The Great Purge - Page 6

Mary Bailey · ‎03-09-2010

On 2/1/2014 Susan Louise said:
On 2/1/2014 Mary Bailey said:
On 2/1/2014 Susan Louise said:
On 2/1/2014 Susan Louise said:
I currently have a box in front of me with a few hundred cards/letters/postcards etc. DH and or I have received over the years we've been married (and even some earlier than that when I was still single from family/friends).

My common sense logic wants to just save one or 2 from each family member/friend...lets say a handful or a little more and throw the rest out. DH and I don't have kids, so no family member would want them anyway when we pass on.

Well, last night I tried to do the "purge" on these and I'm just not doing well. It seems nearly every B-Day card, Christmas card, post card, letter, etc has some sentimental comments that mean a lot...for one reason or another.

I know life is not going to end if I just keep all of them and save myself the trouble...sigh. I did think of scanning them, but the # of them to do would be just crazy. I'd rather spend my time doing other things.

Anyone else have this problem and become successful with the outcome I'm looking for? Suggestions please!

Anyone? ${#emotions_dlg.blink}$

can you scan them into your computer & save thumb drive or DVD?

Hi Mary,

I am trying to avoid scanning them and just want to pair them down to about 20-25 from several hundred. There is just so many...sigh. Maybe I should just toss them all to avoid the headache and deal with the pain of it later ${#emotions_dlg.crying}$

Hi Susan Louise,

I think I would just keep 1 meaningful/beautiful from each loved one, then discard the rest with no regrets. Then revisit in a few months to see if you can pair down again.

I kept the last bday card from my MIL. Kept cards from DH & parents, a few from my sons. Dumped all love letters.

It was fun to read everything one last time. I did it all right after MIL passed away & we had to help go through her things. I didn't want anyone going through my stuff.

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

On 2/1/2014 Susan Louise said:
I currently have a box in front of me with a few hundred cards/letters/postcards etc. DH and or I have received over the years we've been married (and even some earlier than that when I was still single from family/friends).

My common sense logic wants to just save one or 2 from each family member/friend...lets say a handful or a little more and throw the rest out. DH and I don't have kids, so no family member would want them anyway when we pass on.

Well, last night I tried to do the "purge" on these and I'm just not doing well. It seems nearly every B-Day card, Christmas card, post card, letter, etc has some sentimental comments that mean a lot...for one reason or another.

I know life is not going to end if I just keep all of them and save myself the trouble...sigh. I did think of scanning them, but the # of them to do would be just crazy. I'd rather spend my time doing other things.

Anyone else have this problem and become successful with the outcome I'm looking for? Suggestions please!

Maybe this is way off base, and you would not be comfortable doing it, but I have a good friend, and I can imagine one of us being in this same situation. I'd first start by choosing the most important people or events in my life, and decide which ones were not so much so. Those not so muches (distant relatives, a post card from a friend's vacation etc.) would get tossed quickly, no looking back.

Then I'd take everything left that was from important people or events, and pick out my favorite 5 or so from each person or event. Then, if I thought I should pare it down more, I let my friend look at them and tell me which to keep. You may see things through someone else's eyes and it could become clearer, when they point out just why they are choosing what they think is most important. If you really didn't like the friends choices, or think you'd regret things, you don't have to do it, but you will have already pared down to a manageable amount.

terrier3 · ‎03-10-2010

On 2/1/2014 Susan Louise said:
I currently have a box in front of me with a few hundred cards/letters/postcards etc. DH and or I have received over the years we've been married (and even some earlier than that when I was still single from family/friends).

My common sense logic wants to just save one or 2 from each family member/friend...lets say a handful or a little more and throw the rest out. DH and I don't have kids, so no family member would want them anyway when we pass on.

Well, last night I tried to do the "purge" on these and I'm just not doing well. It seems nearly every B-Day card, Christmas card, post card, letter, etc has some sentimental comments that mean a lot...for one reason or another.

