What do you want to keep?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Inspired by this thread.

Let’s say that you could clean out your life. You may keep any of your possessions you desire, and you will be fairly compensated for the stuff you don’t want to keep. What would you keep?

I’d keep the MGB (once I get it back). The Jeep is practical, but I think I could do without it. I could just rent a truck when I needed one. The Herald was always intended to be a stop-gap whilst I awaited the MG. With the MG nearing completion, I’m going to sell the Triumph.

I’d keep both motorcycles. The XJ600 will be kept as a sentimental keepsake (and as a loaner to my friends). The YZF-R1 is fast and fun.

My books. I love my books.

My DVDs. I enjoy going back and watching them, and they are similar to my books in that they fit on shelves.

A couple of my guns. I like them all, but I don’t need so many. I’d definitely keep 1979 the Colt AR-15 Sporter, the Beretta M92FS, and the Walther PPK/S. Some of the others will be harder to let go of, and some will be easier; but these three I want to keep.

My models. I have a bunch of them. A large model of Calypso that I bought last year and haven’t started, a three-foot USS Enterprise (CVN-65), flying balsa models, model rockets, and aircraft and spacecraft. I don’t know when I’ll have the time to build them, but I want to keep them.

Some of my film gear. My lights and the new video camera will be my livelihood. Some of the 16mm film cameras can be rented. Some of the 16mm gear can be sold.

My house. Even though I’m making plans to return to L.A., I want to keep my house in the PNW. For one thing, it’s a good investment. For another, it’s nice to have a place where you don’t have to worry about paying rent and where you can go to get away from where you are.

Flight gear. Some of it is practical – my log book, headsets, etc. I have too many flight jackets, but I like the variety. I’m the only person I know who has a complete set of USN flight gear, and that’s kind of neat. I wish I had the space to set up a mannequin to display it.

Of course I’d have to keep my computers.

I have some of dad’s belongings. I’d like to keep that.

But the rest of the stuff I’ve accumulated over the years? The toys, the kitchenwear, the appliances, and the assorted junk that takes up space? I can do without. Everything I really want, except for the vehicles, would fit into a small Ryder truck. It would probably fit in the Cherokee and a small trailer.

Maybe I’ll get on the stick and finish what I started six months ago: Selling my belongings on eBay.

So if you were to clean out your life, what would you keep?

2

The excess part of my comics collection.

I have a steamer trunk full. It weighs 800 lbs!

Help!

3

That’s all?

4

Well, the traumatic memories of my Middle School years.
My emotional scars from High School.
What do you think I could get for them?

5

I could do with less stuff, but I havve to keep photos/family mementos, CDs/Records, musical gear. There are many things I would keep that are more mundane, like important papers, cookware/dishes/utensils, my house, appliances, books, kid’s toys/clothes.

6

Funny, I was thinking about this the other day as I contemplated ever returning to apartment living (I currently rent a 3BR, 3-level townhouse). I’d keep:[ul][li]my car[/li][li]my digital piano & all associated items (including my sheet music)[/li][li]my computer & its accessories[/li][li]one of my TVs, one of my VCRs, and my DVD player[/li][li]the middle part of my entertainment center, to hold the above electronics[/li][li]my DVDs & some of my VHS tapes[/li][li]my couch[/li][li]my bed, dresser, and one of the ladder shelves that I use as nightstands[/li][li]the Georgia O’Keefe print above my fireplace[/li][li]the (pre-9/11) NYC skyline print on my LR wall[/li][li]the notes from my grad classes to date[/li][li]probably less than half of the stuff in my kitchen[/ul][/li]Things that I didn’t realize I’d be willing to part with until just now:[ul][li]my stereo[/li][li]my books[/li][li]my CDs (they’re all ripped to my computer)[/li][li]the other two parts of my entertainment center[/li][li]my dining room set (this really surprised me!)[/li][li]photos, scrapbooks, etc.[/li][li]various and sundry posters and prints[/ul][/li]Wow, I could seriously downsize! This will be a good thread for me to subscribe to, and remind myself of when it’s time to move next summer. :slight_smile:

7
  • my .50 BMG rifle
  • my FAL assault rifle
  • my ammunition
  • my vintage Ampeg SVT bass amp
8

That SVT is definitely the most lethal of the four…

:smiley:

9

I’d keep my books, my dogs, and my pieces of original art. That’s it. Everything else is replaceable.

10

As you can see from my location, when I move I don’t mess around and I have learned how to start over totally from scratch. I moved to LA with a single suitcase, but it took the largest U-Haul I could find to move me from LA to Las Vegas.

However, I assume from the tone of the OP you are not talking grabbing things in case of a fire (or you would be a crispy critter by the time you got your stuff out on the front lawn), nor do you mean travelling light.

I like my new, wide screen plasma tv, as well as my laptop computer. I have a house plant I bought when I first moved back to the US in 1987 and it has grown well - would take it with me if possible. Family photos and some personal documents…but to be honest, as much as I dearly love my house and all the individual items in it - it is just “stuff”.

Maybe I have started from scratch too often, but there isn’t all that much that I would really really really have to take with me. My guess is I could move to Bolivia with a good size trunk and an on-board bag. I would need to find a good home for that plant though.

11

Right. I’m looking around me and seeing that I simply have too much stuff. I wondered how much of it I really needed – ‘need’ meaning stuff that’s either irreplaceable, or else things that I actually want and do not want to try to replace.

Incidentally, the new telescope came today. I’d keep that as well.