It seems every other e-mail I receive from Ikea, Home Depot, Walmart, AARP, etc. etc. reminds me that it is time to declutter. It is easier said than done :-(
Wish I was like Barney (OFM Adventures) who is ruthless when it comes to getting rid of things he no longer uses or needs.
I have wanted to purchase a shed or small cabin so I can get the boxes I brought down from Houston when I moved back to Del Rio a place of their own besides my small teenage bedroom. Yet deep inside of me I know that I need to get rid of them rather than stockpiling them.
We do not have a Goodwill, Salvation Army or other charity organization besides a local church where we can donate our gently worn clothing items. Taking them to San Antonio or Houston to donate would use up valuable cargo space.
Good night. May you all have Terlingua Dreams.
Terlingua Dreams
Governors Landing Campground - Lake Amistad - Del Rio, Texas
Garbage cans take that stuff gladly. For me it is never a question if the object is leaving RIGHT NOW. I do donate everything to a charity if one is available RIGHT NOW. Otherwise it goes out to a dumpster/garbage can RIGHT NOW. RIGHT NOW is a very important phrase to prevent wasted money storing things that need to be already gone. Have fun.
ReplyDeleteLike I said...you are ruthless!
DeleteRuthless! You got that right!
DeleteI have the 'too much stuff' problem..but I'm working on it.
ReplyDeleteWith our tiny home I can't get another coffee cup without getting rid of one that I have.
The whistling tea kettle I have came from a second hand shop in Sacramento, I'd been looking for a better one. I took it out to the van & brought the one it was replacing into the donation side of the shop and went on my way.
As to the rest, I will give it to a second hand shop (my generic term is "Goodwill") but things have to be real bad to send it to the land fill.
For a while I followed the "if you bring something new to your space you have to get rid of something old".
DeleteI think in my family we are secret hoarders. I agree with you things have to be really bad for me to send it to the landfill.
Is there a place across the border where you can donate some things? Or would you have problems with Customs?
ReplyDeleteIf it's clothing then they probably wouldn't even notice it, but larger items, I don't know. Do they actually check your car or just wave you through?
The only place in Ciudad Acuña that takes clothing items is the "Asilo de Ancianos" which is a State run nursing home for lower income seniors without families.
DeleteAt least they used to. Mother has been talking for YEARS about donating some items but that is where it has stayed in the "talking phase".
When you cross Customs in either side you have to declare what you are bringing into the country. In Mexico for example if the red light goes off which rings at random, they will inspect your car. If the green light goes off you can proceed without a worry.
I would only be donating clothing since with my bad back there is no way I can carry any other stuff to the car.
I know from my own hoarding tendencies that clothing can take up a lot of space, and it just gives you a good feeling to get rid of some of it. I'm still holding on to a few pieces that I love, and need to get over it. What would Customs say or do if you took used non-clothing items into the country? I don't see why they should care, especially if you are not trying to sell it. I suppose Customs has its own rules & regs.
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point I do not know what they would say and since supposing it was used furniture perhaps one would not have to pay a Mexican Customs tax (though I only have clothes to donate).
DeleteI recall a couple of years back when we had over 6 inches of rain in one night and mother lost part of her cinder block fence, it was much worst in Acuña a lot of flooding.
People from Del Rio were trying to take used mattresses to their relatives in Mexico and Mexican Customs would not allow them because of "hygiene issues" they only allowed new mattresses to cross.
I don't have a problem getting rid of clothes, it's the lareger item now that they removed the drop center.
ReplyDeleteI would like to get rid of most of dad's suits as they are in my teenage bedroom closet but mother does not share my opinion.
DeleteI would also like to get rid of my bed and mattress, old TV's, furniture past its useful life...like the sofa, love seat, recliner, old computers, electric typewriters and coffee table but there is no place to donate them locally.
I may have to break down and hire someone to take them to the dump.