Saving, Tossing, Recycling, Donating: Is This an Aging Thing?

Sorting into piles. Saving, tossing, recycling, donating. No, we’re not doing a clean-out of a relative’s belongings after their passing. We’re slowly sifting through our own stuff. Old enough to be thinking about such matters, we decided it prudent to pare down some of the accumulation ourselves, so that when “that” time inevitably arrives, our kids aren’t faced with a mountainous task.

We’re not shedding our furniture or home décor, artwork or travel mementos. Belongings which bring us joy or that we use on a regular basis will remain. No, it’s the “stuff” we’ve hung onto for years and years that we never look at, nor no longer need.

Back in the mid-2000’s, I transferred our family videos from video cassettes to DVDs (which of course will inevitably be replaced by some other form of technology). Yet, along with the DVDs, I still kept all those VHS tapes. Why? Was it anxiety over tossing family memories recorded on these videotapes—even though they are all safely stored on DVDs—that kept me from letting go? I don’t know, but today I’m ready to let go.

Remember long, long ago when we used cassette tapes? My husband has at least 300 cassettes of musical recordings from that era. On the other hand, I had over 100 favorite paperback books saved from years gone by. We discussed this and came to an agreement THREE years ago. Since he hasn’t listened to more than a couple of these music tapes in over twenty years and I have not spent time with or reread any of the old books, we decided that if I’d give away my books, he’d dispense with the cassette tapes. It has taken me three years to arrive at this place of letting go, but last week I sorted through the books, selecting a few treasured ones, plus several that I do plan to reread (someday!). My husband also picked a few of his favorites. My daughter-in-law selected a sack full and another stack went to the Little Free Library down the street. Nestled into four boxes, the remaining 84 books were delivered to our Public Library, where they’ll find new homes through the Library’s book sale. Still waiting for the husband to fulfill his part of the bargain, however . . .

Taken in small steps, I realize the completion of our sort-out will not happen overnight, but will be a process. I am determined to see it through, though. It is our gift to our children.

Have you gone through a similar clean-out? What was it like for you?