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Coventina

(29,677 posts)
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 05:05 PM 5 hrs ago

OK, I have HAD it with minimalist shaming!!!! I love my stuff!

I am sick to death of being told that I need to throw out all my stuff before I die.

No, I don't!!! I just have to have a PLAN (I.E. a will!!)

Anything of value, will go to someone I will name who can keep it or sell it.

The rest will be donated.
Yeah, my heirs will have to box it up, or hire someone to do so, but you know what?

They can suck it up, because they'll be getting $$ from the sale of my house, other funds I have, or the stuff of value that I have.

I am from now on going to enjoy the stuff I have, because I enjoy it!
My books, my art, my records and CDs, DVDs, my collectibles, my Great-Grandmother's china, and my great-great grandmother's quilts.

Maybe I don't use them on a daily basis, so what?
Knowing that they are there (on display) and seeing them makes me happy.

Fuck Marie Kondo and all the rest!!!
Stop telling folks they can't keep what makes them happy!

(This is NOT about the mental disease of hoarding, that is something else entirely. This is about the "live in a sterile hotel room" shit that keeps getting preached by these so-called "experts" that want you to hire them to do Swedish Death Cleaning).

67 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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OK, I have HAD it with minimalist shaming!!!! I love my stuff! (Original Post) Coventina 5 hrs ago OP
Views enid602 5 hrs ago #1
You better get busy then. 🤓😀❤️ littlemissmartypants 3 hrs ago #30
I had a woman stay with me for a couple of months because she was in hard times. She had so much stuff Deuxcents 5 hrs ago #2
OH MY GOD/DESS!! This hit me in the gut!!! Coventina 3 hrs ago #36
Now, this has got me 😢 I can understand your original post better. Deuxcents 2 hrs ago #51
Such generational trauma runs in the family. Coventina 2 hrs ago #52
Sad what happens to little children and the adults don't realize or say..they'll get over it 😔 Deuxcents 2 hrs ago #54
I'm not a minimalist and I love my treasures Niagara 4 hrs ago #3
I figure I gave up a SECURE job in broadcasting to go home and be a full time mom. calimary 4 hrs ago #4
Right on! StarryNite 4 hrs ago #5
Minimalism jworks OK for people who go to work , come home Warpy 4 hrs ago #6
After volunteering for years with arts and children's causes... littlemissmartypants 3 hrs ago #32
Hear, hear!! THANK YOU for saying this! EuterpeThelo 4 hrs ago #7
ding . this . AllaN01Bear 4 hrs ago #9
Keeper of the flame is a noble endeavor. ❤️ littlemissmartypants 3 hrs ago #35
Sun and Moon in Cancer here. I love everything you said!!! Coventina 3 hrs ago #38
its my stuff , leave me alone . and everything is allocated to another person via a will AllaN01Bear 4 hrs ago #8
I'm with you! mtngirl47 4 hrs ago #10
That's ME! Word for word BigmanPigman 4 hrs ago #11
I could not possibly agree more. Tomorrow (Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise), I am LoisB 4 hrs ago #12
I want to keep that which I care about The Madcap 4 hrs ago #13
Atta gurl! QueerDuck 4 hrs ago #14
Good for you ms.pamela 4 hrs ago #15
About china.... LisaM 4 hrs ago #16
Hells to the yes! EuterpeThelo 3 hrs ago #18
That's wonderful! I recently found my great-grandmother's butterchurn. I may even have a churning party! ❤️ littlemissmartypants 3 hrs ago #29
That should be fun. One of my friends is into making his own butter. niyad 2 hrs ago #53
With a hand churn? It takes a village. ❤️ littlemissmartypants 2 hrs ago #55
He's a big, tough guy! niyad 2 hrs ago #56
It takes hours and people usually have to take turns. littlemissmartypants 1 hr ago #57
Actually, I think you are correct. All I know is that I am NOT volunteering niyad 1 hr ago #58
Hahaha. Don't worry. I'll be glad to butter your bread. You wouldn't have to lift a finger. littlemissmartypants 1 hr ago #59
And I would be happy to be there. I can bring goodies! niyad 1 hr ago #60
Absolutely! We'll butter everything! 😀 littlemissmartypants 1 hr ago #61
Pate, Brie, good baguettes, MUST have good butter! niyad 1 hr ago #63
Absolutely! ❤️ littlemissmartypants 1 hr ago #64
wonderful thought there. I hereby award a gold star ... -- best post -- stopdiggin 3 hrs ago #31
Really good post. Struggling with these issues as we type. Evolve Dammit 4 hrs ago #17
Right with you Dammit. nt Prairie_Seagull 3 hrs ago #21
Marie Kondo? Isn't she the one who said "Ideally, you should own fewer than thirty books"? Aristus 3 hrs ago #19
MORE!!! niyad 3 hrs ago #26
Years ago, I had a dear friend, whose dating life amused me no end. niyad 2 hrs ago #45
For one of our moves, we had 50 boxes of books. 3catwoman3 1 hr ago #65
Yeah. Right on. Fuck Marie Kondo. Who the hell does she think she is? FadedMullet 3 hrs ago #20
Who the hell is she??? niyad 3 hrs ago #27
You go!! Joinfortmill 3 hrs ago #22
Very righteous rant, Coventina. I can't agree more. littlemissmartypants 3 hrs ago #23
Fun fact: After Marie Kondo cluttered her house with a bunch of kids flvegan 3 hrs ago #24
You have every right to do what's best for you. hamsterjill 3 hrs ago #25
Whew! Glad we got THAT off of our chest! stopdiggin 3 hrs ago #28
Who can trust a woman that doesn't want more than a few books (that crazy Kondo lady) - TBF 3 hrs ago #33
I'll keep other people's books. But not without their consent. ❤️ littlemissmartypants 3 hrs ago #40
Darned straight. Enjoy it! Raven123 3 hrs ago #34
$160 a month for storage x 15 years BidenRocks 3 hrs ago #37
I am 100% against putting stuff in paid storage. Coventina 3 hrs ago #42
EBay? I think you'd be surprised if you advertised. The post office littlemissmartypants 2 hrs ago #44
Yes! I'm keeping my stuff too. OnionPatch 3 hrs ago #39
EXACTLY!!! niyad 3 hrs ago #43
In the past month, I have seen at least two dozen of these minimalist, niyad 3 hrs ago #41
Live your own life BeneteauBum 2 hrs ago #46
Marie Kondo can take a big dumpster and shove it where usonian 2 hrs ago #47
I saw a homeless guy last week riding his bicycle JoseBalow 2 hrs ago #48
Psychologists keep trying to label normal behaviors as disease delisen 2 hrs ago #49
I enjoy being a loner as my home is full of treasures that I can ...occupy littlemissmartypants 2 hrs ago #50
Art, music collections, JBTaurus83 1 hr ago #62
I have thoroughly enjoyed this thread. 3catwoman3 50 min ago #66
💯% with you Figarosmom 7 min ago #67

