I keep forgetting to mention I did call my uncle on Christmas Day. Was expecting his usual 30 seconds of call time - he did not disappoint and this call was 25 seconds LOL. I'm not sure if I should even bother, but I did and will at least make the effort.
I commented over on SAM's blog about too much stuff - especially in the kitchen. I am working towards pruning it all down some. My problem is I have to do it w/o DH knowing I'm getting rid of stuff! It doesn't matter what it is - he will find a reason to keep it. He has no idea we even have the stuff in the first place...but if he sees that I'm throwing something away or setting it aside for donation, he will go into "gotta keep it" mode. I'm not going to donate a 40 year old blender that only works (barely) on one speed, so I will have to put it in a garbage bag and then throw it away. About every couple of weeks I take a kitchen garbage bag and fill it up from the small wastebaskets around the house, my shredder, etc. So, I will put that in first, haha. I really don't feel like having yet another discussion on why we should keep something we don't use or need, let alone barely works.
I know there is quite a bit of old linen type stuff that can go or transfer to the rags bin out in the shop. I just need to pull everything out of the linen closets and go through it all. I wouldn't say my cabinets (whether it be kitchen or linen) are cluttered. Everything is in order - but still way too much stuff that isn't even needed anymore.
One of the "stuffs" in the kitchen is an old metal cheese grater. I also have a new style one from pampered chef. I never use either one. When it came time to start packing up for our big move 8+ years ago, I had put the old metal one in the box for Goodwill. DH pulled it out, for some reason, even he doesn't know, we had to keep it. He has never grated cheese in our married life, LOL. Not to mention - I always buy shredded cheese now! Well, for my home made mac and cheese and pizza, while dd and sil were here, I decided to buy good block cheeses. SIL first grated some with the old grater, then I got out the other one and he tried that. His conclusion was the newer one was easier to use. I am going to get rid of that old metal one - dh will never even know. If I asked him "where do I keep the metal cheese grater?" He would have no idea.
My back is really sore this morning, from taking down and packing up all the decorations yesterday. Usually a nights sleep puts it back to right, but not this morning. I guess I really did over do it. The only thing I have left to do is try to defluff the big tree and take off the garland from the stair case railings. DH was using the wire cutters on the big tree, trying to get the lights cut off/out of it. As expected it is not an easy or fun job. He put on his bright headlamp and that helped him see what he was working on better. He's almost half way done, but at least the rest he can do standing and not up on a ladder. It will be worth it, once it's done. It is a nice tree and while stringing lights on it every year going forward will probably be a bit of a pain, at least the tree should last many more years now.
Usually I like to leave everything up until Jan 1st or the weekend after the first, but this year I was just ready to have it all put away and my house back to normal, for some reason.
Amos caught on the game camera - he looks like a mountain lion LOL.
I hope your week off is successfully relaxing and restful. I laugh at DH keeping the old grater, like you said he'd never even used it. You'll feel better for clearing stuff out that is for sure!
ReplyDeleteit's really hard for me to understand the hoarding mindset, especially when it's not even something in his "domain" (ie anything kitchen haha).
DeleteI hear you!!! As I have told you, my DH is not one for lots of stuff, but once stuff gets in the house, he’s hard pressed to let it out of the house. It’s infuriating, especially when, like you said, it’s stuff he didn’t even know we had. We don’t fight often, but getting rid of stuff? Whoa. Oddly enough, he let he’s a tidy, organized, clutter free home. Go figure.
ReplyDelete(Meg B.)
DeleteMy dh is so organized, it's the only way I can even tolerate his shop (and somewhat garage) hoard. Thankfully, he doesn't bring stuff into the house and likes the house not cluttered and stuffed with everything, but like you said, even things that he doesn't use/aren't his, in the house, if I try to get rid of them, it triggers his hoarding instinct. I'll bet half the stuff I think I've gotten rid of (from the house) he has put in his shop to keep.
DeleteMaybe you should pad the bag first before you put the blender in so he won't see the shape. When we had a cleaner and she was getting rid of old, nasty duplicates of stuff, we had three dish drainers. One was rusted and broken, one was plastic and nasty. The other was okay. He insisted on keeping all three. I had her put the nasty one and rusty one in a garbage bag. I whispered to her to take it to her trunk and toss it for me when he went to the bathroom. Yes, they were his drains, but he never missed them three years later. I have done this with several things.
ReplyDeleteYes - this is what I do! Plus I take the bag out to the garbage can myself so he never even sees it. I've learned some of the "work arounds" haha.
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