Collections

 

As I was thinking of my topic for this blog, I started to stress out and get overwhelmed just thinking about all the stuff I have accumulated over my 65 years of life. I have to admit, when I think about it, it hasn't gotten any better. I still collect stuff. I am definitely not a minimalist. Lord knows I have tried to cut back and give away a bunch of my stuff, but then eventually, I start accumulating more stuff again -- just newer. Do I need most of the stuff I've accumulated? That would be a definite no. Think about when you have traveled or gone on vacation how little you need. I often thought, if I had an RV I wouldn't have all this stuff. There would be no where to store it.

My collections started as a small child. Whenever we would go anywhere, I would often pick up a stone or shell. Most of my childhood shells went away, but for some reason, I have stones in my now four or five huge bowls collection of rocks that I have collected since I was a child!! Some of the stones I have forgotten where I got them, but some that I pull out take me down memory lane and I know exactly where I collected it. My love for shells hasn't decreased either. So much so, I have had friends who have traveled to far away lands that have brought me back shells from their destinations. I have bowls full of those as well. My most memorable shells are ones that were collected by a teacher in a school district I had worked with. She knew I loved shells, so she spent one day in Hawaii on a paddle board looking for shells for me. She found the most beautiful shells, but they were special -- they were very tiny shells, but looked so ornate and as beautiful as big ones. She bought me a special little round wooden box with a Hawaiian decoration on top and gave them to me when she returned. I still have that box today in one of my shell bowls. I have some that were collected from Indonesia and Cancun. I have collected samples of dirt and sand from vacations as well.

I have a miniature hippo collection of about 90 hippos, I have a miniature piano collection, I have a cookie jar collection, I have a coffee grinder collection -- just to name a few. Above is a picture of my hutch which was intended to display my china, which I have since passed down to my little sister. However, it became a catch all for above said collections, plus things that employees gave me over the course of my 23 year career with a school district. I have things from weddings. Things my children have made me. I'm talking things from over 41 years ago, when the first one was little through my 26 year old twins. The picture on the right is my prom dress from my Junior Prom in 1976 -- complete with shaw. The bottom cupboards are also full of another set of china and glassware along with mementos.

My sons who currently live in one of my homes have told me that when I die, they are just going to back a truck up to the house and just have them load and take all the accumulation away. They laugh, but I don't think they are joking. There is a meme that makes fun of us boomers who have collected stuff over the years and they are showing their children that one day all this will be theirs. That's not so funny anymore.

I now have three homes that I have the responsibility for keeping track of the inventory that is in each home. Plus a storage unit. Might I add that the homes are fully furnished. So when my time is over, I'm hoping my kids will take what they want and then just estate sale the rest, because there is no way they will appreciate all the stuff that has been collected. I have a lot of high quality stuff, but they have started their lives and have their own tastes in decor. I have a lot of collected art by fine artists and also my own art that I have created. I have musical instruments galore. Surprisingly, I am not a hoarder. My homes are very nicely decorated and clean. My closets are another topic however. I use them for clothes and those without clothes are for holiday decor, etc. Oh I have so many pictures. I wished I had been as organized as some of my friends and had scrapbooked when that was really popular. No, instead I have chests, plastic tubs and boxes full of framed and loose pictures. My oldest son has suggested digitalizing all of them.

I thought that this collection of stuff would have ended with me, but I have to say my children have become collectors. Of course, their stuff is worth money. I have one who collects legos and magic cards, one collects Manga Books and figurines that he has put together, one who collects Disney stuff and one who recently started collecting Lafufu and Labubu dolls. I'm sure they have collections I don't know about or what they are called.

I raised my kids to love books, so I have collected books for each child. I still have a lot of those in my hallway cupboards. I've tried to pass them down to the grandkids as much as possible. I collect tons of Bible related resources, devotionals, Bibles and such.

I used to just love to sit in rooms of my house and just reminisce with my stuff and all my memories. But now, I sit and think how am I ever going to get this accumulation down sized and it has become stressful for me to think about. I think the Estate Sale is going to be my only solution quite honestly.

And how many junk drawers should a house have?

I always tell myself how everything in this world is so temporary. One day you can have it and the next day it can all be gone.  I feel sorry for anyone who compliments something I own, because I ask them if they really like it they can have it. I will admit there are some things that I have grown attached to and would have a hard time parting with it.

I've watched Hoarders to make me feel better about the stuff I have accumulated. I convince myself that I'm not that bad. But sometimes, I can relate to the individuals who have a hard time releasing their stuff because of the memories. I wonder what attracts us to having stuff.

Less than a year ago, my boys and I started cleaning out our garage at one of the houses. There came a point where I couldn't even look in the boxes or take time to think about what I was donating or tossing out. I just wanted the garage cleared of the stuff. I just kept telling everyone helping to just throw it in the truck to get rid of it. After that venture there was so much relief in getting rid of it.

I've also thought about what one of my dear friends does on a regular basis. She puts tables out on her driveway and announces that she is giving away a bunch of free stuff and invites anyone who wants it to come by and just take it.  I've thought about doing that, but again, that takes time to organize.

There was a time, when my clutter was terrible. I would try and fit all my treasures into my decor and on my walls. Finally, I had one of my friends make fun of me and told me there was no space on my walls. So, because of the teasing, I went through my house and just started clearing stuff off the furniture and walls. It sure made cleaning a lot easier. It was wonderful when my daughter needed furniture for her home, so I was able to clear out furniture.

Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

The parable of the rich fool -- Luke 12: 16-21.

These scriptures put accumulation of stuff into perspective.