Binging and Purging

No, not the food kind! I'm talking about the ridiculous cycle of buying stuff and then having too much stuff, then turning around and getting rid of all the stuff you spent good money on because you no longer have room for the stuff!

I am in the process of doing a big purge of "stuff" from the house, probably inspired by the thought that if Jeff gets a job out of state, we would actually have to MOVE all our crap and how embarrassing would it be for someone (i.e. movers) to see all the crap we really have?

Now, some of this is my fault, clearly. I'm the one purchasing these things for the most part. But when a kid says they need more deodorant, who am I to question it? Hence the 16 (yes, 16!) containers of deodorant I found while cleaning out the bathroom. Do the math. We have four kids, two of whom don't even wear deodorant on a regular basis yet. This is just one good example of disgusting consumption.

Today I found a game, two puzzles, a Bionicles toy, and a portable checkers game that had never been used and/or opened. All of these were gifts for various occasions, not purchased by us, but still! What is the point of having unopened things hanging around? If you haven't used it in a year, you're probably never going to. I try to make some of these things "new" again by offering them up in a different setting. For example, I have a whole box of "entertainment" for the camper. When one is held captive in a pop-up for several days, one's choices can be limited. Which makes the "new/old" stuff all that more appealing.

But there's something to be said for just getting rid of stuff too. I had grand thoughts of perhaps putting this crap on Craig's List and making a little cash. I've done that before, but then you really need a spot in your garage that is a sort of "store" in which to keep your Craig's List inventory. And that just gets annoying. Let's review - move your crap to another location (garage), post an ad for it that expires in seven days, keep reposting in hopes that it will sell and in the end, sell said item for $5 (if you're lucky). Is it worth the hassle? Sure, if it's a big ticket item (I once sold 8 year old bunk beds that I paid $300 for for $200 on Craig's List), but otherwise the peace of mind you get from less clutter and the tax write off from donating is worth more than making a little cash from discarded Barbies. When I'm on a Craig's List kick, I've made some pretty decent money for things I would have otherwise tossed. But right now I'm in a "clearinghouse" mode and just want it all gone!

I tossed Barbies, Polly Pockets and stuffed animals with glee! I no longer feel attached to these things. Sure, I'm sentimental at heart and have saved a great deal of the kids' old clothes and toys for "someday". But I'm getting better at collecting memories instead. Stuff is just that - stuff. And it can really drag you down.

In the meantime, I told the kids we're on a spending freeze. We need to use up the stuff we already have before we buy new stuff. Which means, in the deodorant department, I shouldn't have to buy them any for, oh, say, two years?