in your own financial life and if you do not exercise it that is hardly the fault of The Wealthy.

There is no way in hell I would live in a generic suburban place that charges me $11,000 annually (or whatever you pay) in real estate taxes.

[catherine]

I was just going to rib you about your own declittering decisions in your NJ house, especially in light of your heaping blame on The Wealthy in your other thread. You (catherine and the generic You) DO have a great deal of power in your own financial life and if you do not exercise it that is hardly the fault of The Wealthy.

There is no way in hell I would live in a generic suburban place that charges me $11,000 annually (or whatever you pay) in real estate taxes.

Hey, you don't have to tell me that I've made a lot of financial mistakes in my life.

Maybe I'll get it right eventually.

BTW: I pay $9200. Still a lot, to be sure, which is why I'm moving, but it's average taxes in NJ.

[Yppej]

Found a new plunger I like and tossed the old one.

[Gardnr]

BTW: I pay $9200. Still a lot, to be sure, which is why I'm moving, but it's average taxes in NJ.

:0! Holy crap! I thought ours were bad going up to $5100 for our home AND our cabin combined!!!! Taking a deep breath now............

[iris lilies]

Hey, you don't have to tell me that I've made a lot of financial mistakes in my life.

Maybe I'll get it right eventually.

BTW: I pay $9200. Still a lot, to be sure, which is why I'm moving, but it's average taxes in NJ.

Ok, This was beating you up too much so, sorry. I lost $10,000 just by ignoring something a few years ago so I am not without stupidity in the financial world.

And I always exaggerate the taxes in New Jersey, they’re high but not $10,000 high.

[sweetana3]

I feel blessed to only have to pay $2400 annually in taxes on a downtown SFH with 2 car garage where prices are spiking. They just sold a new $1.2 million dollar house around the corner. I fully expect ours will be a tear down in the future.

[pinkytoe]

Went from $10K in Tx (now over $12K) to $1K in Colorado. Now that's simplifying.

[Teacher Terry]

Catherine’s high taxes also came with a high paying job. Probably much more pay than in a cheaper state.

[catherine]

Catherine’s high taxes also came with a high paying job. Probably much more pay than in a cheaper state.

Gee, you are my Defender-in-Chief, tonight, TT! I appreciate it. :).

You are right, though, the cost of living in NJ is high because of its proximity to NYC and Philadelphia. The housing here is very much in demand. The fact that this is a very densely populated state does't help, either.

[Teacher Terry]

Just calling it how I see it Catherine:))

[happystuff]

Went through my closet and dresser yesterday. Have about half of what used to be my wardrobe in a huge black garbage bag ready for pickup today by Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Feels good to finally have gone through it all.

[sweetana3]

Since one of my bookcases started to fall apart, took all my quilting books off all the shelves and reviewed them. Found 2 duplicates out they go. Another shelf full that are essentially duplicates of the contents of other books or the techniques are outdated gets tossed. So two big boxes of books are going to the library sale. Feels good and I might be able to donate more. Sure was exhausting and dusty work.

[iris lilies]

Ugh, well. I am starting the process of culling my picture book collection. I am starting with the really old stuff—golden age book, 1880-1920. In the children’s book world older is not better. There are lots of books from the 1870’s that are ugly, and I have a few of them because people,give them to me.

These 1870’s ooks and those of that style are the books you see at antique malls—cheap editions with pasted on illustration on the cover, the only color piece. The rest of the illustrations are engravings, stiff and ugly and just bad art.

so, these are easy to get rid of, I am no longer keeping books to make others happy. No one will know if I get rid of them. I don’t even think they’re worth anything but I’m still gonna drop them off as donations to our local fine bookshop He can decide if he wants to mess with them.

[rosarugosa]

You guys are doing great!
Using Yppej's strategy of eliminating that which sparks annoyance, I emptied and then threw away a magazine rack that was in the living room. It was a basket type of thing and the cats have been scratching on it for a few years, and it was really looking rather hideous. I was going to replace it, but realized I could empty and eliminate it instead.

[catherine]

I'm back into purging mode. Am getting rid of 50-60 books They're off the shelves and ready for delivery to the library.

I also cleaned out a piece of furniture that we call our "Chinese filing cabinet" because it's a tall piece with 18 flat drawers--almost like the kind architects use. We liked the piece because it's unique and functional to a point with all the drawers, but it drives us crazy when we know ONE of the 18 drawers is the one with the tea lights and we wind up pulling out 17 drawers before we find the darn candles.

I found old ticket stubs from the 90s in it, old lottery tickets, a packet of set screws, tons of those address labels fundraisers send you, seed packets, tons of cards for dog walkers (we hired a dog walker once in our lives), a leather glove I've been looking for forever...

So I have another bag of garbage for pick-up tomorrow.

[Teacher Terry]

Rosa, it’s interesting sometimes to realize you just don’t need a item. Good job Catherine and IL. I got sick of moving books years ago. I can see if you don’t move just not dealing with it.

[Yppej]

A worn kitchen towel.