TWEAKS+inspiration : A Basement Purge is Good for the Soul

I'm not the kind who gets rid of stuff easily. Since my last big clear out in 2018, it's been hit and miss. A closet or cabinet here and there. Making sure P's airplane stuff went to good homes was a big project but I was lucky to have his friend help me. After cleaning our closet in the spring, I headed to the basement.

my beautiful future sister-in-law looking over the contents of my backpack

Before I start, just a little context. I once lived a full 9-months out of a backpack, travelling through Europe and some of Africa. To be clear, I had stuff. I had rented my house (with furnishings) while I was gone. But I really didn't miss stuff. How did I come to love stuff? I think the culprit is that I have more space than ever. If I have it, I fill it up.

In my unfinished basement, there's a lot I don't need. But a lot of it I want. You get me? So, I took it one bin at a time, and tossed a ton including 9 sets of sheets. What was I thinking?

Here was a typical dilemma. This pig stood in a guest bathroom for years, eventually migrating to the basement. I liked it in the kitchen but it was too tall to fit on the counter. I used the portrait setting on my camera to say "Good Bye."

To keep things in check, I donate as soon as I have a full trunk.

At a Portland estate sale, I spied a brand new Marx metal dollhouse. I always wanted one but now it was time to pass it on. This model sells for about $100 on eBay. The price sticker from F. W. Woolworth shows $4.39. I think I paid about $8 which was a splurge at the time. Over the years, I had it set up in a bookcase as the white brick front looked like the Cleaver's house .

Bye Bye, doll house!

Some of the bins have just one thing inside and it may go next time.

More still to do at this end.

After even or eight trips to various donation sites, including the Salvation Army, I was done for now. Be sure to take photos and assign it's worth of what you give away. It's harder to figure out a resell dollar amount by the time you are ready to do your taxes. I do look back at pictures of the stuff I give away. It's interesting to me that a photo gives me similar pleasure than actually having the object. Let me know if you feel the same. Enjoy your Sunday!

PS ~ This fall, I'm going to sort the Christmas stuff - a lot can go but no organization wants it until November.

Please check out the 3 posts below involving my purging of stuff.