I know life is not going to end if I just keep all of them and save myself the trouble...sigh. I did think of scanning them, but the # of them to do would be just crazy. I'd rather spend my time doing other things.

Anyone else have this problem and become successful with the outcome I'm looking for? Suggestions please!

Cards don't take up much space...I would save them all and move on to the next project!

casuallady · ‎03-09-2010

In response to the question on cards, I would do as one poster said maybe get rid of postcards and cards from people that are just acquaintances. I have kept baby cards from my 2 kids births. we had a very small wedding so kept those, and special meaningful cards from our kids. I have a Photo shoe box for each of my kids and each of my 4 grandkids. I am keeping little thank you from the grandkids in there.

To update our purge. The large garbage can is filled to the brim again with mostly basement clutter. I am filling more garbage bags for Monday when the can is empty.

I need to call a Lighthouse shelter that helps people get on their feet. I have a nice large braided rug, and a dark green vinyl recliner, set of corelle,...

AuntG · ‎03-09-2010

Very interesting reading. Sounds like many of you are doing a good job of decluttering; one of my goals is to keep about 1/3 of my closets/drawers/storage shelves empty. Right now, my closets need some serious cleaning because they are nearly full.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

I can help you! Stacks of stuff will root you out of your house, keep you busy trying to work around them, and take your life away. Keep one or two from each person and throw the rest away. NOW! These things don't bring the person back or bring you closer to them. They just take up space and joy from your life. You don't want to live in a museum.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

I can help you! Stacks of stuff will root you out of your house, keep you busy trying to work around them, and take your life away. Keep one or two from each person and throw the rest away. NOW! These things don't bring the person back or bring you closer to them. They just take up space and joy from your life. You don't want to live in a museum.

Susan Louise · ‎03-14-2010

I want to thank everyone for their helpful responses! I will update you when I have finished with that project.

I also FINALLY decided to donate my wedding gown to Goodwill...sigh. Don't get me wrong, I'll be happy someone else will use it, it just makes me sad. I came to terms with it making no sense to keep it any longer. I remember paying over $1,000 for it back in 2000. I even spent the $$$ to get it preserved!

I did google for many other charities, but a lot of them don't want it because of it's age. The gown either needs to be no more than 3-4 yrs old or more than 30 yrs old.

lovesrecess · ‎03-14-2010

On 2/1/2014 terrier3 said:
On 2/1/2014 Susan Louise said:
I currently have a box in front of me with a few hundred cards/letters/postcards etc. DH and or I have received over the years we've been married (and even some earlier than that when I was still single from family/friends).

My common sense logic wants to just save one or 2 from each family member/friend...lets say a handful or a little more and throw the rest out. DH and I don't have kids, so no family member would want them anyway when we pass on.

Well, last night I tried to do the "purge" on these and I'm just not doing well. It seems nearly every B-Day card, Christmas card, post card, letter, etc has some sentimental comments that mean a lot...for one reason or another.

I know life is not going to end if I just keep all of them and save myself the trouble...sigh. I did think of scanning them, but the # of them to do would be just crazy. I'd rather spend my time doing other things.

Anyone else have this problem and become successful with the outcome I'm looking for? Suggestions please!

Cards don't take up much space...I would save them all and move on to the next project!

can you scan them onto your computer and save them on a flashdrive or disc?

ilovedaisies · ‎07-20-2010

Over the last few months we've been purging and it's really emotionally wrenching to let go of some things. We have to face it, though, our kids are collecting their own junk and they're not going to want ours. I've tried to get them interested in taking some of the family heirlooms, and they really couldn't care less about it. It does feel very gratifying when you get a drawer or a closet unjunked. It's great to open the closet and you can see what you have and everything is something that fits and you would want to wear. We made many trips to Goodwill. It's such a hassle to try to put stuff on Ebay that we decided to just donate it all.