enid602

(9,678 posts)
1. Views
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 05:38 PM
5 hrs ago

I so agree with this thinking. Unfortunately I have four half flights of stairs connecting four levels and a mezzanine. Spectacular views. I will miss it some day when I go single level.

Deuxcents

(26,780 posts)
2. I had a woman stay with me for a couple of months because she was in hard times. She had so much stuff
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 05:39 PM
5 hrs ago

I asked her why she wouldn’t give some of that stuff away..she had dentures but a waterpic, electric toothbrushes in the bathroom, for example. She told me her xhusband had lied to her for a long time about a storage unit they had with her grandmother’s things, mementos from her younger sister that had passed away and lots of other personal items and the storage place had long auctioned off their unit so she felt safe with her things close by. I was so upset. At myself mostly because I stuck my nose in None of your Business and that lesson has never been forgotten. Live your life as your please and with whatever pleases you. These experts have no idea who we are or the circumstances. Be yourself and be happy 🌺

Coventina

(29,677 posts)
36. OH MY GOD/DESS!! This hit me in the gut!!!
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 07:42 PM
3 hrs ago

The summer I turned 11, my family moved from Seattle (heaven) to Phoenix (hell).

We were homeless in Seattle (well, squatting in a church basement) so we didn't have a lot to move.
But we packed it all up, and left it to drive to Phoenix in our family car.

Months later, my mom & dad were able to drive back, rent a U-Haul, and bring our stuff down.

