I’m considering having a dumpster delivered. Massive one day clear out. Enough of trying to declutter with a limit of two trash bags per week.
I try to touch everything I possess once every five years … and if it’s the first time I’ve touch it in five years … I throw it away … except precious mementos, but most of those are in frames or other display cases or albums …
We’re just now in the middle of finishing our basement, and rented a Dumpster first. It was some of the best money ($330 for a week) I’ve ever spent. Besides the luxury of getting rid of so much stuff at once, rather than a few bags/containers a week, it’s just so freeing to unload big things such as broken furniture, or awkwardly-shaped things such as the old toilet and utility tub, or heavy thing such as magazines (hundreds of them, decades old and mildewy).
Another advantage - it provided a bit of a timeline. So whereas before (for YEARS) we’d think, “Oh, I’ll get to that next week/month/year,” we knew the Dumpster would be picked up on a certain day, we were paying a certain amount no matter how full it was, and then we’d lose our chance, so we made sure it was taken care of.
OTOH, yesterday I replaced the battery and swapped out the HD for a SSD on my old iPod. (4th gen clickwheel from 2004.) Wow, runs so much better. I know you’re supposed to use smartphones now, but I like the simplicity of it all. Even sync it using good old Winamp.
Our neighbor did the dumpster thing last year. Two loads full. We’re going to need one before we move.
One thing that surprises me is that two homes in the neighborhood have dumspters in their driveway for long periods of time for renovation. Not sure about the economics of that.
I don’t believe in any sort of 5 year rule. Or that “If it doesn’t bring you joy.” thing.
E.g., I have a suit. It goes long periods of time between uses. Never brought me joy for one second. But I keep it since I know that I’ll need a suit, unfortunately, some day.
Was going thru one of the old kid’s closets looking for stuff to throw out. Came across a giant set of coveralls with “Bubba” on the name patcfh. ??? Goes out with the next load to Goodwill.
We tossed or gave away a lot of stuff when we moved here from Japan. Once thing which was hard for me to let go was my old cameras and various lens, but I never use them anymore.
When my Dad died we got a Dumpster. It was a very liberating part of the funeral process. Remarkable how much stuff nobody wanted, but we all thought the other child should take.