Oh, for Heaven’s sake…when did I become a pack rat?
Last night, I was going through my bookcase in preparation to get rid of it and I stumbled across some books and asked myself why on earth I still had them. I’m typically the opposite of a pack rat. In fact, my mom and a number of friends ask me why I didn’t want to keep such and such…to me, memories are more important than stuff – and let’s face it, I don’t really have room for stuff!
So, there I was standing in front of my bookcase groaning in dismay when I saw the number of stupid books I still had.
For instance, this textbook was purchased at the latest in May of 2001, which would have been my last session of graduate school. Yep, almost ten years ago.
In 2001, I got a call from my national fraternity headquarters offering a deal. For just $299.99, I could have the commemorative alumnae directory in the hard back version AND on a disk. In 2001, I was making the wages of a poor congressional staffer and 300 buckeroos was A LOT of money. I don’t think I ever opened it. Why did I keep it?
In 2002 or 2003, I took my first trip to Cabo San Lucas. A former coworker had honeymooned there and offered me a travel book with helpful notes in the margins. I took it on the trip, but didn’t use it…or maybe I did – it’s been so long that I don’t even remember. But what I DO remember is that I was supposed to return the book to them seven or eight years ago. Classy.
I’m sure I’ll run into countless other books that I’ve kept over the years just because they were in my bookcase. Doesn’t it seem like it’s time to move on, clean that sucker out and just get rid of the evidence of years gone by? These books don’t hold special memories…at this point, they’re just stuff!
What kinds of things do you end up keeping long after you should?
Oh dear. Do you really want to know? Can you come over and help me purge my house? See you tonight!
I’m a certified “chucker” so I applaud you!
Just as long as you’re not an up-chucker! ; )
I found old textbooks when I was packing to move! Some of my grad school books make sense since I do occasionally refer to them for work but my Astronomy book? Not so much.
I’m not a pack rat but I am a sentimental person. I have some old childhood items that I hope to someday pass down to my future children. I tend to keep a lot of stuff (ticket stubs, brochures, etc.) for scrapbooking, which works because I have the visuals of the memory in a small space!
I probably have the hardest time parting with jewelry. Some pieces have sentimental value or were passed down. But there’s some pieces I haven’t worn in years. I’ve somehow convinced myself that the moment I give it away, I’ll figure out the perfect outfit to wear it with or it’ll be back in style.
This is so embarrassing. I had a bookshelf full of my 15+-year-old chemistry and physics textbooks from college until 2 years ago, when I chucked some horrid Wal*Mart bookshelves I had also had since college. In addition to all that nerdy goodness, I had three more floor-to-ceiling bookcases full of pleasure-reading material. When we began to replace our old dingy carpet with hardwood floors, I donated everything except the outdated science books and bought myself a Kindle. Voila! Now I can hoard up to 3000 books on one teeny device at one time. Best of all, all of your book purchases are archived with Amazon, so you can delete them but re-download them later if you want to re-read (which I do, quite often). I’m not being paid to say this, honest. I just *really* love my Kindle.
About the only thing I hoard is books, so the Kindle has gone a long way towards helping keep my problem in check.
I think we finished grad school around the same time and I still have some of my textbooks too. Why is it so hard to get rid of the books…I know the information is no longer in my head, so what’s the big deal? Plus, all this stuff is available on the internet anyway. I think, for me, I sometimes can’t believe I actually did it (went to grad school) so I need proof around the house that I did it!
I’m not a Pack Rat. Growing up military and then marrying into the military, I’ve just always thrown stuff out. It makes moving much easier.
My children, on the other hand, keep EVERYTHING. Even trash. I have no idea why.