My relatively few dolls and stuffed animals I had eagerly awaited were missing. My dad said that my mom decided that I was too old for toys and donated them all.

I have mourned them ever since.

Deuxcents

(26,780 posts)
51. Now, this has got me 😢 I can understand your original post better.
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 08:20 PM
2 hrs ago

It was traumatic for you and those things have a way of staying with us into adulthood. Cherish your memories and the things that surround you to make you happy.

Coventina

(29,677 posts)
52. Such generational trauma runs in the family.
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 08:25 PM
2 hrs ago

My paternal grandmother, growing up in the Depression, had two dolls.

One was "old", she'd had it since her own infancy.
The other had been just gifted to her on her last birthday.

The family was going to move to Texas from Arizona (a move that didn't end up happening).
And her father made her give up one of her dolls, she could only take one.
She ended up sacrificing the older doll for the newer one.
But she mourned that choice the rest of her life.
She was still talking about it in her 90s.

Deuxcents

(26,780 posts)
54. Sad what happens to little children and the adults don't realize or say..they'll get over it 😔
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 08:33 PM
2 hrs ago

Niagara

(11,801 posts)
3. I'm not a minimalist and I love my treasures
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 06:07 PM
4 hrs ago

I recently told one of my adult children that they were going to be so mad at me when they have to go through all my things. They really surprised me and made a positive comment about all the cool stuff that they would discover in my Niagara hoard.


It's alright to enjoy and be content with your treasures!



I recently decluttered a homemade teapot, sugar and creamer set that I rescued from heavy trash day. These items were bulky and I really didn't have a place to put them. So I decided to donate them.


I also decluttered about 5 pairs of pants that were 2 to 3 sizes now too large for me. I have many more too large of clothing to go through as I don't need it anymore. Things get complicated with weight changes and attempting to declutter clothing that one once wore and liked is difficult for me. It's a slow process.


I also donated some dress boots that I've had since 1999? They're nice looking boots but they didn't fit anymore. They had a slight heel on them too. I'd rather my feet be flat on the ground these days!



On another note, it's okay to donate items that no longer serve any purpose!


calimary

(89,915 posts)
4. I figure I gave up a SECURE job in broadcasting to go home and be a full time mom.
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 06:21 PM
4 hrs ago

That was a huge sacrifice for me.

I’d been one of the first women to “get in” years ago, when the whole industry was almost literally male-only. I LOVED that job! I was good at it, and I had the recognition AND awards I’d earned. AND I’d “made permanent “ in that job, which meant that I could have stayed in til just last Friday if I felt like it. It was a great gig, and I loved what it said about me in the industry. And I gave that up. ALL of it. For my kids.

So, okay then. After I’m gone, it’ll be THEIR turn. THEY can clean up whatever mess I’ll have left behind, and claim whatever there is, of value. That’s the price THEY’LL pay.

Seems pretty doggone fair to me.

StarryNite

(12,104 posts)
5. Right on!
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 06:22 PM
4 hrs ago

I get so sick and tired of people telling other people what to do! I'm in my seventies and I will do what I damn well please until I am no longer able.

Warpy

(114,585 posts)
6. Minimalism jworks OK for people who go to work , come home
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 06:22 PM
4 hrs ago

and either fall into TV or sit there scrolling their phones while they eat takeout.

I liked to cook. I wove rugs. I spun and dyed my own wool, right off the sheep's back. I had stuff because I did stuff. and my house always looked like somebody had tossed it.

Shamers can all kiss my flabby old butt.

littlemissmartypants

(33,311 posts)
32. After volunteering for years with arts and children's causes...
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 07:38 PM
3 hrs ago

I can picture that in my mind. I have the makings of a kindergarten or a fancy daycare if someone were creative and had the will.

EuterpeThelo

(329 posts)
7. Hear, hear!! THANK YOU for saying this!
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 06:23 PM
4 hrs ago

I am the sole keeper of pretty my family's entire history. From my grandfather's violin that went to WW1 with him to my great-grandmother's china doll and the button hook for her shoes, from my grandma's teacups/saucers and her hand-made linens to my mama's Franciscanware dish set and mid-century modern furniture, from the solid wood and leather bar that was my dad's pride and joy (even though he didn't really drink, LOL!) and his autographed baseball signed by the 1961 Yankees, to my brother's Bye-Lo baby and comic books...a few of my grown daughter's most beloved childhood books and toys and things she made just for me with her own then-tiny hands.

