Okay, fess up. You collect junk, too, right? But you don’t want anyone to know that you've become a psychotic hoarder of useless items. Spring cleaning is just around the corner and that's when I go through drawers and cupboards, hoping to gather a collection of junk I can finally bring myself to toss out.
The other day I took inventory. Here's a few of the items I found in the laundry room drawer: old cell phones--(three of them. That means I've kept the phones for six years). House keys from our two previous homes. Two combination locks that I don’t know the combinations of. Keys to a paddle lock I can't find. Spools of weird-colored thread. A collection of buttons I've retrieved from the bottom of the wash machine throughout the year. Several single strands of various colored shoelaces.
Sitting on my kitchen counter is decorative catch-all metal purse I bought at a flea market years ago. This holds papers I'm too lazy to file. Every Tom, Dick and Harry's business card. Take-out restaurant menus from places I'd never eat at. Last year's association pool passes that went unused. A Dick's sporting Goods discount card, same for Dominick's, and PetSmart. Also a card for Albertsons grocery store from when we lived in Texas. Expired coupons, the kids' school photos from three years ago, old ChapStick and Realtor magnets--to name a few things.
Beneath my bathroom sink are several plastic baskets containing: trial-sized perfumes, expired wrinkle creams. Eye shadow colors I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing. Nail polish that's at least five years old. Sponge rollers, sparkly hair clips in all sizes, a diffuser for my hairdryer and a waffle iron I could never figure out how to use.
Here's what I think: I keep some of this stuff for so long because once I throw it away, I have to admit that I wasted my money and never should have bought the items in the first place. As long as I keep the stuff and there's a chance I might use it one day…then I didn’t waste my money. How's that for self psychotherapy?
Anyone else want to share what's in their junk drawer?
Marin
A Cowboy's Promise *Men Made in America* April 2009
Samantha's Cowboy August 2009
www.marinthomas.com
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6 comments:
I can never get rid of my mother's voice in my head, telling me I'm going to need that "thing", whatever it is! She throws away nothing--yet her collection never looks cluttered.
Mine, not so good. Happy meal toys, tiny school pictures, erasers, paper clips, pizza coupons, cat food samples...it's endless.
Don't look behind the closet doors! That's the rule around my house. People say my house always looks neat and tidy. What they don't see is the 40 years of accumulated junk stashed in closets and behind cabinet doors. I know I'll sort it out...some day.
But Marin, do throw away that expired wrinkle cream. I know from sad experience that using it can hurt you.
I went through mine the other day trying to find something I have an old wallet in their, buttons, measuring tape, odd pairs of knitting needles, plastic ties, couple of small bags, nails, a bunch of candles many pencils and some clips and a small hammer and some screw drivers!
Penney
My worse "junk drawer" is not a drawer at all but a collection of sealed boxes that came from my mother's house after she died 20 years ago!!! I have no idea what is in them and don't intend to find out. I'll let whoever cleans my house out decided whether to open them or not. I know there is nothing of real value so that won't be a problem.
Gillian--We collected a ton of McDonald's toys through the years and I ended up selling a huge plastic tub full of them for $5 at a rummage sale. I don't even want to think about adding the cost of each of those Happy Meals--probably could have paid for a vacation in Hawaii!
Lee, thanks for the advice to toss out the wrinkle cream, I will. One of these days I suppose I'll have to stop fighting the aging process.
Penny, my grandmother collected plastic ties and had a bread bag full of them in her pantry. Took some talking to get her to toss them out!
Ellen, I think I'd have to peak in those boxes if it was me. I don't know how you can stand the suspense!
Marin
A Cowboy's Promise (April 09)
www.marinthomas.com
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