Then there are my own collectibles - vinyl albums and assorted rock 'n' roll ephemera, much of it rare or signed, 13 bookshelves of books (many also rare/signed, including but not limited to autographs from Helen Keller, Vincent Bugliosi, Ken Kesey and Bill Clinton, just to name a few), a few Madame Alexander and Barbie treasures, fairy and unicorn figurines, my travel magnets that represent how lucky I've been to knock off SO MANY of my bucket list destinations...all of which I've been curating since I was about twelve (so nearly 45 years).

Is some of it in the garage or storage? Sure, because my home is just 1,350 square feet and my brother's place is so small we still have to get a hotel when we go up to visit him and my SIL.

Although the house is pretty full, it's super organized. I use vertical space to the max and have so much of the aforementioned displayed it's like a wonderful museum full of curiosities.

Anyone that tells me I need to just throw that stuff away like trash can GFY. I've had to deal with it every time someone in my family died. Yeah, it's a hassle and it hurts. It's also part of respecting that person's life and all they experienced and I consider it an honor to have been entrusted with everything they loved.

Plus, I can't count the number of times I've saved myself an enormous hassle when my computer keyboard died in the middle of a busy workday or I suddenly needed a zip tie for something because I could just go out to my garage and get one instead of having to stop and go to the store or waste time and $ on DoorDashing the item.

One of my daughter's friends recently said to me that she loves my house because it is warm, cozy and she loves that I have surrounded myself with items that hold special meaning to me. Not much of it is worth a lot of money, but we Cancerians are the most sentimental sign of the zodiac; memories of home and family are what "sparks joy." Especially now that so, so many of my loved ones have gone beyond the veil ahead of me, it gives me comfort to handle things they once touched.

Maximalists unite!

"I want to lead the Victorian life, surrounded by exquisite clutter." - Freddie Mercury

AllaN01Bear

(29,400 posts)
8. its my stuff , leave me alone . and everything is allocated to another person via a will
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 06:26 PM
4 hrs ago

i have model trains , my nephew gets those . he can do what ever with them when i croak.

mtngirl47

(1,242 posts)
10. I'm with you!
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 06:29 PM
4 hrs ago

My kids don't want grandma or great grandma's china. My art isn't their taste. I've been told that decorating for the seasons or holidays is ridiculous (usually when I ask for help!)

So I will go forward with the things I love....I will use the china and not worry about chips any more. And then when I die they can sell my stuff or donate it.

I am currently scanning photos and putting them on an Aura screen that shuffles the photos. It is so much fun to look at the electronic photo frame and see days gone by! I will leave the actual photos to my children and let them decide if they will throw away several generations of history.

At the end of the day I enjoy my cozy home with the mementos of my life around me, some great music on the stereo, and a good book!



BigmanPigman

(55,101 posts)
11. That's ME! Word for word
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 06:32 PM
4 hrs ago

Thank you for this post...it made my day. That's what I'm doing and that's how I feel and why!

LoisB

(12,967 posts)
12. I could not possibly agree more. Tomorrow (Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise), I am
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 06:38 PM
4 hrs ago

going to Michaels for more yarn and Barnes & Noble for more books. Might even pick up another jigsaw puzzle somewhere.

The Madcap

(1,895 posts)
13. I want to keep that which I care about
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 06:50 PM
4 hrs ago

And ditch that which I don't. I don't need five plungers for three bathrooms, for example.

LisaM

(29,624 posts)
16. About china....
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 06:56 PM
4 hrs ago

I am tired of people saying they are environmentalists and then spurning family household goods. I am not talking about stuff that is torn or dirty or broken. I am talking about full sets of dishware that's perfectly usable that people won't keep. It's better for the planet!

I use a lot of stuff that belonged to my partner's grandparents, mostly late 30s, early 40s, including glass juicers, rolling pins, measuring cups, serving bowls, and whatever else I can find. A lot of it is far better made than things you can get now, for one thing. In fact, I am sitting on one of their dining room chairs right now.

EuterpeThelo

(329 posts)
18. Hells to the yes!
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 07:10 PM
3 hrs ago

We inherited all of my mom's kitchenware when she passed five years ago and some of it was her mother's. I LOVE watching my daughter make our cherished family spaghetti recipe using the same food mill that her great-grandma used!

When my brother comes down to visit, he often opens a drawer and sees some utensil or other - something as simple as an ice-cream scoop or a spatula - and he sighs contentedly and smiles, "It still exists!" It's just one more way of making my family, who has been rocked by loss after loss, feel like they can still come home..

littlemissmartypants

(33,311 posts)
29. That's wonderful! I recently found my great-grandmother's butterchurn. I may even have a churning party! ❤️
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 07:30 PM
3 hrs ago

littlemissmartypants

(33,311 posts)
57. It takes hours and people usually have to take turns.
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 09:08 PM
1 hr ago

He would have to be exceptionally patient and forgo potty breaks.

There are more modern handcrank versions though. Maybe he has one of these:




littlemissmartypants

(33,311 posts)
59. Hahaha. Don't worry. I'll be glad to butter your bread. You wouldn't have to lift a finger.
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 09:15 PM
1 hr ago

I'd be happy to just have you at my party. ❤️

Aristus

(72,125 posts)
19. Marie Kondo? Isn't she the one who said "Ideally, you should own fewer than thirty books"?
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 07:11 PM
3 hrs ago

Yeah, I'll bet she's read fewer than thirty books in her life. And good for her. Her limited, closed-in, restricted, unimaginative life.

I own about 3,000 books, and I love them all. Nobody tells me how many books to own. Unless their advice is: "More!"

niyad

(132,201 posts)
45. Years ago, I had a dear friend, whose dating life amused me no end.
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 08:00 PM
2 hrs ago

One time, as he was going on about his latest fiasco, he looked at me and said, "why haven't we ever dated?" I replied, "Because you don't read. You even questioned why I have so many books, magazines, and newspapers." He didn't get it Ah well, I saved his life anyway when he went into diabetic shock.

3catwoman3

(29,344 posts)
65. For one of our moves, we had 50 boxes of books.
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 09:48 PM
1 hr ago

I would love to have floor-to-ceiling library style bookshelves with the ladder that rolls from one side to the other.

If I have really enjoyed a book, regardless of genre, I am a re-reader. I know a lot of people scoff at that, with the rationale that, "You already know what happens." I counter that with pointing out that people will watch a beloved movie many times, or listen to a favorite song hundreds, maybe even thousands of times, so what's the difference?

littlemissmartypants

(33,311 posts)
23. Very righteous rant, Coventina. I can't agree more.
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 07:17 PM
3 hrs ago

I love my stuff. Especially my books and art.

I just hope my hier and her partner when/if she wants one are careful digging through my two barns 'cause there're snakes out there.

I guess I'll have to nail notes on the doors to curb their enthusiasm.

🤓😀❤️

flvegan

(66,243 posts)
24. Fun fact: After Marie Kondo cluttered her house with a bunch of kids
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 07:20 PM
3 hrs ago

she stopped being all "keep only what sparks joy" and got more like "meh, I guess a bunch of stuff is okay."

hamsterjill

(17,558 posts)
25. You have every right to do what's best for you.
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 07:25 PM
3 hrs ago

I'm the opposite and the more I can get rid of, the less I have to dust, etc.

But that's the secret - to each their own, and it's for no one else to say as long as they aren't paying the bills.

stopdiggin

(15,415 posts)
28. Whew! Glad we got THAT off of our chest!
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 07:29 PM
3 hrs ago

The one I really like is, "If you haven't worn it in the last 6 months .."
Please tell me you are joking .. ?
I will take your hand off at the wrist .. !!

And the other thing that springs to mind. Is there absolutely no financial factor or constraint - for the people engaged in this round of pious purging and 'unburdening'? No thought of .. at some point .. having to replace .. ?
"Little different world than the one I live in sweetie!"

TBF

(36,570 posts)
33. Who can trust a woman that doesn't want more than a few books (that crazy Kondo lady) -
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 07:39 PM
3 hrs ago

you enjoy your collections and I will keep all my books!

BidenRocks

(3,231 posts)
37. $160 a month for storage x 15 years
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 07:42 PM
3 hrs ago

I have lost my sentimentalism. So much obsolete or unneeded stuff.
Nobody wants my stuff and it would be better to find a home for the best stuff, cause when we die, it all gets tossed.
Sad but true.
My wife is not well and a lot of the stuff is hers.
I hope to end up with a large closet for the stuff I just can't part with.

I have the Time Life book series on the old west. Nice set, 45 years old.
Anyone want it?

Coventina

(29,677 posts)
42. I am 100% against putting stuff in paid storage.
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 07:47 PM
3 hrs ago

I rented some storage space when I was in a nomadic period of my life.

During the 5 years I had that space, the space was broken into, and a lot of stuff was stolen.
Then, someone near my space set theirs on fire for insurance money.

I cleaned out what I could salvage and vowed at that point that whatever I can't have in my house I'll light on fire myself.

littlemissmartypants

(33,311 posts)
44. EBay? I think you'd be surprised if you advertised. The post office
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 07:59 PM
2 hrs ago

Has a bookrate, and you can add postage to the selling price. If it's good enough for Stephen Colbert...

Colbert ebay: https://ebay.us/m/FaXMYV

Anyone's inclined to buy proceeds go to World Central Kitchen.

Keep the faith, BidenRocks.

OnionPatch

(6,327 posts)
39. Yes! I'm keeping my stuff too.
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 07:46 PM
3 hrs ago

I’m enjoying it until the end. I’ve regularly gotten rid of things I don’t need throughout my life, but I also have a lot of stuff I like and I’m keeping indefinitely. I’m not going to sit in an empty room waiting to die just because I reached a certain age.

niyad

(132,201 posts)
41. In the past month, I have seen at least two dozen of these minimalist,
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 07:47 PM
3 hrs ago

or "after such and such an age, you can't/mustn't do/wear/eat/drink. .whatever".so-called "experts" show up on my feed. Why, I have no idea, as they certainly do not relate to anything I watch on youtube. Who are these people? What are their credentials/qualifications? On what do they base their lists? I do not give one single, solitary, flying f*** what these completely-unknown-to-me talking heads has to say.

Circumstances over the years have had me downsize drastically, so I treasure what I have.

BeneteauBum

(447 posts)
46. Live your own life
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 08:03 PM
2 hrs ago

If you live by other people’s opinions, you’ll never be happy. I’ve preached this all my adult life and my daughters have found a lot of personal solace appreciating that thought.

Peace ☮️

usonian

(25,102 posts)
47. Marie Kondo can take a big dumpster and shove it where
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 08:11 PM
2 hrs ago


It's quite simply "Do you own goods, or do they own you?"

I have ALWAYS valued things for their expected future value or usefulness. When I moved to the wilderness near a well-known national park, I thought that friends would drop by and enjoy the scenery (almost a nice as that national park, on a much smaller scale, and no parking problems) and gourmet preparations.

Nada

So, I gave my daughter a lot of expensive cookware to sell on Craig's List and keep the money.

Lately, as I approach {redacted} years, I just don't need the isolation and the maintenance on the "Ponderosa Ranch" here, so I am downsizing to give me more options for a move where stores and services aren't a 50 mile drive. And that is based entirely on "Did I use this in the last 10 years here?" and "Will I ever need this again?" which will vary a bit with the destination.

When water started pouring in the window frame during a storm, I had the "magic" waterproof tape on hand, same for the bend in the gutter. One of the big achievements was finding electronic versions of 15 totes worth of printed books that I paid good money for.

The only really problematical item is the historical microcomputer. Museums seem to only want autographed stuff, or expect me to pay shipping on 80 or more pounds of gear. But I am concentrating on odds and ends. "It will work out"

BELIEVE ME. I was married for 27 years to someone who gave me the daily "Throw, Throw" speech. It was quite the experience from hell, but I stayed in order to be the best Dad I could be to the most wonderful daughter imaginable. And it was worth having my own Marie Kondo at home all that time. I am truly made of steel.

But I'm practical. My Dad collected Madonna statues, the religious kind not the pop kind, and I gave all but two to my ex. He also collected cow creamers. He started collecting when he saw a purple cow creamer on a visit to Maine. I kept a few and let my niece have the rest of them as mementos. I don't have many sentimental pieces. An old mechanical Spirograph, a couple of small slide rules to shock people with, as I calculate gas mileage faster than Siri can!!

So as not to ramble (more), People should understand that many people collect things out a a feeling of lack, somewhere in the past, and, humans being a bit cantankerous, myself VERY cantankerous, one should understand causes and effects and help people feel more themselves and less dependent on "things".

I remember very little from the previous 30 or so years, compared to the treasure of raising a great kid who is now a great adult. These are "treasures of the heart" ... (except that wonderful radial arm saw .... sigh)

Dad was an artist who used brushes, oils and canvas to create. My grandfather was a carpenter who used tools to build. I admit it. Dad had 3 or 4 tools, that's all, so I compensated, though most of my time now is spent on the artistic side, with photography and music (when not repairing gutters).

When people don't understand something, they devalue it to zero. I forgot who said it, Alan Watts? That people we call materialistic are the LEAST materialistic. They don't have things for their intrinsic value, like a piece of olive wood I have with beautiful grain and veining, but just its cash value. It's as if weight were a measure of value, or how high you can pile things, or how "All my friends have Porches, I can't make amends".

Of course, besides the artistic side, I have the tinkerer mentality and the coolest thing ever was that transparent wristwatch. You didn't have to take it apart to see how it works (admittedly, it was little more than a tuning fork). I did take lots of things apart, though. And as for computers, I built them from kits with bare boards and a big bag of parts. I have a good feel for what's going on with this computer in front of me. and an appreciation.

But ultimately, we are in an extreme capitalist culture of endless duplication. Everyone has the same items they rarely use and never share or exchange. This is especially hard on older citizens, and I am focused on a more "sharing economy" having gone from a family "compound" where three brothers, my dad and two uncles, lived in adjoining houses, and we had old world traditions, to my own family. Three in one home, and then two homes and now three homes, all with expenses and taxes and duplicated thingys. Not saying we need to move back together, but that things should be easier to share "just in time". They are soooooooooo far away.

At the very least, we should have communities where someone is nearby to help in a pinch.

Community is not a "thing". It's an idea with practical action as a result. And good feelings.

And Marie Kondo BUYS her friends.

JoseBalow

(9,448 posts)
48. I saw a homeless guy last week riding his bicycle
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 08:14 PM
2 hrs ago

pulling a train of FIVE shopping carts, with a baby-stroller caboose.

delisen

(7,350 posts)
49. Psychologists keep trying to label normal behaviors as disease
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 08:15 PM
2 hrs ago

I guess they want more business?

I consider a wide range of behaviors as typical or normal. I like cluttering people and minimalist people. I am not so fond of judgmental people, particularly those who also choose to couple that with ignorance

littlemissmartypants

(33,311 posts)
50. I enjoy being a loner as my home is full of treasures that I can ...occupy
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 08:16 PM
2 hrs ago

My mind, my hands and heart with. It's part of how we can enjoy being alive.

I even cherish the ghosts of my ancestors. They will never leave this land, home, and barns. I couldn't give them away if I tried. I wouldn't dare.

Thanks so much for the discussion, Coventina.
❤️

JBTaurus83

(1,342 posts)
62. Art, music collections,
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 09:21 PM
1 hr ago

Family heirlooms and such are what makes a home cozy and unique. I wouldn’t get rid of my collection of things either. I try to pick up one unique item on each trip I take.

3catwoman3

(29,344 posts)
66. I have thoroughly enjoyed this thread.
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 10:07 PM
50 min ago

Although I sometimes admire the pared-down minimalist look in other people's homes, in magazine layouts, or on-line articles, it's just not me.

I particularly treasure a picture wall I have with photographs of ancestors, many of whom were born in the 1800s, so I never knew them. My husband keeps suggesting either putting them in an album or going digital, but I like looking at them. It makes me feel connected to my family history.

I get emails from various life style gurus about, "Never paint your bathroom this color," or, "10 things to get rid of RIGHT NOW," or "This trend is so yesterday." If I like something, I don't give a damn about "expert" opinions. It's my house, and I'll surround myself with looks that I like.

I do have way too many clothes, and I am working on changing that.

Figarosmom

(11,805 posts)
67. 💯% with you
Tue Mar 24, 2026, 10:50 PM
7 min ago

My daughter tells me to start throwing out stuff and that I have to move in with them.

Told her that's not going to happen.

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